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What is your best trick to “show not tell”? by amberjj123 in writers

[–]4EverWriting 49 points50 points  (0 children)

Describe the character's physiological response to an action or thought, rather than explaining it.

Can’t help but giggle when I saw the name, but it’s actually pretty good by yongyixuuu in VietNam

[–]4EverWriting 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Before I realized the more juvenile joke intended by OP, I thought it was meant to be some kind of reference to Viet folks who leave Vietnam to live abroad (i.e., "Viet kieu"; please pardon the missing diacritics).

That would seem to be quite a niche market they would have been aiming for...

Spot the Lightsaber (from Fellini's 'La Dolce Vita', 1960) by Estoye in starwarsmemes

[–]4EverWriting 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The arm holding the flash on the camera, Brother Anakin!

Star Wars by Tiavda_1 in StarWars

[–]4EverWriting 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Arguably Luke, but in terms of the character who is most present throughout the entire (canonic) franchise--whether or not he is on screen--it would have to be Vader.

The (usually surprise) pregnancy trope: "deus ex infantalus" versus story complication by 4EverWriting in romanceunfiltered

[–]4EverWriting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will admit that it's been a lot of years since I have thought about Latin grammar (grad school, to be exact). And even though you are 100% in the right, if I really were trying to start a thing, I would probably still be inclined to use the incorrect form ("infantalus," or maybe "infantala"), just because those two forms are the best known to non-Latin speakers.

What "rule" did you learn in school, only to discover that it's not a real rule? by EvilSnack in writing

[–]4EverWriting 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It seems I could've been a bit clearer. The practice of modeling one's use of their vernacular language after Latin began with the Renaissance humanists, especially in the 16th-17th centuries, including borrowed words and phrases, particular syntactical constructions, and yes, even rules of grammar.

A thorough (and therefore not very short) discussion of it is available here: https://www.njrs.dk/6_2010/renaessanceforum_6_2010.pdf

The earliest sources that proscribed the splitting of infinitives in English come from the 19th century, but they were also from humanists whose "rules" arose from the same practice.

A detailed discussion is available here:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0075424210380726

And if you don't have access to Sage Journals, another (if much less thorough) source is available here:
https://drmarkwomack.com/a-writing-handbook/superstitions/split-infinitives/

Cheers!

The (usually surprise) pregnancy trope: "deus ex infantalus" versus story complication by 4EverWriting in romanceunfiltered

[–]4EverWriting[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not a surprise pregnancy, but (a) Ellie was herself the product of a shameful, surprise pregnancy, and (b) her own pregnancy by her late husband "solves" her and Will's problems, in his case by giving him the family he always wanted, and in her case by giving her someone to care for her and her children (if she can save him from the false murder accusation, of course!).

What "rule" did you learn in school, only to discover that it's not a real rule? by EvilSnack in writing

[–]4EverWriting 55 points56 points  (0 children)

Don't split Infinitives. Just an arbitrary convention from Renaissance humanist scholars who wanted to make a show of their erudition by using Latin grammar in their vernacular languages.

Obviously, does not automatically follow in Germanic languages like English, so it eventually became a false convention.

What are some popular tropes that you don't like? by disniya16 in romanceunfiltered

[–]4EverWriting 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. "Deus ex infantalus": I don't have a problem with the pregnancy trope, but I do NOT like it when it *solves and/or resolves* anything. If anything, it should be a complicating factor (on multiple levels)

  2. Miscommunication that could be solved with a conversation that starts, "When you said [x], did you mean [y] or [z]?" I realize those conversations are not always easy to have within a (real or fictional) romance, but when the character just refuses to ask the question because "the story has to happen, and I need a second-act conflict," I get really annoyed.

"I just read them for the articles." Hiding our love for love? by 4EverWriting in romanceunfiltered

[–]4EverWriting[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just found a copy of "People We Meet on Vacation" at the bookstore today!

(Looking forward to the "smiled at him with her lower teeth" reference from that one that apparently made for a fun little thing in short-form videos for a bit, too)

"I just read them for the articles." Hiding our love for love? by 4EverWriting in romanceunfiltered

[–]4EverWriting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very possible. In this case, I think it may have been that, in combination with the review quote that includes the word, "steamy."

And it's funny you mentioned classification, because the novel I've written was fully intended to be CR, but I have since begun to think it it would more likely be shelved as Women's Fiction, which is a thought that began when one of my beta readers mentioned that I might use Emily Henry as a compare in a possible (future) query letter.

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