HWSWAnswers: Expressions and Questions
So I have this thing about “smirk.” Perfectly good word, but I think it’s misused a lot. In my world, good people do not smirk, it’s an asshole kind of expression, condescending, arrogant, superior, and jerkface. It’s being used A LOT in romance fiction right now as a kind of general grin. So a couple of people have weighed in on my distaste for that and an another expression, and I realize I had no idea of how Bob used expressions in his work. (Yes, in spite of writing three books with him. It was awhile ago.)
Jinx said:
I think this would be a good topic for a complete post. There are a lot of facial expressions that are hard to describe without going into a whole lot of detail — a slight smile, a pursed-lip crinkly smile, a sneering look sometimes mixed with smile, a doubtful smile, a “glad you see I was right” smile, a raised eyebrow “oh really?” smile, etc. etc. Smirk and smile both have the same Old English-y root, and I think various authors use the terms sort of differently. The “heroes never smirk” test doesn’t quite do it for me.
Gary said:
If smirks and smirking are reserved for bad guys, or usable by good guys only if immediately followed by an apology, what about The Rolling of One’s Eyes. In Huston’s Uptime Pride and Downtime Prejudice, Our Heroine (Mary) rolls her eyes six or eight times in twenty or so chapters. Then in chapter 21, I noticed in Whiskey Rebellion. Liliana Hart, that Addison Holmes plays craps with her eyeballs as well, rolling her eyes at least twice per chapter. Is there some emotion or attitude for which eye rolling is the only suitable expression? How should it be used, and how often.
Bob:
I’m not sure I’ve ever used “smirk” in a novel. We instinctively dislike someone who smirks. At least I do. There are things I do overuse and I’m compiling a list. (edited)
Jenny:
YES. Thank you.
Bob:
I tend to use eyes too much. Also sighs. My current list of words overused for current WIP is: also; then; just; probably; almost; still; all; down; up
Jenny:
I overuse “look” but thats more of a directional thing than an expression. And, oh god, “just.” Sometimes I do an edit just to take out just.
Down and up seem pretty necessary.
Bob:
I do use snorts of derision in current WIP but it’s a way of comparing characters to see who can do it best. Lisa Livia and the Duchess are in a competition.
For down and up I need to edit things like ‘stood up’ and ‘sat down’. Redundant.
Jenny:
I think “snort” pretty much says “derision.”
Bob:
They’re not exactly hitting it off
Jenny:
Good point about stood up being redundand. “Sat up” oddly enough is not redundant.
Bob:
Right. But stood up is.
Jenny:
Yes, stood up is. Good point. I’ll have to look for that.
I think the problem is overuse more than anything, like Gary’s rolling eye example. People roll their eyes all the time in real life, so there’s nothing wrong with using it unless the character does it ALL THE TIME, in which case she’s probably annoying as hell and smirks, too. Nothing wrong with a character woh rolls eyes (although that person is condescending and rude), but they do it all the time, it’s a personality defect.
Bob:
Yeah. I think I’ve got one eye roll in 50k words right now. That’s probably maxing out.
The key is readers remember things like that and you can jar them out of the story if you overuse.
Jenny:
Yes, that’s exactly the problem. Too many disruptive words don’t deepen the experience for the reader, they remind her that she’s reading instead of experiencing a story.
The first question about how to write facial expressions, though, since writing what the expression is means telling instead of showing through dialogue and action, I think too many specific facial expression words end up being like too many speech tags: disruptive. She quipped.
Bob:
Yep. Have them do something rather than describe them. Lisa Livia knows the Duchess hates her tapping her nails on the binder. So she keeps doing it.
Jenny:
Yes. Action conveys so much more that description because the reader is watching character in action.
But I also think it goes back to misuse of words.
If you look up the definition of “smirk,” it’s not the same as “grin,” and it’s definitely unattractive. It’s a deal-breaker for me because I dislike people who smirk and I don’t trust writers who use words they don’t know.
Bob:
Yeah. There are certain words that are just instant turn-offs.
Jenny:
The idea that various writers use terms differently doesn’t work for me; it smacks of “alternative facts.” Part of the beauty of words is their specificity; people who play fast and loose with that are abusing language.
Bob:
I always search for phrases and terms I overuse. Use the edit function in Word.
Jenny:
It’s like a carpenter saying, “I don’t need to know how to use these tools, I’ll just use them the way I want to,” and then tries to pound a nail with a drill. It might work, but it screws up the drill and makes the carpenter look incompetent. I left a publisher because of this, so obviously I’m a nutcase on language, but words are our stock in trade, they’re what we use to build worlds, and if we misuse them, we end up with shoddy worlds.
Is there still a function in Word that arranges words in order of most used? Because that would be helpful, after you got past “a” and “the” and the main character’s names.
Bob:
I don’t know about that. I’m sure there is.
I keep finding new tools– when I bother to look for them. I’ve learned if you can think of something you need, someone invented it.
Jenny:
I know. Word has so many bells and whistles, and I use “copy,” “cut,” “paste,” and “save.” Okay, and word count.
Bob:
I remember the good old days of whiteout.
And manual typewriters.
Jenny:
Those were not good old days. I remember them, too. I did my first master’s thesis with wite-out.
Bob:
Then, the really good old days of chisel and stone.
Jenny:
I’m surprised you write facial expressions at all. You never have any in real life.
Bob::
I’m working on it.
Jenny:
Remember Jen Maler telling you that you had the range of expression of Kevin Costner?
Actually, that’s probably the range of expression of my characters since I don’t like describing facial expressions.
