Lots of never-things today.
In writing - Never:
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Use an adverb when a good physical description
will create flavor.
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Use too many “and,” “but,” “that,” or “then.”
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Submit your first draft of anything, email,
letter, text, proposal, story, article, Facebook post, letter to the editor,
novel, press release, or a description of an event.
-
Be afraid to cut words.
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To ask question.
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To speak your mind when appropriate.
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Be afraid to ask. The worst they can say is, “no.”
In my own writing:
Never would I ever write something that is not true
In an essay
In a newspaper article
In a magazine article
In a piece that someone hired me to write about their
business or venture
(But I would write a made-up story to entertain and perhaps
to infuse some questions for readers to think about.)
Never would I ever write foul language. It’s offensive. It
doesn’t serve a purpose other than to create anger. It weakens the writing by
using a word when showing by an action would be stronger.
Never would I ever go back to writing for the newspaper full
time. It was a great experience and I learned much more than a bachelor’s
degree could ever teach me. But that life is stressful and full of gossip,
social speculation, name calling, politics, anger, frustration, kissing up, playing
games, manipulation, intimidation, and domination.
Never will I publish in anger. I might write in anger (and
frequently do), great sweeping words of pride and hurt and betrayal and
frustration. But those words will be hidden in my notebook to cool or to be
tossed at some later time. Writing in anger is fine for personal therapy, but
is inappropriate for publication, even in a letter to the editor, and
especially in a Facebook or Instagram or Twitter post. Anger begets anger.
Cool, logical words move opinions in a cool, logical fashion.
Never will I sell my soul to make a bunch of money. There
are lots of things that are written and make lots of money. The newspaper is
not one of them. Newspapers survive on advertising, not on stellular articles.
But steamy romance novels sell in the trillions every year, as do horror and
thriller and gory books. Some people like them. I do not. Yes, you’re right, I
don’t celebrate Halloween, but I do watch from afar. I steer clear of evil and
darkness, even if it is only in fun. I would rather remain a poor church mouse
than live in a mansion at the expense of someone’s morals, ethics, or
salvation.
And now a list of other nevers in my life. I have never:
Parachuted out of an airplane
Entered a dance contest
Won a beauty contest
Modeled for a magazine
Conducted an orchestra
Played in the NFL
Entered the Olympics
Owned a Lamborghini
Worked as a professor
Won the Pulitzer
But I have:
Flown on an airplane (frequently in college)
Danced in a high school talent show
Been called a beauty
Written for a magazine (several)
Performed in an operetta
Played football on a powder puff team in college (it was not
powdery or puffy)
Won a race
Driven an MG (a whole 10 feet)
Talked to a college group about writing for the newspaper
Won a local poetry contest
Elements of Style by Strunk and White
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
The Bucket List – movie 2007 – Morgan Freeman, Jack
Nicholson
October 4 – NEVER – 31 Days of Writing about Writing
#31days2022
Your post made me smile and think carefully about what I might never do.
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