Exclamation Point Taken

Uh-oh. Red ink.

I scoured the page as my journalism professor, Verne Edwards, continued to hand out the graded papers.

I had thought my approach to the story was going to get a glowing response, but it had enough red marks to let me know it hadn't impressed.

The most violent slashes of red were through the exclamation points I had used a few times in the story to emphasize key points.

Verne Edwards (1924-2019)

After class I questioned his obvious displeasure in the exclamation points that I knew were grammatically correct.

His response?

"In my class you're a journalist. In addition to being your teacher, I'm your editor. As your editor, I'm telling you that you can only use an exclamation point if you are actually on fire and want to let me know in writing."

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Another lesson from Verne:

Get the Dog's Name

3 Examples of Writing Virtuosity

In just a few words spread over a few pages, Patricia Cornwell, in her book "Predator", expertly demonstrates 3 writing tools:

the metaphor

On page 32, Cornwell writes: "Wind gusting from the bay sounds like silk whipping, reminding her of silk stockings whipping on a clothesline,"

relate-ability

Cornwell continues: "although she has never seen silk stockings on a clothesline or heard what they sound like in the wind."

the call back

Seven pages later on page 39 Cornwell writes: "Lucy lies awake listening to the eerie whining of the wind, trying to figure out exactly what it sounds like, deciding it doesn't sound like silk stockings after all, but like something distressed and in pain."

Patricia Cornwell (1956-) is and American crime writer best known for her best-selling novels featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. Cornwell has sold over 120 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries and authored dozens of New York Times bestsellers. Her earlier work includes "Postmortem" - the only novel to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards and the French Pix du Roman d'Aventure in a single year.

Patricia Cornwell

Oops!

It's happened to us all. 

The embarrassing typo.

 
Here's one of mine:
 
The word was supposed to be "shift"
 
I wrote (and submitted) the word without the "f".
 
The line was supposed to read: "A subtle shift can have a major impact."
 
I didn't catch it.
 
The designer didn't catch it.
 
The client did.
 
Before it was went public, thank goodness.
 
Everybody had a good laugh, but I was mortified.

The Story Spine

This is Ken Adams' Story Spine:

It's part of Pixar's writing culture.

Monsters Inc. Finding Nemo. The Incredibles. Yeah, that Pixar.

It's a great start for story telling.

"In storytelling, the timing of ideas and actions is important to the audiences' understanding of the story." - John Lassiter, previously the chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios.

But it's just the start.

Andrew Stanton, writer of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E, adds, "Make me care. Please -- emotionally, intellectually, aesthetically -- just make me care."

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Here's another post about Pixar you should find interesting: I Learned It All From Pixar