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Overuse
https://archive.holyworlds.org/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=3188		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Cadenza [ May 17th, 2011, 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Overuse
What sort of things do you feel that you overuse in your writing? Sentence structure, phrases, verbs, types of figures of speech, anything.
For example, I think that I overuse dashes. I love the way they look and the character they add - ( :P ) but yeah, I'm afraid there's just too many of them. And then the verb "demand". I find that it fits so many instances, and gives just the connotation I want. Still, there isn't an excuse. Overuse is just overuse. And I probably overuse so much more that I don't even realize I'm overusing. I mean I just overused overuse. What a hypocrite. But seeing what other people overuse should definitely help.
So open my eyes - what do you overuse?
Author:  BushMaid [ May 17th, 2011, 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
*shudders* There are several words in the English language that suffer from BushMaid overuse. Chief among them would be "suddenly" and "however". There are times I simply cannot construct a sentence without one or the other. :P
Author:  Leandra Falconwing [ May 17th, 2011, 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I probably overuse dashes too. And the word "just." And "though." I also overuse "however," too.
Author:  Sienna North [ May 18th, 2011, 1:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
*Shudders, then decides to plunge in anyway*

Overuse? You have no idea... The main culprits appear to be "immediately" and a lot of adverbs and adjectives. They're so totally indescribably { :P } helpful! And yet... not.

What do I do to combat them? Well, I love having a word limit - which works best on short stories. In those cases, I'm forced to prune away my not-so-lovely adverbs and adjectives, and replace them with stronger nouns and verbs! *applause* For other overuses, I read through the work carefully and see where the repeats are really obvious, or I might do a "find" on the document to highlight the particular word.
Author:  BushMaid [ May 18th, 2011, 1:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I combat mine with checking to see I didn't use it in the same paragraph more then once. :P Not a very brilliant strategy...
Author:  Lady Elanor [ May 18th, 2011, 2:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Anyhow and however are definitely mine! Dear oh dear, it's quite shocking! I tend to edit them out after, you see once I start writing I can write reams and I don't really stop to think! So after I re read it and edit out anything that I see I have used too much. :)
Author:  Bethany Faith [ May 18th, 2011, 6:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I overuse different words every story. :P It seems that once I get to not overusing one word I overuse another...but the main word that I use too much is "then" or "than" *shudders* I have to go back and take out all the unnecessary ones once I am done writing.
Author:  Andrew Amnon Mimetes [ May 18th, 2011, 7:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I tend to overuse adverbs :P

eru
Author:  Cadenza [ May 18th, 2011, 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Evenstar - I like the "find" idea!
I also overuse "somewhat" "rather" and "quite." Strange.
Author:  Aemi [ May 20th, 2011, 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I think I overuse this sentence structure: "ed", and then "ing". Example:

She leaned her head against his chest, inhaling the scent of his leather jacket.

Get what I mean? I do that an awful lot.
Author:  Cadenza [ May 21st, 2011, 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Aemi: I do that a lot! I need to watch for that...
Author:  Calenmiriel [ May 23rd, 2011, 10:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I overuse "though/although" a lot. I start and end sentences with it!

Example:
1.) Although he was tall he couldn't reach the switch.

2.) He couldn't say for sure that he would be able to reach it though.

After everything is on paper I edit unnecessary words out. :P

I tend to overuse many simple words instead of using stronger verbs or adverbs that could add more impact to the story. That's also something I work though when I edit. ^^

~Calen
Author:  Svensteel Mimetes [ June 19th, 2011, 3:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Phylis Patschske wrote:
What sort of things do you feel that you overuse in your writing? Sentence structure, phrases, verbs, types of figures of speech, anything.


I use the ; too much, and like in real life like I like say the word like, like too much (Ok not that much lol)
Author:  Cadenza [ June 19th, 2011, 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Like! It is the scourge of my speech! Once me and my sisters tried to began avoid saying it - that was a joke. Like - like its really hard to stop saying it like all the time. :roll:
Author:  Svensteel Mimetes [ June 19th, 2011, 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Phylis Patschske wrote:
Like! It is the scourge of my speech! Once me and my sisters tried to began avoid saying it - that was a joke. Like - like its really hard to stop saying it like all the time. :roll:


Like lol like I like tried like that like and like it like doesn't like even like work??? :dieshappy: :dieshappy: :dieshappy:
Author:  Willow Wenial Mimetes [ June 19th, 2011, 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
My characters use direct address too much. I've noticed that especially in times of trouble they suddenly start using each other's name in every sentence.

