The Writer's Circle

"Very" and Other Useless Words to Erase Forever

"And then the meeting was suddenly interrupted by a very loud noise that startled the board members." If the previous sentence isn't a train wreck to you, it's perhaps time to analyze your own writing. The sentence should hopefully drive in this useful point: the best writing out there isn't determined by what happens, but rather by word choice. Nothing takes readers out of the moment like one poorly worded sentence. To help your writing, we compiled a brief list of words to avoid along with our reasonings and a few suggestions to help you get around some messy phrasing. Oh, and if you were wondering, a decent way to rephrase the starting sentence would be "A deafening noise crashed through the otherwise quiet meeting, agitating the typically lethargic board members."

1. "Very" or "Really"
Mark Twain said it best: "Substitute 'damn every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be'. The words "very" or "really" (or truthfully any intensifier) are just another way of increasing the value of a word without adding anything descriptive. You're also using two words when one would suffice, and unless you're getting paid by the word, it's best to avoid. Instead of saying "very loud" like in the first sentence of this article, use "deafening," "thunderous," or "piercing." Not only do they roughly mean the same as "very loud" but they are much more descriptive. Here's a great, if brief, list of words you can use in replace of "very".

2. Suddenly
"Sudden" or "Suddenly" is another practically useless word. Anton Chekhov once said "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." The word "suddenly" tells the reader the moon is shining. It's telling the reader what to feel instead of forcing them to feel it. Let the sentence or the action itself jar the reader into feeling the suddenness of the action. "Suddenly" ironically slows down the action and delays the actual suddenness of the sentence. There's no actual replacement for the word, either. Just don't use it. Let the silence speak for itself to convey your message.

3. "Amazing" or "Awesome"
Both of these words are meant to convey very specific feelings. "Amazing" means "causing great wonder or surprise" while "awesome" means "extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear." There are two great reasons to not use these words. First, it falls into "telling and not showing," that is: telling the reader how they should feel or how the character feels instead of actually describing it in a way in order to convey that emotion.

The second reason to avoid these words is simple: they are over used. Everything, these days, is either awesome or amazing. Seriously, ask yourself the last time you've used either of those words to describe something innocuous like a hamburger or a delightful chocolate dessert. To quote Louis CK, "As humans, we waste the [expletive] out of our words. It's sad. We use words like 'awesome' and 'wonderful' like they're candy. It was awesome? Really? It inspired you to awe? It was wonderful? Are you serious? It was full of word. You use the word 'amazing' to describe a [expletive] sandwich at Wendy's. What's going to happen on your wedding day, or when your first child is born? How will you describe it? You already wasted 'amazing' on a [expletive] sandwich."

If you intend to use these words, it's worth asking if what you're describing really is 'amazing' or 'awesome' in its true sense. If it is, find a way of letting the audience feel that. If you aren't using the true sense of the words, there are alternatives like "neat," "delicious," "outstanding," or . 

4. That
"That" is a handy word and isn't always useless, however it's also commonly a crutch without a purpose. Whenever you're about to use the word, ask yourself if there is a better way to avoid it. Consider this sentence: "I saw the grail that shined brightly." The sentence is weak, right? Change the sentence entirely by avoiding the pitfall of the word "that" by rewriting it to "I saw the brightly shining grail." The sentence sounds much cleaner now, right? Also consider "I think that all puppies are adorable." Just remove the word from the sentence to make it cleaner once more: "I think all puppies are adorable." Any time you're about to use the word, ask yourself it there's a cleaner way of phrasing your sentence, or if the sentence makes sense without it. If it does, just ditch the word entirely.

5. Started
"He started running." "She started dancing." "The dog started jumping." All of these sentences are passive and slow. "Started" serves to slow down the sentence and little more. Instead, remove the word from your vocabulary. "He ran." "She danced." "The dog jumped." Any action performed is one started. If you want to signal that the action is a continuing one, add descriptors after. "He ran tirelessly past the starting line." "She danced all night long." "The dog jumped repeatedly." Each sentence provides a better scope of time than using the word "started".

