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#1: Writing Habits Author: Merilly Dayzed,

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:47 am
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i have a lot of habits when I'm writing. For instance, I do a lot of things in threes. In one story I've posted already, 'Darcy & the Supermodels', I even left off with three options for the decision point.

I find that I have a I like to add descriptions in threes:
It is a nasty, spiteful, vindictive community that women rule with velvet-glove-clad harpy claws, which reduces men to living vicariously through two men punching each other in the head.

Nasty, spiteful, vindictive. If you read my stuff, you'll see me doing that a lot.

I also like to give three examples for each situation:
Aside from the dent in her checkbook for food (who are we kidding?), basement remodeling, and cigarettes, she just doesnít have the same stomach she used to for the rage she has boiling inside.

In this case, it's the food, remodeling and ciggies that she reflects on before she gets to the point.

Do you find yourself getting into habits when you write, and if so, how easy is it to break out of them? Does it better your writing, make it more coherent, etc? Or does it lock you in and stifle the creativity?

For me, if I don't add three words for a description, which happens sometimes, there is a compulsion to go add another one. This can be a bit stifling, but I just try to work through it. Doing things in threes is comfortable to me. I don't know if I could break the habit that easily, but I don't know if I want to, either.

Last edited by Merilly Dayzed on Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:02 am; edited 1 time in total

#2: Author: ethereal_fauna, Location: USA

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:54 am
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Your penchant for trios didn't distract from the story, at least for me, so if that makes you feel comfortable with your writing, then I say continue it.

I haven't analyzed my own writing to search for annoying habits...I trust the lovely readers here to point them out. I know D-Lotus was most kind and helpful on the early chapters of Finite Cosmos. 8)

#3: Author: Reiso, Location: Western North America

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:12 am
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I too have some habits in my writing that are a little repetitive. If the pattern were identified, it might detract, so I'll spare the details. I am less compulsive about it though... I seem to have some inner awareness of when it's not enough, or too much, etc (writer sense tingling!), and it's never too far off. I never notice it in the rough draft phase though, my writing is pretty free-form at that time and it's only when I go back and proof it that the habits show up.

I personally think that there are no bad or good habits for writing (ignoring such obvious shortcomings as typos, misspellings and writing that... well, sucks ass), but that habits are made good or bad by the frequency of their use. Any habit that is so overdone that it becomes inescapable will eventually become grating to the reader. But I also think that many of those habits are what define a writer's style, and even arise through a sub-conscious understanding of how to tell a story.

As far as the use of three goes, I don't find that surprising at all. Three is a good number. It's more than two (which seems to fall short), and less than far too many. Some people think it's a lucky number even. It's definitely a balanced number though, that frequently crops up in writing and other fields as well. Maybe it has something to do with triangles or is a lesser known aspect of the Golden Numbers (or Fibonacci Ratio), so revered by the Greeks and Egyptians. But like other habits, if it's effective, why not use it?

I don't like calling them 'tricks', but there are tricks to any any trade, and writing is no exception. Some things just plain work. If the end result is that you have a better story, that flows more easily and is appealing, etc, well then that can be pretty good wrting. The trick is knowing when you're ruining it by relying on the habits too heavily instead of using them when needed. This is very hard to guage, but usually the same sense that put those habits there in the first place will kick in when you are reading and tell you that something is kinda funky. I feel that there are two ways to use that sense; as a writer and as a reader. Use it as a writer in the rough draft, and use it as a reader in the proofs.

- Gibbering nonsense that almost makes sense Dept.

#4: Author: Geek_girl72, Location: Earth, The Universe

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 7:57 pm
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My main bad habbits when it comes to writing are prety annoying. I tend to be a little to dramatic and add way to much foreshadowing to the story. I think at the time that I need to keep the reader interested this way, instead of relying on character development and discription. I've gotten a little better with practice, thats one of the reasons I joined this site, to get objective feedback, but I still get stuck in that rut a little. Any tips out there on how I can avoid this here?

#5: Author: Fauna,

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:31 pm
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Foreshadowing isn't such a bad thing, nor building tension and suspense. Just be sure to add in those descriptions and character development that you say you often neglect. Smile

#6: Author: Idea master, Location: Sneaking Idearium into your beverages.

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:20 pm
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I find that when I write in a hurry I usually transpose or misplace letters. Or I'll just completly forget something. Like in this case, the point.

#7: Author: Ravenwing, Location: Virginia

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:48 pm
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Well since most of my chapters come out to be draft-like, sometimes they come really unorganized. I remember trying to write a story, no limits or anything, just trying to finish it and all, yet it the whole plot came out so confusing and disorganized, I just deleted it. Then I feel sad because I ruined a great idea by just writing it. The same goes for outlines, I plan out everything out, and it comes out bad. I congratulate anyone who can write off of a really well-written outline, I do. I hate being in this limbo of writing. I guess I can only improve gradually.

