In non-academic works (read: epicmafia fanfiction), it's fine to use first/second person. It just reads better if the author writes their work in a more detached point of view, and it helps to validate the information being presented without it being too personal.
Actually that sounded like I was trying too hard. I guess I will have to work on it more so that it flows better.
Thanks for your help Carly and Matt!
deletedover 9 years
Excuse you, but I have been trying to expand the use of my vocabulary. Currently, since I am in the writing mood, I am using grammatically correct sentences as opposed to my usual " I do not really care" kind of posting. Maybe if I use so many more big words (without the aid of a thesaurus, by the way) I will be able to fully utilize my cognitive processes.
For clarification, long sentences are totally fine and are important for good writing! It's just that having so many in a row tends to make the reading drag. A quote from another writer I find inspiring is:
“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”
And Rutab is just going, "I just want an A on my paper geez not a drum roll."
A drum roll leading up to an A on my paper would be a swell treat, though!
deletedover 9 years
I always feel like longer sentences with a decent vocabulary usually catch the attention of readers, since it makes me seem more intellectually advanced than I really am, haha.
See look, I could have split that sentences into two different thoughts, but I mindlessly typed it as one giant sentence.
For clarification, long sentences are totally fine and are important for good writing! It's just that having so many in a row tends to make the reading drag. A quote from another writer I find inspiring is:
“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”
And Rutab is just going, "I just want an A on my paper geez not a drum roll."
Great points though of course, I do enjoy that quote.
For clarification, long sentences are totally fine and are important for good writing! It's just that having so many in a row tends to make the reading drag. A quote from another writer I find inspiring is:
“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”
deletedover 9 years
I am going to try to balance out the length of my sentences so it doesn't sound like one sentence is a paragraph itself.
Oh and anytime Rutab! I love editing and usually over-do it. You should keep your long sentences imo, it seems to be your style. Just add as much spice to them as you can.
Rutab, the primary problem with the paragraph you posted is that the sentences are really devoid of life. Nearly every sentence is overly long. You have a tendency to fit in as much information in a sentence as possible, when it looks better putting it into multiple sentences. I do that too. For example:
"His father was no more than a noble, worthy king who was a good father to Hamlet, and Hamlet does not see that."
can be changed into
"His father was nothing more than a noble, worthy king that was a good father to Hamlet. However, Hamlet was unable to see that".
There are also a few tense issues, but otherwise it looks good!
deletedover 9 years
The very idea that Hamlet is comparing his father to a god is outrageous
To who? You as the author? Or to readers?
I am not allowed to you I, you, we, etc. in this paper :(
Out of all of the issues around him, the thing that infuriates Hamlet the most, is his mother remarrying to his father’s brother, Claudius.
"Out of all of the issues around him, the thing that most infuriates Hamlet is his mother's decision to remarry to his father’s brother, Claudius." watch your tense changes here.
"He is totally devastated by the loss of his father King Hamlet, and that his mother decided to remarry just two months after her late husband’s eternal sleep."
"He is totally devastated by both the loss of his father, King Hamlet, and his mother's decision to remarry just two months after her late husband's eternal sleep." sounds more succinct and fluid imo