Depth and distance in writing.

I scanned the typewritten copy of DEVILTREE into digital format and am now going over it to check for spelling, taking out the page breaks and so on.

First of all, the biggest change I noticed is that I wrote in very long paragraphs back then.  I think blog writing has converted me into smaller paragraphs.  So much so, that I may go through and actually shorten some of the paragraphs.

Secondly, the writing is very polished.  Very readable.  This is a book that probably deserves to be published.

Third, the writing is a bit more formal -- less colloquial.  I think the blog has loosened me up quite a bit.  That isn't necessarily a good thing.  It seems to me that the more formal approach feels like a "book."  It creates a small distance as if this is something very detached, and then draws you back in hopefully with the writing.  In other words, the surface distance allows you to sink deeper into the story.

Whereas being casual may at first seem more approachable, but is more on the surface.  It never draws you completely into that other world.  The ideas of distance and depth are something I'd never thought about before, frankly.

In other words -- the more formal writing distance (even the longer paragraphs) may at first require that the reader commit more to the story, but it draws them into it deeper.

The more casual approach is easier for the reader at first, but keeps the story somewhat on the surface.

In many ways, I'm learning to trend back to the way I used to write.  Creating the slightly formal  distance, the third person narrative, then trying to replace it with language and  imaginative elements.

It's turning out the biggest differences between the way I used to write and the way I write now are the work methods and of course the advanced technology.  The advanced technology allows me to be as prolific as I want to be.

 I'm not afraid to just write and see where it leads.  At the same time, I'm also trying to be aware of where it leads and what the premises are.  Which is a contradiction I'm trying to embrace.