words and phrases that should be avoided

[tinkerdan]

I have a dictionary that lists quirk as a verb in 1596
Curve, twist

It uses the example of quirked his eyebrow

I've never had much problem with it when used in context to eyebrows.

I love chortle chuckle and guffaw; but prefer these to be specific attributes of (singularly) unique characters and too wide a use might cause me a (somewhat) pregnant pause. At which point it's annoying, isn't it.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I use quirked smile for one of my characters all the time - it's okay, @HareBrain, I'll still speak to you - because, um, that particular character does quirk his smile. Sorry. (I'm not really. In the least. )

Anyhow, every writer has somethings they overuse, usually only picked up by someone more distant. Mine are (that I know of)

Quirked smile () - Lichio, I'm looking at you
Mouth in a tight/thin line
Using with to join two conjunctions - my (erstwhile) agent called me on this one - I now do a control H at the final editing to check for it. The odd one still survives.
Oh, and I'm a bit inclined to suggest my characters should be brave, whatever happens (cos they need the help, the softies, frankly )
Oh, and my mum called me out on one tonight (characters peeing in fear.) ever wish someone didn't read your books? She's very honest....

Ha! Quirked - what @tinkerdan said!

 

[tinkerdan]

I have done this scene::

Oh, and my mum called me out on one tonight (characters peeing in fear.) ever wish someone didn't read your books? She's very honest....[/USER] said!

:: All I can say is it Depends: on what the scene calls for. Though the other depends might get it across as well. Instead of peeing you can say::
Fortunately our erstwhile hero was wearing depends.
::

 

[J D Foster]

Any that you use too often.

I'd say this is the key, it's personal to you. Having put all my stories through Smart Edit and looked at the "often repeated words" finding, I now have a list of words I am banned from using taped to the wall above where I write.

Smart Edit also tells you about Cliches in your writing, although it lacks the ability to understand context.

 

[Tim Kinder]

Perhaps it's not something anyone here deals with, but I can't stand when people use "irregardless". Whether writing or speaking it grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard (and I'm not just being cliché!)

 

[tinkerdan]

That's good to be annoyed::

Perhaps it's not something anyone here deals with, but I can't stand when people use "irregardless". Whether writing or speaking it grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard (and I'm not just being cliché!)

:: because it is not a word or shouldn't be considered one since its a munging of regardless and irrespective.
Except a certain Today show host once used it and I almost lost my breakfast.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Tim, that irritates me a lot as well.

But not as much as the hideous 'pre-prepared'. It already has the same ****ing prefix! And what other kind of 'prepared' is there?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

what other kind of 'prepared' is there?

very uniquely prepared

 

[prizzley]

I'm a fast reader and I often miss such irritations, but I do try to spot them in my writing. Not that I would use irregardless, pre-prepared or very uniquely (though I have a sneaking suspicion I've used almost unique somewhere. Rushes to the Find button...). I recently picked up a long-dormant draft and found far too many uses of so, and, the, semi-colons and (one) quirk! The current rewrite will, I hope, catch most of the superfluous blighters.

 

[tinkerdan]

My next novel shall begin with this line::

Suddenly; irregardless of being almost very uniquely pre-prepared: something happened. And then....

 

[prizzley]

My next novel shall begin with this line::

Suddenly; irregardless of being almost very uniquely pre-prepared: something happened. And then....

I'll read it!

 

[Ray McCarthy]

And then....

as it was a dark and stormy night.

 

[chrispenycate]

So, if a paring knife peels and cuts up fruit, a preparing knife cuts it down from the trees/plants, and the prepreparing knife is to open the box containing the preparing knives?

 

[Tim Kinder]

My next novel shall begin with this line::

Suddenly; irregardless of being almost very uniquely pre-prepared: something happened. And then....

Genius!

Another pet peeve is the phrase: I could care less.

It should be: I couldn't care less.

I'm think you could weave that in somewhere if you tried maestro!

 

[pambaddeley]

I've seen it used as ' I could care less' in books published in America, and thought it must be a difference in American English, but I see you're from Ohio. In the UK we would say 'I couldn't care less' as you say.

 

[The Judge]

Ah, that one we discussed back last year, as I, too, knew it as an Americanism -- "Word Crimes" -- new Weird Al song -- starting at my post #2 (and don't miss HB's thought as to how it originated).

 

[Brian G Turner]

I just nearly wrote "a brief flash". Because, you know, a flash tends to be sustained...

I actively avoid writing that a person "stood up", because when someone stands, it's rarely downwards...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

a person "stood up"

Different from brief flash.
He just stood there, indecisive.
He stood up, intending to speak. (He stood intending to speak suggests He was standing at the back waiting to speak, stood up suggests a commencement of action)

stand up can also be correct.

Stand / Stood is ongoing
Stand up / Stood up is the commencement.

English isn't entirely logical. Stand Down, doesn't mean sit. It means a lower level of alertness.


I agree that brief flash seems superfluous, as a flash is a brief illumination. But is flash from lightening or camera a brief flash compared to headlamps of a turning car or your bedroom door quickly opened and closed? I'm not sure, it's not in the same league as "very unique". I can't think of a sentence that uses "brief" rather than "short"

Morse code is a mix of short and long flashes, the gaps between a flash in a symbol are the duration of the short flash. The gaps between letters are the time of long flash or longer. Punctuation isn't often sent.

Perhaps: "An experienced operator only uses brief flashes", but that seems a bit forced. So I agree about "Brief flash", I do think "stand up" and "Stood up" can be correct.

 

[Ursa major]

just nearly wrote "a brief flash". Because, you know, a flash tends to be sustained...

Some older flashers, having fallen to the depredations of age, can take ages to open and close their raincoats. (And, I suppose, some of them will have forgotten to remove their briefs....)

*cough*

​

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Some older flashers, having fallen to the depredations of age

Anyone remember the pop-out illuminated orange arms on centre door posts? (Was it older Morris Minors?). They used to jam. I can't remember if they augmented conventional flashers or were the only turn signal.

I can't imagine what you are talking of, take some more dried frog pills.