tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post3114718828132870734..comments2024-03-19T03:21:49.937-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: The Elements of StyleLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13283903434187024852014-05-06T22:29:23.540-04:002014-05-06T22:29:23.540-04:00A while back I got a copy of Strunk & White an...A while back I got a copy of Strunk & White and very carefully used it as a guide in writing a story I sent off to a contest. I won an honorary mention but when I got my MS back the judges had red-circled all my careful punctuation and grammar!! Jeff Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00316081079528920123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-54985322001181567212014-05-06T18:24:58.028-04:002014-05-06T18:24:58.028-04:00Eve --when I was in fifth grade I wrote a short st...Eve --when I was in fifth grade I wrote a short story narrated in first person with slang words. My teacher said this was unacceptable and that the paper would not get a passing grade because no one could bend the rules. I told him to wait a minute, went to the library shelves at the back of the room, picked up a copy of Huckleberry Finn and put it on his desk. I got a decent grade on the paper but (I think) made an enemy of the teacher!<br />Dale Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10553503281187956955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-88314765576659667862014-05-06T18:07:32.919-04:002014-05-06T18:07:32.919-04:00Dale, maybe that's why I write mostly in the f...Dale, maybe that's why I write mostly in the first person, because that way I can bend the rules a lot! Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-34588903014128870202014-05-06T12:04:52.055-04:002014-05-06T12:04:52.055-04:00It has always seemed to me that if you are writing...It has always seemed to me that if you are writing dialog, or if the narration is first person by a character,there is much greater leeway to bend, or even ignore, stylistic rules. By contrast, at least to my ear, the reader expects more rigid adherence to the rules of style if the story is written from a third person "omniscient" point of view. I'm thinking there will be more on that in my next article. Dale Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10553503281187956955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-1655572460015034142014-05-06T11:20:54.622-04:002014-05-06T11:20:54.622-04:00Great column, Dale. Just before our three childre...Great column, Dale. Just before our three children set off for college, I gave each of them a copy of <i>The Elements of Style</i>. Those copies were probably used only as flowerpot coasters and props for wobbly table legs, but my intentions were good. I've always liked that book, and much of its advice still holds true.<br /><br />R.T., I've often heard that you should write what you feel comfortable writing--it might or might not be "what you know."John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-2480331905162869512014-05-06T11:07:58.589-04:002014-05-06T11:07:58.589-04:00Dale, very interesting article.Seems our language ...Dale, very interesting article.Seems our language has continued to evolve since man first spoke and learned to write, thus the rules continue to change over time. <br />I also like the concept of writing by ear which allows me to say "that written line in my story sounds good. The heck with the written rule, the line flows." Having said that, I do still believe in some of the old conventions. However, as many of you have probably noticed, most of my writing is on the "telling stories of the street" level as opposed to being literary works. Write what you like, write what you know.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-23683298181379659562014-05-06T08:59:38.065-04:002014-05-06T08:59:38.065-04:00I really enjoyed this post, Dale. Loved the Doroth...I really enjoyed this post, Dale. Loved the Dorothy Parker quote. Was astonished by your claim that Star Trek's "to boldly go" is successful--I still cringe every time I hear it, and "to go boldly" would have worked just fine. Related to the plea for flexibility, which imho really has to do with voice. I'm in the midst of reviewing the copyedit of the new edition of VOYAGE OF STRANGERS, and I rebelled the sixth time the copyeditor demanded my protagonist (whose narrative voice is very powerful--I usually do whatever he says) conform every single time to the rule of "comma-so" but "no comma-so that." Let the guy say what he pleases once in a while! Luckily, my fairy godmother of a publisher has given me carte blanche to stet as much as I want, a privilege I'm taking full advantage of. Or must I say a privilege of which I'm taking full advantage?Elizabeth Zelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13944424094949207841noreply@blogger.com