Word Cruft is really a guideline like all our other guideline pages like Zero-Context Example etc.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Zzzzzzzzzz
Word Cruft is guidelines, yes, but they're guidelines that we have for a reason. And they're guidelines that we do try to enforce. A wiki page isn't the place for a conversation, or discussion, or musing aloud, or trying to think of how the best way to say something. It's not for the writer(s), it's for the readers. We don't have a lot of hard-and-fast rules, but we do have standards. As your YKTTW stands now, it's a bit difficult to read, because you're meandering around the topic. I wouldn't call it crufty (except for the "Basically...") but it could stand to be tightened up.
edited 20th Jan '14 5:06:26 AM by Madrugada
...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.
What Madrugada and Septimus said.
The overriding goal is always to have a text that is easy to read and understand. Having a fun or clever text is less important. Having fun while writing it comes far down on the list of priorities.
Madrugada is correct in that the main trouble with your current text is that it meanders around the topic. That easily comes off as word cruft, though it's a different (and distinct) problem.
Will give some concrete pointers on how to improve the description in the YKTTW soon. (I really wish tropers would be willing to give some concrete pointers on what or how to improve, instead of just saying that things in general need improvement.)
Lost in Space
Word Cruft is about examples primarily, but it applies to descriptions in a general sense. As others have noted, the purpose of a description is first to describe the thing in question. That's a writing guideline that transcends TV Tropes. As relaxed as we are about many things, we do still require that you write something that would get a passing grade in high school English and doesn't make the wiki look like it's developed a case of dissociative identity disorder.
edited 20th Jan '14 8:30:11 AM by Fighteer
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Lakija
Thank you all so much. I am open to all criticism that will help me improve, but I object to criticism that has no reasoning behind it. It irks me.
What you all have pointed out sounds right to me, and your suggestions are welcomed. I'll be sure to go back and check any tropes that I've launched to make sure their succinct. Please, if you guys have any other suggestions, throw them at me if time permits. :)
It is what it is.
So I'm writing this YKTTW. [1]
A troper told me that it was violating some rules of Word Cruft. It seems to me that that page is abrasive and confining in its rules. Now I've written my fair share of humorous examples and Tropes, but this is the first time I've been confronted with this page.
Are the rules on that page generally law? I'm torn about this, honestly.
It is what it is.