Quote:
Originally Posted by NickSpalding
You know what, it amazes me how many people don't seem to do basic things like this in their writing.
I've read so much stuff from indie authors written in the passive voice, riddled with unneccesary adverbs and poor grammar that I want to tear my hair out.
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And then they get offended when you don't want to pay $7.99 for the book that Aunt Mildred simply adored.
There's a lot of crap out there. And that gets me down. Quality suffers when people don't do the absolute minimum. It's not that hard...well, it is.
I hate doing the grunt work and do everything I can to put it off. Actually, I was just watching the Simpsons a short time ago. It was the "Equalia" episode when Lisa befriends the English girl. Her new friend's father has a doctorate in John Grisham literary studies. Lisa and her friend create a fantasy world full of enough cliches and genre tropes to make even the angriest nerd happy.
But, the best part is probably the last line in the episode:
Homer: Lisa you've inspired me to create my own fantasy novel. (Beat) Chapter One..... (annoyed grunt) writing's hard work!!!
Unfortunately, I think grammar as we know it may be going to way of the dinosaur. I mean, we're getting older. Kids that grew up with teh interwebs are starting to think that that type of stuff is okay.
I mene srsly wen ppl start 2 tlk lik dis n think iz ok...well, I think that may be a sign of the apocalypse.
We actually had a spammer or two around here not long ago whose advertisements for their book were filled with interwebs speak.
It goes back to one of my rules for writing: Be professional.
If you don't care enough about your work to spend some the time checking these things - well, then I don't care enough to read or buy your work. Bottom line.
I also think that every author should have their own seventh grade English composition/grammar book. Oh, and Elements of Style, which I'm pretty sure is required reading for anyone who wants to write. =)