koganbot | (Reply)

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But there's nothing wrong with using vague, broad terms when vagueness and broadness are called for. Must you always elaborate on what you mean? Can't you leave that for the reader?

"She heard from him," "They threatened the town," etc. These don't say what what she heard or which medium he used (phone, courier, fax?); nor do they tell us the nature of the threat or the name of the town. Perhaps the writer doesn't know and this is all a subject for further research. Or perhaps getting more specific may carry its own distractions. ("Oh, he used a courier? How could he afford to use a courier?" - when really all that's important at this moment is to know that he got in touch with her.) Or in the Stooges' lines "She wants somethin', she wants somethin', tonight/She wants somethin', she wants somethin', all right/But I can't help, ’cause I'm not right (and it's always this way)." Well, what does she want? SHE DOESN'T KNOW!