Literary pet peeves...

[Velius]

I just wondered what you all have as pet peeves involving literature and writing. Mine are as follows.

The phrase "triumphed over adversity" is so over used, despite its validity in a lot of situations.

When people pronounce the word "bazaar" like "bizarre". For some reason that drives me insane.

 

[Suzi]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

My pet peeves....literarily speaking...

1) famous poets write poems and English teachers analyze them to death....

2) people who make notes in books, rather than on paper....



3) Young people who are given a reading assignment, then rather than read the piece, opt for Cliff's notes, or a movie based on the book!

Suzi

 

[jon.hayworth]

OH Suzi,

Mea culpa!

I make notes in the margins of my books. I also cover them in highlighter marks!!

As for lectures in how to write erotica allow me to recomend a great book. -

Susie Bright "How to Write a Dirty Story" pub Simon & Schuster ISBN 0-7432-2623-2.

I will be posting a review of it in Essays and Reviews

As for writing from the heart - I am not sure. Could get a whole thread or an essay even a whole damn text book on the matter. There are valid arguments for writing from the heart but editing the work before showing it to anyone. i agree that can be a problem with a collaborative work.

jon

 

[Suzi]

Point Taken....

Observe that the post itself has been edited by myself!

Suzi

 

[Velius]

IMO the reader isn't very important if you are writing the poetry from the heart (also, "from the heart" is a rather inaccurate saying...hehehe anyway). Most of the time that you would write that kind of poetry it is for yourself, or someone you care about. Most likely in both situations it would be clear enough. Nit picking is sad, as is over analyzing. But pronouncing the word "bazaar" incorrectly is simply inexscusable.

 

[SexyChele]

Re: Grrrrrrrrr....

jon...I UNDERSTAND about EDITING...it has been driven home in this brain SO many times! I am talking about the nit picking....Making sure the reader gets the message in a way that makes sense is ONE way...but picking on HOW one places a comma, semi-colon...periods....That is quite another!

Suzi

Yes, "nit picking" about commas, semi-colons, and periods can be tedious. And I don't think grammar was anyone's favorite part of English class. However, try reading some stories where there are no commas, where run-on sentences abound, spelling is ignored, and other grammatical rules are abandoned. A story written this way is tedious to wade through, and I normally won't waste my time. After all, if the writer hasn't cared enough about their story to make it readable, then why should I care enough to read it?

Grammar has its place in writing. It helps to make sense of your story to a reader. If a person could sit back and have you read your story to them, it would be different. But, yet, how many times have you heard some one try to read something they've written and can't, because they've left out proper grammar? Now, that is seriously sad.

(P.S. I hope KillerMuffin doesn't see the misuse of ellipses in your post - it's one of her "pet peeves". )

 

[Velius]

Grammar wasn't my favorite part of English class. Actually...English class wasn't my favorite part of English class. It was rather tedious for me as I was always bored out of my mind.

 

[Velius]

I can't stand when people do this online, "Blah,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,blah blah,,,,,,,blah." Or this, "Blah,blah,blah." But mispronunciation of "bazaar" is a cardinal sin. No one should mispronounce it, EVER.

 

[damppanties]

bazaar

But mispronunciation of "bazaar" is a cardinal sin. No one should mispronounce it, EVER.

Why are you so passionate about "bazaar"??

My pet peeve: using too many hi-funda words. For one, I can't understand what the writer is saying and then it makes me feel inferior..

-DP.

 

[Velius]

One day, in English class, I made a point of correcting my best friend when he said "bazaar" incorrectly. I was just being my normal self, and did it out of habit. Anyway, he purposely antagonized me by saying it incorrectly throughout the entire class...hell he even ignored me when I pointed out the exact pronunciation in the dictionary (which was the way I was pronouncing it...). Anyway, ever since that day, I have this thing about "bazaar" being pronounced correctly.

 

[Suzi]

Michele

If you noticed in my response to jon.hayworth...you will see that I already covered EDITING. I do edit my work. I do try to make sure that my story is at least easy to read. Granted I DO add alot of periods in my posts . My thoughts do not always take a sentence form, complete with subject and predicate! I write on inspiration--because I am led to write it. To write because I HAVE to reminds me too much of school. Nothing kills inspiration more than the lack of spontaneity, in my opinion.


There! I managed to write a post WITHOUT over use of periods!
*pats self on the back*

Suzi

 

[Velius]

You go Suzi.

 

[damppanties]

Re: bazaar

One day, in English class, I made a point of correcting my best friend when he said "bazaar" incorrectly. I was just being my normal self, and did it out of habit. Anyway, he purposely antagonized me by saying it incorrectly throughout the entire class...hell he even ignored me when I pointed out the exact pronunciation in the dictionary (which was the way I was pronouncing it...). Anyway, ever since that day, I have this thing about "bazaar" being pronounced correctly.

