I'm a ruthless killer

seun · Nov 27, 2007

I spent most of last night reading through my WIP and killing all the horrible sentences made weak by was.

Example: 'A sound was coming to them...'

Why do I write this weak crap? Why don't I just write a sound came to them?

Was must die. :rant:

Perks · Nov 27, 2007

Lol! Stocked up on bullets, you'll have a nice edited draft in no time, psycho killer.

cletus · Nov 27, 2007

Out of curiosity, why not they heard a sound?

seun · Nov 27, 2007

Perks said:
Lol! Stocked up on bullets, you'll have a nice edited draft in no time, psycho killer.

I'm on the hunt again tonight.

seun · Nov 27, 2007

cletus said:
Out of curiosity, why not they heard a sound?

I have used similar structure but not constantly. The example I gave was just one (of far too many) that stood out.

otterman · Nov 27, 2007

I think we all have words that creep into our work out of habit. Mine are "also", "then", and "as". When I find them places they shouldn't be, I have to kill them. Actually, since it helps my work flow better, I'll call it euthanasia.

scarletpeaches · Nov 27, 2007

I use rather too many qualifiers.

blacbird · Nov 27, 2007

seun said:
I spent most of last night reading through my WIP and killing all the horrible sentences made weak by was.

Example: 'A sound was coming to them...'

Why do I write this weak crap? Why don't I just write a sound came to them?

Was must die.

The was isn't the real culprit. The real culprit is the -ing verb conjoined with the was. Was used by itself is a perfectly serviceable verb, just like is is, in this very sentence. Rather than ferreting out all the wases, methinks you'd be better off searching for that insidious -ing.

caw

ishtar'sgate · Nov 27, 2007

We all do things like that. My biggest problem is word repetition. I seem to develop a pet adjective and use it far too much. I don't catch the darned thing until I start to edit.
Linnea

KTC · Nov 27, 2007

I have a very useful aerosol can of THAT-BE-GONE. I never edit without it.

scarletpeaches · Nov 27, 2007

KTC said:
I have a very useful arsehole full of THAT-BE-GONE. I never shit without it.

You're disgusting.

davids · Nov 27, 2007

Sounds like we need some Woe-Be-Gone-it was a dark and stormy night it was it was I promise you it was it really was!!

KTC · Nov 27, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
You're disgusting.

Hey. You messed with a legitimate post, Missy! Not nice.

Williebee · Nov 27, 2007

I seem to have a problem with the word seems.

JohnDavidPaxton · Nov 27, 2007

I also recently purged a story of all it's useless words.

Sadly, that reduced the piece from 9,000 to 0.

David I · Nov 27, 2007

KTC said:
Hey. You messed with a legitimate post, Missy! Not nice.

True.

Funny, though...

KTC · Nov 27, 2007

David I said:
True.

Funny, though...

Yeah, well...I laughed too. Dammit.

seun · Nov 28, 2007

blacbird said:
The was isn't the real culprit. The real culprit is the -ing verb conjoined with the was. Was used by itself is a perfectly serviceable verb, just like is is, in this very sentence. Rather than ferreting out all the wases, methinks you'd be better off searching for that insidious -ing.

caw

Yep. I'm getting rid of the ing simply by changing the relevant line. By losing the was, I need to lose the ing anyway.

The_Grand_Duchess · Nov 28, 2007

Congrats Seun! I am so proud of you and your killing. You're brutal and that's awesome.

ACEnders · Nov 28, 2007

KTC said:
I have a very useful aerosol can of THAT-BE-GONE. I never edit without it.

Can I get one of those?

KTC · Nov 28, 2007

ACEnders said:
Can I get one of those?

Just send $12.99 to my Paypal account: [email protected]

I will be happy to send you a can. But you HAVE TO use it. Don't let those THATs get you down, man.

seun · Nov 29, 2007

The_Grand_Duchess said:
Congrats Seun! I am so proud of you and your killing. You're brutal and that's awesome.

Thanks. Now if anyone...uh...I mean anything else pisses me off, I'm coming for you.

I'm a ruthless killer

seun

Horror Man

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

cletus

I'm a king bee

seun

Horror Man

seun

Horror Man

otterman

Word Voyeur

scarletpeaches

blacbird

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

scarletpeaches

davids

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

JohnDavidPaxton

David I

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

seun

Horror Man

The_Grand_Duchess

I record everything.

ACEnders

Self-Banned

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

seun

Horror Man