I wish people would make up their minds on "he said/she said". Some authors are like, "Use them! The other stuff seems forced!" and others are like, "Don't use them! They're boring and distracting!" I, for one, like Gaiman's reasoning for using "he said/she said": they effectively disappear to the reader, so they're less likely to prove distracting than some of the other things.

I think we would all be better served by the rule "everything in moderation". Want to use adverbs (the hot topic from yesterday)? Use them. But don't go overboard. Want to use "he said/she sad"? Use them. But don't go overboard to the point that you're wasting words. Want to use the word 'very'? Does it work in that situation? Use it. But don't use 'very' all the time when something better works.

There are times every word has a place, or else we wouldn't have those words anymore. Sometimes saying, "That is very big," is more appropriate than, "That is huge." Why? Because using 'very' tends to downplay its size, or add a sort of...dryness to the whole thing, whereas "huge" sort of implies being impressed by the thing. So, if your character thinks whatever is so large is ridiculous in any way, "very big" might actually be the thing to use in that instance. But if they're impressed by it, "huge" or "enormous", or even "awesome" with an accompanying action might work.

The key as a writer is not to dismiss any words, but to understand just when to use them. My problem is the word 'that'. I use it quite a bit, so I probably overuse it. But, really...words are our tools; we should never get banish any of them from our repertoire. The key to growth as a writer is learning when each word is the right word for the moment and when another one will do. So, basically...

Everything in moderation. And suit the words to the action, the action to the words...

Oh God...Hamlet as infected me...
-Quaddy

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