Miranda Kate's Blog, page 64

Visual Dare - Lift

This weeks Visual Dare offered an interesting photo. This is what came to me. 

It had taken Bethany an age to find the gateway, but once she had it, she raced into the woods, not allowing the cumbersome frame to hinder her. She knew her uncle had a wealth of curiosities in the mansion, but she hadn’t realise he’d discovered the magical realms. She’d look into it later, for now it was all about getting Rhodri out, he was so weak after years of confinement.

She stuck her head through the frame and saw him lying on the desert floor.

“Rhodri!” She screamed, knowing the sand tramps would arrive soon. Relief filled her when he pulled himself up and grasp the sheet she’d dangled through.

She pulled it up, using a tree for leverage, not satisfied until his head and shoulders cleared the edge of the frame. Then she yanked him out by his hands, until they fell on the forest floor panting. 


 

The Incorrectness of 'Off of'

I have returned to The Purple Pen to talk about the cringe making existence of the new 'fashionable' use of the term 'off of' in writing. It is popping up everywhere on the internet and in publications, and seems to be becoming acceptable. I am here to tell you it is NOT.

It is appearing much more in American English than British - meaning American indie authors, and American media, but I have seen it occasionally in British online media, and indie authors. I have yet to see it in any professionally published novels - mainly because if a professional editor claps eyes on it, they will remove it post-haste! 

It derives from the same place as 'would of', 'should of' or 'could of' - or any combinations of that. Although it is more obvious with these they are incorrect, that the 'of' is a substitute for 'have'.

The 'of' in 'off of' is also replacing a word, and that word is 'from'.

So let's look at some sentences:

He jumped off of the bus.

How would that sound if you wrote: He jumped off from the bus? Not quite right is it? you would take the 'from' out, wouldn't you?  

He stepped off of the kerb. Becomes: He stepped off from the kerb? I see you pulling a face and saying, maybe.

How about: He never took his eyes off of her face?  

Let's try it: He never too his eyes off from her face. It just doesn't work does it. It's not correct.

So neither is 'off of'. You should ban it from ALL your writing.

For me personally, if I read anything with it in, I stop reading, I can't continue. Yes, it bothers me THAT much.

It should bother you too.


What do you think about the use of 'off of'? Do you have any misused grammar, words or phrases that distract you when reading a piece?

Visual Dare - Appearing

Almost forgot this one - the first Visual Dare prompt that invited so much. 

 
He put his ear to the crack of the door, listening as they decided his future. He could hear his mother’s protests as his father insisted it was what needed to be done. His heart broke with her voice as she began to cry saying she didn’t want him sent away. But the two strangers still persisted with their argument that it would be best for him; how India wasn’t tolerant of people that looked different, certainly not from higher class families like theirs.
Then his mother’s sobs turned to rage, and a spray of insults spewed from her mouth directed at her father as much as to the strangers. They became louder as she marched to the door, flinging it open to expose him eavesdropping there. But instead of anger she showed him love, sweeping him up in her arms as she ran with him from the house.

Words 149