Started isn't a word to avoid without exception, however, but it's pretty close. The car didn't "start", it "roared to life," for example. One time you can use the word "start", though, is when there's something that has a definite starting time. "I started writing in the 8th grade." These opportunities occur rarely, and it's much better to try to avoid the word as best you can. There are much stronger ways to communicate your point.


 * http://writerscircle.com/2014/04/very-and-other-useless-words-to-erase-forever.html 

20 Surprising (And Not So Surprising) Words Added To The Dictionary This Year!

*Hoverboard was just added to the dictionary. That’s right…hoverboard. Language changes all the time. We’re constantly creating new words that help us describe the ever-changing world that we live in. Whether they are nouns that illuminate parts of the evolving tech scene (hoverboards) or verbs that more accurately describe how we experience an evolving society (hoverboarding), these words can come in handy. They might seems silly now, but think about words like email and cellphone when they were first introduced!

The Oxford English Dictionary is a highly regarded resource when it comes to the English language, and this year they’ve added hundreds of new words to their roster. Here are 20 of our favorites from their giant new list!

Autotune (verb): To use software that assigns accurate, computer-generated musical notes to a recording based on its tone.

Carnap (verb): To steal a car (similar to kidnap).

Cisgender (noun and adjective): Someone who displays the gender traits that are traditionally associated with the sex they were born with.

Crowdfund (verb): To raise funds for a project by soliciting small donations from a large group of people.

Downtick (noun): An instance when something (especially related to finances) decreases from it’s previous amount.

FLOTUS/ SCOTUS (noun): The acronym for “First Lady Of The United States” and “Supreme Court Of The United States.”

The FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, talks to the about educating girls. / Via Simon Davis/ DFID
The FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, talks to the about educating girls. / Via Simon Davis/ DFID

Freegan (noun): A person who, in a rejection of traditional consumerism, prefers goods that have been discarded or recycled.

Go-juice (noun): Liquid that provides energy which enables either humans or machines to move e.g. coffee, rocket fuel.

Handsy (adjective): Someone who touches others frequently, often in an unwelcome way.

Hot mess (noun): Someone or something that is chaotic and disorganized.

Jank (adjective): The unreliable quality of a poorly made object.

Nobody bothered to carve this jank Jack-O-Lantern / Via Alec Edward Graichen
Nobody bothered to carve this jank Jack-O-Lantern / Via Alec Edward Graichen

Jeggings (noun): Spandex tights that are made to look like denim (a combination of the words “leggings” and “jeans”).

Off-grid (adverb): To remove oneself from the electronic grid by avoiding electronic items such as televisions and cellphones.

Oophagy (noun): The process of an embryo feeding off of ovarian eggs while still in the uterus.

Photobomb (noun and verb): An unwanted stranger appearing in a posed photo.

Staycation (noun): When a person takes a paid vacation from work but doesn’t leave town.

Netflix and dogs sounds like the ultimate staycation / Via Lizzy The Cocker
Netflix and dogs? Sounds like the ultimate staycation! / Via Lizzy The Cocker

Twerk (verb): A dance move wherein a squat stance is taken and the dancer thrusts their hips in order to make their buttocks bounce.

Twitterati (noun): A group of people who are notably prolific and popular on Twitter.

Uncanny valley (noun): The concept wherein computer generated representations of organisms cannot fully replicate organic life and therefore incite repulsion in observers.

Yarn bomb (verb and noun): A form of vandalism in which people knit objects and place them in, on, and around public spaces.

WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD?

CAN YOU USE IT IN A SENTENCE?

*
http://writerscircle.com/new-words/?utm_source=lit-twcfan&utm_medium=social-fb&utm_term=20151213&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=new-words&origin=lit_twcfan_social_fb_link_new-words_20151213

The Writer's Circle,

*5 Surprising Films That You Didn’t Know Were Based On Shakespeare Plays

There’s a reason why it’s so easy to update Shakespeare. In Shakespeare’s own time, actors often did not dress in the time period of the play. This costuming convention lends itself well to modern revivals. After all, it’s the words that are important to the story, not the clothes!

Many films have tackled Shakespeare’s work and transported it into a world far away from Shakespeare’s 16th century London. With each adaptation made, the legacy of Shakespeare grows and takes on new meaning, endearing new audiences to his wonderful plays. We’ve come across a ton of adaptions but these are the ones that best remind us that Shakespeare truly is all around us!

