Allow your day job to inform your prose style

(With thanks to Andrew Trumper)

1. All of a sudden, there was

     (a.) a resounding crash,

     (b.) the sound of breaking glass

     (c.) and then an eerie silence.

2. I glanced nervously at Mary.

3. ‘Did you hear that?’

     (a.) I said.

4. Mary [hereafter referred to as “the love interest”]

     (a.) nodded

     (b.) and whispered

          (i) ‘What was it?

          (ii) It sounded like a window;

          (iii) will you go and check?’

5. I listened to the silence [see 1.c, above] for a moment.

6. ‘I’ll be right back,’

     (a.) I said.