Suddenly...

[analineblue]

So I was reading the New Yorker at lunch just now, and happened up on a random bit of writing advice - that you should never, ever write the word 'suddenly'. I thought to myself that surely the person giving this advice must be insane - surely, some things really do happen suddenly, right

Comments

[iolo1234]

Strangely I recognise this as a problem in my writing. I used to use as too much and made efforts to not do so. Another I use too often is wondering but suddenly is a problem. I've tried to use other words or cut them out. I remember reading in RTD's book about using Well to start sentences - another bad habit and then someone did a YT vid in which the tenth Doctor did it all the time. I think I'll take them out of what I was writing and see what happens.

[analineblue]

Yeah, I remember reading something a while back about words like 'pretty' and 'a little' (both of which I know I'm guilty of using a lot) and how you can almost always take those out and not miss them at all, since they don't really add anything? (LOL, 'really' is another one I can't seem to give up. :P)

But yeah, it's kind of amazing how we use these words without even realizing it sometimes, right? That's interesting about 'well', also. I'm sure I do that too!

[goldbandlily]

Suddenly... I realize I use that word very often too. But I also use filler words more than I should. :p

[analineblue]

It's so weird, I was sure I NEVER used it! Until I checked. ;)

I think it's good to at least be aware of things like this though. Even though I don't think we can ever get away from all the filler words... There are too many!

[goldbandlily]

The other day, I used the "search" function of Word, to check repetitions. Honestly, I didn't know I could use the same words SO often.

Writing is really a lot of work... XD

[analineblue]

*laughs* Yeah. It really is a lot of work. XD;;

[sariagray]

It's like "out of the corner of his eye." ;) And every other adverb. I think I need to ban adverbs from my writing. But...yay, life lessons!

[analineblue]

YES! I was thinking about 'out of the corner of his eye' too~ :D I mean really, how many things actually happen 'suddenly', right? ...Or in the corner of your eye, lol.

Some adverbs are okay though? Like... Hmm... Well, okay, let's just ban them! :P

<3

[analineblue]

It's all about being aware of these things, right? ^_~

*sighs* :P

[kaitou_marron]

Tom was reading this OLD grammar book (from the 1950s that his director let him) before he went out of town for business. And I remember one interesting from it was to try not to use adverbs at all, since they generally sound awkward. Basically - How often do you use adv while speaking. If it's too awkward to say, it's too awkward to write.

I've definitely kept some of the stuff he has told me in mind from that book. It has helped me be more concise, since I tend to be too wordy. =p

[analineblue]

Mm, yeah, that's a really great point. *_* I think I tend to write the way I speak, and lots of time what helps me take out those awkward things is to read my stuff out loud? Because then it sort of jumps out at me, those things that are obviously too awkward to say. Adverbs though... Who knew? ;)

<3