Thoughts and feelings are stronger when they're invisible.
Charlie helped me realize that they should live in the subtext whenever possible. The act of compressing a complex emotion into a single word ("crazy") strips it of its power. Instead, write in images. By showing 2 or more images, the thoughts and feelings emerge between them.
(from The Glass Castle)
“When I was seven months old my father threw my mother on their bed and tried to suffocate her with a pillow. She broke free. Two weeks later he did it again. She broke free again, but this time he chased her and cornered her in the bathroom with his straight razor."
This gives me a visceral experience of anger and craziness without being labeled. I'm plunged into the source behind language.
Next time I edit, I'm going to highlight thoughts and feelings in red. Instead of deleting them, I'll look for two images that can provoke an invisible version of that emotion. Thanks for the idea Charlie.
I'm curious how this goes... if it's easy or difficult, or in what instances it would be easy or difficult.
Something I learned from the memoir I just finished (What Remains by Carole Radziwill): simply writing the shocking thing without trying to describe it is way more compelling than trying to describe the shocking thing.
Wow this is super eye-opening given me a lot to think about. I usually love the internal monologue of characters when I'm reading, but I don't think before your examples I had ever noticed how much taking out all of the thoughts and feelings does to improve the pacing.
Wow. When I read 'she did not write thoughts or feelings' my first thought was 'well that must be a bit shit'. I'm a massive fan of thoughts and feelings. But when you explained it... wow.
This essay may just have revolutionised my writing.
I write with drawings, so it's not the standard kind of writing as stand alone thing. I'll have to see how it unfolds. And no probs. I'll touch base about it again as I explore it. Thanks again for the great post.
Ok, after that the description of that book, I Googled The Glass Castle. And noticed that it was made into a movie with Woody Harrleson as Jeannette's father. I vaguely remember seeing the trailer for that. I couldn't imagine living a life like that. Petting a cheetah! And then telling his children to try it? O_O Lordt. Utterly. Crazy. Just reading that passage about Billy had me tensing up. Reading that book must've been like riding a roller coaster. Gah!
Since you first introduced this idea in a deep dive, which you summarized wonderfully below, I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately in my own writing.
“She did not write thoughts or feelings.
All she wrote was dialogue and action. Without anyone’s thoughts or feelings it was like I was experiencing what Jeannette had experienced...”
Charlie! This is GOLDEN. You've just articulated the whole "show-don't-tell" philosophy in a 5 min essay rooted in your own passion for writing. They spend 4 years distilling the same concept in film schools lol 😅. This text is not just a beautiful inspection of these writers; it's a true Charlie Bleecker style manifesto. The last lines took my breath away, thank you for this gem 🫶
Anna, wow, thank you so much. It's amazing how something we all know can continue to be broken down so that we can not only understand the principles, but have specific tools to make it happen.
This has been bookmarked. I think about this writing advice (and your writing advice from all the breakouts) every day. Such a solid piece (yet again).
Love this piece. Glass Castle is now next up on the reading list. I'm looking forward to trying out the sportswriter approach with heavier topics. It's such a great antidote to any self-pity or anger that might creep in. I'm curious to know how Jeanette Walls landed on this technique, and wonder if she had earlier drafts that were full of thoughts and feelings.
"the sportswriter approach with heavier topics" ... I love that! And completely agree that it's a great way to keep out any self-pity or anger. I wondered the same thing about earlier drafts!! It's an interesting thought. I would love to ask her.
“I was lost for words, but I’ve been talking about it ever since.”
Love this.
Thanks, Alexandra!
so good, Charlie. "I was lost for words, but I’ve been talking about it ever since." <-- sums up all the best books and experiences.
Okay! Came to the comments to leave you this EXACT comment. Maybe I should marry that guy! But seriously-- 👏
Haha thank you both so much!!
I came here to leave the exact comment too 🥹
Thoughts and feelings are stronger when they're invisible.
Charlie helped me realize that they should live in the subtext whenever possible. The act of compressing a complex emotion into a single word ("crazy") strips it of its power. Instead, write in images. By showing 2 or more images, the thoughts and feelings emerge between them.
