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> "don’t use the same word repeatedly" is the worst possible advice to give Agreed, this is often described as the error of "Said Bookism" > People are so us
by SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
> "don’t use the same word repeatedly" is the worst possible advice to give
Agreed, this is often described as the error of "Said Bookism"
> People are so used to the word "said" that they can mentally skip over it when reading; when the word changes over and over again, it becomes a distraction.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SaidBookism https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SaidBookism
- iiv 5y agoHave you read anything by McCarthy? His writing style is as far from "Said Bookism" as you can come.
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y agoYes, and recently. His technique is more to Find/replace "he said" with "". Your question has no point though, the advice was given as per grandparent comment; and it is not great advice as per several replies.
- gowld 5y agoAnonymous wiki posters vs best-selling author. Hmmm.
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y agoa) Although the "Anonymous wiki" authors are a good reference for the trope of Said bookism", they did not originate it. You can also find it in the Turkey City Lexicon from 1988 (1) and no doubt other earlier sources. In that document, see also "“Burly Detective” Syndrome" b) I marvel at Mr McCarthy's prose. it breaks all the rules, and is sometimes impenetrable, sometimes so direct. It's fantastic, it's hard work. I couldn't do that well; very few could. There are far easier ways to get to "best seller". https://www.sfwa.org/2009/06/18/turkey-city-lexicon-a-primer-for-sf-workshops/ https://www.sfwa.org/2009/06/18/turkey-city-lexicon-a-primer...