Let's get rid of some was-es! In this episode, the task of revising passive voice drives both D.C. and Avery to their editing limits (while sharing a good laugh).
So what is Passive Voice, exactly? When is it bad, and (hot take) when is it sometimes a GOOD thing? We polish up a sample of Avery's old writing on-air to demonstrate.
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Books mentioned in this episode:
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith
Story Genius by Lisa Cron
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Before and After Excerpts from Episode 5:
Before:
I cracked open an eye to see that the room was now lit by the rising sun. I rolled over and got out of bed stiffly. My leg was wracked with heat, which worried me. I lifted a hand to brush the earring I wore. A simple silver hoop was graced with three beads in blue, white, and gold. It was worn by all members of the The Order, and it provided immunity from the toxins carried by the walking dead and other unholy creatures. Unfortunately, it was no good against plain old infection. After the salve, though, hopefully the wound would be healed soon enough.
After:
The morning sun broke, tearing me from sleep. I winced and rolled out of bed, leg still wracked with heat from the festering wound. Worried, and looking for reassurance, I touched my earring. Good, it’s still there, still can’t become a zombie. Unfortunately, the silver hoop earrings worn by The Order--required to be in Sayara’s blue, white, and gold colors, were no good against plain old infection. No matter. The salve would heal the wound soon enough.
Ep131: On Aspec Characters, with Harvey Oliver Baxter
Ep130: The Miscommunication Trope
Ep129: Fiona Fenn on Fanfiction
Ep128: Writing Love Triangles and Other Polygons
Ep127: Jenny Adams on Pivoting Genres
Ep126: T.L. Simpson, author of Strong Like You
Ep125: Jaq Evans on Juggling Projects
Ep124: Self-publishing While Parenting, with Brigitta Estelle Burguess!
Ep123 (Mini-Ep): Getting Motivated
Ep122 (Mini-Ep): Navigating Reader Interactions
Ep121(Mini-Ep): Connecting the Dots of Subplots
Ep120 (Mini-Ep): Insecurities and Professional Jealousy
Ep119: The Journey to The Longest Autumn
Ep118: Multiple Timelines and Flashbacks
Ep117: Updates for 2024, plus Purple Prose Revisited!
Ep116: Brief Status Update and December Hiatus
Ep115 (Mini-Ep): Beefing Up Side Characters
Ep114: The Core of Your Story
Ep113 (Mini-Ep) The Murky Middle
Ep112 (Mini-Ep): Epigraphs
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