Dressing up

[pjthompson]

Random quote of the day:


“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college."

—Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country





















Disclaimer: The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

Comments

[marshallpayne1.livejournal.com]

Indeed! I was just thinking about this quote the other day when reading a recently published novel replete with the nasty things. Every now and then they're fine and serve a purpose, but not one or three every page.

[pjthompson]

Like all "exotic" punctuation: use sparingly. My bete noire are dashes. I spend a hell of a lot of time de-dashifying my mss. At least I've finally beat back my over use of ellipses. I only use those every other page now. ;-)

[marshallpayne1.livejournal.com]

I probably use ellipses more than any other "exotic" punctuation. I like dashes--they're informal, relaxed. One place I never use a semicolon is in dialog. I know the writer's job is to render words onto the page in the best manner for readers to read them, but people don't talk in semicolons. At least I don't. ;-)

[pjthompson]

No. I don't think I've ever used them in dialog and can't imagine doing it.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Ha! *mocks Vonnegut's silliness!*

*cheers Tim Curry!*

I wanted to write a couple of sentences with semicolons, but I think it is pretty evident that I know how to practice restraint. :P

[pjthompson]

I don't think there's anything wrong with them if, as I said to Marshall, they're used sparingly. Sometimes if you want to write along poeticish passage with linked clauses they're just the thing.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Yep, I see no reason to shun *any* of our tools. We may use a hammer more than a wood file, but when you need that wood file, why reach for a hammer?

[pjthompson]

Bam! You hit it on the head.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

You are always so quick on the draw. :P

[pjthompson]

Sometimes, though, my comments are wrenching.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*rofl* Stop! You're killing me. :P

[pjthompson]

I give my awl for jokes.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

NO, no, really. Stop. I'm going to bust a gut, and that would be bad for baby

[pjthompson]

For the sake of the child, I will refrain. :-)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*giggles* My child thanks you. ;)

[asatomuraki.livejournal.com]

I really don't understand this fear of semicolons. Or of transvestite hermaphrodites. (How can one be a transvestite hermaphrodite? If you have both genders, how can you dress like the wrong one?)

But I still love the quote and the picture. :D

[pjthompson]

Yes, if you deconstruct the quote it's sort of "Whaaaa?" But it's fun anyway. :-D

[asatomuraki.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry. My brain goes to weird places sometimes.

Also, is it wrong that I think Tim Curry in drag is hot, but not in drag, not so much? *giggle*

[pjthompson]

I wasn't critting you for deconstructing. You weren't the only one and I did, too.

And no, I don't think that's weird about Tim Curry at all. :-D

[bummble.livejournal.com]

Well, I am a big fan of transvestite hermephrodites... ;-)

But of Vonnegut, too!
And I haven't read this book yet; that must be remedied asap.

[bummble.livejournal.com]

HermAphrodites.

I can spell, really I can... Guess I was thinking about Hermes while I wrote that!

[pjthompson]

I know you can. Hermes was tricksing you. He's like that.

[bummble.livejournal.com]

Now I want to write a story about a tricksy hermephrodite.
In drag.

(the hermephrodite would be in drag I mean, not me. Although actually, dragwriting; not a bad idea, really...)

[pjthompson]

Do it! Sounds great!

[pjthompson]

It was published, I believe, just before his death. Thin little volume.

[bummble.livejournal.com]

I'm tempted to buy it, but I really shouldn't right now...

They have it in Dutch in the local library, might give that a go.

Vonnegut was one of my first literary loves - I sort of wandered into him sideways via sf, during my teens.

[pjthompson]

I wandered into him through Slaughterhouse Five, which still remains my favorite of his stuff that I've read.

[kythiaranos.livejournal.com]

The MoTab and I like semicolons. Especially when they look like Tim Curry in drag.

[pjthompson]

Everything goes better with Tim Curry in drag!

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

Damn it; he's right.

[pjthompson]

Go ahead; show you went to college; that you're an; editor—and stuff!!!

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

The only one who could ever understand me has died. ;(

(omg, you don't think he's going to come back and slap me for that, do you?)

[pjthompson]

Almost certainly. ;)