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meridian_rose8 - Do you use the passive voice or active voice? Both? Do you make a conscious decision to do it, or is it simply something that happens? When do you use passive voice versus active voice, and why? Example of passive voice: The ball was thrown by the boy. Example of active voice: The boy threw the ball.
I don't know. Sometimes Word insists I'm using the passive voice – but Word is often wrong about grammar, especially when it comes to creative works rather than formal letters. Sometimes the passive voice works – maybe the ball is the important object here; the ball lands in a clump of grass and lies hidden for years... until the protagonist finds it.
Some of these questions, more so than the previous meme, are harder for me to answer – if anyone who has read my work wants to differ on my interpretations, feel free. I might be doing things that I'm not aware of :D
ETA: I found an article that gives some examples of when passive voice is undesirable as well as some examples of where it can be useful.
I'll make an index post when I've completed the meme with links to all my answers; they will all be tagged #how fiction works meme. You can find the full set of questions at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pristineungift's entry:here
I don't know. Sometimes Word insists I'm using the passive voice – but Word is often wrong about grammar, especially when it comes to creative works rather than formal letters. Sometimes the passive voice works – maybe the ball is the important object here; the ball lands in a clump of grass and lies hidden for years... until the protagonist finds it.
Some of these questions, more so than the previous meme, are harder for me to answer – if anyone who has read my work wants to differ on my interpretations, feel free. I might be doing things that I'm not aware of :D
ETA: I found an article that gives some examples of when passive voice is undesirable as well as some examples of where it can be useful.
I'll make an index post when I've completed the meme with links to all my answers; they will all be tagged #how fiction works meme. You can find the full set of questions at
pristineungift's entry:here
no subject
Date: 2011-08-30 02:58 pm (UTC)This meme does look hard - I haven't made up my mind whether I'm ready to do it myself.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-30 03:47 pm (UTC)Agreed that the meme is a bit more intellectual and thought provoking than the very basic 'what's your preferred genre' types. Still, I might discover a few things about writing in general and my style in particular :D
I found an article that gives some examples of when passive voice is undesirable as well as some examples of where it can be useful. I'll edit that in, I think :D
no subject
Date: 2011-08-30 06:37 pm (UTC)Word annoys me frequently when correcting stuff I've put in deliberately.