1. RAN (1985)

King Lear

The title translates to several things, but chief among them is “chaos.” Akira Kurosawa has directed several adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays (e.g. Throne Of Blood) but Ran takes King Lear to an extreme. Its budget of $12 million made it the most expensive Japanese film made at that time. And, to execute this film, Kurosawa hired almost 1,400 extras and 200 horses to enact the large battles that take place throughout. Taking its plot from King Lear, a powerful warlord divides his kingdom among his three sons. Watch as chaos ensues, or should we say “as ran ensues.”

2. FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)

The Tempest

A scientist, alone on a strange planet with only his daughter, is met by a group of travelers. Sounds a lot like The Tempest, right? Forbidden Planet paved the way for the many sci-fi films that came after it with its intriguing electronic score and head-on shot of the film’s starship, the Cruiser C-57D. It even stars a young Leslie Nielsen and “Robby the Robot,” (Caliban’s equivalent) who appeared in several movies after Forbidden Planet and has become a cultural reference point for science-fiction films.

Shakespeare-Pt1
Robby The Robot / via Instagram.com/la2law

3. 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999)

The Taming Of The Shrew

Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in one movie? Oh my! The Taming Of The Shrew meets the cliques of high school in this iconic “teen movie.” Katherina and Petruchio become Kat and Patrick, as Cameron, the shy, new kid in town, comes up with a plan to land a date with Kat’s popular sister, Bianca, who isn’t allowed to date until Kat does. This charming and hilariously dated movie still holds up to this day and is a great re-imagining of its source material.

4. DELIVER US FROM EVA (2003)

The Taming Of The Shrew

Here it is, the connection between Heath Ledger and LL Cool J. Both men played the Petruchio character in different versions of The Taming Of The Shrew. In Gary Hardwick’s Deliver Us From Eva, LL Cool J’s character, Ray, is hired by the husbands of Eva’s sisters to court Eva (Gabrielle Union) and get her to stop meddling in their lives. Ray takes on the challenge but things spiral out of control with a kidnapping scheme. But we won’t reveal any more. You’ll just have to see this hilarious adaptation for yourself!

A tree shrew. But is it tame?

5. SCOTLAND, PA. (2001)

Macbeth

The title is taken from the movie’s setting in 1970’s Pennsylvania, while the plot is taken from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. But instead of usurping the king, Joe and Pat McBeth dethrone the owner of the fast-food restaurant they work at and turn it into the world’s first “drive-tru.” With awesome performances by James Le Gros, Maura Tierny, and Christopher Walken (plus a cameo by Andy Dick!), the movie holds fast to the play’s devious and psychological plot. You won’t want to miss this one, it’s deliciously good!

*http://writerscircle.com/what-do-heath-ledger-and-ll-cool-j-have-in-common-shakespearean-adaptations-part-1/?utm_source=twc-twcfan&utm_medium=social-fb&utm_term=081815&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=what-do-heath-ledger-and-ll-cool-j-have-in-common-shakespearean-adaptations-part-1&origin=

What is your favorite adaptation of Shakespeare?

The Writer's Circle

How to Get Published in Literary Magazines and Journals

Getting a piece of writing published online is easy -- all you need is an Internet connection and there's an endless amount of places to put your words. Getting a piece of writing published in a literary magazine or journal, however, is quite the opposite. So... why go through all the trouble?

Literary magazines and journals offer a big audience of readers -- as well as agents, publishers, editors, and other people in the industry. Beyond that though, the submission process can be a really educational and rewarding experience for writers. It's a challenge that you work toward, and if you get rejected you'll learn from it -- and if you get accepted, you'll feel quite accomplished.

If you want that feeling of accomplishment (and to be able to throw it in your portfolio), check out some of these tips for getting noticed and published by magazines and journals.

This is excellent advice from Poets & Writers ( http://www.pw.org/content/literary_magazines), which cautions that writers should research magazines and journals before submitting any work to them. See what kind of tone, length, voice, and topics are in the publication currently -- do these seem to be a match for your style of writing? Could you write something to match these things? Would you want to read this publication regularly? Ask yourself these questions before submitting.

