Erm. There seem to be a few undercurrents running underneath what ought to be a perfectly reasonable discussion, one that surely fits right here. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe this topic has been hashed over and over again before, and I just didn't spot it. But surely there's nothing wrong with citing a book on writing?
I happen to agree that pure introspection is boring. Introspection, internal musings, whatever you want to call it, that is interspersed with action, is an absolute delight.
Most of us, after all, don't just sit still and think; we make a cup of coffee, wash the dishes, take a brisk walk, drum our fingers on the steering wheel while we wait for the light to change, check the fuse box...
Most people here are pretty familiar with my little story on FDK.
I have adapted the original premise and much of the dialogue to various other genres, and I was quite pleased to see how easily I could move from one genre to another and have the basic idea still hold shape so nicely. (I suppose the need for FDK is universal!) However, while the original "Ultimate Drug" is almost entirely dialogue, my next versions involved quite a bit of action, with the dialogue mixed in.
The difference? The first story was strictly a parody with FDK as its entire justification for its existence. The next two stories actually had something happening.
Now, a 6K story can surely get by with just dialogue. But for something a bit longer, I do agree that it's best to either cut it short or have the character do something while he or she reflects on events.
On the other hand (or is the third hand
)... Pure action
without introspection? Yawn. Slug fest. I want to know what my characters are thinking, their real motivations.
So give me introspection, by all means! Just don't make it pages and pages without anything else happening.
Hazel
