tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post7691247370533942123..comments2024-02-16T04:42:50.005-05:00Comments on QueryTracker Blog: Caution: Contains Strong LanguagePatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17771807777617244491noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-47656479551583610602011-12-28T17:00:28.239-05:002011-12-28T17:00:28.239-05:00This posting and the comments make a number of val...This posting and the comments make a number of valid points. I did want to point out that some people are throwing some grammatical terms around without understanding what they mean.<br /><br />The "-ing" form of a verb is only called a gerund when it is being used as a noun. Example: "Swimming is good exercise."<br /><br />When it is used as an adjective, it becomes a present participle. Example: "The swimming soldier was a double agent."<br /><br />When it is being used as a verb, in combination with an auxiliary or helping verb, it is called a verb. Example: "Patty was swimming." (In this example the verb is in the past continuous tense, as opposed to the present continuous: "I am swimming every day now.") No gerunds anywhere in sight.<br /><br />Now that we've got the terminology out of the way, I am glad to say that the principles being discussed here are important ones. Vivid writing is worth the hard work it demands.<br /><br />Lyle Blake SmythersLyle Blake Smythershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08496479555597175814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-75920908495804498252011-12-28T12:26:53.020-05:002011-12-28T12:26:53.020-05:00It's the evil of passive voice. I had a profes...It's the evil of passive voice. I had a professor in grad school who eschewed passive voice as if it were the coming of the AntiChrist. Really. And, since he was on my thesis committee (>.<), you can imagine how he exorcised the use of it from just about everything I wrote. EVER. <br /><br />This is a great post--the idea that it's not so much about TELLING a story as painting a picture. Put me in the scene with the characters. If someone is "clawing for breath" or "pushing the water desperately away," those two phrases are going to convey so much more than "Patty swam," or even "Patty swam away quickly." ^__^<br />Thanks for this!the fishing widowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11283899032893564158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-84814376213680880472011-12-27T22:13:13.968-05:002011-12-27T22:13:13.968-05:00Melissa...You are right to say that we can't a...Melissa...You are right to say that we can't auto-substitute past tense verbs for gerunds…but you'd over-simplify this post by claiming that had been the take-away message.<br /><br />In between the jump from a present tense-ish "was + -ing" verb and the past tense is the conscious decision to move the prose completely to past tense. (Writers often employ "was + -ing" verbs to evoke a present tense atmosphere. Why not, then, just use the true present tense form? It eliminates an unnecessary "was".)<br /><br />I learned my stories are better told in past tense. It's easier to edit and easier to remain true to tense. It's also more common in fiction—an assumption I made by pulling ten different novels off my bookshelf and finding out all ten had been written in past tense.<br /><br />So, of course, don't auto-sub every gerund with a past tense verb—or a present tense one, for that matter. That would truly be worth an "arrgh." <br /><br />However, be aware that "was + -ing" words often masquerade as weak verbs. Those are the ones addressed in this post and those are the ones we should change.<br /><br />Cheers, AshAsh Krafton | @ashkraftonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16958256604970916899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-72609632928181234492011-12-26T12:04:47.269-05:002011-12-26T12:04:47.269-05:00Good advice, Ash.
Strong verbs, strong nouns go a...Good advice, Ash.<br /><br />Strong verbs, strong nouns go a long way to make your reader feel your story.<br /><br />I agree with Melissa about the difference between past tense and the gerund form.Carmen Ferreiro-Estebanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08838617205325982222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-18241659030420332302011-12-26T10:21:36.051-05:002011-12-26T10:21:36.051-05:00Aaargghhhh.
"Patty swam" and "Patt...Aaargghhhh.<br /><br />"Patty swam" and "Patty was swimming" are NOT the same. They are different tenses, BOTH of which have a proper use.<br /><br />It is NOT as simple as editing out the "was -ing." That does NOT always make it better. In fact, it can flat out make it WRONG.Melissa Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13560125503655770461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-88825765830948693222011-12-26T09:42:09.137-05:002011-12-26T09:42:09.137-05:00This is a brilliant post. Thank you so much for s...This is a brilliant post. Thank you so much for sharing.Tasha Seegmillerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11489911822054861132noreply@blogger.com