Parentheses

Today was the worst day for finishing anything.

So hopefully this actually gets done.

(it will)

This week, I haven't been reading much, unless you count my chemistry textbook (I don't). However, I did stumble upon something very interesting today. I found a number of old unfinished stories that I have started over the past two years, and that was a delight/horror to read through. It made me think about the little things about writing that make something fantastic instead of just OK.

For example.

"I don't think that will work," he said thoughtfully.

vs.

He scratched his chin. "I don't think that will work."

Neither of these sentences are wrong. They're both just fine, actually. But I have always had a problem with my "tags", as I have learned they are called (learning is magic). One solution I have stumbled upon is called "Just Get Rid Of Them (Or Just Some Of Them)". It's the whole idea of "showing, not telling" and it has made writing a whole lot less stressful. Mostly because I don't have to look at a whole line of he said she saids.

Anyway. This week, my favorite piece of writing was this little scene I did and I like it mostly because it's silly and makes me laugh. And that is a goal of mine.

Here it is.

'POW!

The young man in black fell heavily to the ground. He rubbed his newly-punched face, but got up immediately, stumbling backwards.

Jane advanced. "You're making a mistake, you know."

The man sneered unconvincingly. "Well you're--" he tripped over something large and toppled unceremoniously to the ground in a tangled heap of limbs.

"Haha, YES! He totally fell for it!" Joe shouted triumphantly, getting up off his hands and knees. "No pun intended," he added.

"No..." Jane said, crossing over to the fallen man and dragging him to his feet. She relieved him of the bright purple purse he had tried to make off with. "Good work, Joe. I guess."

The man in black shook himself. "What the heck just happened?" he asked, outraged.

"You just fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Joe replied with a triumphant grin on his face. "Literally!"

"Would you stop that?" Jane said. "That joke wasn't even funny the first time." She turned her face to the man, still in her vice-like grip. "You tripped over Sloppy here. He was on his hands and knees, waiting for you to run down this way."

The man looked disbelieving. "What? THAT'S how you guys got me? That's so lame!"

"Watch it, buster!" said Joe warningly. "I got you fair and square!"

"Whatever," said the criminal grumpily. "Only old people say things like 'fair and square'."'