Dead Words Redemption

 December 11, 2023

   Today I learned something new. Funny, but it began with a quote from a famous, big-time author:

"I read the first few pages of a book, and if I see certain signs—dead sentences, convoluted metaphors, a verbose or self-conscious style—I lose trust in the writer. I need to know I'm in good hands if I'm to go on."

—Sigrid Nunez

   Good grief. I have been in this game for a long time and I have never heard of "dead sentences," so I Googled "dead sentences" and that led me to "dead words" which led me to a list of words big time authors avoid like the plague, so that they don't write dead sentences. Here is the list:

Dead Words

A lot

also

big

but

fun

funny

get

good

great

like

mad

nice

pretty

sad

said

scared

then

thinks

went

so

show

Daily Scratchboard Whip Out:

"Dead Words Mariachi"

Dead Words Redemption

   Well, dang, that's a lot of useful words in my world and it makes me mad and sad, and maybe even a little scared, because it's pretty clear I haven't got a clue when it comes to writing big, language-centric books, but, then again I also have a huge hard-on for big, snotty scribes who pontificate until the cows come home. Sorry, convoluted metaphor. Okay, perhaps I went too far in my anger just now, but then I realized, in my world—I am a cartoonist— we show not tell. So, sue me.

"Anyone can come up with a great idea for a book, but you don't make books out of ideas, you make them out of language."

—Sigrid Nunez