Thank you to this month’s co-hosts: Beth Camp, Jean Davis, Yvonne Ventresca, and PJ Colando!
September 4 question – Since it’s back to school time, let’s talk English class. What’s a writing rule you learned in school that messed you up as a writer?
The first answer that comes to mind is adverbs. My teachers encouraged their use, but adverb abuse led to bloated and boring writing. Learning to tighten my prose has been a steep mountain. To climb perilously and precipitously? I’d rather wriggle and inch up the incline. While I’m not a fan of Stephen King, I agree with him that snappy, active verbs are better than mundane verbs + adverbs.
Upon further thought, I also wish my English classes focused more on creative writing in general. I adored writing wild stories in elementary school, but my middle and high school teachers favored structured essays over creative writing. And though my undergraduate institution (Kenyon College) was renown for its English department, I neglected to take creative writing classes at the collegiate level. I regret the missed opportunities to build skills and let my imagination fly.
I decided I will end my posts with a little WIP update for motivation:
Novel in Progress: Low Water 19,000 / ~85,000 words
Jennifer Lane Books 