A poetry teacher who didn't like descriptive language? I mean, I understand that overuse can make for some florid junk, but did he really think poetry should read like an inventory list?
We killed a homeless man on this bench. Me and Dru. Those were good times. You know, he begged for mercy, and you know, that only made her bite harder.
Spike ,'Sleeper'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Matt the Bruins fan - Feb 28, 2012 12:28:17 pm PST #18010 of 28503
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
Connie Neil - Feb 28, 2012 12:45:07 pm PST #18011 of 28503
brillig
"while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a curious volume of forgotten lore."
OK, poetry, bad example.
But you'll get my adverbs and adjectives when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers.
Polter-Cow - Feb 28, 2012 12:45:35 pm PST #18012 of 28503
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Indubitably.
DavidS - Feb 28, 2012 3:47:34 pm PST #18013 of 28503
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Adverbs are generally considered to be a weak construction, a way to slather lots of frosting on a mediocre cake. Good writing prefers strong, active verb constructions. Adverbs should be used........sparingly.
DavidS - Feb 28, 2012 3:48:10 pm PST #18014 of 28503
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
(See a better construction would be to say something like, "Be stingy with adverbs." The active verb makes it more vivid.)
-t - Feb 28, 2012 3:52:37 pm PST #18015 of 28503
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
"Be" is active?
Atropa - Feb 28, 2012 3:52:49 pm PST #18016 of 28503
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Adverbs are generally considered to be a weak construction, a way to slather lots of frosting on a mediocre cake. Good writing prefers strong, active verb constructions. Adverbs should be used........sparingly.
Unsurprisingly, I don't agree with this. I feel it's more of a guideline than a rule.
DavidS - Feb 28, 2012 3:55:39 pm PST #18017 of 28503
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
"Be" is active?
Yeah not so much.
Unsurprisingly, I don't agree with this.
Tell it to Strunk and White, missy.
Atropa - Feb 28, 2012 3:56:59 pm PST #18018 of 28503
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Tell it to Strunk and White, missy.
Strangely, I don't feel Strunk and White are the final arbitrators of literary style, especially not for fiction. I'll be over here with my Ray Bradbury collection, thanks.
Steph L. - Feb 28, 2012 3:59:11 pm PST #18019 of 28503
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
Unsurprisingly, I don't agree with this. I feel it's more of a guideline than a rule.
Nor do I. Stark spare minimalistic prose construction has its place, of course, but it's generally not on my shelf.