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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Gosh, this is fascinating!

I much prefer the first to the other two - it's concise, punchy and gets the point across.

The third, though.... hmmmm, okay, it's a story; it's interesting, it's got my attention - and a beginning, a middle and an end. It's pretty good, but I prefer the first. Bish, bash and jolly well bosh.

Reading the third made me need a lie-down partway through - it was an exhausting read!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

The third or the second made you want to lied own?

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

The third. It was just, well, a bit much.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Such a philistine <sigh>

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

🤣

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Nathan Slake's avatar

(Hope it wasn't my piece you were referring to ... ... 😶😆)

I think you likely know my feelings on more floral and poetic writing, which I feel has a place but not always.

#1 was clear-cut. #2 was overblown drivel. But I actually quite like #3!

Also, I know how much you detest this way of writing with full stops: "He. Was. Dirt. Poor." So it could never be that one. ;)

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Terry Freedman's avatar

It wasn't yours, Nathan! It was one of those pieces that contained lots of fancy words that were neither necessary nor correct. Anyway, your analysis is spot on. Number 2 is out, 1 is passable, but 3 is my favourite, as it is not too ordinary but not too over-the-top either!

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RenoQueen's avatar

Thanks for enlightening us.

I hate to say it but there's so much drivel on the internet. Sometimes I start reading something that is "popular" and have a hard time reading it. Then I wonder if I am living in the wrong age or any standard is now moot.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

drivel is a good word for it. Blimey, I hope mine doesn’t fall into that category!

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RenoQueen's avatar

The bar is low but terrifyingly real. Blimey is also a good word. I wouldn't be reading your posts if I thought they were bad.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

:-) I agree about the bar level!

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Mr. Troy Ford's avatar

I'll say #1 since it's the only one I got through. ;)

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Fair enough 😁

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C.L. Steiner's avatar

Hope it wasn’t mine, sir! #1 is acceptable.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

If had been, I would no longer be a subscriber, so worry not!

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Jeanne S's avatar

I like several styles. If the goal it to directly communicate an idea then of course it's number 1. Yet I adore some writers who can lead me down a wandering stream and illicit emotional reactions. The writers who can do that are few and I would put them in a different category. In a way they are poets of prose. Some very thick writing is worth the effort in spades. Most is tiresome.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

"wandering stream"?. Yes, I suppose so. I have a great liking for prose poetry myself. I think I'm thinking more of particular writers, the ones who use "praxis" instead of "practice", and "perambulating" rather than "walking" (except in the case of Mr Micawber!)

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Jeanne S's avatar

Micawber is the man!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

😁

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

I prefer underwritten to overwritten. Sometimes in humor I make the mistake of writing "so" or "really" but they can be appropriate when writing in a conversational style.

I am SO (haha) book picky. I rely on my sister and ma for recommendations.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

:-) Underwritten, mas you put it, is definitely preferable in my opinion: subtle, understated, leaving stuff unsaid. You are SO righht about the use of "so" and "really". Seriously, REALLY. <snigger>

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

I re-read your previous article on this topic and appreciated it just as much! A great review. In this one, example two made my eyes cross and roll up into my head. To recover from the third example, I had to lie down, put on my "soft rain" CD and rest a while. However, I will add that when I read your sentence beginning with " A substack post popped into my mail box this morning..." I broke out in a sweat fearing it was one of mine. I promise I will try harder.... ha ha ha!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Haha! I can't remember whose newsletter it was, but it definitely wasn't yours.

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Sharron Bassano's avatar

Phew!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

🤣

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