Trick
Auror
Just wanted this off my chest. I've received a lot of writing advice over the years and appreciated, if not employed, all of it. One of those bits of advice I got was, "Never describe someone by having them look at themselves in a mirror, it's very amateurish."
I agreed with the advice and eliminated the technique from my toolbox, as I have done with other things after mulling over advice.
Yet, here I sit reading a published book that is currently generating revenue and the author describes a new POV character by having him look at himself in a mirror... even adding the cliched, "he barely even recognized his own reflection anymore."
What. The. Hell.
How did that get past an editor if it is so 'amateurish' ? I like the book so far but there have been so many unnecessary words I may not be able to finish it. The author will describe the action someone is performing and then write, "This left no doubt as to his intent." Um... if it left no doubt, why'd you need to tell me that? The description was more than enough. I don't fault the author for writing that, or even for leaving it in the second and third drafts. My issue is how did it get through an editor and, with it being as constant as it is, why didn't this author get a rejection letter?
This is just me ranting, which is why I posted in chit chat but I had to get it out. It has made me feel two distinct emotions: 1. Sadness at a lack of published quality. And 2. Hope, that if I am never as good at writing as I want to be, I can still get published... if I get to know the right people.
I agreed with the advice and eliminated the technique from my toolbox, as I have done with other things after mulling over advice.
Yet, here I sit reading a published book that is currently generating revenue and the author describes a new POV character by having him look at himself in a mirror... even adding the cliched, "he barely even recognized his own reflection anymore."
What. The. Hell.
How did that get past an editor if it is so 'amateurish' ? I like the book so far but there have been so many unnecessary words I may not be able to finish it. The author will describe the action someone is performing and then write, "This left no doubt as to his intent." Um... if it left no doubt, why'd you need to tell me that? The description was more than enough. I don't fault the author for writing that, or even for leaving it in the second and third drafts. My issue is how did it get through an editor and, with it being as constant as it is, why didn't this author get a rejection letter?
This is just me ranting, which is why I posted in chit chat but I had to get it out. It has made me feel two distinct emotions: 1. Sadness at a lack of published quality. And 2. Hope, that if I am never as good at writing as I want to be, I can still get published... if I get to know the right people.