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General Discussion => Essentially Flyertalk => Topic started by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 03:55:24 AM

Title: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 03:55:24 AM
What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: KSUTOMMY on November 22, 2010, 07:13:12 AM
What're you writing? Is it for work? Resume? A card to re-kindle the love of your wife that's been lost to copious amounts of BBSing on goEMAW.com? More details please.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: michigancat on November 22, 2010, 07:24:11 AM
What're you writing? Is it for work? Resume? A card to re-kindle the love of your wife that's been lost to copious amounts of BBSing on goEMAW.com? More details please.

Yeah, I'd love to help, but different works demand different styles.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: steve dave on November 22, 2010, 07:25:10 AM
spellcheck
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: steve dave on November 22, 2010, 07:25:51 AM
oh, wow, and thesaurus (sp?)
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Saulbadguy on November 22, 2010, 07:47:52 AM
Use lots of quotes and in text citations.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: SkinnyBenny on November 22, 2010, 07:49:19 AM
Vary your sentence length.  Too many short sentences in a row or too many long sentences in a row will create a rhythm that you don't want, and that can lead to boredom on the part of your reader.  Think of it like a morse code thingy: a mix of shorts and longs.

(See how I varied my sentence length in the above mini-paragraph?)

 :cheers: for writing!
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Ghost of Stan Parrish on November 22, 2010, 08:08:58 AM
Vary your sentence length.  Too many short sentences in a row or too many long sentences in a row will create a rhythm that you don't want, and that can lead to boredom on the part of your reader.  Think of it like a morse code thingy: a mix of shorts and longs.


Was about to give the same advice.  A random two- or three-word sentence can really grip a reader in a useful way.  (E.g.: "Tension built.")  Also, people tend to over-explain, so a great tip I learned long ago (at MHS) is to go back through your piece when you're done and cross out the first sentence of every paragraph.  Of course, it doesn't always work, but sometimes it can really improve your result.

Given your spare BBS style, I'm not sure YOU need these tips, though.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: michigancat on November 22, 2010, 08:15:37 AM
When you're finished writing, read it out loud.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: O-town Kat on November 22, 2010, 08:16:29 AM
Don't write like Stan Weber speaks.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: pissclams on November 22, 2010, 08:45:02 AM
every year myself and a few other elite BBS'rs (+5000 posts, etc) meet for a writing boot camp.  it's a chance for us to come together and share our best practices, and learn from each other.  granted the group is small, but we're a growing one and the lessons i learn at writing boot camp cannot be measured by a test on commas and adverbs and consonants.

Title: Re: Writing
Post by: SkinnyBenny on November 22, 2010, 08:57:50 AM

Was about to give the same advice.  A random two- or three-word sentence can really grip a reader in a useful way.  (E.g.: "Tension built.")  Also, people tend to over-explain, so a great tip I learned long ago (at MHS) is to go back through your piece when you're done and cross out the first sentence of every paragraph.  Of course, it doesn't always work, but sometimes it can really improve your result.

Given your spare BBS style, I'm not sure YOU need these tips, though.


 :love: 

Great tip. A real eye-opener.   :eek:  What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Ghost of Stan Parrish on November 22, 2010, 09:20:37 AM
What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: CNS on November 22, 2010, 09:23:14 AM
What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?

I have heard this, but with 17 words.  Lot harder than it sounds.  That said, mine was with regard to technical writing.  Engineers, architects, etc can't pay attention and maintain focus for more than 17 words at a time.  Retards. 

FFF, great book on this: Elements of Style.

Title: Re: Writing
Post by: slimz on November 22, 2010, 09:27:57 AM
Use Google to find something someone has already written that says what you want to say. Then copy and paste it, but sign your own name. No need to reinvent the wheel here.   :driving:
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Dr Rick Daris on November 22, 2010, 09:28:23 AM
What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.

i used to do a pretty killer p wika impersonation. true story.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: SkinnyBenny on November 22, 2010, 09:30:12 AM
What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.

