Writing Style

I have a certain style in my writing, and it works for me. Usually, I'll try to end with a strong quote in a gamer or feature, and I'll end a column with a strong statement. This, however, bugs me.

From the AP Indians-A's gamer: "I figured sooner or later I'd hit a home run," he said.

I have an extreme distaste for ending an article with "Sabathia said." or something of that nature. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, per se, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Does anyone else feel the same?

 

I try to avoid it, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it if I finish an article that way.

 

when you're on deadline, all those little rules and pet peeves seem to become meaningless

 

I hate the 'he said' ending as well. If I have a short ending quote I always make it. Said Jones, "Amazing quote."

 

I don't have any hard and fast rules for or against this. Sometimes a "he said" ending works fine. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it doesn't but you're on deadline and there's nothing you can do about it anyway.

 

readers remember more that Travis Hafner said that than how the story ended.

 

"I figured sooner or later," he said, "I'd hit a home run."

 

Amen.

 

I'm not a fan of the split quote. I think it's overdone.

That being said, I'm not a fan of finishing a story on a quote, either. Unless it's incredibly strong or tender, I'd put my money on a good writer coming up with something that hits harder.

I understand deadline pressure and all, and I understand that rules are made to be broken... It's just my preference. I'd rather read writing than talking.

 

Split quote is way overdone. I'll pretty much only use it for emphasis on certain parts of the quote and I do so very rarely. I could probably count on one hand how many times I've done it in the last five years.

 

I agree with both of you on that point. But it irks me a bit to end it "Hafner said." And I am an OCD kind of guy.

And there have been times where I know a mistake is in my final copy and it keeps me up a bit. Never this issue, but there have been others.

 

To me how you end it doesn't matter. You have to start well to get them in the door.

There's no law that says they have to read you ... or finish the story. Write well and don't worry about the ending.