#8: Author: Smee, Location: UK

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:49 pm
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It would appear I also have a problem identifying which tense I'm in. Very Happy

#9: Author: Guest,

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:24 pm
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I've got a bad habit of picturing myself as the main character and being too descriptive.

I'm like "The wind whisped through the plains. It sounded like the howling of an owl. The whole plain quivered with the noise."

Umm...that's from Chapter 11 of Elemental Spirit LOL. Smile

#10: Author: Dean,

Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:28 am
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I like adverbs too much. Razz

#11: Author: Chinaren, Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:04 pm
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I often leave sentences half

#12: Author: Cowofdoom666, Location: Essex, England

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:15 pm
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I often find that my stories contain a constant themes of eyes and vision. Quite a few of my characters that I have created are blind, and some cry blood, or have second sights, or all of the above. The eyes are the window the soul, and help show us the world, or in some cases, obscure our view of what is really real.

Look in some of my previous works, you may spot these.

#13: Author: LordoftheNight, Location: Hell

Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:48 pm
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i find myself thinking that i should put in more discription, and overdo some bits while others are bare.

#14: Author: Araex,

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:22 am
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I used to find I was all: subject, verb, object over and over. You probably saw it in the early Warrior of Munhaka stuff. I also told the reader too much, to explain it, when it took away from the story.

Now I steal phrases from friends (a favourite being: "The rose red blood blossomed like a new flower" or an adaption of that) and I also overdescribe things, using too much flowery language at times.

#15: Author: chiacutie,

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:25 pm
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as per the original post, I am most comfortable decribing things in nice, wonderful, familiar threes as well.

#16: Author: Masterweaver, Location: Look around

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:39 am
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I write as if the reader was an equal, dropping tidbits of background but assuming the reader can figure out the rest.

#17: Author: D-Lotus, Location: Hollywood, USA

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:53 pm
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I have the opposite problem. I think that my readers are idiots, so I exaggerate certain subtleties until they're not subtle at all. I outline the nose of the bridge far too much, as Leb said. But even so, I find that some people still don't get it. Sad

I need to find a way to communicate my ideas so that in the first read the reader finds some kind of hint, and in the second read they understand. Cool

I guess I need to read more myself.

#18: Author: Masterweaver, Location: Look around

Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:56 pm
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Have the characters referance various things.

#19: Author: Nshade,

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:01 am
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I use to eggagerate my characters, now I leave so much past behind that I have to plan my story ahead before writing furthur. Then I have the tendancy to write also three sentences following each other, and also have the ability to understand every word I read ina sentance. I work strangely when it comes to writing stories, plan, plan characters and then chapters and then write something interesting. I have the tendancy to leave alot of information now and I need help with that.

#20: Author: scissorkitty, Location: Escaping the Hair Lair

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 11:35 am
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I seem to assume that most of my readers grew up in the early to late eighties like I did.. so I reference a lot of pop culture.

((And I may, you know, be addicted to description. Just a little. And blurbs of text. And starting sentances with "and". AND my own sarcasm, which possibly no one gets but me.))

#21: Author: Reiso, Location: Western North America

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:25 pm
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Wow, this thread is still here. I would have to say that my worst writing habit these days is finding something more important to do every time I sit down to write. Well, that and run on sentences.

#22: Author: Smee, Location: UK

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:55 pm
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Yes that is a bad habit, Resio!

Now where did I put that old chair, you know, the one with the iron straps. Very Happy

#23: Author: Reiso, Location: Western North America

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:16 am
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Ohhhh, burn! Burn on me!

Okay, Okay, I'll write already.

Fricken dungeon.

Nevermind that I am in the middle of probating an estate.

Or the numerous books I have mostly written and need to be finished, then proofed, then edited, then summarized.

Forget my failed attempts to buy property, the repairs my car needs, the obligations I have to my family.

Any hey, who needs what small shadowy and ephemeral thing I presume to call a semblance of a social life?

I mean, I've got a STORYGAME to write here, I need my priorities in place. No-no, I need no sympathies. Direct your pity elsewhere, I will manage. The next chapter will be completed on time... bloodless heathens...

Boxed

#24: Author: Smee, Location: UK

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:19 am
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That's the spirit! Very Happy

#25: Author: scissorkitty, Location: Escaping the Hair Lair

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 11:37 am
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HAAA! Maybe we can start a new thread- something motivational. Something wherein Smee, with all his sincerity and caring, can urge us onwards by pointing out our faults? Razz

(ah yes. The run-on sentence. My nemesis/buddy.)

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