Starting a sentence without using "The".

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

[I_Write_Ivre]

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

[Ysavvryl]

None of the sentences in your post start with 'the'.

Why do you hate 'the' at the beginning of a sentence? It has a job to do, and it does its job well; seems like an odd nitpick to have. But if you really want to, just read around and see how other sentences are structured.

In my opinion, it's better to make sure that you have varied sentence structures in a work rather than trying to avoid one particular structure. This keeps the text from reading in a monotonous fashion.

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

Of course it's the bigger issue. That's what this is about. It sounds abrupt, like it prevents the flow.

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

Ysavvryl

None of the sentences in your post start with 'the'.

Why do you hate 'the' at the beginning of a sentence? It has a job to do, and it does its job well; seems like an odd nitpick to have. But if you really want to, just read around and see how other sentences are structured.

In my opinion, it's better to make sure that you have varied sentence structures in a work rather than trying to avoid one particular structure. This keeps the text from reading in a monotonous fashion.

In my story, most of my paragraphs do not start with "the", either. Still, unless I want to specify a particular person or thing, I'll use "the". Your last paragraph is what I'm mostly concerned with. I feel "the" can ruin that, especially if used enough times.

[I_Write_Ivre]

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

Of course it's the bigger issue. That's what this is about. It sounds abrupt, like it prevents the flow.

Actually, 'the' is more invisible to a reader than 'said.' If this is about fluidity, it's not because you use the word 'the', but due to repetition, which can apply to any word.

[Ysavvryl]

Pseudo-Onkelos

Ysavvryl

None of the sentences in your post start with 'the'.

Why do you hate 'the' at the beginning of a sentence? It has a job to do, and it does its job well; seems like an odd nitpick to have. But if you really want to, just read around and see how other sentences are structured.

In my opinion, it's better to make sure that you have varied sentence structures in a work rather than trying to avoid one particular structure. This keeps the text from reading in a monotonous fashion.

In my story, most of my paragraphs do not start with "the", either. Still, unless I want to specify a particular person or thing, I'll use "the". Your last paragraph is what I'm mostly concerned with. I feel "the" can ruin that, especially if used enough times.

lvre's got it right; readers won't notice a 'the' unless you point it out or it's being used in every phrase..

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

Of course it's the bigger issue. That's what this is about. It sounds abrupt, like it prevents the flow.

Actually, 'the' is more invisible to a reader than 'said.' If this is about fluidity, it's not because you use the word 'the', but due to repetition, which can apply to any word.

Yeah, that's true. Like "as". I don't think I'm guilty of using that in my story I'm writing so far, but if I am, I can go back to fix that up.

[I_Write_Ivre]

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

Of course it's the bigger issue. That's what this is about. It sounds abrupt, like it prevents the flow.

Actually, 'the' is more invisible to a reader than 'said.' If this is about fluidity, it's not because you use the word 'the', but due to repetition, which can apply to any word.

Yeah, that's true. Like "as". I don't think I'm guilty of using that in my story I'm writing so far, but if I am, I can go back to fix that up.

It sounds like your writing needs a hard edit (meticulous wording changes to keep the voice, but adjust flow).

[Pseudo-Onkelos]

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

I_Write_Ivre

Pseudo-Onkelos

Is there a way of doing this when writing a story? I don't know about anyone else, but I personally hate the definite article, especially as a way of beginning a sentence in a new paragraph. Are there any methods to avoid this?

What's wrong with a definite article?

This sounds like the bigger issue here.

Of course it's the bigger issue. That's what this is about. It sounds abrupt, like it prevents the flow.

Actually, 'the' is more invisible to a reader than 'said.' If this is about fluidity, it's not because you use the word 'the', but due to repetition, which can apply to any word.

Yeah, that's true. Like "as". I don't think I'm guilty of using that in my story I'm writing so far, but if I am, I can go back to fix that up.

It sounds like your writing needs a hard edit (meticulous wording changes to keep the voice, but adjust flow).

I only have a one-and-a-half page chapter right now. I'm sure some suggestions can be made, but as far as a hard edit, I don't know.

[SilverRinehart66]

Use nouns or verbs instead, then? Not that hard to do, really. razz

[Se4Queen]

Just do it..

Rather then 'The dog ran away from his owner.'
Write 'And away ran the dog, leaving his owner behind.' or 'He ran, the dog, away from his owner..'

[Rennie`]

Don't completely stop using 'the' to start sentences. Of course, you don't want to start every sentence the same way (like 'And then.... And then....'), use variety and, as everyone has said, make sure it's fluid.

[PKMN Breeder Aello]

Once, I noticed that J.K. Rowling used the word, "said" frequently in her books. There was a page at the end of a chapter in the first book where I think the characters were in Hagird's house or talking about Hagrid or something, whatever. First Harry "said". Then Hermione "said". And then Ron "said." I looked throughout the rest of the book and "said" was extremely prevalent. My high school English teacher had just passed out a massive list of every word you could use instead of "said" that very week!

So I thought, wow, J.k. Rowling is hardly a real writer. She's got no skill. This is just garbage promoted by pop culture. But I kept reading till the end. When the next book came out, I bought that too. Eventually I had purchased and finished all seven books and had forgotten all about it until I read this topic on Gaia. wink

[Lazarus Larkin]

PKMN Breeder Aello

Once, I noticed that J.K. Rowling used the word, "said" frequently in her books. There was a page at the end of a chapter in the first book where I think the characters were in Hagird's house or talking about Hagrid or something, whatever. First Harry "said". Then Hermione "said". And then Ron "said." I looked throughout the rest of the book and "said" was extremely prevalent. My high school English teacher had just passed out a massive list of every word you could use instead of "said" that very week!

So I thought, wow, J.k. Rowling is hardly a real writer. She's got no skill. This is just garbage promoted by pop culture. But I kept reading till the end. When the next book came out, I bought that too. Eventually I had purchased and finished all seven books and had forgotten all about it until I read this topic on Gaia. wink

My college writing workshop teachers railed against those lists and said it's dumb to use other words when "said" does just fine rofl