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What is "Depth"?

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Renkon Root

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:33 am


This pickled vegetable...

Here's another interesting question I like to ponder aloud once in a while. What is "depth" within the context of literature?

Does "depth" refer to how human/believable/relateable the characters within a work are?
Does it refer to any philosophies of concepts presented in the book? If so, do these concepts have to be "new" ones, or can a tired old and reused philosophical concept also be "deep"?
Is it something that tries to explain the nature of the human condition to the reader?
Or, could depth just be when an author sounds heavy enough make the reader think what they're reading is "deep"?
Does it all depend on each individual reader?

How would you define "depth"?

... could kick your a** !!
PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:32 pm


I think of depth in writing as the exploration of a non-tangible idea. That could be anything from human nature to emotion to death... Anything counts, really.
The interpretation of depth, however, is up to the reader. Like any element of writing, every reader experiences it differently. The opinion on how 'deep' a concept is will vary depending on the person reading.

Demnitessa


vampiremistress702

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PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 2:10 pm


Thats a good question. Personally I think depth can be all those things, depending on the writing piece.

Also depth is something in the eye of the beholder. I've written a few things my friends tell me have a lot of depth, and most of the time I hardly agree with them.

To me, depth seems to be something with a lot of emotion in it, something really well thought out and carries out a theme through out the piece. It's something that has a lasting effect, something the reader will remember for a while.
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 3:00 pm


vampiremistress702
It's something that has a lasting effect, something the reader will remember for a while.
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And yet, things as simple and mundane as Saturday morning cartoons can leave lasting effects. Just about anything can leave a lasting effect if a person is exposed to it at the right age or in the right circumstances.

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The Creative Writing Guild

 
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