earring question

miles · Jul 20, 2008

Here is a sentence the way I have it written:

A golden earring dangled almost to her right shoulder, more blood caked the opposite earlobe where the pendant appeared to have been ripped out.

My question is: What is the part of an earring that actually sticks through the earlobe? Or should I just leave it the way it is using "pendant"? Also, does the sentence make sense?

Thanks!

Jersey Chick · Jul 20, 2008

It depends on the earring - studs have posts, but dangling earrings can be either post, wire or leverbacks. Pendant, to me, is what you wear on a necklace, not in your ears.

I think either post or wire would work best, IMHO.

(leverbacks would probably really tear an ear up, in my experience. I own one pair of lever backs and never wear them because they're very uncomfortable.)

miles · Jul 20, 2008

Thanks Jersey Chick. Since the narrator is male, and he is watching this, I think I'll use "wire" since that's most likely the word a guy would know:

A golden earring dangled almost to her right shoulder, more blood caked the opposite earlobe where the wire appeared to have been ripped out.

kct webber · Jul 21, 2008

A golden earring dangled almost to her right shoulder. More blood caked the opposite earlobe, where the wire appeared to have been ripped out.

Just my opinion.

Plot Device · Jul 21, 2008

There are basically three types of earrings:

hoops
studs
pendants

Here's my suggestion on how you can modify the sentence:

A golden pendant earring dangled almost to her right shoulder, more blood caked the opposite earlobe where its twin appeared to have been ripped out.

And to be honest, I find this to be a run-on sentence. So I would further edit it like this:

A golden pendant earring dangled almost to her right shoulder. Blood caked the opposite earlobe where its twin appeared to have been ripped out.

miles · Jul 23, 2008

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

earring question

miles

agent at The Knight Agency

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

miles

agent at The Knight Agency

kct webber

Squirrel, Sekrit type, 1 ea.

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

miles

agent at The Knight Agency