tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post4934011796357858766..comments2024-03-20T02:49:17.606-07:00Comments on Between Fact and Fiction: Oh, The Repetition! Make It Stop!Natalie Whipplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-21499331894678686282011-07-02T05:18:09.610-07:002011-07-02T05:18:09.610-07:00Excellent practical advice and impeccably timed as...Excellent practical advice and impeccably timed as I'm near the end of a first draft. I have a magnetic whiteboard in my home office with various "things to remember" when writing and revising and this post is definitely going up there!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-79556348276974000192011-07-02T04:22:28.032-07:002011-07-02T04:22:28.032-07:00Good stuff! My last MS was full of dashes. I don&#...Good stuff! My last MS was full of dashes. I don't know why. I'm not normally into them. <br /><br />I also hate the same sentence structure, especially when it's not the Subject-Object-Verb simple structure. I remember reading a book where it felt like every other sentence was an 'ing clause, followed by a regular bit. <br /><br />"Reading Natalie's blog, Claire saw the problems with repetition." <br /><br />Pretty much turned me off that type of sentence completely. <br /><br />I'm also a believer in purposeful repetition. I love when the final chapter/stanza repeats a few words from the first.Claire Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14354840714847021685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-91857839281051236062011-06-28T13:01:51.941-07:002011-06-28T13:01:51.941-07:00Great advice. Dashes, "just" and repetit...Great advice. Dashes, "just" and repetitive sentence structure are the biggest things I have to watch out from overdoing.Jean Bauhaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16383317716820065046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-64967326811000778732011-06-28T09:05:59.608-07:002011-06-28T09:05:59.608-07:00Great post. I have clutch words too. Fun times try...Great post. I have clutch words too. Fun times trying to get rid of them in revisions. ^_^Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-62709798786826811672011-06-28T09:00:45.946-07:002011-06-28T09:00:45.946-07:00This was a fabulous post! Repetition is the worst!...This was a fabulous post! Repetition is the worst! Yet so easy to do without even realizing it.Peggy Eddlemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10241451940725996650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-28523155041913626502011-06-28T07:36:50.398-07:002011-06-28T07:36:50.398-07:00Great post! Another thing I notice sometimes is th...Great post! Another thing I notice sometimes is that writers tend to not be consistent on whether or not they're going to do "internal monologue" (italicized MC thoughts), so that they pop up randomly, when needed, and not necessarily at the "right" level of repetition.BBChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13750774359232145507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-77167699091702185102011-06-28T05:09:58.499-07:002011-06-28T05:09:58.499-07:00Great post. Yes, repetition!! I do this way too m...Great post. Yes, repetition!! I do this way too much and chuckled with your example because that is totally me (except I think I use "his smile" way to much). And, I agree with Lynne: your advice is very helpful and easy to understand and apply! Thanks!Kelly Lymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14773120663217816189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-6079939857345458412011-06-28T04:02:14.772-07:002011-06-28T04:02:14.772-07:00Another awesome nuts & bolts writing post. Yo...Another awesome nuts & bolts writing post. Your writing advice is so helpful, and both easy to understand and apply. Thanks for this post!Lynne Matsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18415839149588934992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-87845621256652283472011-06-28T02:41:29.608-07:002011-06-28T02:41:29.608-07:00This explains why too much of almost anything isn&...This explains why too much of almost anything isn't so good. Finding what one does, however, is the biggest hurdle. My best method is reading my work aloud. <br /><br />With my plays, it's even better to have actors come over and read it for me. Amazing how many are willing to do this for a few brownies!Dr. Cheryl Carvajalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15323455180953109460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-67365234015551579712011-06-27T20:37:43.355-07:002011-06-27T20:37:43.355-07:00I am definitely guilty of repetition when it comes...I am definitely guilty of repetition when it comes to semicolons in particular. I like them because I often write long sentences, and the semicolons not only prevent run-ons but also allow me to write longer sentences. When I read through my draft, I noticed that the male MC kept running his hands through his hair too many times. It made me think of the original 90210 TV series where the male characters kept wrinkling their eyebrows every five minutes, and I didn't like it then either.Neurotic Workaholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06775298184138766683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-21643123021691301742011-06-27T19:05:49.401-07:002011-06-27T19:05:49.401-07:00I enjoy 'even' and 'just' a little...I enjoy 'even' and 'just' a little too much, as well. Oh, clutch words, why must you be so handy? :PAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12294516011395206412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-91410627916248830862011-06-27T18:50:58.022-07:002011-06-27T18:50:58.022-07:00I did a whole blog post recently on setting repeti...I did a whole blog post recently on setting repetition, as I tend to set similar scenes in the same place. Characters X and Y are talking? Oh! That happens in the library! This also leads to scene repetition, with the same dialogue happening over and over.