Erica Mena

Poet | Book Artist | Translator

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Tag: style

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Bad Writing

August 11, 2010 by Erica Mena

A few weeks ago I wrote a little about the Bulwer-Lytton contest for the worst opening line of a fictional work. Recently, my freelance work as a copyeditor has given me access to some of the worst written non-fiction sentences I’ve read since I stopped reading philosophy and literary theory a few years ago. I’ve been complaining a bit about particular instances here (yesterday’s post on the verb “use” being underused…) and on Twitter (@ericamena, if anyone cares). So it […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: style, writing

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Use Use

August 10, 2010 by Erica Mena

What is the problem with the verb use? I would really like to know who decided that use was too plain/simple/boring to be used anymore, and started the rash of other, highly upsetting jargon-y words that mean something close to use. Like utilize, for example. Can anyone give me a good reason that I should utilize a word instead of use it? Or deploy. Or employ. For example: I am currently employing my spoon to eat cereal? In what world […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: grammar, style

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