On the depth of the study of the world, V. 1. "Entry point".

And yet, and yet. We promised it a long time ago, which means we'll start.

It was naturally afraid to take up this topic - for the reason that it is impossible to squeeze it into one post. And if it is impossible, then it is not necessary. therefore, let's start, perhaps, with a small one.

How does the world inside the book begin? You know, usually - generally with one phrase.

"There was a Hobbit in the hole"

Remember?

Or: in a white raincoat with a bloody lining, shuffling cavalry gait ...

I will take the liberty - and towards the end of the post I will continue this row. Don't forget to remind me.

With this phrase, the world begins for the reader.

With her - bright, whipping, fluttering facets of images, like a live fish - scales in the sun; oh yes, a flying fish, a beautiful ephemeral creature! - with her, the reader steps into a world that has already been built.

Built by the author, drawn, painted, carefully placed with all its accents. And the reader becomes like a traveler in it, like a traveler in an intricate ancient city, as in the depths of some white-stone labyrinth of walls that remembers Ovid there, Socrates, Aristotle ...

the reader will see what the writer wants to show.

That's why the depth of the world - it, like that devil of a theatrical production, lies in the details. Little things. th-in-gs.

Here it is worth making a small digression - and about the importance of details, I advise you to read the excellent book "Nuances" by the authorship of Mr. Oldie. In fact, read it - it's a highly artistic fascinating reading, we recommend it!

And here's where the interesting thing happens. For the reader, the world already appears as a whole - and he solves it and examines it. But the author cannot afford to create a world as the story progresses. The author, it seems, (so it is considered!) he must create mentally everything that he wants to show - and then describe in detail. That is, to play the Lord God, or what? Partly yes. But in fact ...

in fact, most often the world is born for the author with a single phrase.

A Hobbit lived in a hole. (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Shuffling cavalry gait ... (A.M. Bulgakov)

A magician was walking through the city. (E. Godvirdson)

In the previous article about craft-and-art, we talked about the main character - our eyes and ears, hands and heart. through which we show/learn the world of the book.

So - the first phrase is the most biting, catchy, the most important, even if it does not go to the very first line, but sets the leitmotif of the whole text - it does not just open the door. She introduces this very main character.

This is the so-called entry point. If you know the world of your text well, take the trouble to build this entry point. It's like in the composition of a painting - where will the first glance fall and where will it move? Depends on you. This is a compositional, structural solution. And it is, believe me, archived.

Finally, I will give only one piece of advice - simply because I was actually asked about it. Oh no, I'm not going to lie like those bloggers, telling how the pm is bursting with messages... in fact, exactly one person, a good friend of mine, asked me.

But if there is a question from at least one person. so it's interesting, right?

The question sounded like this: how to create descriptions in a book correctly - descriptions of everything in the world. So that they are bright, voluminous, but at the same time without frills?

But I broke my head - and I can answer.

Firstly, it is always necessary to start from the whole image-the mood that needs to be set - it will be cheerful, sad, light, gloomy... Feel it, if you want, with your heart. (For the one who writes with his hand has forgotten his father's face, eh-heh-heh-heh)

Yes, for any more or less detailed, epithet-rich description, this is necessary. As a leading part in music. The text in general has a lot in common with music and with paintings, in fact. And there, and there, and there are important - mood, tonality, composition, beat and rhythm. But these are already separate depths, a lot has been said about the tempo and rhythm by the same Oldies, so I will not be distracted, I will send the curious to read their verbose opuses about the writer's skill, they are very good, seriously.

So, the first thing is to imagine the mood. And only then create your own "entry point" - take and imagine that it's you, the author, yourself, the writer, looking at it all. Here you stand next to the hero and watch. Next to his main character. And the "entry point" for the writer and the reader at this moment should merge - only then will this leading mood be transmitted through black letters on a white background, come to life and sing that inner melody.

But what are we all "watching" yes "watching"! Let's remember about all five senses. Do not deprive either the hero or the reader of the fullness of perception - remember about hearing and taste, about touch and smell.

Which means you're not just watching. and you also smell the same air, touch the same objects, hear the same sounds. And here - and what are they? The simplest, but accurate words are enough, to be honest. Be concise, but as honest and accurate as possible. Write about what you know, I will say, internally hating this phrase - and then I will explain what I really mean. About those tastes and smells. about those sounds, touches and other things - what do you really know. Don't make it up. Don't complicate it. Your hero is a living person. Almost... almost like you, yes. Even if not, then people who are almost like you read you. In any case, from the point of view of biology and physiology. Therefore - do not complicate, I beg. Let everything be simple - but for real, without lies. After all, falseness in the text is like falseness in music. You can't hide it.

And in the descriptions, for the most part, the main thing is this: to single out a couple of leading "notes", and focus on them, because they actually set the tone. That's the mood.

And then it's a small matter - starting from the mood of the scene, choose epithets. Here's a quick example. Say: "bitter, cold" - and this is one mood. And then say this: "tart and fresh." Do you feel the difference? But all this can be said about the smell of steppe grass! But what are the polar moods, have you noticed? A good exercise, we recommend that you sometimes mentally perform it, as an artist draws sketches, and a musician plays simple scales.

And I have actually said enough here for the first call, and therefore I will summarize. What do we have?

We have a position about the entry point as structurally the most important part at the start of the text. And the honesty clause. And another reminder - write with your heart. Think with your head, write with your heart, yes. Because the reader will want to read with his heart in 90% of cases, and this is true.

Who writes by hand - well, you know, right?

Have a good entry into your own text, gentlemen colleagues and sympathizers.

A Hobbit lived in a hole.

A magician was walking through the city...

the picture is taken from open sources on the Internet