Writers are inundated with a lot of dubious advice. We are here to help set the record straight.
Elwood Corbin, BS, MA, JD. http://secondopin.blogspot.com/ Years ago there was a comedian named Jimmy Durante who had a famous one liner complaint that was always good for a laugh – “Everybody wants to get into the act!” The same one liner could be applied to writing today. The computer with its handy writing tools has made writing easily accessible and millions of writers are seeking “how-to” advice on how to turn their work into a best seller or at least a seller. Writers have become prey. Like blood in the water attracts sharks these writers have attracted hordes of Dubious Advisors. Some are called “writing coaches” and “book doctors”, or they can be found teaching MFA programs or presenting at writing seminars and there are any number of on-line experts. They all want to get into the act. They usually boast that they have had their work published (many in obscure places), and many charge a fee of some sort or they are selling something. Here are some examples of dubious advice, starting with the most infamous. 1 - Don’t use –ly ending adverbs. 2 - Don’t use adverbs. 3 - Don’t use adjectives 4 - Don’t use –ing endings 5 - Don’t use –tion words (they are “pompous, cause wordiness”) 6 - Don’t use the verb To Be 7 - Don’t use prepositional phrases; they are “evil.” 8 - Don’t use that 9 - Don’t use which 10 - Use nouns sparingly Anyone trusting enough to follow the “advice” in its entirety would be paralyzed in terms of writing. Try it for yourself. Writers can easily end up spending thousands of dollars with no guarantee that their money was well spent. Even book agents have to be scrutinized with care. Some will charge a reading fee which is a big no-no. Others try to steer writers to a “book doctor” who will split his fee with the agent. Writers have to be proactive. Do a little research and don’t be afraid to ask – why? Never assume that you are ignorant and that writing is a mystery. Common sense has to come into play. Simply because someone has had a piece published does not mean that the person is an expert. Does having a baby make anyone an expert? It makes a person a parent. Getting published simply means the person had a piece published by someone who liked it. Someone else may well have rejected it. Everyone has put aside things they didn’t care to read even though it was published and others may have raved about it. Some of this dubious advice may only be the opinion of a particular presenter, “book doctor”, “writing coach” or instructor, but their advice is offered as words of universal wisdom. What they say comes across as, “Thou shall not…” commandments and you are put down as naughty if you ignore their commandments. Dubious Advisors offer neither disclaimers nor qualifiers. Therein lies the harm because the commandments are repeatedly proclaimed in publications, in person, or on line to untold numbers of would be writers who indiscriminately take their advice for gospel. Numbers eight through ten of the above list are especially suspect. One must ask whether or not the presenter (he was the editor of a newspaper!) was intoxicated or kidding when he warned his listeners to use nouns sparingly (his handout has been carefully preserved). The same question of sobriety can be wondered about th who brazenly declared that the verb To Be should be eliminated. To repeat - these ten items if taken collectively would paralyze anyone from writing anything more than nonsense syllables. If a writer has to pick and chose which of the above ten nuggets of “wisdom” to follow, the writer is no better off than someone trying to decide which of dozens of diets to follow. Language is not a fad. It is or it isn’t. Any advice that is given should be accompanied by handouts which give numerous examples and explanations. That gives you the opportunity to test things for yourself. (Our personal rule is to give 10 or more examples including explanations). |