Uhhh , believe me, I know how irritating it can be. It happened to me a few times and since then I just grit my teeth and keep my mouth shut. If they're so stupid to mispronounce a word and then resist any 'friendly' attempts at correction, just let them be...

-DP.

 

[Velius]

Re: Re: bazaar

Uhhh , believe me, I know how irritating it can be. It happened to me a few times and since then I just grit my teeth and keep my mouth shut. If they're so stupid to mispronounce a word and then resist any 'friendly' attempts at correction, just let them be...

-DP.

No, he wasn't stupid, he was just being an ass to me because we were friends (I have moved since then).

 

[Chicklet]

I can't stand when people do this online, "Blah,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,blah blah,,,,,,,blah." Or this, "Blah,blah,blah." But mispronunciation of "bazaar" is a cardinal sin. No one should mispronounce it, EVER.

<whimper> I can't say them differently! I'm a reject! WAAAHHHHH

 

[Velius]

LOL.

 

[Whispersecret]

SexyChele, as far as I'm concerned, you're right on the mark.

Many dots together are not periods. If there are three dots, it's an ellipsis. Ellipses traditionally show text that is missing, or a thought that has trailed off. Lately in mainstream writing, ellipses are also used to indicate a pause in speaking. I'm not sure if this is "correct," but it is becoming more prevalent.

Most of the time periods are solo artists. They appear alone. If there are four dots together, that's an ellipsis and a period. Using more than four dots is, simply, wrong.

I'm feeling nitpicky. Some might consider me a fanatic about mechanics. That's fine with me. Here is the post. You'll see there are indeed complete thoughts:

jon...I UNDERSTAND about EDITING...it has been driven home in this brain SO many times! I am talking about the nit picking....Making sure the reader gets the message in a way that makes sense is ONE way...but picking on HOW one places a comma, semi-colon...periods....That is quite another!

Here's the post with correct mechanics:

Jon, I UNDERSTAND about EDITING. It has been driven home in this brain SO many times! I am talking about the nit picking. Making sure the reader gets the message in a way that makes sense is ONE way, but picking on HOW one places a comma, semi-colon, periods? That is quite another!

To me, it's about knowing what you've written is right or wrong. It's about taking pride in your work. If you've written from the heart, doesn't that make it even more important that it's error free?

 

[Suzi]

*sigh*

....so how about the original subject?

 

[Velius]

I would have to agree. Stop picking on Suzi. This is about pet peeves, not correction.

 

[SexyChele]

Stop picking on Suzi. This is about pet peeves, not correction.

1. I wasn't "picking" on Suzi. No where in my post did I indicate that she used improper grammar because she didn't care about her readers. I said "a writer". As I've never read anything Suzi has written, I could not be referring to her. That she took what I said to be pertaining to her is another matter.

2. Poor use of grammar in stories is a "pet peeve" of mine.

 

[Velius]

Okay, that is all well and good, but Whispersecret's post seemed aimed at Suzi. I am not trying to flame anyone, or get anyone upset. Everyone needs to "Chiill Winstaan."

 

[karmadog]

Back on subject.

I hate cliches.

Don't bother using figurative language if you're going to steal something that has been used a million or more times.That's just lazy.

I hate poems, usually from young people, that describe how they are losing their minds or going out of their heads.

I hate stock characters: The black guy who is only there to speak urban slang. The hooker with the heart of gold.

 

[Velius]

Re: Back on subject.

I hate cliches.

Don't bother using figurative language if you're going to steal something that has been used a million or more times.That's just lazy.

I hate poems, usually from young people, that describe how they are losing their minds or going out of their heads.

I hate stock characters: The black guy who is only there to speak urban slang. The hooker with the heart of gold.

Count me in for all three.

 

[Whispersecret]

SexyChele didn't aim anything. I did. My biggest pet peeve is when people try to defend their apathy toward proper use of the language.

Other pet peeves:

--overuse of the word "shattered"
--cliches (though when it comes to describing sex, it's so damned hard to avoid them)
--Improper usage of words ("Her eyes quivered with passion.")
--Use of measurements in physical descriptions of characters. (Although I did once refer to inches when describing one of my character's penises.)
--cliche plots (any sunbathing/pool fun that turns to sex, someone being caught masturbating, someone being caught surfing erotic sites or writing erotic stories and being summarily blackmailed, etc.)
--second person pov
--where the guy constantly verbally abuses the girl, calling her a slut, etc. (This is just opinion, and not necessarily bad writing.)

 

[Velius]

I know she didn't aim anything. Anyway, good pet peeves, some of those are pretty damned annoying.