For those who haven't seen it before, there's some great advice on writing traps to avoid at:

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/turkeycity.html

Don't be put off by the fact it's addressed to fantasy writers - I should think most of these rules will apply to any kind of writing.

Terry

Genius!

oh no - i think i may be an "inger".....
sue

After reading that lot maybe I'll just give up and concentrate on painting...

No doubt most people have read or at least heard of this, but it is the classic text on things to avoid when writing prose:

http://www.btinternet.com/~historiae/orwell.html

(Apologies if already mentioned somewhere else on this site)

Imagine if some techno-whiz created a programme that expunged all these faults from a piece of finished work. The writer would scan it in and wait to see what was left. Probably not a lot. I'm not saying that it isn't useful to know, just a bit inhibiting.

At times I think a writer can be plagued by too much info on 'how' and 'avoids, dont's etc', and at the end of the day, just write and let it flow and do the best you can; then let an editor help with any adjusting. Don't get bogged down with other worries.


steve

Steve, to the best of my knowledge, publishers like to see a polished piece of writing these days, not one that requires editing. Have I been mislead?

That's what I thought too which is very depressing. Thought I'd got my novel finished (near as damn it anyway) but have so much work to do on it. I thought that publishers/agents didn't have the time or the inclination (ok maybe just time) to work with budding writers until the manuscript is spot on. Oh if only they did!
Sue

I agree with Steve that one can get too hooked on the dos and don'ts, and in trying to anticipate an editor's or agent's every requirement. However, there is a broad movement that's taken place in publishing over the past ten years or so (well, probably in most businesses) that we should probably all take note of. This is towards cutting out work that isn't immediately necessary, that costs money that won't be obviously regrouped. Editing is time consuming so is an obvious target for cost-cutting. So, logic says that you give yourself a better chance if you can submit a book that needs less editing. What this means in practical terms is that any serious writer really has to get his or her book independently edited before submitting. And that isn't just for new writers. I spoke the other day to a well-established children's writer who had just had her new book assessed by two separate assessment services, prior to submitting it to her publisher.

There is perhaps another angle on this, too, to do with a disappearing sense of loyalty in our society. For example, I know a very experienced editor who now works part-time for a major children's publisher. Part of her job is to read books from the slush pile (although the publisher does not encourage unsolicited manuscripts) and another is to do 'proper' editing on some of their established writers. She told me recently about an author who always needs huge amounts of editing. She had just done this on his latest book, only to then receive a call from his agent saying they were going to a different publisher who'd made a better offer (unaware, of course, of his need for major editing). In the past, writers tended to stay with editors who tended to stay with publishers, therefore everybody benefitted from good editing. Now, it tends to be a different story.

You're right. The more work a writer does before hand the better. I would imagine the book publishing business works in a similar way to the music industry (where I used to work). The music business has really hit hard times and cut backs are being made where ever possible. New artists are only signed if there is a short term return on their advances. Not many (if any) record labels sign an act with a view to long term development. Going back to books, I suppose the responsibility must lie with the writer to present the best book he/she can to be in with a chance of publication. If you really want to succeed you need commitment. Back to the notepad for me then...(
Sue

George Orwell's six rules for the use of English:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.