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by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells
Writing, like hair styles and clothing fashions, follows trends. Writers must stay plugged into the industry and attend the occasional conference to stay up to date with what is popular in publishing. The alternative is become a dinosaur whose career drifts out of style.
In earlier years, writers were paid per word for their work. Writers like Victor Hugo who penned Les Miserables spent the first 100 pages describing lesser characters like the Priest who gives the main character, Jean Valjean, a second chance.
Additionally, prior to television, readers were not as familiar with how places and activities looked. Herman Melville spent the better part of Moby Dick describing life in the American colonies and the practice of whaling. The advent of widespread television made a lot of description unnecessary. Through media, readers were now aware of what other countries and lifestyles looked like.
