Apostrophe needed in “theres”, spaces needed after the second and third commas, and extra space before the question mark.
Probably because it’s easier to grasp relationships between ideas–especially more subtle and more complex ideas–with things like subordination, complex sentences, modifying phrases, etc.
The whole “always use short/simple sentences” screed comes from middle school English teachers who don’t really know how to teach writing and just want to make correcting grammar easier. True, sometimes developing writers think they need to launch into hyper-academic terms and expressions, and that’s obviously undesirable.
However, when developing writers start attempting to express more complex ideas, by necessity they are going to stumble more with mechanics and grammar. If such writers are dedicated and willing to continue–and, most importantly, hungry to read good models of writing–they will eventually pick up what they need to do. But the lazy English teacher who sees only the grammatical errors, and ignores the expression itself, just says, “Don’t try that! Use simple, short sentences. (It’s easier for me to ‘correct.’”)
Imagine if you persistently forbade your two-year-old from putting more than two words together for fear that it wouldn’t be grammatically correct.
Damn you arch nemesis!
Based on what I’ve seen at work lately, I’d even lower the bar to say that good writing is the clear expression of a coherent thought using the right words, and no more. Sometimes a solid idea exists and the writing is the culprit when it comes to incoherence. At work, we’ve been getting the worst copy I have seen in years, and it has become obvious that the problem is not just in execution, but that the thought itself is half-baked and not fully realized from the get-go. Like when people start talking before they’ve actually decided what they are about to say.
Come on, you know you need a comma after the “you”. Now you’re just baiting me.
And a hyphen between “arch” and “nemesis.”
If other people tell you it’s good writing, then it’s good writing.
All worthwhile writing must have a purpose.
Good technical writing imparts knowledge with brevity and clarity.
Good creative writing evokes emotion and leaves the reader a little bit wiser than when they started.
In case I miss out any in the future…
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Insert as required.
Whoops, nearly forgot…
_ _ _ _ _ //////////////////////////////////////////////// ((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Wow. I’ve found a new hero.
I think that you’re ever so clever.
Are you going to show me how many pressups you can do now ?
At this point, any writer who doesn’t use “sneered,” “snarled,” and “shouted” so often and so inappropriately that I want to throw the book across the room. (I’m currently reading “Enigma” by C.F. Bentley if you’re wondering.)