Or He Said, She Said Let's take a look at dialogue. In particular, the use of the word “said” vs. other alternatives. Deciding which way to go can be confusing. Basically, there are two ends of the spectrum on this issue: School A says: Avoid overuse of the word “said.” Vary the text up using … Continue reading He Interjected, She Exclaimed
Category: Writing
Oh Words, Where Art Thou?
Back in the late 80s, I played keyboards and sang in a rock band in Las Vegas. We called ourselves “First Affair.” At our highest point, we were being billed as “The Hottest New Rock Band in Vegas!” Well, the fact that I am now a programmer working on a writing career should tell you … Continue reading Oh Words, Where Art Thou?
They Said WHAT About My Book?
I once came across an author/reviewer “disagreement” over the reviewer’s assessment of the author’s book. It appeared the author did not agree with the reviewer’s comments about the book, and decided to post on the reviewer’s website her opinion of his review. What followed was an epic thread that quickly went viral (in reading and … Continue reading They Said WHAT About My Book?
What’s a Razor?
Once, I was working on a scene in Reborn, and I was thinking of how to describe a certain creature’s claws. Although a bit clichéd, I briefly considered using the phrase “razor sharp.” Then it occurred to me: the Far Land Trilogy is set in a completely different world. Although certain words and phrases are … Continue reading What’s a Razor?
It’s Not a Competition. Is It?
Once upon a time while surfing the web, I came across this as a suggested writing prompt: What author’s career are you most jealous of? Why? As I read that, my first reaction was: Why should I be jealous of another author’s success? jeal·ous adj. 1) Fearful or wary of being supplanted; apprehensive of losing … Continue reading It’s Not a Competition. Is It?
Sometimes a Pencil is Just a Pencil
I recently finished a science fiction book that made me feel like I was wading through a hip-deep swamp of adjectives and adverbs. It was really unfortunate, because the excessive (and repetitive) use of descriptive words and phrases completely overwhelmed what was actually a rather interesting premise. I forged through just to see where the … Continue reading Sometimes a Pencil is Just a Pencil