Remember 2 weeks ago? When I told you that I love TV, and I learn storytelling techniques when I watch shows? Well, guess what?
I’m not the only one who loves watching TV.
Ginger loves watching TV, too.
Like mother. Like fur-daughter.
As soon as she catches a glimpse of an animal on TV…
-She sits up (technically, she rolls up because she’s a little chunky — no judgment).
-Her ears perk up (like she put them in a push-up bra).
-And she stares up at the TV (tilting her head ever so slightly).
I think she’d die from excitement if the other animal came through the screen. She’d run-up on it, sniff its butt, and fall over like a fainting goat. (Have you ever watched a fainting goat faint? YouTube it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.)
She loves TV so much that I program my DVR to record her favorite shows. (Why should I be the only one who gets entertained and enlightened?)
Pitbulls and Parolees
The Puppy Bowl
Reruns of The Dog Whisperer
This list could go on for at least 20 more lines.
I think she has a problem. Maybe an intervention would help her?
Know what copy edit intervention would help your readers?
An over-the-top exaggeration.One that couldn’t possibly be true. Like I used above:
“I think she’d die from excitement if the other animal came through the screen. She’d run-up on it, sniff its butt, and fall over like a fainting goat. (Have you ever watched a fainting goat faint? YouTube it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.)”
An over-the-top exaggeration places emphasis & humor on a particular action, feeling, or feature and isn’t meant to be taken literally.
This copy edit tip takes an ordinary situation and transforms it into a remarkable situation that your readers will devour.
Try it the next time you want to turn mundane into flowing, flawless & fun.