Bob:
Dorothy Parker reference Katherine Hepburn
Jenny:
Gamut of emotion from A to B?
Bob:
yep
Jenny:
I have no idea if we answered those questions, but I’m not going back in there again because–and it will surprise you to hear this–I lose my grip and start ranting about words.
Next question.
Jeanine wrote:
Have been trying to think of a question to ask you, but mind is tragically blank. Unless to ask you to ask yourselves the question you wish other people would ask you? Or to tell us the best questions you have asked other writers and/or their best responses or advice. (Please forgive grammatical sins in foregoing!) Thanks again!
Jenny:
I generally avoid other people, and Bob makes me look like an extrovert, so this is a tough one for us.
It’s this incessant need to talk to other writers. I don’t get it.
Unless I have a specific question about something I’m working on. “What’s wrong with this book?”
Krissie: “It needs more sex.”
Bob: “It needs more death.”
Mollie: “It needs to be finished.”
Bob:
I don’t know. Been doing this so long it’s hard to remember things. I know what questions always get asked that don’t have answers, primarily “How do I market my book”. No real answer to that.
I think a good question is when someone asks a question that indicates they really want to know the answer. Especially about their own stuff. Most people don’t want that hard truth.
Jenny:
Yeah, I learned that the hard way. There are several writers who aren’t speaking to me now because I lack tact.
Bob:
On the other hand, I am the essence of tact.
Jenny:
That’s because you are mainly silent.
Bob:Bob:
THAT is the essence of tact.
Jenny:
I honestly can’t remember any general question I thought of as particularly better than others. They all interconnect.
The one I don’t like is the one Bob doesn’t like, the “What’s selling?” or “How can I market my book?” when they haven’t started writing it. Write the damn book. Finish it, she said hypocritically. Find an agent and let her market it.
Bob:
Yeah– the business side is crazy. Prefer questions about craft
Jenny:
Part of the problem is that there are so many different writers that there’s really no one-question-fits-all. I’m a big proponent of discovery draft and then rewriting for structure and arc, but not all people are pantsers; some really need to plan everything out first. I am no good for those writers.
Bob:
Yeah– everyone has to find their own path.
Jenny:
So basically, three questions and we have no clear answers.
Except “smirking” is not something good people do.
Bob:
Take what you need; leave the rest. Though I have learned that when I hear something that bothers me, it’s usually either because there is a truth there I need to hear or it’s stupid.
Jenny:
Uh, there’s a pretty big gap between those two.
Bob:
It’s a fine razor’s edge.
Jenny:
I’d say if I hear something about my story that bothers me, then I’d better look at why I’m resisting that.
Bob:
When I feel something is wrong, I need to address it.
Jenny
And if I hear something about writing in general that bothers me, it’s stupid.
I remember long ago seeing a recommended list of words to replace “said”: quipped, chortled, snorted, lisped, etc. I also remember the red haze that rose before my eyes as I realized that any idiot could post writing advice on the net.
Bob:Bob:
Said is noted but not noticed. I’ve never had anyone quip, smirk, or lisp.
Jenny:
That’s because you’re a good writer.
That’s right up there with the character who does or says something and and another character laughs and you think “Why? That wasn’t funny.” I generally do not have characters who laugh because of that.
Bob:
No one laughs. Ever. Because.
Except for dying laughs.
Jenny:
Well, in your books, it’s because people are shooting them. I write romantic comedy. In theory.
Which brings me to my epiphany: There are no good general questions about writing because writers are so different.
Bob:
Shane hasn’t shot anyone yet. Phoebe has.
I think asking “How do you create” is a good general question, but then one has to see if it resonates with them. I’ve picked up pearls from a lot of writers over the years.
Jenny:
Carpenter’s unarmed? Didn’t Shane shoot somebody in that opening scene? He had a gun.
Bob:
Nope. He gets shot. Carpenter rides a chair now.
Jenny:
I have no idea how I create. Aside from writing down the people talking in my head, which is a help to no one.
Bob:
Yes, it is. For those who have people talking in their head, it’s validation.
Also can lead to institutionalization. Is that a word? Spell checker says yes!
Jenny:
That is remarkably positive of you. Who are you and what have you done with Bob Mayer?”
Bob:
I really enjoyed watching Pretend It’s a City with Fran Leibowitz. Especially talking to Maya Angelou. Two very different types of writers.
Jenny:
Excellent writers. Must watch that.
Bob:
Plus its about the NYC I grew up in.
Lucky I made it out alive, although some question that.
Jenny:
Okay, the best advice I ever got about writing wasn’t about writing. It was something Maya Angelou said, which I piggy-backed on something Aristotle said. Angelou said (as I remember), “People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s why putting the feeling on the page is so important, and why remembering that emotion lives in the body and not the brain is so important. You can think everything is fine, but your body will tell you different, and your body will not lie. (Aristotle said, “Action is character.” Or maybe it was “Character is action,” but you get the drift.)
So there, FINALLY, I answered a question. We can go now.
Bob:
Yay, us.
Jenny:
We rock. And we’re out of questions.
Bob:
Very good. Gus is barking. Vet just called and said his thyroid is a little off which explains a lot.
Jenny:
All the best to Gus and his thyroid. Give him a cookie.
Bob:
He needs one because bad thyroid means he’s starving; more than usual.
Jenny:
Oh, that’s awful.
Give him two cookies.
Bob:
I will. Take care and stay safe. Sanity is back.
Jenny:
I know, thank God. You, too.
