8:45 am — Atlanta
Good day everyone. I hope all is well around the world, or at least quiet. Keeping in mind National Poetry Month, I will keep my blogs short for April.
I think, today, I will give you a couple of lists to ponder. The first is: Do not use these words in your writing. The second is: Use these words sparingly and with deliberation. The key for both lists is deliberation — that you use the words you choose with knowledge of their effect on the writing as a whole, and on the reader. I ask that you ponder both lists and ready questions or arguments, and next week I shall go through the first list and explain why these words should not be used in your writing.
List one — do not use these words:
very,
so,
just,
really,
actually,
this is,
is when,
is where,
here is/are, there is/are,
get,
got.
List two — use these words sparingly and with deliberation:
then,
suddenly,
start[ed] to,
begin/began to,
also,
that,
it,
could,
should,
would.
I leave you to think about why these words. I will see you Friday for a modified prompt list. Most sites are modifying themselves for April, but I have seen a couple of interesting exercises. Then [note, then is one of the use with intent words], Tuesday we shall look at some acrostic variants that I enjoy playing with.
Music&Meaning
07/04/2011 at 5:59 pm
great lists, margo! my hat off to you! eric
margo roby
07/04/2011 at 7:09 pm
Thank you, Eric. I’m going to link yours in at some point in the discussion.
pamela
11/04/2011 at 4:07 pm
I can use a lesson in the words not to use, Margo.
This is invaluable to me, as I am never sure which is why and why is which, so to speak.
Pamela
Margo Roby
11/04/2011 at 4:20 pm
Hey, Pamela! I’ll start explaining why on Thursday. I’ll deal with a couple of words at a time. This is one of my pet soapboxes.
Josephine
13/04/2011 at 1:43 pm
I’ve just printed this out on cardstock small enough to keep in my notebook. Thanks, Margo. Looking forward to your soapboxing in detail!
margo roby
13/04/2011 at 2:26 pm
I love it! I hope when I start explaining that you will query if you have a but for any of the words, Josephine.