From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story

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Example: Be specific rather than vague

Example: Be specific rather than vague

From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story

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Example: Be specific rather than vague

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- You'd be surprised how easy it is for a writer to think they're being specific when in fact they're firmly stuck in the general realm. For instance... - [Writer] Max walked slowly across the carefully manicured lawn thinking about that day so long ago when everything changed. Did everyone else who'd come here today to honor the dead remember the same kind of horror he did? Or was their loss somehow simpler? Somehow easier to live with? He didn't know. He stopped, looking across the expanse of graves until he as jolted from his reverie by a little boy who ran up and saluted him. Rather than return the salute, Max turned and walked away, certain the kid got the message. - Having read this passage, two things are abundantly clear. One, the writer is trying to communicate something he believes is very important. And two, we have no idea what it is. What went wrong? The writer couldn't tell the difference between the story he was seeing…

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