Three writing tips you shoudn't listen to

[SyronicHero]

For now, I'll only comment on the OP post, as its naivete slapped me so silly I could not help but to jump into this feeding frenzy. As such, it's regretful I'm merely reiterating points already made.

First of all, ignore writing advice? How do you propose people learn, trial and error? Should we abolish community colleges, art and music schools, writing courses? Writing advice relies on platitudes, to be sure, but that does not inherently devalue their tenets.

1. Write what you know.

That's not what "Write what you know" entails. Strawman one. Knowledge can be researched (something many writers fail to do! See Hollywood and Dan Brown!) Even taken literally, you are conflating knowledge with experience, something everyone from the Average Joe to the most erudite philosopher doesn't ordinarily do. Know that. Then again, I don't work on the arcane dictionary-making board, or whatever it's called, thusly I shouldn't be so limited by what others think my words mean.

2. Don't use adverbs.

More like "minimize adverbs", but okay. Strawman two. Adverbs are not knives; they are scalpels. They should be used with surgical precision to sharpen an otherwise vague or plain description.

3. Don't use "said" over and over again; use synonyms instead.

Actually, that IS bad advice. I agree. But where did you hear that was good advice in the first place, seeing I've yet to hear anybody suggest this? (Probable strawman three.) Note that I agree here; "said" should be used about 90% of the time. Even better? Don't add unnecessary bookisms. Let the words speak for themselves. Only use bookisms in the "surgical precision" spirit of tip 2 (see above) and to avert who's-saying-what confusion; there is nothing more frustrating than having to stop reading and go back because you ask yourself "Who said that? Let me count A and B 10 lines up and..." It's a showstopper and a mood-killer. Don't do it.

Fortunately, this is outside the purview of most VNs, as they are formatted as screenplays so the speaker's name will always be on screen. Truthfully, I don't know why it was brought up.

To be blunt? This thread's existence (the first post) reflects quite badly on the would-be literary merit of VNs. It is, ironically, doling out the bad advice it seeks to crusade against. Normally, this would be inconsequential, but considering the rank of the author, I'd advise on amending the original post.

Now, politely excuse me as I immediately go lovingly, furiously, awesomely bloomingly unleash my purely obscurantist postmodernistically poststructuralistic magnum opus epically.

[Cith]

Actually, that IS bad advice. I agree. But where did you hear that was good advice in the first place, seeing I've yet to hear anybody suggest this? (Probable strawman three.)

I’ve seen people mention the odd workshop where the writer would advise students to limit the use of the word ‘said’ in favour of other synonyms. Don’t ask me where I read it, I didn’t think it important enough to note.

[Taleweaver]

I should point out that this thread isn't about historical realism in fantasy. It's about writing tips one shouldn't listen to, and that in my opinion "Write what you know", taken at face value, is one of these tips, whereas "Do your research" is a tip one SHOULD listen to.

As far as the current Lembas discussion is concerned, I actually consider Lembas a plot idea the author did well. It is an absolutely unrealistic, magical piece of equipment that's ultra-convenient to have around, but it's a necessity for the journey our heroes are going on - from the way Mordor is described, there's hardly another way they could have made that trip. That much said, it also neatly fits into the world Tolkien wrote, with his elves an immortal, innately magical people whose very household items pretty much have a soul of their own - their ropes untie themselves when you need to loosen a knot you made, they are able to keep starlight in bottles, and a mere sprinkle of earth from their home fertilizes an entire garden. The existence of Lembas rounds off everything you already know about elves, and at the same time, it keeps the plot going.

See why "write what you know" can be a bad idea? You know that making rabbit stew on the road isn't realistic. You know that Sam and Frodo should have packed extra socks. But if you just get this knowledge out of the way and focus on "what would make a good scene", like one where the hobbits are talking about their favorite pastime - eating - or a description of hobbits not even needing socks because their feet are pretty much natural shoes, you have a way of creating immersion.

That much said, please keep the discussion civil.

[Taleweaver]

3. Don't use "said" over and over again; use synonyms instead.

Actually, that IS bad advice. I agree. But where did you hear that was good advice in the first place, seeing I've yet to hear anybody suggest this?

I'm fourty years old now, and when I was fourteen, it's what I was taught in school. When I used "said" two times in a row, my teacher would underline it red and put a big red "W" for "Wiederholung" ("repetition") next to it. We were supposed to use all the words we knew, and we were taught that this was good style. Sure, the books I read were different, but all I read those days were fantasy and sci-fi, obvious "low literature".

It wasn't until I was out of school and started writing more that I realized that all my language teachers had taught me a cringeworthy, purple-prose-style, and I worked hard to lose it.

[Mad Harlequin]

Not just my opinion. It is well established in writing and literary circles that Deus ex machinas are poor writing, and they are not recommended. Ignore this consensus if you wish.

That's certainly true, but I do not consider lembas a deus ex machina. And thus, we part ways.