Writing: In Praise of Personal Pronouns

In Praise of Personal Pronouns

Written by Robert F. Abbott

Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock in repparttar

liveliness of repparttar 128996

written word.

One way of getting that liveliness into our writing, he said, is to use repparttar 128997 personal pronouns: you, me, I, we, us, he, she, him, her, and they.

When we use personal pronouns, several important things happen. For starters, we personalize our writing, and that makes it easier for readers to relate to repparttar 128998 subject.

For example, which of repparttar 128999 following two sentences would be more effective? (1) The use of personal pronouns personalizes written communication. (2) When we use personal pronouns, we personalize our writing.

I think you would agree that sentence 2, with several personal pronouns, is more lively and more likely to be understood. That sentence allows readers and listeners to relate to repparttar 129000 words; in other words, there's a personal connection. On repparttar 129001 other hand, repparttar 129002 first sentence is a collection of abstract concepts.

Interview with Suspense Author Peter Abrahams

Written by Jennifer Minar

Interview with Thriller Writer Peter Abrahams by Jennifer Minar

Peter Abrahams is repparttar author of thirteen novels, including "The Tutor," (Ballantine Books) "A Perfect Crime," (Ballantine Books), "The Fan" (Fawcett Books), and most recently, "Their Wildest Dreams" (Ballantine Books).

Known for his sharp wit and incredible gift for keeping readers on repparttar 128994 edge of their seats, Abrahams has been entertaining readers for more than two decades--spinning multi-layered tales involving ordinary people who find themselves in horrific situations. Nominated for repparttar 128995 Edgar Award, and known for his memorable, unique characters, colorful writing style, and non-stop suspense, Peter Abrahams seems to have it all--even repparttar 128996 praise of horror author Stephen King.

Here is what he had to tell Writer's Break.

THE INTERVIEW

WB: What formal training did you have before becoming an author?

Peter: I had little formal training. My mother--who wrote television drama--taught me a lot about writing when I was very young. For example--don't use linking words between sentences (however, nevertheless, etc.), but use linked ideas, mood, rhythm.

WB: What's a typical writing day like for you?

Peter: Typical writing day--I drive my daughter to school, hit repparttar 128997 gym, then breakfast and finally repparttar 128998 office, where I work from about 10 to 5. Late in a book I sometimes do more after dinner.

WB: How long does it typically take for you to complete a novel?

Peter: The actual writing of a book takes me 5-6 months if everything is going well. I wouldn't call myself fast, just steady.

WB: What inspired you to write your latest novel, “Their Wildest Dreams”?

Peter: I don't know if inspired is repparttar 128999 word. I've often got little ideas drifting around in my mind. In repparttar 129000 case of "THEIR WILDEST DREAMS," I was thinking a struggling woman and a Russian immigrant and a heist gone bad. Then, on Don Imus's radio show, I heard Delbert McClinton singing a song called When Rita Leaves. Most of repparttar 129001 story--Mackie, repparttar 129002 southwest, repparttar 129003 dude ranch, Buckaroo's--came to me in repparttar 129004 next five minutes.

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