I tell people this when I edit

[PennLady]

I've been saying this for ages... at least the "very" part.

 

[sr71plt]

So, very, very true.

 

[Luvtowriteerotica]

When I edited I told the writers that I'd either return the edited story in 24 hours or give them an update as to where I was.

Apparently I had standards that no other editors had.

 

[sr71plt]

Apparently I had standards that no other editors had.

Apparently you have superhuman abilities to know what everyone else does.

 

[Luvtowriteerotica]

So, very, very true.

The comma after "So" should not be there Mr. Kiss-My-Ass Perfectionist.

 

[Luvtowriteerotica]

Not so quick to respond this time, SR.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't hang on your every breath, AS. What a surprise! (And, not incidentally, have never claimed to be prefcet.)

You're such a sad sack.

 

[Luvtowriteerotica]

I've been saying this for ages... at least the "very" part.

I thought we were friends once. I may have been very wrong..

 

[PennLady]

And the editorial humor seems to fall flat...

 

[lovecraft68]

I've been saying this for ages... at least the "very" part.

Someone gave me a list of word to avoid either all or most of the time.

Very was top of the list then there was

Actually

Almost- this is not always bad. "Oh, shit I almost hit that tree! Damn that ball almost left the park" but things like he looked almost sad, he spoke in an almost high pitched voice...

Even is one of them "he even said" she even went out and..."

That. I learned more often than not you can read a sentence that has "that" without "that" and it will work.

 

[lovecraft68]

And the editorial humor seems to fall flat...

For some reason I do not see editors as humorous people. Especially around here.

 

[PennLady]

Someone gave me a list of word to avoid either all or most of the time.

Very was top of the list then there was

I think I was in high school, maybe sophomore year, when I had an English teacher, Sister Katherine, I think, who was adamant on this point and it always stuck with me, and I think it's a good rule. There are tons of good words out there. We should use them!

Actually

I usually advise people I read/edit for to avoid this as well, along with slowly, finally, quickly and a couple of others.

Almost- this is not always bad. "Oh, shit I almost hit that tree! Damn that ball almost left the park" but things like he looked almost sad, he spoke in an almost high pitched voice...

Yeah, I'd agree. The first two examples work for me because those can be true. The other two examples are the kind of thing that bothers me. I think, was he sad or not? And again, I usually think there are words that convey it better than those constructions.

Even is one of them "he even said" she even went out and..."

That. I learned more often than not you can read a sentence that has "that" without "that" and it will work.

The "even" examples I wouldn't mind in dialogue so much I don't think. To me that'd be a case-by-case thing. I'll have to keep the "that" stuff in mind, too.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've recently picked up from the person who edited my contest story that "began and started" can be avoided most of the time as well.

I do see it especially in erotica in my older writing "I started caressing her thigh"

"I caressed her thigh"

She began licking my cock.

She licked my cock

 

[PennLady]

I've recently picked up from the person who edited my contest story that "began and started" can be avoided most of the time as well.

I do see it especially in erotica in my older writing "I started caressing her thigh"

"I caressed her thigh"

She began licking my cock.

She licked my cock

They can be avoided, but again it's a case-by-case issue. Sometimes it might be important that an action just started, to give an idea of the sequence of following actions.

 

[LadyVer]

And the editorial humor seems to fall flat...

Well, it comes into play when editing sometimes.

 

[beachbaby179]

Agree with most of the above except the bickering. I get enough of that at home, which is one of the reasons I come here...

However, I just needed to hijack the thread for a moment to say that I've seen this film at least a dozen times and I adore it.

 

[robertreams]

Lovecraft, I think I am in love! As an English teacher I forbade my students to use the word that, first on my list of "My pet peeves" until they could explain to me how to use it. and punctuate the passage from "Flowers For Algernon"

That That is is that that is not is not is that that that is it is

 

[robertreams]

Penn Lady. I wasn't the one who edited your story, but I run into it all the time. I am always telling my writers, "damn it, have your characters finish something!"

 

[robertreams]

Lovecraft: How about "still", "even", and the most heinous crime of all; "the fact that'

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I don't hang on your every breath, AS. What a surprise! (And, not incidentally, ion.have never claimed to be prefcet.)

You're such a sad sack.

You were a prefect? Must have been an incarceration.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

So, very, very true.

Both commas are wrong and you don't need the repetition. You actually mean, "so very true" but this would be more stressed if you just said "so true". True is absolute and can never be compromised.

 

[sr71plt]

You were a prefect? Must have been an incarceration.

I wrote it as "prefcet." Leave it to you not to understand the joke.

 

[lovecraft68]

Needless to say is another one to avoid.

 

[Mockingjay]

There is a list of words with very and the better terms, though it's in a social networking site. I think Lit forbids us to mention about sites. I can't help much then.

 

[Lustful_Intentions]

I've been saying this for ages... at least the "very" part.

Sage advice. It's amazing all of the little things of which we need to be reminded in order to truly write well.