Too much detail?

[Tamsin]

As we all know, detail is one of the most important traits in roleplaying and writing in general. It is the details that seperate the good from the bad. A writer that makes finer points in his writing is more appretiated then the one who simply concentrates on simply writing on and on.

But can there also be too much detail? I remember reading a book review and the critique said that the writer describes "every damn leaf on the road".

If yes, when does it become too much? What are the effects of too much detail?

[Jonathan Meer]

Too much detail bogs down fiction. You have to keep in mind that your purpose is to entertain the reader. To do this, you want to say what you can with as few words as possible, while still maximizing impact. Thus, what you describe should have a purpose, be it to solidify the scene for the reader, or to foreshadow future events. You have to find how much solidification is good for your personal writing style.

I, personally, use very little detail. I should probably work on adding it a bit more, but I'll see how it goes as I develop my style further.

[Super Buu]

Depends on the person. Personally, I like just enough detail to get immersed, but not so much that the story is literally a static picture. I tend to focus more on action and character interactions myself, but when it calls for it, it's definitely advantageous to be able to describe your surroundings in an interesting way. Just make sure you always, always follow the "Show, don't tell" rule in Bardock's Roleplaying Guide. As in, don't just list off the details - weave them dynamically into the progression of the story.

[Drake]

A blue lightblub.

A azure incandescent bulb of great spherical illumination.

Meh, a lightbulb is a lightbulb. No need to fancy it up wit yer speshul wurds.