(from The Glass Castle)
“When I was seven months old my father threw my mother on their bed and tried to suffocate her with a pillow. She broke free. Two weeks later he did it again. She broke free again, but this time he chased her and cornered her in the bathroom with his straight razor."
This gives me a visceral experience of anger and craziness without being labeled. I'm plunged into the source behind language.
Next time I edit, I'm going to highlight thoughts and feelings in red. Instead of deleting them, I'll look for two images that can provoke an invisible version of that emotion. Thanks for the idea Charlie.
I'm curious how this goes... if it's easy or difficult, or in what instances it would be easy or difficult.
Something I learned from the memoir I just finished (What Remains by Carole Radziwill): simply writing the shocking thing without trying to describe it is way more compelling than trying to describe the shocking thing.
Wow this is super eye-opening given me a lot to think about. I usually love the internal monologue of characters when I'm reading, but I don't think before your examples I had ever noticed how much taking out all of the thoughts and feelings does to improve the pacing.
Right?! I didn't even think about the pacing but that's a great point.
🤌 *chefs kiss*
;)
I love how this turned out. I also am so thankful for the lesson 👏🏽
Thanks, Cris! And thanks for all your feedback on the first draft.
Wow. When I read 'she did not write thoughts or feelings' my first thought was 'well that must be a bit shit'. I'm a massive fan of thoughts and feelings. But when you explained it... wow.
This essay may just have revolutionised my writing.
Haha Medha! Yes! This comment made me so excited. Please let me know how it goes.
I write with drawings, so it's not the standard kind of writing as stand alone thing. I'll have to see how it unfolds. And no probs. I'll touch base about it again as I explore it. Thanks again for the great post.
absolutely love where this piece landed, Charlie :) thanks for a beautiful lesson on writing words that leave our readers lost for words!
Thank you, Cissy! Love the way you phrased that.
Ok, after that the description of that book, I Googled The Glass Castle. And noticed that it was made into a movie with Woody Harrleson as Jeannette's father. I vaguely remember seeing the trailer for that. I couldn't imagine living a life like that. Petting a cheetah! And then telling his children to try it? O_O Lordt. Utterly. Crazy. Just reading that passage about Billy had me tensing up. Reading that book must've been like riding a roller coaster. Gah!
Lol Ororo, it was!!
SUCH a good tip that I still struggle to implement in my writing. Thanks for sharing them here and during your sessions, Charlie.
Thank you, Becky. I still struggle, too!
Since you first introduced this idea in a deep dive, which you summarized wonderfully below, I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately in my own writing.
“She did not write thoughts or feelings.
All she wrote was dialogue and action. Without anyone’s thoughts or feelings it was like I was experiencing what Jeannette had experienced...”
A great read. Thanks for your writing Charlie!
Thank you so much, Jack! I'm glad the idea resonated.
Charlie! This is GOLDEN. You've just articulated the whole "show-don't-tell" philosophy in a 5 min essay rooted in your own passion for writing. They spend 4 years distilling the same concept in film schools lol 😅. This text is not just a beautiful inspection of these writers; it's a true Charlie Bleecker style manifesto. The last lines took my breath away, thank you for this gem 🫶
Anna, wow, thank you so much. It's amazing how something we all know can continue to be broken down so that we can not only understand the principles, but have specific tools to make it happen.
Yes! Your tools are outstandingly colorful though, I'm preordering your book already ahaha
This has been bookmarked. I think about this writing advice (and your writing advice from all the breakouts) every day. Such a solid piece (yet again).
Thank you, Camilo!
Thanks for being an ambassador for this message Charlie about writing only what is seen and heard. It's slowly sinking in. : )
Takes a while, right? For me, too.
Love this piece. Glass Castle is now next up on the reading list. I'm looking forward to trying out the sportswriter approach with heavier topics. It's such a great antidote to any self-pity or anger that might creep in. I'm curious to know how Jeanette Walls landed on this technique, and wonder if she had earlier drafts that were full of thoughts and feelings.
"the sportswriter approach with heavier topics" ... I love that! And completely agree that it's a great way to keep out any self-pity or anger. I wondered the same thing about earlier drafts!! It's an interesting thought. I would love to ask her.
So beautiful and evocative. Like Clayton wrote - the ending was perfect.
Thank you, James.