5 Tips for Tantalizing Writing
In Greek mythology, the character Tantalus was punished to spend eternity in a pool of water he could never drink, under a tree of fruit he could never reach. His hunger and thirst never to be satisfied. This is where we derive the word “tantalize.” This illustrative, mythological story tells you exactly how to write more tantalizing copy, stories, songs, blog posts, etc. But, just for kicks, feel free to read on.
The problem with most writing is the the hunger and thirst of the reader is satisfied way too soon.
I read a lot of books. Well, I read parts of a lot of books. Most of the time, I read only the first third of a non-fiction book. Why? I’m satisfied by that point. The author has given me all the juicy details of his ‘big idea’ and the remainder of the book simply reinforces his thesis (we’ll show you how to solve this below).
In today’s fast-paced culture, the temptation is to get to the point quickly and give the reader the big picture as soon as possible. The unintended result is the simplification of ideas and an absence of mystery in genres other than mystery itself.
J.J. Abrams, writer/director/producer of Lost, Fringe and the latest Star Trek blockbuster, is a huge advocate of mystery as a tool for intriguing audiences. His masterful use of mystery is part of the reason he has been so successful and is highly sought after. I would argue, and I think he’d agree, we could give our readers much more by telling them less.
1. No spoonfeeding allowed.
This is something I learned while writing for the stage. I wanted to make sure the audience would ‘get it.’ My director pushed back and told me “Adults don’t like to be spoonfed.” Readers aren’t babies. They’re more like horses. Feel free to lead them to water, but… oh – you know the rest.
2. Don’t follow predictable patterns
Like the books I barely read. It’s OK to give people an idea where you’re going to take them. It’s even fine to tell them the stops you’ll make along the way (”All points between.” as the train conductor states). You just might leave out the “how” of getting there. And if you get them from point A to point Z the exact same way they’ve been taken there before, how do you expect them to not lose interest?
4. Feel free to leave something out.
Did you leave it out because it was unimportant? Was it obvious? Maybe you just make them believe you left something out, but in reality you simply created a space you never filled. Let them fill it themselves. You never know, they may come up with something amazing.
5. Show ‘em, but don’t GIVE it to them
If Tantalus was given the fruit, we’d have to use someone else’s name for tantalize. Maybe Tootsiepopize – because the world may never know how many licks it takes thanks to their aggravating commercial… and Mr. Owl. Tantalus had to be wondering what the fruit would taste like. Heck, he didn’t even know what the other side of the fruit looked like or if there were bruises or a worm inside. In all likelihood, he probably imagined it being more amazingly wonderful than it would have been in actuality. Kinda like tip number 3.
Where is tip #3?
Fantastic article Dustin. The concept of spoon-feeding the audience has become commonplace. I love when authors, and filmmakers acknowledge, that their audience is intelligent. Allowing a story to unfold and develop is truly Tantalizing!
Gina,
Hint: See tip #4. :)
Giselle,
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the article. As creatives, we often appreciate our own imaginations, but we fail to acknowledge the imaginations of our audience. Let’s leverage that in our craft.
Dustin,
I take it back. I do have two smart brothers. Love your comments. I am going to share it with a friend of mine from church. She is writing a book about “keeping up with Jesus in a world of Jones’)
Hehehe … enjoyed the article … and the first comment …
I will have to remember these tips if I ever decide to get off my laziness and write something.
Thanks Allison. Shannon, we all need a swift kick in the keister once in a while, don’t we?
Traci, always nice to have my sis pop in for a visit. Let your friend know I’d love to take a look at her book she’s writing. Love ya.
Dood, you totally fooled me with tip number three!! Had you not mentioned it, I would’ve been none the wiser. I’ll make sure not to spoonfeed my readers cause I’d really like it if they came back for more every time.
You could have #4′d the Tootsiepopize. Otherwise, great advice….as usual. If you would write more often……
Bret,
Thanks for the advice. I guess I had a lot of latent frustration built up from a lifetime of wondering how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. I had to release my anger somewhere.
Upon re-reading, it does seem like a leap from Greek Mythology to Mr. Owl. Chalk it up to an A.D.D. moment.
I just wanted to add that I think it is also very engaging to ask question(s). I enjoy sometimes being forced to answer a question about myself, my business, my experiences, etc. often it gives you a new angle on things or helps you recognize something you may have neglected.