<br /><br />You got me with the eyes though. Mr. Darcy make think Elizabeth's eyes are fine, but it's Miss Bingley who should repeat that, not him. Drat. Time for another revision.Nancy Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00209727822644631003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-38380474523127295922011-06-27T18:17:37.023-07:002011-06-27T18:17:37.023-07:00This is a great post for me. I'm in the early ...This is a great post for me. I'm in the early stages of editing, and this is exactly what I need to watch out for. I'm especially bad with the dashes and -ing words. There are so many types of repetition, and it's amazing how easy it is to lose sight of them.<br /><br />Thanks!Stacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12032538079815607797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-15844651616830058762011-06-27T16:50:45.950-07:002011-06-27T16:50:45.950-07:00Gah! There are so many types of repetition. I...Gah! There are so many types of repetition. I'd have to say the one I do the most blindly, chapter length. I think it must be a subconscious OC habit I have. Great points.Dana Elmendorfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07130309062939542854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-38218718581966350642011-06-27T16:45:31.796-07:002011-06-27T16:45:31.796-07:00Fantastic post! I'm glad to say I have only o...Fantastic post! I'm glad to say I have only one thing I really need to watch out for, but I do it constantly: the gerund! I've had to go thru my ms so many times to change things up. It's better now, but I fear there are still too many. Ugh! Thanks, Natalie. I think I'll copy this post & put it in my Great Writing Tips folder.Nancy Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05735642863696266005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-48701201392196571452011-06-27T15:39:32.168-07:002011-06-27T15:39:32.168-07:00I've been very concious lately of a plot eleme...I've been very concious lately of a plot element that I'm wondering if I'm repeating it a lot in dialogue and character thought in the last few chapters.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-49320473581870125492011-06-27T15:09:14.886-07:002011-06-27T15:09:14.886-07:00I was just thinking of this. I've been taking ...I was just thinking of this. I've been taking a hard look at my writing and am trying to vary as I go, but being open to breaking my ruts when I go back through in editing. Learning how to mix it up is hard, but the first step to dealing with a problem is acknowledging its existence. <br /><br />Thanks for your wise words, Natalie! They're always appreciated.Deserae McGlothenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09181339040825589703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-76352034623940575882011-06-27T14:58:52.441-07:002011-06-27T14:58:52.441-07:00This post is perfectly timed for me. I'm curre...This post is perfectly timed for me. I'm currently revising my WIP, so thanks for the help. You're amazing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-90732228811350910542011-06-27T14:53:29.366-07:002011-06-27T14:53:29.366-07:00This has a lot of great info that will help me as ...This has a lot of great info that will help me as I revise. Thanks.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-88117613157805797342011-06-27T14:49:49.344-07:002011-06-27T14:49:49.344-07:00Lately, I've noticed that everything in my boo...Lately, I've noticed that everything in my book "seems" or is "as if" some other thing. I need to cut down on that stuff.Cynthia Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14595677706434920552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-15843136389137824882011-06-27T14:35:06.743-07:002011-06-27T14:35:06.743-07:00I'm pretty sure I have all the above mentioned...I'm pretty sure I have all the above mentioned repetition issues...the first step is recognition. Thank heaven's for the find button and wordle--those two things alone have saved me mountains of time and pointed out things I'd have never noticed.Red Boot Pearlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015990875361952510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-28223798253464384522011-06-27T13:57:08.508-07:002011-06-27T13:57:08.508-07:00Great breakdown of the different types of repetiti...Great breakdown of the different types of repetitions. I actually have some small, purposeful repetitions in my current WIP because my main character loses her memory. It's made me extra attentive to being repetitious in other ways-- I want those purposeful repetitions to stand out, so they have an impact.<br /><br />This is a post I'm bookmarking for revision purposes. Thanks!Shalleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-41814686167552181042011-06-27T13:33:54.075-07:002011-06-27T13:33:54.075-07:00I'm so glad to discover I'm not the only o...I'm so glad to discover I'm not the only one who has an unholy addiction to dashes. I know I'm going to have to - at some point - (see - I did it again!) edit approximately 8,412 of them out of my manuscript. <br /><br />My name is Rick - and I'm a dashaholic.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586071866045082842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-31108293107539445072011-06-27T13:23:15.288-07:002011-06-27T13:23:15.288-07:00Great post on repetition! Thanks!
christinasbooks...Great post on repetition! Thanks!<br /><br />christinasbooks.blogspot.comChristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03022815349809140110noreply@blogger.com