Young Writers Society

HOW TO FIX USAGE OF FALSE ENTHUSIASM

Part One: Exclamation Marks

Hello all! First of all you must be aware when an exclamation mark is used, it means that it is enthusiastically said! So if I use exclamation marks all the time, I might have an enthusiastic air! This is one of the tricks a writer uses! Isn't it cool?

When you were reading the above paragraph, you probably detected some enthusiasm. Why? Because I mostly used exclamation marks (!). Exclamation marks automatically make any piece a little more...enthusistic. Of course it depends how. If I wrote:

"How dare you!"

It would not have the same effect as:

"Exclamation marks are the coolest!"

You probably already have an idea of the way exclamation marks affect a reader.

Exclamation marks are one of the best tools a writer can use. Not only can it create enthusiasm in the piece and stress something out, it can also add an interesting way of telling something:

"Dang it, dang it, dang it! Stupid Snarkindron."

However this is also one of the most overused techniques. Writers are constantly told that they must create interest by hooking their reader. An enthusiastic tone often hooks the reader. And what helps create an enthusiastic tone?

If you guessed exclamation marks, you're right!

So what do amateur writers do? They use loads of exclamation marks! They are SO bent on hooking the reader that they stick these wherever they can, hoping that their story will be the best.

Unfortunately that's just a way to get readers bored. Why? Because you are creating the enthusiasm in an artificial way. The only way the story is holding up is through the exclamation marks.

So how do you fix it? It'll take some work. First try writing without any exclamation marks whatsoever. Seriously. If the story becomes drastically flat, you've used too much exclamation marks.

Does that mean you can't have exclamation marks? No. But you need to get used to not using exclamation marks whatsoever. Then, when you feel comfortable about them again, you use them very sparingly.


Part Two: Exclaim, Proclaim, and the Evil -ly's

Once I was very much ignorant to this fact. I was told that you had to vary your words. So I looked for a lot of definitions for said.

These include:

exclaimed, proclaimed, grumbled, mumbled, muttered, grunted, roared, yelled, shouted, screamed, berated, teased, chuckled, laughed, told, coughed, whispered, and asked.

The only two words that are okay to use are whispered and asked. The rest of the words you should avoid. You don't cough out your words. And unless your character is a lion, most likely he isn't going to roar either.

“Exclaim” might be okay, but “said” is still a better word than that, hands down. Why? Because exclaim takes away from you're dialogue and focuses the reader's attention to exclaimed. Use said.

Enough said?

Sadly not. You see, most writers promise they will not use exclaim, proclaim junk, but they use an even WORSE method. The evil -ly.

Now what is an evil -ly? Simple. Words included are:

nastily, brazenly, slinkily, slimily, gently, any adjective that ends with an -ly.

Cut all the adjectives and adverbs out. No, and I am not talking about just the -ly's. Cut ALL of them from your story, including the -ly's. Now.

Does it seem flat now? If so, you are using adjectives and adverbs to hold up your story.

Now, I'm not saying that it's necessarily bad, but its not good either.

More nouns and verbs and less adjectives and adverbs will help eliminate the false enthusiasm from the story.



HOW TO FIX LACK OF DESCRIPTION



Part One: Describing Without Adjectives

Let's review!

What is an adjective? Simple, a word that describes. All the -ly words are adjectives (though they are commonly refered to as "adverbs" as they are adjectives which modify verbs). So are many other words. They are a wonderful tool for writers. Even so, they should be used sparingly.

One of the most common myths an amateur writer believes is that description means lots of adjectives. Look at your adjective-less story. Doesn't it seem...bare? Why?

Think of your plot as a boulder. Think of all your description as poles. Depending what kinds of description you use, the poles differ. The poles that are adjectives are weak sticks, the descriptions out of verb and nouns are strong steel poles capable of enduring alone.

You have small sticks supporting this plot with very few steel poles. When you take away the sticks, the plot falls down and drifts into a tangent.

And thus the secret comes. Describe using nouns and verbs. Nouns and verbs will not let down the plot. In fact, it can create a strong support, and when your readers see this great foundation your plot rests on, they will be amazed.

How do you create these steel poles? To be completely honest, this is horribly hard to do. The first step would be to create a compelling setting and characters then go from there.

AND DON'T USE ANY ADJECTIVES!



Part Two: Always Use Character

You might be wondering how you are supposed to describe without using adjectives. Like I said, it isn't easy. But do you notice how I said create compelling characters up there? Yes, first you have to create compelling characters. But after you've created them, you have done yourself a favor.

I have read many things from young writers, and often when they have to describe, they isolate the character from the description. This is one of the worst things you can do. The character must be part of descriptions. Don't just describe the dialogue, describe the reactions of the characters.

And remember, if you write it right, you will not slow down the story at all. Contrary to popular belief, including description from a character does not slow down. It lets the readers bask in the character's mind.

Let the readers enjoy that feeling.



Part Three: Using Adjectives in Description

HA! You thought I was an evil draconian queen for telling you not to use adjectives! You thought I was going to do that forever? Come on! It's absolutely impossible not to write something not using adjectives. That was just a temporary exercise.

Now let's go back to the boulder and poles visualization. Now (hopefully) you have strong steel poles and no loose sticks around. And this rock is sitting comfortably on top. But it is no longer a rock with sticks! It is a temple with long columns, one of the ancient Greek ones.

But if you just put columns and something on top, it's boring. That's why you need to detail it with special touches.

There are you're adjectives! Now that you have a strong basis to work on, you can now add the fine details. But there's a difference now. Now the adjectives show in all their glory. No more are they distractions of the plot, but they shine, enhancing the plot for all readers.

Cool, huh?

So! A story is based on these Greek structures. The roof is the story, and it is held up by different parts. At the very base, you have nouns. These nouns give substance to the story. Now, imagine that verbs are the big pillars that hold up the top. They connect the nouns to the story and give meaning to it. Now, imagine the adjectives as being the little statues inside the building and adverbs as being nice carvings into the stone. They cannot hold up the story alone, but they add extra garnish.



OH YEAH, THE PLOT

Part One: It Doesn't Matter

If you looked at the title, you may be staring at it in wonder. You might be asking to yourself, "You mean Snoink spent so much time describing details and now she is saying the plot, the basis of the story, doesn't matter?"

Yep.

You must realize that the plot is secondary to the descriptions. Yes, as funny as that is, you may have the stupidest plot whatsoever, yet it might be the greatest story in the world. Why? Because your descriptions make it everything.

Of course you need a plot for a story to work, otherwise it isn't a story. But what the plot is doesn't matter. At all.

It's all in the descriptions, baby.

Yeah!

If you look at a lot of good books, they could have the most simple plotline ever, but still be really truly awesome.

GO SNOINKY SNOINKY OINKY OINKY!

That's true... I can think of more than one book that I read and really liked as I was reading it, but when I thought back on it realized how simplistic the plot was.

Noice advoice, Snoink. Thanks!

That was surprisingly helpful, I'll incorporate your ideas into my writing. Thanks alot, now I have more to work with.
--Greg

You're right! And you say it so I understand it easily!

Thank you for the tips, Snoink!

Thank you Snoink, this really helped.

great tips, Snoink. I definately have to start putting some of them into practice... although, the plot still matters to me, whether it matters to the reader or not. gotta keep myself interested, ya know?