tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post1240508589512247069..comments2023-05-11T11:51:28.252-04:00Comments on Keys to YA: Crutch WordsA. Lockwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-61405336101572167042011-04-24T15:03:34.366-04:002011-04-24T15:03:34.366-04:00Yeah, that's a good question. Certain charact...Yeah, that's a good question. Certain characters do have habitual gestures. Some of mine have a familiar head tilt, or a quirk in their smile. But sometimes I have trouble knowing how much is too much. Finding balance is a constant tweaking game.<br /><br />By the way, welcome to the blog!A. Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-50565119010568350082011-04-24T10:50:26.097-04:002011-04-24T10:50:26.097-04:00I've found that a lot lately in my own writing...I've found that a lot lately in my own writing, too. Certain words and gestures that keep popping up and even my trusty old thesaurus can't help sometimes. I seem to use smile and laugh a lot, but in my current project, a couple of the characters are happy people, they do smile and laugh a lot, so what do I do? Assume people know this, find a bunch of different ways to SAY they're smiling or laughing? It can be so frustrating! lolSweetMarie83https://www.blogger.com/profile/12518239232924662332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-72696916282518816282011-04-21T09:39:07.479-04:002011-04-21T09:39:07.479-04:00Marshall - A list like that is a bit like a door t...Marshall - A list like that is a bit like a door to the psyche. Very interesting to see the things that people fall back on.<br /><br />Kendra - And "just" is such a funny word, too. In a lot of ways it's a filler word, only we usually filter those kinds of words in writing fairly easily. It slips through unnoticed so often.<br /><br />Amie - I guess you want them all to be comfortable! Besides, the way you lean says a lot (according to While You Were Sleeping... don't know if you ever saw it).A. Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-45218422925630484162011-04-21T09:10:08.163-04:002011-04-21T09:10:08.163-04:00My characters shift their weight a lot and lean ag...My characters shift their weight a lot and lean against doorframes. I swear, I don't even know why!Amie Kaufmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15116472165351759477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-32392170134209408442011-04-21T08:05:55.648-04:002011-04-21T08:05:55.648-04:00Yep, good ol' just. I find myself using it a l...Yep, good ol' just. I find myself using it a lot as well. At least I've gotten to the point where I catch myself mid-type of it at least half of the time. ;) Gestures are tough. You have to find the balance between not being repetitive and not making the gesture so "unique" that it pops the reader out of the story.<br /><br />Glad to know I'm not the only one who struggles with repetition. :)Kendra Marevahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15632083876800892636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-72492435348447180592011-04-21T00:51:49.225-04:002011-04-21T00:51:49.225-04:00At one point I had made this list of words to watc...At one point I had made this list of words to watch out for:<br />half<br />various<br />almost<br />presume/presuming<br />followed/following<br />seemed<br />appeared<br />apparently<br />now<br />smirk<br />grinMarshall Ryan Marescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06259367667777920728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-77813154145850152492011-04-20T22:27:51.141-04:002011-04-20T22:27:51.141-04:00Indeed :) Shall I edit you in expressly?Indeed :) Shall I edit you in expressly?A. Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-2408997535106574892011-04-20T21:13:52.526-04:002011-04-20T21:13:52.526-04:00It seems I am obliquely mentioned in this blog :)It seems I am obliquely mentioned in this blog :)Steven Brandthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02657324020868587426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-16020393963883762422011-04-20T19:09:25.054-04:002011-04-20T19:09:25.054-04:00Right. Though if it helps, I didn't notice an...Right. Though if it helps, I didn't notice any overused crutch words, at least for part one. It's getting to be pretty smooth!A. Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-37535466885459041492011-04-20T17:47:56.903-04:002011-04-20T17:47:56.903-04:00I am somewhat reluctant to put my own draft to thi...I am somewhat reluctant to put my own draft to this test just yet. I think I'll wait until I'm happy with the bulk of the content, and ready to do the line-by-line edit (i.e. until my third draft :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-10718511771335527942011-04-20T16:09:43.901-04:002011-04-20T16:09:43.901-04:00Yep! Eeeeexactly.Yep! Eeeeexactly.A. Lockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978856161066277320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6480750207070339465.post-83446725878443542692011-04-20T15:04:27.930-04:002011-04-20T15:04:27.930-04:00Oh I'm guilty of all those--especially the fir...Oh I'm guilty of all those--especially the first draft! Seem is such a big one cuz when writing in first person, you can't say you know someone's feelings. That's what makes us step up a notch and "show" the situation, rather than telling it thru "Seem."PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.com