Were you a Mentor'r or a Blue M'r or a both'r?
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 01:05:22 PM
lit review stuff
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Jeffy on November 22, 2010, 01:31:38 PM
Write "free market" on everything.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 05:26:04 PM
Write "free market" on everything.

what on earth.

cns, thanks. purchased on amazon.

 :nerd:

Title: Re: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 05:28:30 PM
every year myself and a few other elite BBS'rs (+5000 posts, etc) meet for a writing boot camp.  it's a chance for us to come together and share our best practices, and learn from each other.  granted the group is small, but we're a growing one and the lessons i learn at writing boot camp cannot be measured by a test on commas and adverbs and consonants.



I can never tell if you are serious, or just kind of joking around to just put a smile on everyones face!!
 :D
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: CHONGS on November 22, 2010, 05:57:03 PM
Write "free market" on everything.

what on earth.

cns, thanks. purchased on amazon.

 :nerd:


You really need a capitAl letter to begin your first sentence. :nono:
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 22, 2010, 06:01:12 PM
chingon, it doesn't take a sweet ass cubicle in CW to realize that.  :D


Title: Re: Writing
Post by: CHONGS on November 22, 2010, 06:18:00 PM
chingon, it doesn't take a sweet ass cubicle in CW to realize that.  :D



:D I got a big ass drink from the Cat's Corner last week.  What a deal!
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: CHONGS on November 22, 2010, 06:43:22 PM
What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?
Best to mix it up (this is from my roommate who is a pro).
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Dr Rick Daris on November 22, 2010, 06:47:21 PM
What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?
Best to mix it up (this is from my roommate who is a pro).

can you ask your roommate about that first sentence of his. the period instead of a question mark at the end bothered me more than the lack of capitalization at the beginning. also, did i use than appropriately or should it have been then? <--------(pointing out what a question mark looks like for fff)
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: CHONGS on November 22, 2010, 06:53:07 PM
What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?
Best to mix it up (this is from my roommate who is a pro).

can you ask your roommate about that first sentence of his. the period instead of a question mark at the end bothered me more than the lack of capitalization at the beginning. also, did i use than appropriately or should it have been then? <--------(pointing out what a question mark looks like for fff)
It should have had a question mark. 

You used than correctly.

You need to capitAlize also.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: KSU_foo on November 22, 2010, 11:17:53 PM
Don't forget to add some figurative language elements!  Really gives the sentences (a good MIX of sentence types/lengths) some flava!
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: fatty fat fat on November 23, 2010, 04:16:04 AM
Don't forget to add some figurative language elements!  Really gives the sentences (a good MIX of sentence types/lengths) some flava!

no way dude. that's clown writing. i don't clown write.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: stunz on November 23, 2010, 04:40:57 AM
find/replace for periods, spaces.  change font size to 1-2 sizes bigger.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: pissclams on November 23, 2010, 12:08:28 PM
Don't forget to add some figurative language elements!  Really gives the sentences (a good MIX of sentence types/lengths) some flava!

no way dude. that's clown writing. i don't clown write.

good call, you're learning already.  clown writing is for pussies.
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: KSU_foo on November 23, 2010, 09:22:30 PM
Don't forget to add some figurative language elements!  Really gives the sentences (a good MIX of sentence types/lengths) some flava!

no way dude. that's clown writing. i don't clown write.

good call, you're learning already.  clown writing is for pussies.

So basically you're calling all of the greatest literary works of all time "clown writing"?
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: Pendergast on November 24, 2010, 12:12:32 AM
Write twice as much as you need, cut it down after with a red pen labeled "bullshit."
Title: Re: Writing
Post by: doom on November 24, 2010, 01:04:00 AM
Stick to one POV per chapter or at least per scene.  Also simplify dialogue tags and just use "he said" types ones so as to keep attention on the content of your dialogue and not on your techniques.   :dunno: