Peanut Gallery for Writing Style Experiment

MacAllister · Dec 13, 2006

If you've got questions about terms, need clarification, or just have observations to make while we go through the week--this is the place to do it!

PLEASE NOTE: I did revise the final list of rules for each of us, and stickied it so you can find it easily. Just double-check, if you began last night, and make certain you're up-to-date.

rhymegirl · Dec 13, 2006

Discussion thread for Writing Style Experiment

This is harder than I thought it would be. When I made my first post, attempting to use the tricks assigned to me, I found I had to really stop and think about the words very carefully before posting them.

Oops, Mac already did this.

robeiae · Dec 13, 2006

Ten words doen't leave me much room to make a.

See?

dclary · Dec 13, 2006

Rob, I feel your frustration, I think. Try:

Robeiae wanted to say: said:
It's tough to stay under ten words. I like to string my thoughts together. This is quite a challenge. Thank you Mac, may I have more?

Unique · Dec 13, 2006

Maybe Mac can change the title to The Peanut Gallery's Observations.

I'll be watching with close interest as I'm sure others will but I don't feel right putting any of my words in the 'official' thread because I'm not playing.

Just a thought.

dclary · Dec 13, 2006

Wow, I just noticed my rules changed somewhere in the wee hours of the night when none stalk the halls but the Mac.

I shall have to reset my sigline.

Bravo · Dec 13, 2006

Hardest. Thing. Ever.

dahmnait · Dec 13, 2006

Poor Bravo has to find the ever-elusive shift key. Oh, the not using smilies is difficult. They keep whispering to me, “Put me here.” This means that I actually have to convey my tone with my words. Since I don’t want to offend, I depend on those smilies.

I may offend a lot of people this next week.

rhymegirl · Dec 13, 2006

I'm sorry, Rob, but I'm afraid that you have a rather easy task compared with the task of others; you might consider the plight of your fellow game-players who must take the time and effort to think carefully about the words they choose to post before posting them.

And in addition, perhaps this week will give you some time for self-reflection and a chance to step back and witness how words affect others, particularly two or three-syllable words which really pack a wallop when delivered effectively.

robeiae · Dec 13, 2006

rhymegirl said:
I'm sorry, Rob, but I'm afraid that you have a rather easy task compared with the task of others; you might consider the plight of your fellow game-players who must take the time and effort to think carefully about the words they choose to post before posting them.

Almost all words I know are longer than two syll-ables. Stop being so mean. (good job)

It's like when I was in first grade...

MajorDrums · Dec 13, 2006

Five sentences?? Every post I make this week has to be five sentences or more. I'm going to miss my word games, that's for sure. No "Around the World..." or "Write something About The Person..." this week. This, of course, will be challenging; hopefully I would not limit myself to using this new voice simply to inveigh issues in topic discussions.

Stew21 · Dec 13, 2006

No one is going to read any of my posts. With the requirement of at least one five sentence paragraph, no personal anecdotes, and no flirting. I simply do not have that much to say that it would require long paragraphs. Not to mention that it will be very difficult not using contractions. How does that work? A less emotional Trish - Yikes.

robeiae · Dec 13, 2006

Stew21 said:
Not to mention that it will be very difficult not using contractions.

That sounds like flirting to me.

Back when I was younger, there was this one girl...

She could contract like you wouldn't believe.

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 13, 2006

I need mine explained to me. (6)

I can't use any conjunctions it would appear to be saying. (11)

I have to vary my sentence length by five words each time I write a sentence! (16)

Whew! (1)

Stew21 · Dec 13, 2006

robeiae said:
That sounds like flirting to me.

Back when I was younger, there was this one girl...

She could contract like you wouldn't believe.

I do not appreciate your instigation. You are saying things that you know I would want to respond to. Do you realize how many rep points you are going to receive this week? I would put a smilie face here, possibly the winking one, but that is not allowed. This last sentence is an addition because I only had four sentences in this paragraph. That is not allowed. Now there are six, which is much better.

dahmnait · Dec 13, 2006

Stew21 said:
No one is going to read any of my posts. With the requirement of at least one five sentence paragraph, no personal anecdotes, and no flirting. I simply do not have that much to say that it would require long paragraphs. Not to mention that it will be very difficult not using contractions. How does that work? A less emotional Trish - Yikes.

I am very glad that no one noticed my use of contractions, or, if they noticed, that they didn’t comment on it. I think that people will still read your posts. You will probably have people trying to goad you into flirting with them.

Side note: When I write like this it seems so formal, which is why I use fragments. I miss my fragments.

rhymegirl · Dec 13, 2006

Have any of you read the guidelines by which Ray has to abide? He's not allowed to do any flirting this week, which I find an almost impossible task, not to mention a task which will severely affect others on this board who're used to his flirting. In addition, since I'm supposed to use five sentences or so per post, might I say that Ray might find, as I have, that responding to other people's posts takes a certain amount of restraint. Somewhere I thought I noted that I'm not supposed to flirt either. Therefore, this week should prove to be somewhat difficult for me as well.

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 13, 2006

No flirting? I got off easy (five six seven).

Birol · Dec 13, 2006

MacAllister! You changed my rules, too, and one of them changes has less to do with me and more to do with the fact that you love your ever-lovin' commas and can't stand not to see them used. Now, if everyone will excuse me, I have to go explore other learning and teaching methods, something besides the Socratic method.

Stew21 · Dec 13, 2006

I do not get to flirt either, Kathy. Rob is the one that suggested that rule apply to me as well as others. you were included in that, but it looks as though Mac did not make you abide by it. HOL is going to be very wholesome in the next week, is it not? And yes, Tammy, some will attempt to goad me into flirting behavior. I must resist it.

Birol · Dec 13, 2006

Serious question, Mac, what's the last day for this little exercise? I agree that deliberately changing your writing style is a hard exercise, I've done it before, too, and since we've already started, I just need to know what is the end date and time for this bit of word play?

Deleted member 42 · Dec 13, 2006

Birol said:
Serious question, Mac, what's the last day for this little exercise?

Like it matters . . . I'll croak from stress alone in a couple a days.

rhymegirl · Dec 13, 2006

Stew21 said:
I do not get to flirt either, Kathy. Rob is the one that suggested that rule apply to me as well as others. you were included in that, but it looks as though Mac did not make you abide by it. HOL is going to be very wholesome in the next week, is it not? And yes, Tammy, some will attempt to goad me into flirting behavior. I must resist it.

So, what you're saying, Trish, is that you perceived Mac's instructions for me to be different than yours and you've dismissed Rob's comments about my flirting, instead assuming that this rule applies to you and not to me? And as for HOL, I don't see how you can assume it will be wholesome this week as there are some AW members such as Maryn, Fizzy, Sass, Ben and others who are not participating in this experiment who will continue to flirt and use profanity as they wish.

(this is exhausting)

Celia Cyanide · Dec 13, 2006

Mac pointed out my tendency toward informal language. I have since become more inclined to use it in an obnoxiously self-aware sense.

(translation: Dude, I'm jonesin' to use slang just to be a buttwipe. I could totally school Lisa in this shiznit.)

Stew21 · Dec 13, 2006

rhymegirl said:
So, what you're saying, Trish, is that you perceived Mac's instructions for me to be different than yours and you've dismissed Rob's comments about my flirting, instead assuming that this rule applies to you and not to me? And as for HOL, I don't see how you can assume it will be wholesome this week as there are some AW members such as Maryn, Fizzy, Sass, Ben and others who are not participating in this experiment who will continue to flirt and use profanity as they wish.

(this is exhausting)

What I am saying is, Rob suggested you have the same fate as Ray and I. Mac did not enforce it in your instruction. I suppose the "wholesome" part was particularly in my share of the fun, as well as Ray's. It will be fun to read, though my participation will have to be limited. Thankfully I can still use profanity.

Peanut Gallery for Writing Style Experiment

'Twas but a dream of thee

It's a New Year!

Touch and go

Unabashed Mercenary

Agent of Doom

Unabashed Mercenary

Socialitest

Just a figment…

It's a New Year!

Touch and go

Kidnapper

Touch and go

Court Jester

Just a figment…

It's a New Year!

Court Jester

Around and About

Around and About

Deleted member 42

It's a New Year!

Joker Groupie