I recently read a book where everything was akimbo. Arms were akimbo, legs were akimbo. Akimbo appeared on every page.
Okay every page is a slight exaggeration, but akimbo was in every chapter more than once. I started thinking of the hero in the book as Adam West's posturing Batman persona.
Every writer is guilty of the akimbo type of repetitiveness once in awhile. Most of the time we're not even aware that we're echoing ourselves.
How do these unconscious akimbo dittos creep into our work? The English language is so rich with descriptors, why would we rob our manuscripts of the warmth and color that this richness brings to our work? Simply put -- we're lazy.
When the afore mentioned writer was feverishly scribbling away on her book, she arrived at a moment when her character took a stance, and the first word that popped into her head was akimbo. Writing akimbo was easier than it would be to stop the flow of her writing and come up with a different way of saying akimbo. The only problem is instead of going back to edit out ninety percent of the akimbos, she left them in and it became a distraction to the reader (and humorous to me, which I'm sure wasn't her intention).
Don't let yourself get lazy. Go through your work and get rid of repetitive words. Especially if they're words like akimbo that are not used in everyday conversation.
If you need help, go to the Georgetown Linguistics website and use their frequency index tool (see the web address below). Copy your text into the box provided and click on the "Do it!" button. This website will give you a list of every word and how many times it was used in your manuscript.
I would suggest (and this is just my opinion) that if you discover that you've used akimbo more than twenty-nine times, get rid of all but one of them.
By the way akimbo appears 13 times in this passage. Annoying wasn't it!
Georgetown Linguistics Website:
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/webtools/web_freqs.html
? 2004 Stacy Verdick Case.
Stacy Verdick Case wrote her first "book" when she was in second grade and hasn't quit writing yet. She's had numerous article and short stories published and has a couple manuscripts making the rounds. Her current manuscript, A Grand Murder, is receiving rave reviews, and took third in the Daphne du Maurier contest in the Unpublished Mainstream Mystery category. Visit Stacy on the web at http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/webtools/web_freqs.html.
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More
IntroductionSometimes it may be beyond a companies or individuals budget... Read More
The decision to publish a book is very exciting! It... Read More
First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More
The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would... Read More
An island in the Mediterranean. A beach in Africa. The... Read More
There is a lot of confusion about recommendation letters.Recommendation letters... Read More
IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More
All sales begin with some form of advertising whether it's... Read More
If you are reading this article then you probably have... Read More
Anyone who has read any of my articles on the... Read More
No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More
Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need to... Read More
"If you want to change your life," Harry Beckwith wrote... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
Whether you keep a separate spiritual journal or just want... Read More
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich... Read More
Screenwriting is a competitive trade. To distinguish yourself as a... Read More
Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, England, in1812. His father... Read More
Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More
If a writer considers writing to be a task, he/she... Read More
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe... Read More
As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More
1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More
Part 1 of this article discussed the experience you need... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..You can turn your $200 fee to write a press... Read More
The tiniest things can be so useful when you come... Read More
1) Can you summarize the story in about a sentence... Read More
Is there a book inside of you? Yes? Then why... Read More
Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters: the... Read More
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day... Read More
I???ve spoken to hundreds of editors, employers, and project managers... Read More
It's a good idea to use TextPad because all opt-in... Read More
The first five pages of a novel are critical.Editors make... Read More
Regardless of what sort of writer you are and how... Read More
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters... Read More
The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would... Read More
Suspense novels, unlike any other genre, need fast starts. Fans... Read More
11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More
A frequent conversation I have with my writing clients is... Read More
What a lack of research could do to you.When creating... Read More
Some writers complain that writing is arduous work requiring long... Read More
SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained... Read More
In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil,... Read More
This is the ideal topic for us all to think... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Whichever theme you choose, all the elements,... Read More
If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel... Read More
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay... Read More
Writing |