Repetitious phrases

[BrotherBenny]

I have noticed that certain writers tend to use phrases quite frequently in their books. For example, David Mack, you tend to use "Stygian darkness." I've noticed it in several books.

Has anyone else noticed the same phrases in books by the same authors?

 

[TGTheodore]

Has anyone else noticed the same phrases in books by the same authors?

No ... but through the decades I've gotten a number of repetitious phrases in editors' rejection letters.

--Ted

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Has anyone else noticed the same phrases in books by the same authors?

No ... but through the decades I've gotten a number of repetitious phrases in editors' rejection letters.

--Ted

"Bugger off, already!"

 

[JohnChod]

Star ship (sometimes one word, sometimes two), warp drive, "Aye, Captain."

But then we need to go beyond phrases to words. I find there are far too many prepositions and conjunctions. We could do with far less of those.

And then letters as well. Way too many vowels.....

 

[Brian]

Not a single phrase per se, more of a cliche, but I can't tell you how many times I've read how Uhura's hands play over the communication console like a master musician.

 

[Dayton Ward]

I think the word "anathema" appears far too frequently.....

 

[David Mack]

I have noticed that certain writers tend to use phrases quite frequently in their books. For example, David Mack, you tend to use "Stygian darkness." I've noticed it in several books.

Gee, thanks for singling me out.

You'll be happy to hear that, for the Destiny trilogy, I've expanded that phrase to include the variations "Stygian shadows" and "Stygian steelscape" as well as one standalone use of "Stygian."

Very useful word, "Stygian."

 

[Csalem]

^You wouldn't last very long on Just A Minute

 

[ronny]

I have noticed that certain writers tend to use phrases quite frequently in their books. For example, David Mack, you tend to use "Stygian darkness." I've noticed it in several books.

Gee, thanks for singling me out.

You'll be happy to hear that, for the Destiny trilogy, I've expanded that phrase to include the variations "Stygian shadows" and "Stygian steelscape" as well as one standalone use of "Stygian."

Very useful word, "Stygian."

"Stygian Vista" is also a great song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J7a6w_V108

 

[Christopher]

"Get your Stygian hands off me, you damn dirty apes!"

 

[David Mack]

Amazing, really. I have more than a million paid words to my credit so far, and what do I hear about? The fact that I've used "Stygian" seven times out of one million fucking published words.

 

[Mysterion]

Amazing, really. I have more than a million paid words to my credit so far, and what do I hear about? The fact that I've used "Stygian" seven times out of one million fucking published words.

And you're relying way too much on words like "the", "it", and "them". Get off the crutch already!

 

[JD]

I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a big deal.

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ Slow news day.

 

[DimesDan]

^ Slow news day.

And over here all that was on the lunch time news (okay that was nine hours ago) was that some red neck was found with some guns and drugs in his pickup and then claimed he was going to try and off your next prez!

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ That's very Stygian.


I once got an e-Mail from a reader who hated the phrase "truth be told," because -- to her -- it seemed like every time she read it in a story, it was used incorrectly. Never mind that I did in fact use it correctly; she was irritated at its presence at all.

So, from that point on, I made an effort to include it in anything I wrote

 

[BrotherBenny]

I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a big deal.

^ Slow news day.

Not a slow news day, but I noticed it in another book I finished reading and it reminded me of The Angel of Death/Mack the Knife's usage.

Why do you keep using it?

 

[DimesDan]

I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a big deal.

^ Slow news day.

Not a slow news day, but I noticed it in another book I finished reading and it reminded me of The Angel of Death/Mack the Knife's usage.

Why do you keep using it?

As Mr Mack said, he has used it seven times out of 1 million words, which is an exceptionally small amount so why are you highlighting it? Plus, it's a far better way to describe gloomy, dark, infernal or hellish!

I'm all for asking questions, and pointless ones with the law of averages will be asked, but please, did you really have to ask in the first place?

 

[BrotherBenny]

I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a big deal.

^ Slow news day.

Not a slow news day, but I noticed it in another book I finished reading and it reminded me of The Angel of Death/Mack the Knife's usage.

Why do you keep using it?

As Mr Mack said, he has used it seven times out of 1 million words, which is an exceptionally small amount so why are you highlighting it? Plus, it's a far better way to describe gloomy, dark, infernal or hellish!

I'm all for asking questions, and pointless ones with the law of averages will be asked, but please, did you really have to ask in the first place?

I'm obsessive about things, and although it appears seven times in a million words - it appears at least once in each of his stories/books, which makes it a trademark or catchphrase. David Mack is the "Stygian Writer" and since he so ably kills people off, I think it's apt.

Christopher is the "Science Writer," DRGIII is the "Doorstop Writer," - they're trademarks. I think it's interesting.

 

[JAG]

I honestly never noticed it.