As I've been writing the next few installments of my series and read over the new stories others have been putting out, a question has come to mind. What are people's thoughts on laughter in stories? I've come to see more writers "tell" about the laughter than let the reader "hear it." For example:
"She threw her head back and cackled wildly as the long nails of her tormentor danced and scratched across her sensitive skin."
versus
"NOHOHO HAHAA! WAHAHAIT! PLEHEHEASE HAHAHAHAHA! PLEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHASE!" She laughed."
My question was which one do people prefer more? Do the long lines of HAHA's and HEHE's numb your mind and hurt your eyes or do you see them as a way to better visualize how the person being tickled is actually laughing? I know a good blending of the two can make an amazing story but if it came down to one or the other which would you pick?
"She threw her head back and cackled wildly as the long nails of her tormentor danced and scratched across her sensitive skin."
versus
"NOHOHO HAHAA! WAHAHAIT! PLEHEHEASE HAHAHAHAHA! PLEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHASE!" She laughed."
My question was which one do people prefer more? Do the long lines of HAHA's and HEHE's numb your mind and hurt your eyes or do you see them as a way to better visualize how the person being tickled is actually laughing? I know a good blending of the two can make an amazing story but if it came down to one or the other which would you pick?