Which of your phrase-turns are you most proud of?

[Terence Mann]

This may out me, but when the lights went out for a minute during a HS basketball game, I wrote that: Bumbleburg shot the lights out Saturday night. Literally.

I'm guessing Bumbleburg did not literally shoot the lights out. Do you know what the word literally means? You might think you do, but your lede suggests you don't.

Unless someone shot a gun at the lights and forced them to go out, this is another case of a writer turning figuratively into literally.

Sorry, just a huge pet peeve of mine.

 

[funky_mountain]

most of us here are in the word business, and we like to think we can string some words together that impress. there's nothing wrong with turning phrases from time to time. sometimes they come naturally, sometimes you have to work at it. sometimes you work at it, and they don't work. sometimes you work at it, and they do work. it's all part of the process.

but when it comes to phrases, sentences, graphs you thought were stellar .. if you were to ask your boss about some of your best work, your boss will probably have a different story in mind than the one you do.

 

[Satchel Pooch]

This may out me, but when the lights went out for a minute during a HS basketball game, I wrote that: Bumbleburg shot the lights out Saturday night. Literally.

I'm guessing Bumbleburg did not literally shoot the lights out. Do you know what the word literally means? You might think you do, but your lede suggests you don't.

Unless someone shot a gun at the lights and forced them to go out, this is another case of a writer turning figuratively into literally.

Sorry, just a huge pet peeve of mine.

Pet peeve of mine, too. It was literally a joke because I've seen that lede once a year or so in
prep coverage.

 

[joe]

In the late '90s, Vijay went low in the Masters first round to take an early lead, but then the rest of the day got washed out. My hedline: Singh, and then the rain.
Rip away.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I like it.

 

[I'll never tell]

we used VJ day as a headline once ... i know kinda weak. I like Singh, and then the rain better

 

[Meatwad]

Ronde Barber had a big game last season, so I went with a "Barber's Shop" headline.

Yeah... that sounded better last year.

 

[rgd]

This may out me, but when the lights went out for a minute during a HS basketball game, I wrote that: Bumbleburg shot the lights out Saturday night. Literally.

I'm guessing Bumbleburg did not literally shoot the lights out. Do you know what the word literally means? You might think you do, but your lede suggests you don't.

Unless someone shot a gun at the lights and forced them to go out, this is another case of a writer turning figuratively into literally.

Sorry, just a huge pet peeve of mine.

Pet peeve of mine, too. It was literally a joke because I've seen that lede once a year or so in
prep coverage.

I've also seen this type of lede a handful of times. I'm probably wrote a lead like that some years ago.

Would this be a better lede:

Bumbleburg shot the lights out Saturday night. Figuratively.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

No. There are times when


almost literally


works for me. I'm not sure if this is one of those times.

 

[rgd]

I don't think it is either. Literally.

 

[Columbo]

When I wrote my first story for Esquire -- flat-out shirtting myself, knowing that everybody was going to wonder why some no-name dickhead was writing in place of Charlie Pierce -- I hit what I thought was a good note, writing about Barry Zito. I wrote that his curveball "dropped like a broken heart."

Remember when Kathy Lee Gifford sang the anthem at the Super Bowl a decade or so ago?

She was pretty much booed from the start, and it seemed tears were welling up.... either from the reception, or the upcoming unsurmountable high notes.

I wish I could recall who wrote it, but the next day I spilled java at "... her face dropped like the peso."

 

[Columbo]

In the late '90s, Vijay went low in the Masters first round to take an early lead, but then the rest of the day got washed out. My hedline: Singh, and then the rain.
Rip away.

I probably would have gone with ... Singh in in the rain.... if I was going for that.