Ithilwen wrote:I found a list of tips and rules on writing. I wanted to show it to you guys, to hear your thoughts. Personally, while reading, I've quite liked the use of a lot of the methods they say to avoid. I was wondering if their advice is sound, and if so, why?
Ack. o.o That is... really, really bad advice.
Breaking it down...
- Never use parenthesis.
Parentheses are reserved for stories written in character voice third person (such as the works of C.S. Lewis or Lewis Carroll, though the latter wrote Literary Nonsense, so...
). It's used for lighter works--including but not limited to stories written specifically for children. You're not likely to see it in very formal writing, but they're not bad
per se.
- Do use understatements.
Not quite sure what they're getting at here, but we often have have the tendency to overstate (the eyes can never be just
pretty, they must be
stunning, enchanting, and completely alluring; the room is not only
large, it is
gigantic and enormous and huge). So I'd say this is not a bad rule--let the room be simply 'large,' and let the reader fill in the other details.
- Never use comparisons
- Never use analogies
These are questions of style. Often writers try to get too clever with these techniques, thus making their writing dull and overbearing. So, the rule is better stated as
rarely use X instead of never.
- Never write one word sentences
Most grammar books agree that they should be avoided. That being said, on occasion, a one word sentence might be better--it's a bit like starting a sentence with "and." Whenever you want to use this, make absolutely certain that it's the only way to get across the feeling you're looking for.
- Never use adjectives or adverbs
- Never use words ending in -ly
The problem is not with adjectives or adverbs (and certainly not with the suffix -ly!), but rather a writer's dependency on them. If you are using these words because you want to inflate a count, or perhaps because you don't feel your noun/verb is strong enough, then get rid of them and think of a better root word. If, on the other hand, you're using them because it makes your initial word better, richer, more flowing--then by all means, describe away. Don't write "ran swiftly" if you can write "sprinted" or "dashed," but please do write that the dresser is "mahogany" or that he turned "slowly," if the narrative calls for it.
- Never use the passive voice
Again with this word "never." Yes, you should avoid it when you're able--it leads to some rather horrid writing. Take a peek at any legislation and you'll be bored within the first paragraph, and if you'll note, the majority of it is written in passive voice. Still, the passive voice does exist for a reason, and should not always be scorned. The passive is particularly useful, even recommended, in two situations (allow me to quote a grammar blog): 1, When it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon:
"The unidentified victim was apparently struck during the early morning hours", and 2, When the actor in the situation is not important:
"The aurora borealis can be observed in the early morning hours."- Never use rhetorical questions
Unless the rhetorical is coming from a character's thoughts, then from what I understand, this is probably a sound rule. I'd hesitate to say "never," though.
- Never use words like "don't" or "aren't". Always spell it out as "do not" and "are not".
I have never heard anyone suggest that this rule be used outside of essays or scientific reports.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to look through a few books to see if they followed these rules--I grabbed seven from my literature shelf, and five of them (
Alice in Wonderland,
Voyage of the Dawn Treader,
Huckleberry Finn,
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and
Murder on the Orient Express) had contractions (not in dialogue) within the first chapter; half by the end of the first page. The two that did not were
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and
Pride and Prejudice. So, take from that what you will--at any case, it's certainly not a hard and fast rule.
Did you come up with those? Or is it a repost?
