Editing 483: Fiction Rule of Thumb
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[[Randall]] uses a graph that purports that the more words an author makes up, the less likely their book is any good. To demonstrate this, he provides an example where a hypothetical author uses four made-up words in a single sentence: "Fra'as", "Farmlings", "Krytoses", and "Awesomer". The author clearly does not see that having to insert explanations of all the made-up words makes the sentence extremely clumsy. | [[Randall]] uses a graph that purports that the more words an author makes up, the less likely their book is any good. To demonstrate this, he provides an example where a hypothetical author uses four made-up words in a single sentence: "Fra'as", "Farmlings", "Krytoses", and "Awesomer". The author clearly does not see that having to insert explanations of all the made-up words makes the sentence extremely clumsy. | ||
| − | The title text declares that the average author is allowed five invented words per book before this rule is invoked against them, but mentions that {{w|J.R.R. Tolkien}} and {{w|Lewis | + | The title text declares that the average author is allowed five invented words per book before this rule is invoked against them, but mentions that {{w|J.R.R. Tolkien}} and {{w|Lewis Carrol}} are exceptions, as they are both very famous, well-respected writers {{w|Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien|who made words up}} {{w|Jabberwocky|all the time}}. |
Randall also makes a dig at ''{{w|Anathem}}'', a speculative fiction novel by {{w|Neal Stephenson}} about a monastic order on another planet that studies science, mathematics, and philosophy. The book is noteworthy for having a very large number of {{tvtropes|CallARabbitASmeerp|made-up or repurposed words,}} enough to require its own glossary. One of the more common other-worldly words is ''fraa'' (without an apostrophe), as an analogue to "{{wiktionary|friar#Noun|friar}}"/"{{wiktionary|frère#French|brother}}". | Randall also makes a dig at ''{{w|Anathem}}'', a speculative fiction novel by {{w|Neal Stephenson}} about a monastic order on another planet that studies science, mathematics, and philosophy. The book is noteworthy for having a very large number of {{tvtropes|CallARabbitASmeerp|made-up or repurposed words,}} enough to require its own glossary. One of the more common other-worldly words is ''fraa'' (without an apostrophe), as an analogue to "{{wiktionary|friar#Noun|friar}}"/"{{wiktionary|frère#French|brother}}". | ||
