January 22, 2014
Image: Writers Write
Very
That one little word…'very'…gets me in so much trouble. Every time I write it, I cringe and remember this quote. Someone else once said (I can't remember who at this minute) replace every 'very' with 'damn' when editing to make your writing stronger… find a more effective word to go in its place.
Joyce Armstrong Carroll was my first writing mentor. Even now when I edit, I feel her presence over my shoulder saying, "Show not tell". Using the word 'very' certainly shows nothing and much stronger, more defining, more descriptive words are always available to make what we are writing stronger, more effective, elicit emotion, define images and on and on when we edit that first free write or rough draft.
Editing can be another story all together. While co-teaching writing to middle school students with a friend, she would always tell students when they groaned about changing a word or editing a sentence, "You are not married to that word (or sentence) and it's certainly not going to heaven." Yes, they still groaned and rolled their eyes, but their writing was stronger in the long run.
Copyright © 2014 Annie
Always…I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love.
As Ever, Annie
That one little word…'very'…gets me in so much trouble. Every time I write it, I cringe and remember this quote. Someone else once said (I can't remember who at this minute) replace every 'very' with 'damn' when editing to make your writing stronger… find a more effective word to go in its place.
Joyce Armstrong Carroll was my first writing mentor. Even now when I edit, I feel her presence over my shoulder saying, "Show not tell". Using the word 'very' certainly shows nothing and much stronger, more defining, more descriptive words are always available to make what we are writing stronger, more effective, elicit emotion, define images and on and on when we edit that first free write or rough draft.
Editing can be another story all together. While co-teaching writing to middle school students with a friend, she would always tell students when they groaned about changing a word or editing a sentence, "You are not married to that word (or sentence) and it's certainly not going to heaven." Yes, they still groaned and rolled their eyes, but their writing was stronger in the long run.
Copyright © 2014 Annie
Always…I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love.
As Ever, Annie
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