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Thursday, November 19, 2009
Step away from the adjectives
I'm not normally a big fan of the "you must never" school of writing. I use as many adverbs, adjectives and passive-voice phrases as I need to, and so far no editor, reviewer or reader has wanted me to take them out.
There are times, though, when I read something that clearly does need a little refresher course in "less is more". My usual favourite is the adjective "erotic" used in, well, erotic scenes. Seriously, if you've got the hero doing something to the heroine and you need to state that it's erotic you're doing something wrong!
Too many adjectives can weaken a piece of writing. It's a kind of wood-for-the-trees issue. Shove enough extra words in there and all I'll get is an impression of an unspecified something that's curvy, shimmery, smooth, scented and lush.
And then there's the "empty" adjectives, the ones that tell rather than show. Beautiful, breathtaking, stunning, stylish, luxury...
Like this catalogue description for a ceramic scent-diffuser:
"A stylish vase containing premium essential oil to gently diffuse a beautiful scent through the fabric of the stem of this beautiful ceramic flower and into their festive home."
I first noticed the repetition of "beautiful" (which led me to consider the ceramic flower and decide, really, not so much), but then I noticed all the other adjectives and adverbs. Too many? Yes. Obscuring the meaning of the sentence? Yes. Empty? Oh yes.
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| Friday, November 13, 2009
Let's laugh at Abstract
While I was in America, Abstract took a week off work to be around for the girls and to decorate our bedroom. He made the bedroom into a thing of beauty - it looks like an upmarket modern hotel room, with chunky wood and brushed steel shelves, rectangular lamps and a wooden chest to hide the ironing in, all in shades of chocolate brown and cream and yellow. He also bought a new mattress protector, new cream bed linen, and a big fat down duvet (which our ill cat subsequently wee-ed on and which had to be cleaned at a cost of £42, but I'm over that now. Really.). The duvet is so cosy and squishy and soft that we've taken to calling it the marshmallow.
Last night, half-past ten:
Abstract: I think I'm going to go to bed soon.
Me: *some sort of appropriate response - or possibly not, cos I was busy getting to word count on Telepathic Twins*
Ten minutes later:
Abstract (getting up from sofa): I'm going to go and get into the doughnut now.
Me: You're going to do what?
Abstract: That's the wrong word.
Me: Do you mean the marshmallow?
Abstract: Yes! Yes, that's what I meant!
Me: I'm blogging about this.
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| Thursday, November 12, 2009
Multi-productivity!
 I may be too busy to talk to my husband or go to bed on time, but today I did manage to make spicy pumpkin soup and cookies. See! Proof!
Cookies, right to left: white chocolate chip, oat and glace cherry, plain oat. Go me.
Neglected husband and takeaway pizza boxes not pictured.
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In which NaNoWriMo takes over my world
Yesterday evening, approx half-past six, as husband comes in from work.
Me: I'm a lazy bad wife. I've ordered pizza for dinner.
Him: Did you put a beer in the fridge?
Me: No.
Him: Hm, then you are a lazy bad wife.
I then sat up past midnight in bed, mostly ignoring him and getting to word count on the laptop. 18,275 words, thank you very much. But oh my goodness, the bags under my eyes...
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