tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post6209221367237895771..comments2023-09-16T05:02:59.946-07:00Comments on Heroines with Hearts: Ten Tips for TweakingDebra St. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-69155827281286696062012-04-03T13:32:08.060-07:002012-04-03T13:32:08.060-07:00Karen - 'that' seems to be a problem for a...Karen - 'that' seems to be a problem for a lot of us!<br /><br />Jenn - glad you found them useful!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-79424110720531455692012-04-03T13:01:26.397-07:002012-04-03T13:01:26.397-07:00Such excellent tips!! I really like 2, 3, and 4 a...Such excellent tips!! I really like 2, 3, and 4 and need to work on them!! <br /><br />Cheers, Jenn<br />http://www.wine-n-chat.comJennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559573562599754752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-56077248127833418722012-04-02T15:41:30.544-07:002012-04-02T15:41:30.544-07:00Excellent reminders! Thanks for posting. 'That...Excellent reminders! Thanks for posting. 'That' is a problem for me, too. :)Karen Michelle Nutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04083893569523248900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-52752904633733203342012-03-30T08:14:33.604-07:002012-03-30T08:14:33.604-07:00I'm quite relieved 'that' I'm in t...I'm quite relieved 'that' I'm in the company of so many 'that' over-users! Maybe we ought to start a club called 'That Word That'!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-65917553148565938772012-03-30T04:40:29.969-07:002012-03-30T04:40:29.969-07:00Hi Paula,
What an informative blog. Afraid I am gu...Hi Paula,<br />What an informative blog. Afraid I am guilty of overusing "that," especially in the first draft or two.<br /><br />Regards<br /><br />MargaretMargaret Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07123830410502520003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-3136954361121913482012-03-30T01:08:02.624-07:002012-03-30T01:08:02.624-07:00Another 'that' culprit, and yes, I forgot ...Another 'that' culprit, and yes, I forgot about 'got' too! Thanks, Gilli!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-17078609863797975832012-03-29T15:32:30.856-07:002012-03-29T15:32:30.856-07:00I can disagree with nothing. I recently had a pie...I can disagree with nothing. I recently had a piece of work edited and (among other things - for e.g practise instead of practice!) it was pointed out I'd used break instead of brake!!!! 'That'is a big bugbear of mine. I wildly overuse and then go through cutting it out. Also, 'got' is very often unnecessary. All good reminders.Gilli Allanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13234069151918319605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-58527155323988133792012-03-29T02:47:30.346-07:002012-03-29T02:47:30.346-07:00A very useful post, Paula. Thank youA very useful post, Paula. Thank youJenny Twisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15716569675973035423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-86836000348710695372012-03-29T01:37:45.424-07:002012-03-29T01:37:45.424-07:00Thanks, Beth.
Very true, Nicole!Thanks, Beth.<br /><br />Very true, Nicole!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-41261225944736780962012-03-28T19:39:23.956-07:002012-03-28T19:39:23.956-07:00Oh the variations of said such as humphed, sighed,...Oh the variations of said such as humphed, sighed, exasperated, yawned, etc. bother me so bad. I read a really good book recently and it had NONE of that. Just "says". And that is enough!Nicole Pyleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06920135146911951755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-2391826310205840942012-03-28T18:31:04.922-07:002012-03-28T18:31:04.922-07:00Terrific tips!Terrific tips!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-78457964676646307982012-03-28T12:58:34.443-07:002012-03-28T12:58:34.443-07:00Very true, Anne. The auto-crit wizard is great for...Very true, Anne. The auto-crit wizard is great for highlighting some of these errors - but makes me wince too when I realise I am STILL making the errors!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-1925464832178009142012-03-28T12:55:10.838-07:002012-03-28T12:55:10.838-07:00Great condensed list, Paula. The things we think w...Great condensed list, Paula. The things we think we've got past doing as we write but find splattered all over the story when we edit. Thank heavens for the "Find" button.Anne Ashbyhttp://www.anneashby.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-4313428742352074722012-03-28T11:20:46.682-07:002012-03-28T11:20:46.682-07:00Kathy - you're welcome, glad you found them us...Kathy - you're welcome, glad you found them useful!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-57777344202646828612012-03-28T11:20:15.827-07:002012-03-28T11:20:15.827-07:00Joanne - at least I'm not alone with the overu...Joanne - at least I'm not alone with the overuse of 'that'!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-17767080180780609932012-03-28T11:19:40.420-07:002012-03-28T11:19:40.420-07:00Celeste - thanks for your GREAT response, and extr...Celeste - thanks for your GREAT response, and extra tips - really appreciate this!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-82090546486743516582012-03-28T11:11:31.736-07:002012-03-28T11:11:31.736-07:00Great tips, Paula. I'm with you on 'that&#...Great tips, Paula. I'm with you on 'that'. Use it WAY too much!Joanne Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17708364499624604625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-55868502344546009552012-03-28T10:59:39.300-07:002012-03-28T10:59:39.300-07:00Thank you for the great tips!!
