Comments on: Seek And Destroy Your Writing Style Enemies http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/ write better, live better Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:24:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: How You Can Use Proposals to Achieve Your Goals http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-348 How You Can Use Proposals to Achieve Your Goals Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:32:41 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-348 [...] English and helps people enrich their lives by improving their writing. Her recent articles include Seek And Destroy Your Writing Style Enemies and Well Dressed Writing: Tips For Effective Page Design. Feel free to contact her at [...] […] English and helps people enrich their lives by improving their writing. Her recent articles include Seek And Destroy Your Writing Style Enemies and Well Dressed Writing: Tips For Effective Page Design. Feel free to contact her at […]

]]> By: Welcome To Writing Power | Writing Power http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-251 Welcome To Writing Power | Writing Power Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:46:20 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-251 [...] Seek And Destroy Your Writing Style Enemies [...] […] Seek And Destroy Your Writing Style Enemies […]

]]> By: loren http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-104 loren Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:09:57 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-104 Hi, Erdtek -- thanks for the comment. As you point out, it's important to remember that the passive voice/active voice issue is a matter of style, not grammar. Both are grammatically correct. And you're right that passive voice has legitimate applications in some writing. But I recommend -- as does every writing style guide I have come across -- choosing active voice unless you have a compelling reason to choose passive voice, for all of the reasons I outlined above. If it is important to the narrative for the reader to focus on the ball's journey rather than the boy's action, then that sentence could be appropriate. But many writers use passive voice without thinking about its stylistic impact, and that is the real problem. Making conscious choices about style is key, whether those choices lead you to active or passive voice. Cheers, Loren Hi, Erdtek — thanks for the comment. As you point out, it’s important to remember that the passive voice/active voice issue is a matter of style, not grammar. Both are grammatically correct. And you’re right that passive voice has legitimate applications in some writing.

But I recommend — as does every writing style guide I have come across — choosing active voice unless you have a compelling reason to choose passive voice, for all of the reasons I outlined above.

If it is important to the narrative for the reader to focus on the ball’s journey rather than the boy’s action, then that sentence could be appropriate.

But many writers use passive voice without thinking about its stylistic impact, and that is the real problem. Making conscious choices about style is key, whether those choices lead you to active or passive voice.

Cheers,
Loren

]]> By: erdtek http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-103 erdtek Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:39:19 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-103 Hi Loren, I like the second idea and I want to comment on the first idea. You don't say that we should always avoid passive mode, but I got almost that feeling. When I read the sentence "The boy hit the ball" my point of view was almost at the same place, looking at the boy hitting the boy. When I read the sentence "The ball was hit by the boy" I imagined the action from a different perspective, the perspective of the ball and not of the boy, it went through my mind like this: the ball is moving towards the boy, then it is hit by the boy and it goes in the opposite direction. And here my point of view is following the ball. Of course this is just a small example, out of context, but I think that passive voice also has its strengths and we can use it with success. Hi Loren,

I like the second idea and I want to comment on the first idea. You don’t say that we should always avoid passive mode, but I got almost that feeling.

When I read the sentence “The boy hit the ball” my point of view was almost at the same place, looking at the boy hitting the boy.

When I read the sentence “The ball was hit by the boy” I imagined the action from a different perspective, the perspective of the ball and not of the boy, it went through my mind like this: the ball is moving towards the boy, then it is hit by the boy and it goes in the opposite direction. And here my point of view is following the ball.

Of course this is just a small example, out of context, but I think that passive voice also has its strengths and we can use it with success.

]]> By: Following the Path to Writing Excellence » Personal Development - The Urban Monk http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-62 Following the Path to Writing Excellence » Personal Development - The Urban Monk Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:16:10 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-62 [...] Make the subject of the sentence the doer of the verb. In sentences, some subjects take action (active voice), while others sit around and have actions done to them (passive voice). Since passive voice is more vague and wordier, choose active voice instead. (For more information on identifying and eliminating passive voice from your writing, check out this post.) [...] […] Make the subject of the sentence the doer of the verb. In sentences, some subjects take action (active voice), while others sit around and have actions done to them (passive voice). Since passive voice is more vague and wordier, choose active voice instead. (For more information on identifying and eliminating passive voice from your writing, check out this post.) […]

]]> By: loren http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-46 loren Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:34:43 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-46 Thanks, Arman! I think it's important to break these large concepts (like flow) down into manageable chunks. Cheers, Loren Thanks, Arman! I think it’s important to break these large concepts (like flow) down into manageable chunks.

Cheers,
Loren

]]> By: Arman http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-44 Arman Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:10:42 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/14/seek-and-destroy-your-writing-style-enemies/#comment-44 Nice! You nailed it down. Nice! You nailed it down.

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