tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2082050018519337862..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: That Sounds Familiar: Eliminating Often-Used Words in Our WritingJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18582864845179336942019-04-01T14:23:23.483-04:002019-04-01T14:23:23.483-04:00Suzi McGowen, what feature do you use in MS Word? ...Suzi McGowen, what feature do you use in MS Word? Are you referring to "find" [Ctrl + F] or is there another feature within Word?Brian Weltehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190637068714488746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67575041791466342682019-04-01T10:47:38.591-04:002019-04-01T10:47:38.591-04:00This was a good reminder to beware of often-used w...This was a good reminder to beware of often-used words and phrases. Thanks, Janice!Jarm Del Bocciohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16734893974122730211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22287060392028841772019-04-01T10:44:23.894-04:002019-04-01T10:44:23.894-04:00It was just a few days ago that I was poring over ...It was just a few days ago that I was poring over the thesaurus online trying to find a word other than 'glow' to descript what the light from a limp was projecting on to a desk. My best friend these days is the thesaurus.Glynis Jollyhttps://ascriptedmaze.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40190641028565269402011-04-03T09:07:36.334-04:002011-04-03T09:07:36.334-04:00I have a feeling those lights were very popular ye...I have a feeling those lights were very popular years ago when I first saw them, and probably faded away because they were so popular :) But it's the example that sticks in my mind most.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59311403812338293532011-04-02T08:39:17.091-04:002011-04-02T08:39:17.091-04:00Excellent post! I think we all fall victim to thes...Excellent post! I think we all fall victim to these "word packages," as you can them, and I agree they show up most often in first drafts when we're in the throes of writing and don't want to upset the flow. Hopefully, through revision, I manage to whittle them down, although I'm not entirely sure. Have to say, "the orange glow from the sodium lights" is a new one to me. :)Dina Santorellihttp://makingbabygrand.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19437623016370738852011-04-01T09:37:09.480-04:002011-04-01T09:37:09.480-04:00Thanks! The commenters rock :)Thanks! The commenters rock :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-3126145416726774662011-03-31T18:10:40.704-04:002011-03-31T18:10:40.704-04:00Very helpful post. Both in the advice and in the ...Very helpful post. Both in the advice and in the comments! Thanks.fran bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58084668098222719832011-03-31T17:24:48.121-04:002011-03-31T17:24:48.121-04:00@Roberta, the only software that really does help ...@Roberta, the only software that really does help me is Wordle.net. I plug in my sample, reduce to fifty most common words and then see if they're justified. I rely on "eyes" waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. Consistently.<br /><br />Also, I so do that. I used to just write, but I don't catch it later. So now, if I write something that sounds familiar, I either pause and evaluate or just mark it with a TK so I'll remember to look at it later.Megsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36965864178415315542011-03-31T13:24:08.364-04:002011-03-31T13:24:08.364-04:00Roberta: I never used to worry about them until re...Roberta: I never used to worry about them until revisions, but I find myself noticing them more in the first drafts and stopping to change them. Probably because now I see them, like when you buy a new car and start seeing it everywhere. <br /><br />Anne: I'm not sure if sodium lights are still overused, my "discovery" of it was years ago, but it still sticks with me. It's a neat phrase so it stands out I guess. <br /><br />Suzi: Just is one of my words for sure. (along with only). They were such a part of Nya's voice they slipped in everywhere. :)<br /><br />Elizabeth: A list is a great idea. I have a bunch of different types of those to look out for later. I should probably update that now!<br /><br />Penny: Totally. They're so ingrained it actually sounds weird not to say it that way.<br /><br />Porky: Indeed. <br /><br />Faith: Most welcome!<br /><br />Amanda: I know! Especially really great discretion snippets. There were tons of things I used in Shifter than I caught myself trying to use in the other books. <br /><br />Shauna: I agree. My first drafts have notes all through them with things I need to go back to as well. Like (need detail) or (need better name). That's a great tip about body parts. "eyes widened" was a major offended for me in the first draft of Darkfall. <br /><br />Grumpymartian: I never thought about that, but you're right. I bet they aren't everywhere.<br /><br />Will: Thanks for the clarification on sodium lights :) I first read about them years ago. I wonder if a new type came out around then.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-2742566143039621432011-03-31T02:41:55.482-04:002011-03-31T02:41:55.482-04:00Re: Sodium Lights: The sodium light comes from how...Re: Sodium Lights: The sodium light comes from how some street lights work.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp<br /><br />They're common in the UK. But it's arguable that since most people writing the phrase "sodium light" as description don't know the origin and meaning they should avoid using the phrase.Will Ellwoodhttp://www.will-ellwood.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22218303291757453812011-03-30T23:34:16.945-04:002011-03-30T23:34:16.945-04:00Re: Sodium lights
