I don't know if this is too much to ask, but would you consider doing a video where you take an excerpt of McCarthy or Wallace (or whoever) and highlight it like you recommended? Like a sort of technical breakdown so we can see the mechanics of a great passage? Also, where can we read your writing?

Besides passive verbs, adverbs, gerunds, and pronouns, are there any other words you watch out for? Perhaps an instructional video applying this method to improve a page of writing?? Really loving these videos, thank you!

Really solid content for writers. Subbed and looking forward to more :))

This is incredibly helpful! Thank you!

Would you ever make a video on Kurt Vonnegut?

Oh man, gerunds are one of my biggest aesthetic pet peeves. It’s got something to do with the nasalness of the -ing ending. When you get a cluster of them on the page it’s like ringing in the ears.

You often mention layering and contrast, but I've yet to hear you explain them. Maybe I missed that vid. If not, could you make one?

Spider web idea is very helpful. As an example of a third person scifi novel may be more passive than say a current time political article?

Very nice breakdown on this. It leaves me wondering, though, should a writer lose focus on their output in favor of rereading and risk stagnation. Of course, the work must be rendered and stitched. At which point, the flaws should become apparent.

Fuckin amazing video!! Can't wait for more!!

I earned a BA in English with honors, but I've realized there are gaps in my understanding, like with terms such as "jerran" (which I later found out is "gerunds"). It's disheartening because I invested time and money in college expecting to learn these aspects of English thoroughly. Now, watching your videos, I feel a bit lost. Any advice on where I can properly learn English rules? Public school and college didn't cover everything, and I'm eager to fill in the gaps.

If I wanted to learn more about punctuation and grammar, etc. where would you recommend to go or view?

Even Miss Sally Rooney said that standard punctuation is made for mental invalids, to somewhat paraphrase.

Churning out content 💪🏿

love the pod. the lesson you're teaching here sounds very cart before the horse - not sure if telling a story should get too caught up in the technicals whilst doing so, no? for example, isn't voice and tone more important than micro-ing each sentence along the way; i mean if you've read enough isn't the act of writing second nature, a boxer setting up a knock-out punch here and there? maybe teaching younger students awareness of certain aspects is beneficial, but i think real writers are only concerned with voice and tone, music. i wonder how would you visit the concepts in this lesson to: The Great Gatsby, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the writings of Charles Bukowski? at some point writing goes way beyond clinicians and enters art, making and breaking rules as one goes along. for example, what i've written here was only concentrated on communicating a point - there was no consideration of technique other than conveying an idea.. thoughts?

“… other ROMANCE languages?’

So I get why we don’t want too many adverbs or passive verbs, but why not pronouns?