tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post2786856510336593568..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Be My Guest: Tracee JacksonDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9954745942710649752011-10-28T14:19:45.991-06:002011-10-28T14:19:45.991-06:00Welcome Tracee. Thanks for giving me some food for...Welcome Tracee. Thanks for giving me some food for thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61668574880743698782011-10-25T04:03:47.528-06:002011-10-25T04:03:47.528-06:00This is really interesting thing good post. Thanks...This is really interesting thing good post. Thanks you for your work!)dissertation writing servicehttp://dissertationrelief.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11218847373950147132011-10-24T09:08:31.091-06:002011-10-24T09:08:31.091-06:00Editors!!!! Can't live with 'em and ya can...Editors!!!! Can't live with 'em and ya can't live without 'em!!!!Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-60041099094823163362011-10-24T08:25:36.109-06:002011-10-24T08:25:36.109-06:00Great post!Great post!research paperhttp://customresearchpaper.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-23458895887017546912011-10-22T17:06:51.428-06:002011-10-22T17:06:51.428-06:00"Good writing--and good editing--are marked b..."Good writing--and good editing--are marked by balance and by inventive use of language that communicates." - Well said, Larry!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47823430699922336432011-10-22T16:33:04.943-06:002011-10-22T16:33:04.943-06:00Exclamation marks. I cannot tell you how much I di...Exclamation marks. I cannot tell you how much I dislike seeing more than one - in anything. If you are showing not telling, then you probably don't need more than one or two in a 70,000 word novel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29758282603053750042011-10-22T09:10:12.837-06:002011-10-22T09:10:12.837-06:00The top take-away is to use an editor. Much of the...The top take-away is to use an editor. Much of the rest of the advice is sound, but I have grown weary of categorical rules, such as, "eliminate qualifiers," and "don't use exclamation points." Among editors, the list of such absolutes often includes "no passive voice" and "throw out modifiers." While it is true that any of these can be over done--and often are--they are all also legitimate parts of the language in print.<br /><br />We trivialize the professions of writing and of editing when we turn art and judgement into simplistic formulae.<br /><br />I don't mean to pick on Tracee; the malady is endemic. Part of the problem is the modern imperative to keep to 600 words and reduce everything to five bullet points.<br /><br />"Unnecessary" words can be the bouquet garni that turns concise but boring text into a memorable feast of prose. Concision, too, can be carried to excess. Good writing--and good editing--are marked by balance and by inventive use of language that communicates. If the reader nods off or flips through the pages, we have failed--even if we followed all the rules to the letter.<br /><br />--Larry Constantine<br />(<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lior-Samson/e/B004KDPO9A/" rel="nofollow">Lior Samson, novelist</a>)Larry Constantinehttp://www.liorsamson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9536929830560816782011-10-22T06:26:43.553-06:002011-10-22T06:26:43.553-06:00Tracee: I'm not sure I've ever found such ...Tracee: I'm not sure I've ever found such great writing advice so succinctly delivered. I hope that our readers saw this, hit "print," and hung it by their computers. Thanks so much for consolidating this timeless wisdom.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-51179126272858170182011-10-21T15:22:59.405-06:002011-10-21T15:22:59.405-06:00Why is it that "us guys" sounds okay, bu...Why is it that "us guys" sounds okay, but "us editors" so painfully bad? Not enough beer? LOL. We guys need to drink more, right Maryann? Who says we don't have fun at the BRP.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-78522690826414698932011-10-21T11:04:02.875-06:002011-10-21T11:04:02.875-06:00"So far as good writing goes, the use of the ..."So far as good writing goes, the use of the exclamation mark is a sign of failure. It is the literary equivalent of a man holding up a card reading LAUGHTER to a studio audience."<br /><br />This was pretty great!Stephscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06328839483008086049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12915572903025026502011-10-21T09:13:39.520-06:002011-10-21T09:13:39.520-06:00Excellent post, Tracee! I use exclamation marks in...Excellent post, Tracee! I use exclamation marks in my emails and comments to posts, but advise my clients against them! LOL<br /><br />I also advise them to take out the qualifiers, like the ones you mention, trim all unnecessary words and sentences (and even paragraphs), cut way back on adverbs and the use of the passive voice, and more. For a more detailed list of no-nos in fiction writing, many of which also apply to nonfiction, readers can go to my article here at BRP on Jan. 8, 2011: "Style Blunders in Fiction" - http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2011/01/style-blunders-in-fiction.htmlJodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-83480553312443621602011-10-21T09:10:38.039-06:002011-10-21T09:10:38.039-06:00Welcome to the Blood Red Pencil, Tracee. Hope you ...Welcome to the Blood Red Pencil, Tracee. Hope you will come back again with another helpful post. I don't think we can stress enough the importance of having an editor to work with. Even us editors have editors. LOLMaryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59213737043813786692011-10-21T06:18:01.903-06:002011-10-21T06:18:01.903-06:00Exclamation marks. Designed by people with no emo...Exclamation marks. Designed by people with no emotions for people with no emotions. To give them a name, the English. :)<br /><br />p.s. I'm one of them!Martin Willoughbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05605554706836638988noreply@blogger.com