Fortune Cookie Inspiration

[aniika]

I just remembered that fortune that I got in a fortune cookie in Portland that said something like, "a trip to the east will bring you good fortune." I was amused when I first read it, even when I wasn't sure I was going to move back here. The fortune cookie was right

Comments

I've always wondered...

[drunknmatchmakr]

about "I hope" versus declarative statements. I decided on "I hope..." a long time ago, because I decided that declarative statements like "Have a nice day" were too bossy. Also, I realized that someone reading the statement after a crappy day had the potential to go "Damn that Anita, look at how little she knows. I am going to write her a 3 page email about how sucky my day was." So adding "I hope..." offered me some protection against that resentment.

So there you go. That was the inner monologue that prompted my conscious attempt to write "I hope you have a great day/weekend/life" that starts or ends my emails. :)

Re: I've always wondered...

[aniika]

I think the use of "hope" is worth thinking about. Have you ever gotten such a 3 page email

Re: I've always wondered...

[drunknmatchmakr]

I think that being conscious about what we put into writing is a fabulous idea. I love this topic, btw, hence the long comments.

Another point to take note of in terms of declarative versus passive, is that even very accomplished women tend to write "Out of nowhere, the ball and bat connected and I found myself running around bases to cheers", rather than "I hit a home run." I always have to be careful of not using the passive voice.

Ooooh, one other "voice" issue - I have tried to minimize my modifiers. Instead of "I have tried", I should write "I am minimizing my modifiers." I am also avoiding "I think, maybe, if this makes sense, etc."

Re: I've always wondered...

[aniika]

I've been avoiding "I think..." for years! I forget where I picked that up, and truthfully I often still have to edit it out, but again, it's about being conscious in all aspects--and writing is one of those things that sticks.

One thing that I have become aware of is using "really" and "just" and "sort of," etc. a lot in my sentences. I think my motivation in writing with those words is to sort of "soften the blow" of whatever it is I'm writing. Again, that's definitely something that I still have to edit out since it has become such a part of my "voice" when I write, but for straightforwardness's sake, I like to edit my uses of reallys and justs to a minimum. :)