Finding Just the Right Way to Write It

[Koiyuki]

One of the most important things people don't often see about the writing process is the way words are used and finding just that right word to express a sentiment. Friendships have been strengthened and broken by these principles, and many pieces have benefitted from having the editing knife applied and making a good sentence or word the best possible sentence or word to use. Have you ever ran into this during your creative process?  

[Sami Von Disco]

I do that a lot when writing a paper, report, or anything "important." That's the most time-consuming part of my writing process, actually. XD I do it to a lesser extent when RPing, but I definitely do it for an RP profile.  

[just call me butt]

Not really.

/shot.

I mean, I only have problems with describing sorts of clothing I don't know, and things like that. It's only with the things I don't know.  

[Demona McRae]

I can't stand editing, so I usually try and accomplish the righht sentiment on the first try. Even on my fictionpress and fanfiction pages, almost nothing there is edited, save for the one complete fanfiction I have.

I think I've gotten pretty good at the use of the english language, and getting what I want the first time through.

But I DO know what you're talking about. I've edited some other's work before, and it bugs me when their word choice is too... simple. Bland, I guess. It's a fine line for some people.  

[Drathi]

I occassionally do reword my sentences because at times I want to imply certain things in dialogue. I try to not get too nitpicky about my words, because eventually, I start to not like anything.

As for description and narration. I prefer being sraightforward instead of beating around the bush. Nothing annoys me more than someone describing something that takes literally a few seconds. I mean, I remember reading someone describing an arrow that was about to hit their caracter. Ooookay, I think describing the impact is far more reasonable. I also just tend to get annoyed with description for getting me nowhere. Describe what's needed and move on. Certain people can describe in an entertaining way. I just don't think I can do it, nor do I like trying when I can.  

[Appelsina]

I already know that my vocabulary is bland. It's not because of what Drathi says, it's because It's true.

Like some people who try to increase their vocabulary by looking at a thesaurus, I do too. But then, I have to look up how that one synonym is used in a particular sentence, what part of speech it can be used in, and then I have to test it out myself. If I don't like it: repeat the process. This can go on for, literally, an hour, and just for one word.

It also may be because I'm picky. I know I had this one very old story idea with some good vocabulary and words that actually went along with what I was doing, but it's lost in the ultra-deep depths of my thumbdrive.

 

[VenusRain]

I think people should just stick to how they talk when it comes to vocab, but that's probably derived from seeing things like "monolithic mountain" every other sentence in waaaaay too many fantasy novels. THE POOR THESAURUS DID NOTHING TO YOU, WHY DO YOU ABUSE IT SO? /sob

But word choice is one of the things that can make or break a sentence for me. I've been know to have stories stopped cold because of how much I dislike the previous sentences. It's a really bad habit, and one I hope to break with NaNo.  

[SaraDiva728]

I obsess over perfection, which is sad because I have a weak vocabulary too. I love editing my work, but can't work for editing, and this crushes my creative process in many cases. I have started stories I can't seem to finish or have completely tossed out because their not the quality Jane Austin or Edgar Allen Poe would write. I have many issues to overcome.  

[GreyRabbit]

I know this is kinda old, but I too suffer from half-written stories; and then when I try to go back to them, I can't seem to get into the same flow as I was, so they get abandoned even longer.
Sometimes it's hard to edit your own work, because you can only do so much with it based on your own knowledge. Yet asking other people doesn't always help either, because they either aren't on the same level as you--not so much intelligence but just of the writer mind-frame and what you're trying to accomplish--or they don't have the time.
Then it's like, you read a few really good books or something, and you realize, how could you write something after reading something like that? *laughs* Ah, that may just be me though.  

[Giyari]

VenusRain

I think people should just stick to how they talk when it comes to vocab, but that's probably derived from seeing things like "monolithic mountain" every other sentence in waaaaay too many fantasy novels.

I disagree here, as it depends on the setting smile After all, aristocratic Victorians didn't speak the way we did razz


And yeah I do tend to trouble over words. I've seen myself destroying thesaurus's just to find that one word I can't get off the tip of my tongue  

[SaraDiva728]

VenusRain

And yeah I do tend to trouble over words. I've seen myself destroying thesaurus's just to find that one word I can't get off the tip of my tongue

I've downloaded a desktop dictionary with built in thesaurus that I can no longer live (or write) without because I'm just not confident enough in my own vocabulary skills to know if I want to use a wry smile or a half-grin. But I feel I could do better if my dictionary could search up words by their meanings. That way, I could possibly name that hexagonal piece of wooden furniture usually found in the living room that is hollow and opens in the front like a cabinet. I have one, but I've no idea if it counts as a coffee table...thingy, or something else. And how do I put that in a story confused ? I use Macy and JCPenny mags (or the like, whatever's handy) to pick and describe clothes, but I've got no answer for hairstyles. All my guys are either comb-overs or close-cropped... do's? *Sigh,* so sad crying .  

[VenusRain]

Giyari

VenusRain

I think people should just stick to how they talk when it comes to vocab, but that's probably derived from seeing things like "monolithic mountain" every other sentence in waaaaay too many fantasy novels.

I disagree here, as it depends on the setting smile After all, aristocratic Victorians didn't speak the way we did razz

Yeah, but you still didn't have the sort of thesaurus abuse that I see in far too much writing. In any case, flow would be somewhat similar in similar situations, and you could quite easily type up a sentence in Modern English (yes, I KNOW that Victorian English is Modern English, go with me here), and then research to find a phrase with a similar meaning, as well as weeding out anachronisms.

No thesaurus required for that, only reading Victorian fiction and picking up some resources. Thesauruses are not to be used, for the most part, because they seem to encourage the use of words that don't work in a given context. CONTEXT: IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK.  

[deliciously]

I never edit anything. xD The first word I choose is generally the word I want to use. I generally read a paragraph after I'm finished and edit anything I don't like or think sounds weird right then. Then I do one final read-through and I'm done.

My word choice isn't really the best, though... I don't use very many flamboyant words. I don't think my writing is bland, either, but it's certainly not flashy. I also usually don't have a very complicated point to get across, so the words I use tend to work the first time.