The Iceberg Theory

[LegionWhale]

Recently, I read a little about the Iceberg Theory of minimalist writing, that writing a little and leaving the reader to engage more is better than describing everything in minute detail.

This theory seemed sound to me, so I decided to read my first book by Hemingway, (as he is the one who penned the theory) The Sun Also Rises.

I was rather disappointed to find that it left quite a shallow impression on me. There were some passages that I found incredibly powerful, but others which seemed bland, and I felt that the ongoing fiesta muddled everything. There is also the certainty that I'm not very familiar with the early 20th Century period setting, but I think it was more that just that.

What do you fellow writers think about Hemingway's style of writing?

 

[Marc Joan]

Haven't read Hemingway since I was a kid, so can't give a meaningful comment on his writing. But I do agree that the writer needs to leave gaps for the reader to fill in from their own inimitable experience of being. If you try to nail everything down too much, you start to exclude / limit reader' responses, IMHO.

 

[Amber]

I don't like Hemingway. I don't want to read about fish. I'm sure there's more to The Old Man and the Sea but I get sea sick. He doesn't appeal to me.

But. He wrote this story and even though I must have read it for the first time about twenty five years ago, I never forgot it.

Hills Like White Elephants

So. There must be something to like about the guy. I suppose. For me. It's the story above.

He's sometimes credited with writing the shortest story ever.

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

I like sparse writing though. I like it a lot. I wish I could think of someone to recommend but.... in spite of the fact that I like it a lot... no one immediately comes to mind.

 

[Amber]

He named his first baby Mr. Bumbee and the first time I read that, I thought, what a jerk, but then I had a baby of my own, and what did I call him?
I called him Mr. Bumbee.

Did you really? Funny.