Craft something that you absolutely love.

Though you want to follow the first step here and research where you're submitting, you don't want to craft something that you don't absolutely love. Because magazines and journals are often read by agents and publishers, you want the work to be a good representation of what you're about -- something you're very proud of. Seems like a no brainer, but it's a top piece of advice from The Write Practice (http://thewritepractice.com/glimmer-train/).

Read the rules and guidelines carefully.

Not following the rules and guidelines for submissions is a quick way to get tossed out of the running. Themes, word limits, genres they don't want, deadlines -- some even specify exactly how they want the submission arranged and what extra info they want from you. You want to be noticed -- but not for ignoring the rules that magazines clearly post.

Make connections and self-promote -- without being over the top.

Always good for a writer to network, but one important reason is because you might get your foot in the door with someone who works at a literary magazine or journal. You don't, however, want to be too persistent with these leads, as Cosmopsis ( http://www.cosmopsis.com/10tips.html ) explains -- you don't want to nag or bother someone too much, so create personal relationships with people in the industry and then talk business.

Don't ignore non-paying gigs.

Obviously getting published and making money is ideal, but don't ignore magazines and journals that don't pay. It could be a good way to test the waters and grow your portfolio.

Read, re-read, and re-read again before sending something in.

Remember -- you don't get a chance to defend your piece in person, so edit it carefully for grammatical mistakes and typos. Also, read it aloud and make sure that it makes sense and is very clear for the reader. Work out awkward sentence structure and holes in the story before you send the finished product -- if something doesn't make sense to you, it probably won't make sense to an editor at a magazine.

Don't ignore rejections.

If you get a rejection letter, don't toss it aside -- instead, follow The Review Review's ( http://www.thereviewreview.net/publishing-tips/pen-print-8-tips-getting-published-literary-) tip and take it as a good sign. If an editor actually takes the time to offer feedback and comment on your work, that person probably liked it -- start a conversation and ask if you can send a revision, send something else, or get clarity on the feedback. The editor might start a dialogue, which is a great way to start a relationship with the magazine and get really helpful feedback on your work for next time.
Keep these tips in mind while writing and submitting work to magazines and journals, and you could find yourself published -- and that offers a whole different set of opportunities as a writer.

http://writerscircle.com/2014/10/how-to-get-published-in-literary-magazines-and-journals.html

Quotes to Combat Writer's Block

*Every writer's been there. The blank white screen and the pulsing cursor. The empty notebook and the pen poised to write. The tools are there, there's ample time... but the words refuse to flow. If you're locked in writer's block mode, there are a few time-tested methods to help you break free.

Stop what you're doing and take a break. Go for a walk. Put down your work for an hour, a day or a week, then come back to it. Start writing whatever comes to mind, free from any judgment. Tell your inner critic to hush. You can edit later. Go someplace that inspires you. Read a book. Basically, shake up the dust in your head like a snowglobe. Eventually the particles will settle back down, but everything will have shifted, rearranged itself. Finally, those trapped words will start spilling out.

If you're battling writer's block, it's also helpful to read some inspiring words from authors who have been there. Here are a few gems:

"One of the most difficult things is the first paragraph. I have spent many months on a first paragraph, and once I get it, the rest just comes out very easily." - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." - Mark Twain

"I've often said that there's no such thing as writer's block; the problem is idea block. When I find myself frozen--whether I'm working on a brief passage in a novel or brainstorming about an entire book--it's usually because I'm trying to shoehorn an idea into the passage or story where it has no place." - Jeffrey Deaver

"If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word." - Margaret Atwood

"What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, 'Okay. Okay. I’ll come.'" - Maya Angelou

 "I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible. But as a writer, I believe that if you sit down at the keys long enough, sooner or later something will come out." - Roy Blount, Jr.

"Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer." - Barbara Kingsolver

"Writing is 90 percent procrastination: reading magazines, eating cereal out of the box, watching infomercials. It's a matter of doing everything you can to avoid writing, until it is about four in the morning and you reach the point where you have to write." - Paul Rudnick

* http://writerscircle.com/2013/09/quotes-to-combat-writers-block.html