It’s the Monthly Blog Hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh.
The first Wednesday of every month, an optional question is announced that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience, or even a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post. Remember, the question optional.
Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.
The awesome co-hosts for the September 4 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando!
September 4 question - Since it's back to school time, let's talk English class. What's a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer?
English was my favorite subject in school...
I loved writing flowery poems ...
Using many adjectives and adverbs...
And my grades were good...
The only reprimand I got from teachers...
Was my punctuation.
(do poems need punctuation?)
So, I was shocked when I started writing in the 'real' world
And learned that using adjectives and adverbs...
Is just telling a story and not showing it.
Adjectives and adverbs also slow down a story.
Obviously, (sorry) King and Twain agree:
“Adverbs are the tool of the lazy writer.” “If you see an adverb, kill it.” – Mark Twain
Actually, (sorry) I'm sure you all know...
It's the overuse of adjectives and adverbs that need to die.
My writing is better now for the most part...
And for the "unmost” part...
My blog posts are where I can write freely (sorry)
Whatever and however my little heart desires (a cliché)
And just for grins and giggles (yup, another cliché)
Here’re some stats of two famous authors regarding adverbs:
Hemingway used only 80 adverbs in every 10,000 words while J.K. Rowling used 140 per 10,000. And King said this: “Ms. Rowling seems to have never met one [adverbs] she didn't like”.
I’m pretty sure (sorry) Rowling and her bank accounts really (sorry) don’t care about her overuse of adverbs.
And you?
What are your feelings on adjectives and adverbs?
And what writing rule messed you up as a writer?
Always,
Em-Musing
7 comments:
I use some adjectives and adverbs in my stories, but try to limit them since I'm a new writer and that's the rules. Authors like J.K. Rowling get to do what they want.
It's hard not to use some. I wrote one story and eliminated every word that ended in 'ly.' My critique partners asked me to put a few back in.
I'm sure Rowling is stressing that fact all the way to the bank!
To my way of thinking, it is a matter of what feels or sound right. Reading aloud often helps decide if an adverb is appropriate or even necessary.
Some adjectives and adverbs are really hard to avoid though and and we use them all the time without thinking about what they are, like "only": "I'm an only child", "I only went to school once". Trying to eliminate something completely usually isn't the answer. There, I just used two adverbs together in that last sentence, and does it seem bad?
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