I'd never heard about them...Re: Sodium lights <br /><br />I'd never heard about them either until I moved to San Diego. They are in place throughout the city to limit the light pollution for Palomar Observatory. http://www.sandiego.gov/street-div/strlight.shtml <br /><br />It is a really evocative detail, but totally inaccurate for other cities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-70739290086726383972011-03-30T14:42:19.930-04:002011-03-30T14:42:19.930-04:00I also ignore the cliches and over-used phrases du...I also ignore the cliches and over-used phrases during the first draft. I think it's important to get the story down first, (oops had to delete a just in that sentence!) <br />Over the years I've made a list of words I use too often and when I'm editing I use Find and Replace to find them, and then manually delete or rewrite another way.<br />I also find all occurances of things such as eyes, lips, mouth etc and look at how I've decribed them aiming for character specific mannerisms.<br />I keep dreaming that one day I'll be able to get out a first draft with none of the above.Shaunahttp://www.shaunabickley.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7436116095397489492011-03-30T14:27:31.037-04:002011-03-30T14:27:31.037-04:00Good reminders, Janice. I have phrases I know I us...Good reminders, Janice. I have phrases I know I use too often, but it's so hard to let go. ;)Amanda Hovinghttp://amandaswrinkledpages.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-86242230244494835812011-03-30T14:18:26.025-04:002011-03-30T14:18:26.025-04:00Very good post. Thanks for pointing all these out!...Very good post. Thanks for pointing all these out!Faith E. Houghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03823750019164801104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-89266271137746732022011-03-30T12:14:19.979-04:002011-03-30T12:14:19.979-04:00This is excellent advice. It needn't be a dist...This is excellent advice. It needn't be a distraction on the first run, but is well worth paying attention to later.Porkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00604351052444947490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-51235099152856508932011-03-30T12:01:42.687-04:002011-03-30T12:01:42.687-04:00These slip in easily and are very difficult to wee...These slip in easily and are very difficult to weed out. When we've read something enough times, that's how the thought comes to us, in those overused phrases. they're tough even to see in your own work, and it's tough to come up with a fresher way that doesn't sound forced.Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17645834949716719099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-28394343504508080792011-03-30T11:34:13.440-04:002011-03-30T11:34:13.440-04:00Oooooh these are my bane. While I am writing the s...Oooooh these are my bane. While I am writing the story, I am trying to get it down on paper as quickly as possible, and a lot of time the description winds up sounding...uninspired. Not cliche, but overused phrases rum amok.<br /><br />I kill these in revision with a pointy stick. What helps it making a list of each phrase and keeping tabs on how often I use a certain phrase.Elizabeth Poolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214706118828699708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-69911771438309854672011-03-30T08:59:19.492-04:002011-03-30T08:59:19.492-04:00@Roberta Walker, I use that feature in both Word a...@Roberta Walker, I use that feature in both Word and (Windows version) Scrivener. I love it! Who knew that I used the word "just" 247 times in one book? I examined them, took them all out in rewrites leaving just (there's that word) a few. Re ran the report, I was down to 102! <br /><br />Sigh. I'm working on getting it down to five. I think five would be ok.Touch of Inkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13551995840395409781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-63132840898349605742011-03-30T08:44:35.548-04:002011-03-30T08:44:35.548-04:00I just finished a line edit on my latest WiP and I...I just finished a line edit on my latest WiP and I caught a bunch of these. I am a cliche maniac, and use the same ones over and over again. Hate that. Sometimes, I can turn them around, but mostly I just take them out. <br /><br />And it's funny, I beta'd for a guy last year who used "sodium lights" and I just thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. Had no idea (now) it was so overused.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-54920751933765098152011-03-30T06:51:39.049-04:002011-03-30T06:51:39.049-04:00I feel myself writing these in drafts, but I rarel...I feel myself writing these in drafts, but I rarely stop to fix them if I'm 'flowing'. I hope I catch them all in revision! And overused words too. Gah! I wonder if one of those software programs that finds repeated words would be useful? Anyone tried one?Roberta Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10806214081554970161noreply@blogger.com