Hey, all.  This is Freemage, and I'm trying desperately to cope with 
ways to deal with my current writer's block.  I've decided to do this 

in 

the classic fanfic author method:  Steal someone else's idea, and put 

an 

original spin on it!  Specifically, I'm going to take a cue from Elsa 
Bibbat's recent (and excellent) treatise on writing styles.

  However, since my own knowledge of that subject places me firmly in
the "student" category, I've decided to go with something I do
know--grammar.  Okay, now that fully two-thirds of those of you who
opened this have clicked the "Delete" option, I'll direct my comments
to the rest of you.

No problem. Grammar in fics _is_ a real problem, and it's always good to 
see someone deal with the subject informatively and entertainingly. 
Guess it's the influence of Schoolhouse Rock making itself felt in later 
life.

Please continue the series; this first installment was excellent. Just 
stick with Akane as your model (unless you want to write a Special on 
Amazon-Pidgin Grammar with Shampoo's help...)

I just have two nitpicks:

[POSSIBLE SPAM ALERT...
POSSIBLE SPAM ALERT...

Please, please, if you read any further, realize that I'm NOT trying to 
start a grammar thread here! I'm just letting Freemage know that his 
work has been read and pondered, and encouraging him to continue. If you 
disagree with the claims I'm making here and want to continue the 
discussion, please reply by private mail! Only you can keep Tybalt 
happy!]

American conventions differ _slightly_ from British conventions, 
especially where the quote is concerned. Canadian writers, of which the 
list boasts several, sometimes use the former, sometimes the latter. It 
isn't always a mistake...

And:

  Furthermore, there are just some things you can't do to a quote, no
matter how hard you try.  In order to have it appear in quotes, the
speaker has to make noise.  Therefore, no activity which is silent
can be used to convey a quote:

    WRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONGWRONG

       "Ranma, you are an idiot," Akane grimmaced.
       "Ranma, you are an idiot," Akane smiled.

  Get the picture?  If it doesn't make noise, you can't do a quote
with it.

I respectfully disagree with this position. You're right from the common 
sense, plain language viewpoint (and I believe you have the stricter 
versions of the "rules of English usage" on your side), but I would 
accept this as an acceptable "figurative" use of language on grounds of 
elegance or specific effect _provided_ it isn't overused, it actually 
makes sense, and it's verbally graceful. The examples you cite probably 
pass this test. Of course, if the author who uses this device 
gratuitously is also murdering the English language in other respects, 
you might rightly suspect that he _isn't_ being deliberately figurative, 
but just incompetent.

Jim Champagne
jwc70@hotmail.com

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