I do that too, but all my characters shouldn't have all my speech patterns. :P
Author:  Kayla_elfmaiden [ July 21st, 2011, 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
In trying to avoid using "said" I started using "commented" and "remarked", but now that has gotten out of hand. It's a juggling act trying to figure out what to put at the end of the characters' sentences. :roll:

Also, there are many scenes that start out with my characters waking up. I just noticed this yesterday while working on a story. They sleep too much!
Author:  kingjon [ August 4th, 2011, 5:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Kayla_elfmaiden wrote:
In trying to avoid using "said" I started using "commented" and "remarked", but now that has gotten out of hand. It's a juggling act trying to figure out what to put at the end of the characters' sentences. :roll:

Erm ... every book of literary criticism or English usage, or about writing, I've read has strenuously recommended exactly the opposite: that you avoid "said-bookism", the use of synonyms for "said" when "said" will do, and to use nothing at all when you can make it work. Sometimes you have to use a different verb, or add an adverb, to convey information that the context and the dialogue itself can't---for example, "'Come here,' she whispered." But I would try to use nothing at all when you can and "said" when you must use something.
Author:  Aemi [ August 5th, 2011, 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Oh, yes, I agree. Reading something like this:

"I'm so glad you came!" she welcomed.
"Thank you for having me," he responded.
"Would you like some lemonade?" she questioned.
"No, thank you," he replied politely.

Versus this:

She opened the door wide, and a smile broke over her face. "I'm so glad you came!"
He smiled, glancing quickly down at his brightly polished boots. "Thank you for having me," he said. He followed her inside.
Her eyes flitted nervously. He noticed she was trembling. She stammered through the common courtesies, offering him a seat, some refreshments. He stared past the small talk, the polite refusals coming automatically from his lips.
Finally he strode nearer to her, and carefully took her hand.

:D The answer is not always to replace every "said" with an alternative word. Do the authors in your favorite books do that? ;)

And understand, Kayla, we're not trying to smash you. We're trying to help you. We want to help you just as much as you want to improve. :salute:
Author:  Cadenza [ August 7th, 2011, 2:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Agree!
I love "said". :P
Author:  Svensteel Mimetes [ August 9th, 2011, 10:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
It's also good to avoid things such as that at all, such as this;

Tommy walked towards her, "where is it!"
She cowered, then sat up straight as looked Tommy in the eyes, "you will never have the pen! You will never have the power! It is the Lord's and the Lord's alone! And he has chosen me!"
Tommy looked at her scowling face and her hand that neared the hilt of her blade "chosen... for what?"
She looked at him and smiled evily, "Chosen to kill you."

So basically in that you see that I never used any gruntings, saidings, mutterings, commentings, retortings, sneerings, snortings, or any such things.
Author:  Aemi [ August 9th, 2011, 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Right, but I think you could have easily used a few "said"s in there. ;)
Author:  Airianna Valenshia [ August 10th, 2011, 7:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
That was a very good example, Aemi. :D
Author:  Whackem [ August 13th, 2011, 7:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Phylis Patschske wrote:
Like! It is the scourge of my speech! Once me and my sisters tried to began avoid saying it - that was a joke. Like - like its really hard to stop saying it like all the time. :roll:


Instead of saying like all the time, try saying: Akin to, People will look at you funny and it'll spice things up a bit.
Author:  RedWing the Purple [ August 13th, 2011, 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
My characters shrug and cross their arms waaay too much. :P
Author:  Airianna Valenshia [ August 16th, 2011, 12:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
I think my characters nod too often... I have noticed this was an issue in the first draft on the second book in my Trilogy. I'm working on rectifying that in the second draft. :P
Author:  Lady Eruwaedhiel [ August 16th, 2011, 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
Bahahaha Airi! :rofl: I know what you mean, but that statement just ... *chuckles*

Hmm, what do I overuse? I'm with Phylis - dashes are one of my weaknesses. (See? :P ) That and ... Those two have a tendency to breed behind my back, especially in dialogue. :roll: I also have a lot of sentences that are in the "He did this, then he did that" format. Waaaaaaay too many of them. I also try to use unusual verbs in unusual places, but I have whipped, snapped, lashed, swept, dashed, struck, and so on far too often.

My characters roll their eyes too frequently for my taste as well. It's just the perfect response to so many things! (Maybe that should tell you something about the way my charries interact?) Oh, and lip-biting. All my characters bite their lips a lot. And sighing. Did I mention they have this annoying habit of rolling their eyes? And lip-biting? And sighing? (They do it a LOT in case you couldn't tell.)

So yeah... I'm hoping some of my draft readers will help me pick up on some of those things. *hint hint Airi*
Author:  Airianna Valenshia [ August 16th, 2011, 11:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overuse
The hint is well taken. :D

Glad I could make you chuckle. :D
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