Tags
Overused Words, Self-editing, Strong vs Weak Words, Strong Words, Weak Verbs, Weak Words, writers, Writers Resources, writing, Writing Advice, writing tips
Would have. Geez Louise. That is all I will say as an intro. Read on.
Robin would suggest ways to improve my writing and I hung on her every word.
Why? Gosh . . . get a grip.
Robin suggested ways to improve my writing but I ignored her.
~~~~~
He would bring Robin flowers to weasel more writing tips out of her.
The letch.
He brought Robin flowers and she threw her blog posts into his awaiting arms.
~~~~~
Robin would blush when her readers sent her flowers.
Dead black roses?
Robin blushed when her readers called the grammar police.
~~~~~
He would leave me love notes in the comment section of my blog.
Such a romantic fool.
He left me hate mail in the comment section so I changed my identity.
I am now Paris Hilton.
How awful is this?
Robin Coyle 
Sadly, another Russel Ray camping trip comes to an end………………..Hope all is well.
No, no, no . . . please don’t leave me! I love when you camp out here.
Loving these posts, Robin. You’re doing a super job. Remind us again, please, there are times when ‘would’ is okay. Could you give an example–my good woulds and my bad woulds are blurring together to make maybe woulds, and I’ve stalled. 🙂
Darn it yes. I forgot to write about when “would” is absolutely necessary. Here is an example.
“I would have sent Sir Paul my phone number, IF I knew he was in town for a concert.”
You need “would” if the sentence is a conditional statement with “if” or “however” or some other word like that.
I’ll do a post on this more fully, but does that help?
Hey, Paris. How’s it going over here? I thought of you as I was composing my latest SNIPPETS post: http://russelrayphotos2.com/2012/07/15/commas-can-make-a-difference/
Now, go down to the courthouse and change yourself back to the Robin that we all know and love. Paris Hilton? Not!
The stint as Paris was short lived. She is too annoying.
Your comma lesson was excellent. But the bigger lesson was tolerance. Well done.
😎 !!
I love the sunglasses your emoticon is wearing.
Robin,
I’m fairly new to your blog, and must admit that with coffee, this post was the perfect excuse to neglect my kids, and Paris Hilton can’t say a goddamn thing about it.
Le Clown
I heard a comedian say this about Paris . . . “Paris Hilton proves you don’t have to be poor to be white trash.” Ha!
I would if I could but I can’t so I won’t 😉
For some reason your comment made me think of “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck . . . “
Love the quote. Now I’m lost for words.
Isn’t it nice that Paris Hilton seems to be out of the headlines these days?
Best quote ever… I burst out of laughter when I read the punch line. 🙂
She is such a bimbo! A rich, but still a bimbo.
I roared with laughter when I read the Paris Hilton quote. Alas, I’m guilty of using “would have”. But I’ll do better in future.
Paris is one smart dingbat cookie.
Those sentences really were better without would. Would has got to go!
“Would” slips in the door unnoticed and sits on the page like a lump.
I’ve got some of them — but they’re for conditional tense.
I should have included in the post about when “would” is used in the conditional tense, it is ok.
You were with me in spirit when I went to a new writer’s group today. I remembered your blog about the word ‘my’ and how it is overused. I’ve watched for it in my work, and now I see it everywhere. I looked at one of the pieces today. In the first part, my was all over the page. The professor was getting on people about the passive voice, and I thought of the my situation.
In relation to today’s post, I enjoyed it. You have a way of making grammar entertaining. That is hard to do. I know I feel like less of a writer when I catch something I thought I ‘should’ve’ fixed before. Your tips are always helpful.
I love that I traveled with you to your writer’s group. Did I have anything interesting to say? Watch for a future post on me, myself, and I. Argh. Since my novel is in first person, my main character has a horrible ego problem.
I’m so glad you find this series helpful. You want to know something funny? I THOUGHT my manuscript was in good shape. It was readable, conversational, and people told me they liked it. After walking alongside you as we go through this series, I am SO much happier with the darn thing. The subtle changes make a difference!
I find this one interesting. I see this used a LOT in historical writing, e.g, “Abraham Lincoln would issue his Emancipation Proclamation a few months later.” I wonder what that’s about.
Yeah, what is wrong with “issued his Emancipation Proclamation?”
I WOULD like to tell you I don’t have many of these, but I WOULD be lying.
Now, now. No lying allowed around here.
I really want a compilation of all your strong vs weak words, I just know I’m guilty of many of them and need a checklist all in one place! I think someone suggested an e-book? Is one on the horizon?
I second an e-book please..I would find it very helpful having all of the strong vs weak words posts all in one place!
I’m working on it! Heck, the thing is practically written already, right?
Add my +1 to Vanessa’s suggestion, an e-book of these is a great idea!
If I publish the series in book form you all have to promise to buy my novel too. Tee hee!
Deal!
That’s the spirit!
An book is on the horizon if someone would STOP writing about things I need to fix in my novel! No, seriously, I am planning on pulling the posts together for a book. I would like to publish it in hard copy (e-book too). I buy writing how-to books in hard copy because I like to highlight and make notes.
I am tickled folks would like to see the series published. Honest I am!
Erg. Can’t stand “would.” This is not one of my offenders. Yippee!
Good for you!
Ha! I defeated this one, wise Master. No woulda, coulda, shoulda’s here. Score: Robyn: 20, me: 1 I win, I win. LOL!
I can see you doing a “happy dance” around your editing table.
Truly awful.
Taking your advice re editing my book, I came straight over. I don’t see a search widget on your blog; do you have one?
The search widget is in the upper right hand corner.
I hope “truly awful” is not a review of this post Tilly!
You may have seen in a couple of the comments, folks are asking me to publish the series in book form, which I plan to do pronto. Let me know how your editing goes. Since I am editing my manuscript right now, we can be “editing buddies” and hold each other’s hand.
Don’t know how I missed it, though I was a bit out of it yesterday.
My comment was a reply to your question; but I can see where the mistake came in 😉
Great idea about being editing buddies. I’m in!
lol your example sentences are always funny 🙂 thanks for the tips Robin,
You are welcome. Oh, and I crack myself up. Tee hee.