Comments on: The Florid Verb http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/ About the craft and business of genre fiction Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:46:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Ray Rhamey http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-6104 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:51:26 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-6104 Very nice. In my editing I tend to leave verbs pretty much as is unless they are, as you talk about, over the top. Methinks I should do a post on Flogging the Quill on verbs to compliment your thoughts. Thanks, Ray Very nice. In my editing I tend to leave verbs pretty much as is unless they are, as you talk about, over the top.

Methinks I should do a post on Flogging the Quill on verbs to compliment your thoughts.

Thanks,

Ray

]]> by: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5882 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:38:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5882 LOL, I was a big fan of the Florid Verb until I read a book where the heroine kept "seething." Sometimes if the word is very special, it can only be used once or you'll bug the crap out of the reader. Tourmanlines, Elena? Gahhh! And I'm with you Edie, a walk is perfectly legit. LOL, I was a big fan of the Florid Verb until I read a book where the heroine kept “seething.” Sometimes if the word is very special, it can only be used once or you’ll bug the crap out of the reader.

Tourmanlines, Elena? Gahhh! And I’m with you Edie, a walk is perfectly legit.

]]> by: Elena Greene http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5881 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:36:12 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5881 Great post! I agree with you, Edie. There's nothing wrong with "walk". The same is true of "said" versus other verbs describing dialogue. How much can your characters mutter, grumble, roar, etc...? IMHO word repetition is annoying when the word stands out, like when a character's eyes are compared to tourmalines in every other scene (yes, I read a real published book like that). Plain words are fine. They're like neutrals against which colors and patterns will pop. Can you tell I've been watching too many makeover shows? :) Great post!

I agree with you, Edie. There’s nothing wrong with “walk”. The same is true of “said” versus other verbs describing dialogue. How much can your characters mutter, grumble, roar, etc…?

IMHO word repetition is annoying when the word stands out, like when a character’s eyes are compared to tourmalines in every other scene (yes, I read a real published book like that). Plain words are fine. They’re like neutrals against which colors and patterns will pop. Can you tell I’ve been watching too many makeover shows? :)

]]> by: Edie http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5878 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:48:00 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5878 Kath, excellent post! I just went over my ms. and I was changing the "walk" and "turn" to other verbs. But once in a while I thought, what's wrong with "walk"? It's a perfectly good word. Sometimes my characters aren't striding, marching, stomping, stumbling, etc. Sometimes they're just walking. Kath, excellent post! I just went over my ms. and I was changing the “walk” and “turn” to other verbs. But once in a while I thought, what’s wrong with “walk”? It’s a perfectly good word. Sometimes my characters aren’t striding, marching, stomping, stumbling, etc. Sometimes they’re just walking.

]]> by: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5875 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:02:10 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5875 "Wow. More work to do to do to do to do!!!!!" She sighed with exhaustion. “Wow. More work to do to do to do to do!!!!!” She sighed with exhaustion.

]]> by: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5874 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:08:20 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/03/12/the-florid-verb/#comment-5874 Great post, Kath. I'm resisting the urge to tally florid flaws in my wip just now. Next month, or the month after, I'll be ready. Great post, Kath. I’m resisting the urge to tally florid flaws in my wip just now. Next month, or the month after, I’ll be ready.

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