Elmore Leonard has a rule regarding adverbs: “Never use an adverb to modify the verb ‘said.’” His rule could be applied to adverbs as a whole. When possible, if at all possible, avoid adverbs.
writing rules
The Rules of Writingland: How to Survive a Writing-Infested World
Writingland* is a lot like Zombieland. It’s true. Writers who inhabit Writingland kill their writing only to have it resurrect, which may or may not be a bad thing. It’s all a matter of perspective. Regardless of that perspective, Writingland is no walk in the park. It’s a kill or be killed world. The writers who live in that world do so because they have embraced some rules, most of which are derived from the rules of Zombieland.
[Read more…] about The Rules of Writingland: How to Survive a Writing-Infested World
Muscle Memory
When I was training in martial arts, we repeated certain techniques – holds, locks, chokes, throws, punches, kicks, et cetera – over and over again. The reasoning was simple: the longer we repeated a motion, the more engrained it became. When we sparred or grappled, those motions became automatic. We suddenly had our opponent in a lock or choke because our muscles remembered what our brains sometimes forgot in the moment of an adrenaline rush.
Write Right: Who versus Whom
I think it’s time to tackle the problematic question of “who” versus “whom.” The question is a problem; if I watch any television show or newscast, I know that an actor or anchor is bound to use the wrong word. My guess is that most people don’t notice the mistake. I do, but that’s why I have a red pen. It’s my job to notice the errors and, I hope, to be paid to correct them or to coach the offending individual.