Kathy
http://giggl...Thank you for the great tips!!<br /><br />Kathy<br />http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11564863484894692249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-71470553737251129252012-03-28T10:59:24.452-07:002012-03-28T10:59:24.452-07:00I liked this blog Paula. I only rediscovered it be...I liked this blog Paula. I only rediscovered it because I'd been at G+ for so long, and had quit FB. Now that I'm back, I'm reminded to check in once in a while.<br />.<br />1) Check. But I'm sure you get this back-in-forth thing "Is it really a cliché?" and "What if the cliché is the pointente of a joke?" <br />2) Check. I always recommend this great book from Writer's Digest: Write Great Fiction: Dialogue by Gloria Kempton, which goes into great detail about creating dialogue.<br />3) Check. This is hinged on N° 2: if you have to use the word "said" consider deleting the tag altogether.<br />4) Check. It's hard to do, but it helps to think like a movie director in this case.<br />5) I would only add: Step 5a)Check first and see if you have narrative (telling as opposed to showing). Then experiment if you can possibly re-write this as showing. 5b) If you can't "show" it (because it would make the passage too long), then make sure nothing is there the character cannot know for certain.<br />6) The only thing I've discovered is this sort of thing is permitable and desired if you write face-paced action in short sentences, such as writing about a duel, a fight, a skirmish or a battle - anything where fists or weapons are commanding the dialogue. The mistake to avoid here is something like "WHILE thrusting his sword AS he kept Katherine in sight...". According to two expert books this drags out action. <br />7) I recommend Word's search for "THAT", and that's sister "AS". If 'that' is being used as a relative pronoun - out with it; if 'as' used as a clausal word (not in comparison) - out with it. <br />8) Chop at the word 'and' and make two sentences. Word's search will help if you "find & replace 'and'". <br />9) LOL! People really do this? I'm surprised. I thought everyone had a clear-cut image of their characters in their mind's eye. <br />10) "Find & replace" again with each form of <br />there/their/they're <br />your/you're<br />were/where/wear/we're/wire<br />hour/our <br />to/too/two.Celeste Neumannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06121686507934885254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-47573160295866961342012-03-28T10:49:33.867-07:002012-03-28T10:49:33.867-07:00Thanks so much, Sandra and Marilyn - glad you fou...Thanks so much, Sandra and Marilyn - glad you found them useful!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-31888357310989098752012-03-28T10:42:44.313-07:002012-03-28T10:42:44.313-07:00all good reminders of what we should look out for....all good reminders of what we should look out for.Marilyn Levinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10424778692932139865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-22407532122951883402012-03-28T10:35:42.203-07:002012-03-28T10:35:42.203-07:00all lessonsn I woould have used wiith my own stude...all lessonsn I woould have used wiith my own students! :))Sandra Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191775335774130719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-24678537762130452482012-03-28T10:25:53.813-07:002012-03-28T10:25:53.813-07:00Rosemary - When I used the auto-crit wizard, I als...Rosemary - When I used the auto-crit wizard, I also discovered I was using 'he' or 'she' to start far too many sentences. Now I try to correct that as I go along, but I'm sure I'll still have to check and then change when I get to the end of my current novel!<br /><br />Jen - these are all 'errors' I've discovered either in my own writing or in others' stories.<br /><br />Thanks, Ana! You can now tell me which of these pointers I'm guilty of!<br /><br />Beachlover - Agree with you about 'that' - it's one of my worst errors!Paula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-44804109374294873032012-03-28T10:12:19.851-07:002012-03-28T10:12:19.851-07:00Paula, I really appreciate you sharing these helpf...Paula, I really appreciate you sharing these helpful tweaking hints! I can't tell you how many times I have to delete the word "that." 95% of the time, it doesn't need to be there. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999125118927001112.post-27380205372048678882012-03-28T06:54:30.616-07:002012-03-28T06:54:30.616-07:00Excellent list, Paula.Excellent list, Paula.Ana Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12325215832587691886noreply@blogger.com