Comments on: word variety

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:41:31 +0000

that’s just good writing sometimes it takes me up to 20 minutes to find the right word to replace the repeated word.

By: Notadamn Spammer

Notadamn Spammer — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:03:02 +0000

(Obviously I don’t mind starting sentences with conjunctions. Really.)

By: Notadamn Spammer

Notadamn Spammer — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:01:15 +0000

I have my own neurosis about this one: I’m a writer (as in, I have a degree in it, and I occasionally get paid to do it), so I know how much redundancy sucks and how word variety can spice up a paragraph. But I HATE IT when a teacher or by-the-book person shoots me down for repeating a particular word when it’s my goal to provide the reader’s brain a clear map for understanding my point. And since, yes, I’m neurotic too, I think about EVERY WORD. (I once had a poetry teacher question my use of “is” in a discussion group. I shot her down before the discussion could start so I didn’t blow a gasket.)

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:57:25 +0000

I absolutely cannot have words that rhyme in a sentence. It bugs me until I change it to something that sounds good.

By: spike

spike — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:20:36 +0000

this is called redundancy. it drives me crazy when authors get stuck on one word and have to beat it to death. makes me want to put the book away and not finish.

By: Candee

Candee — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:39:51 +0000

I do this also, but only because of AP English is High School. Your teacher drills it into your head. On top of that, you ALSO have to write 3 essays (about different things) within two hours. I find it hard to write a paper when I have more than a week to do it.

By: treehouse

treehouse — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:50:11 +0000

Unprecedented. Under the bus. Take a listen. “-gate” for every scandal. Awesome.

By: Calvin

Calvin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:08:55 +0000

@Abbie I know! I’m reading a book right now where the author has written “unceremoniously” SO MANY TIMES.

By: Clara

Clara — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:32:56 +0000

I read the Pendragon series forever ago and it brought my piss to a boil whenever the author used the word “craggy”. I swear, it appeared several times in every book…

By: Abbie

Abbie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:34:41 +0000

Yeah, not a neurosis, just not bad writing.
I hate it when an author for some reason has a particular fondness for a relatively uncommon word and uses it like ten times in the same book. I remember one of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books had the word “eschew” in it way too many times. It drove me crazy.