tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2900400989542449946.post2879252637740216158..comments2023-10-07T05:43:59.348-07:00Comments on Ruby Slippers Media: Clarifying What's PassiveMerrie Destefanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05203050209649023932noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2900400989542449946.post-83153576706966749342014-06-01T17:21:54.154-07:002014-06-01T17:21:54.154-07:00Good points, Adam. I used passive voice in any num...Good points, Adam. I used passive voice in any number of notes to as a teacher. <br /><br />But you've also explained why passive voice is frowned upon in fiction. Novelists <b>should</b> know the agent and <b>should</b> want the reader to know who it is and <b>should</b> want to assign responsibility to that agent. Still, there are times and places where passive is right. The real rule of fiction is, If it works, it's right. ;-)<br /><br />BeckyRebecca LuElla Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06823550402103559922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2900400989542449946.post-26426411924969270602014-06-01T17:15:22.033-07:002014-06-01T17:15:22.033-07:00Pam, your agent has identified one of the things t...Pam, your agent has identified one of the things that happens when we become a slave to writing "rules." The same thing is true, for example, when people try to avoid ending sentences with a preposition--sometimes the structure becomes so convoluted, it's hard to know what the sentence is saying, and it certainly doesn't sound like how people talk.<br /><br />But that's why we need critiques and edits--sometimes we don't hear the awkwardness ourselves. We're simply trying to do what we understand to be good writing practice.<br /><br />Glad this helped clarify passive for you, Pam.<br /><br />BeckyRebecca LuElla Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06823550402103559922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2900400989542449946.post-44857647064950089902014-05-28T11:16:38.381-07:002014-05-28T11:16:38.381-07:00Even the actual, real, honest-to-God passive voice...Even the actual, real, honest-to-God passive voice is a good thing when used correctly. The purpose of passive voice is to obscure (or at least take the focus off) the agent because A) he or she is not known or B) I don't want YOU to know who it is for some reason. Sometimes passive voice is used to avoid assigning blame/responsibility...which explains its popularity with politicians and lawyers. Over using it is deadly dull and can quickly become confusing. But avoiding it entirely is silly. All human languages have structures for doing these jobs (even Ergative-Absolutive languages which don't, strictly speaking make the same active/passive distinction) because they are necessary to human communication. (Well, except maybe Pirahã, but they don't do anything like the rest of humanity!)<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04885755263508820905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2900400989542449946.post-19005270052395466762014-05-28T10:15:27.853-07:002014-05-28T10:15:27.853-07:00Thank you for this post, Becky. It helped clarify...Thank you for this post, Becky. It helped clarify the differences of passive voice for me. I worked so hard to eliminate "was" and my agent said it's okay to use it - like, when it's obvious I'm trying to eliminate "was." She said that's worse than using it. Pam Halterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13127583435847589529noreply@blogger.com