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| Tips & Advice Share your tips, tricks and advice. |
03-31-2008, 10:45 PM
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#16
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Ink Slinger
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: AmbientArtists
Gender: Private
Posts: 3,294
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Swamp Thing
I would love for you, Olly, to tell me how I should use numbers and letters in stories.
For instance - The pier cut an L into the marsh.
and - there were 7 of them on the lake.
Help or point in the direction. This is my big weakness.
Thanks
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In writing, using a letter as an image is fine. For numbers, the general rule of thumb is that when describing an actual "7" on something, you can use "7", but when talking about an amount of something, you spell it out.
__________________
My hopeful book:
Crap! Haven't posted it anywhere yet, darn!
"Only tyranny cloaks itself in shadows. The light of justice can not be hidden."
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03-31-2008, 10:57 PM
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#17
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Ink Slinger
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Out in the bush, Queensland, Australia, far from the madding crowd
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,591
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The real question is why is there a pier in a marsh?
I know why there was a pier in a keeler but that's another story.
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04-01-2008, 05:22 AM
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#18
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Ink Slinger
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Crossmaglen, Ireland.
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,071
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Backward OX
(no comma)How am I doing Olly? There's one or two mind-boggling and globe-encircling replies that might fit, but then I'm not a wooftah.
And if I knew Sam was going to be there - sheesh, include me out.
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I defy you to show me any novel in the world where there isn't a comma before a name in speech.
__________________
To those who live by and never stray from the creedo of "show, don't tell," here's a thought - it's called storytelling not storyshowing.
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04-01-2008, 07:53 AM
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#19
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Profound Writer
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: East Coast, US
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,487
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Backward OX
(no comma)How am I doing Olly? There's one or two mind-boggling and globe-encircling replies that might fit, but then I'm not a wooftah.
And if I knew Sam was going to be there - sheesh, include me out.
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Sorry Ox, Sam is right...
An absolute phrase is always treated as a parenthetical element, as is an interjection. An addressed person's name is also always parenthetical. Be sure, however, that the name is that of someone actually being spoken to.
-I'm telling you, Juanita, I couldn't be more surprised.
__________________
"All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific." --Lily Tomlin
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04-01-2008, 05:44 PM
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#20
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Ink Slinger
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Out in the bush, Queensland, Australia, far from the madding crowd
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,591
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hahahaha.
Two replies in a row that show the total failure of 'words only' as a way to convey meaning. Words without body language, without inflection.
Which in the wider sense says a lot about forums as a way to communicate effectively. It can't be done.
Last edited by The Backward OX : 04-01-2008 at 05:47 PM.
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05-06-2008, 05:16 AM
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#21
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Mentor
Join Date: May 2007
Location: E. Sussex U.K.
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,300
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Damned if you are doing me Ox! (should there be a comma in that, no, I say it without hesitation.)
Affect, act on or influence
Effect, change caused by some one or some thing
I shall affect it to cause an effect. They both have other meanings as well which adds to the confusion.
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05-06-2008, 05:50 AM
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#22
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Ink Slinger
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Out in the bush, Queensland, Australia, far from the madding crowd
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,591
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I had to go back and read my original comment to tickle up my grey matter and convince myself you weren’t rambling again.
It’s a bit like that other one where you laughed like a drain over me saying a certain member said I called him a prick it is true and I’m sorry and you haven’t heard the remainder of that little anecdote as I managed to get it trashed by the thought police
commas or no commas.
Last edited by The Backward OX : 05-06-2008 at 05:53 AM.
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05-06-2008, 05:53 AM
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#23
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Addict
Join Date: Mar 2008
Gender: Female
Posts: 138
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I've noticed that the following often get confused:
save vs. safe
they're vs. their vs. there
it's vs. its
life - lives
Claudia
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