Question for literary minds

[gothwalk]

At what point does use of a motif become laziness in the writer?

Comments

[bardiphouka.livejournal.com]

When it starts standing out instead of integrating in the story?

[wyvernfriend.livejournal.com]

Just before the reader has an urge to beat them to death with a symbol of that motif.

[salith.livejournal.com]

Just before you become Stephen King? :)

[loupblanc.livejournal.com]

When the number of illustrations surpasses the amount of text? ;)

[mightywombat.livejournal.com]

When it becomes so bloody, glaringly obvious that it no longer adds anything to the work.

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

I can't put my finger on it. Depends on if it's a recurring theme that's being explored in varied ways (which is actually quite hard, I think) or actually the same damn thing happening repeatedly. What inspired that?

What really bugs me is writers' pet phrases. In Peter David the trekfic writer's books, everyone does everything 'gamely'. Gah.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

What inspired that?

Thinking over a few of the motifs I've used a lot throughout games and writing in Davon. But seeing as nobody has ever commented on any of them, I'm guessing they're not annoying anyone yet.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I can't say that any spring to mind. I remember you once commented that you loved creatures that were made of stone, but none of us seemed to think they were as nifty as you did. But you noticed this without any of us needing to say, so it didn't become an issue.

You not being able to pick up on them is good, I think. I'd like to think that I can keep them at the level where they lend a little flavour, and a very subtle indication of linkage between events, but are not consciously seen. So in that spirit, I'm not going to point out what any of them are.

If you ever start boring us (ha! the very thought is absurd), you'll cotton on very quickly.

I think I probably will. But the confidence is a reassuring thing to see.