Story, story, story.

I guess maybe you know you have a book when a chapter is written that just imparts the basic information needed to progress. That is, no filler whatsoever. Not that there should ever be filler. It wasn't elegant, but it was all there.

Styles really are different. I'm reading a Thomas Perry book right now, and as usual really enjoying it. Minimal extra stuff, straightforward plot. Extra descriptions or interior monologue unnecessary. I also just finished an Alastair Reynolds SF book, and as usual I enjoyed it too, and this one was full of description, SF tech and so on.

In other words, it isn't necessary to be one or the other.

My own feeling is that I need to write my straightforward plots, but in the rewrite try to add some more mood and color and description. Not overboard, but enough to give the story flavoring. I try to signal character and location through telling details. I telegraph it, and I like to think that it takes skill to be subtle.

I was conscious in reading the Thomas Perry book, "The Old Man," that he'll spend a few pages explaining who someone is and what their motivations are--so that's a fair technique too,  as long as it isn't overdone.

I don't think "overdone" is something anyone can accuse me of. I am pretty sparse, and it is up to me to add a bit of bulk to my novels to make them feel fuller and richer. I'm interested in story, and I"m interested in the characters expanding the story.

I have to ask myself consciously on the rewrite--where I can add some telling detail, where a characters need a little fleshing out, when I should describe something a little more fully?

But the one overweening thing I've learned over the last six years is that most people judge most books by their stories. Almost no critique of the actual writing.

Of course, writing is what makes the story, but I'm not sure how aware most people are of technique.

I like to have a little flare if possible, some nice turns of phrases, some alliterative mood setting.  But I no longer start out with that as my goal. Instead, I start off with story, continue with story, and then try to make the writing enhance the story when possible.