Forum: Author Hangout

Or anything

PotomacBob 🚫

In some of these examples from SOL, the "or anything" could have been eliminated without harm to the story:
• It wasn't that she was ugly or anything ...
• She didn't even own a bathing suit, or shorts, or sun top or anything.
• I was big for my age, not a physical specimen or anything …
• …never asked me how I'm doing or how I feel or if I'm ok or anything …
• …no lube or anything to get me ready …
* … hurt your or anything …
• You don't have a latex allergy or anything …
• No foreplay or anything

Replies: joyR awnlee jawking REP Justin Case

joyR 🚫
Updated:

@PotomacBob

For once you have a point, it appears that your examples lack something;

• It wasn't that she was ugly or anything like that...
• She didn't even own a bathing suit, or shorts, or sun top or anything similar.
• I was big for my age, not a physical specimen or anything, just a non-corporeal being …
• …never asked me how I'm doing or how I feel or if I'm ok or anything at all …
• …no lube or anything similar to get me ready …
• … hurt your or anything like that …
• You don't have a latex allergy or anything similar…
• No foreplay or anything else

:)

awnlee jawking 🚫

@PotomacBob

* … hurt your or anything …

I'm having difficulty imagining the rest of the sentence because it's not obvious what the 'your' could refer to.

I can think of some authors and writing experts who would wholeheartedly agree with you.

I'd use 'or anything' on occasion because of the meaning and because it slows a sentence down.

AJ

REP 🚫

@PotomacBob

It seems to me that some authors, myself included, want to be specific. However, being specific could result in a long list of items. Multiple long lists of items would likely harm the story.

'or anything' or similar phrases are used to shorten those long lists. I would say that that type of phrase can improve the story.

Justin Case 🚫

@PotomacBob

Just regional dialect sometimes.
It's all good.
Shows the way real people talk.

Almost as interesting, is the way I can tell a person from the "Michigan region" by the way they tend to use "and whatnot" in their speech.
Most other people in the US do not ise that particular saying.

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Forum: Author Hangout

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