Does the Use of the Words “Wry” and “Wryly” Annoy You?

According to Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. (All
rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.)

 wry adj
1.    combining, or expressing a mixture of, mild amusement and irony
2.    characterized by or showing a slightly ironic acceptance of something not particularly pleasant or desirable
3.    out of shape or twisted to one side

Irony is hard to show.  So if "wry" and/or "wryly" are the appropriate word(s), why not?

write a whole paragraph when one simple word will suffice?  Vince, perhaps the difference is that you like to become a part of the story and so for your reading style you need to be immersed in the story. That is not my reading style and hence adverbs, when used in moderation, work for me.  I think it is unfair to say a fiction writer is being lazy or still learning the craft but that a nonfiction writer can use adverbs as I would think the nonfiction would have more likeness to  your advertising example.

I would tend to agree for the first three, although you don't give us very much context to make a decision.  But, I think the last 4 are spot on.  Now, I would like you post an example of showing "wryly".  I don't see how it can be done.

Also, I would be careful of stating that certain writers are lazy, based on 10 uses of wryly in a book of 80 000 words.  That's less than 0.000125 in terms of laziness, which is pretty damn good in my book.. 

I rather like "wryly" .... it's very expressive and I'm used to reading it, especially from British authors  .... so the words wry or wryly don't annoy me at all

as far as your example is concerned ... obviously the author has fallen into the repetitive trap and neither she or her editor has noticed this ... as Lucy Gordon writes HRs and now HPs, it's a short format and word count is on the light side .... so perhaps she had it right but her count was over, and decided to go back and slip in the "wryly" instead of editing out scenes that mattered more

not saying I'd like the over use .... if this is the recent HP, I have it in my TBR and I'll get to it sometime (not now though, I've found that some of your reviews influence my reading, so I'll wait maybe til Christmas to read this one)   .... over use of any adverb if noticed by the reader, can be rather annoying ... depends on the context 

I did want to mention your example earlier about angrily ...  I would prefer that John spoke angrily, than for him to slam the door with enough force to make the pictures rattle .... I don't mind a few slammed doors, we all do it from time to time and it's usually out of frustration more than anger .... for a door to be slammed with that force the circumstances would have to warrant it .. otherwise it's a display of uncontrolled anger and that to me is violent and not desirable in a hero or heroine for that matter ... so you need to be careful how you show the emotions ... which emotions you decide to show intensely ... especially the negative emotions

Have you sat down and typed out a ms for Harlequin?  That said, focusing on one or two words that might be used a bit repetitiously is probably not a good thing considering the effort the author has taken to write the book. 

Now, as for the use of the word 'wryly', if the book is written with a lot of satire and sarcasm then I think the word is perfectly at home with the context.  It's simply a word that sums up the general feeling.  For instance, if the author states that the character turned up one side of his mouth sardonically and says something wryly, then you get the gist that what he's saying fits his expression.  There are some expressions or emotions that can be captured with one word.  Over-writing them can ruin a story, or simply not fit in.

I do have to agree that there are words that get under my skin.  However, I try to skip over them so they won't ruin the story for me.  After all, why let such a small word or two color the overall view?  Character and plot development are much more important to me. I know they are to you too, Vince. 

that a large part of this is a difference in how various folks read.  I don't want all the details you are describing.  In fact, it's one reason I quit reading John Grisham as frankly pages and pages were wasted on phrases such as those.  However, there are others who LOVE those descriptions.  Both sides are okay.  I don't think this is a right or wrong issue, and I'm easily able to envision words like "wry", "flustered", and "angry" without other details.   And yes, I can say a sentence and say it wryly~ I've been told by others that I do so and so I know this to be true to the perception of more than just myself. Sometimes the beauty of a story is in the succintness and the simplicity of the language as it cuts right to the heart of the story.  I appreciate that we differ on this so to go back to your original question, no, the use of wry doesn't annoy me.

VInce, I was offended by your reply to FF as well.  It feels like you are attacking those or condescending to those who disagree by using such terms as Romance Writing 101.  

Also, I would just like to say that education in and of itself does not give anyone a reason to condescend to others.  If anything, a high educastion is humbling and shows a person how much they do not know and the wisdom to realize that there are many, many people smarter than them in all walks and shapes of life.  Whether a romance reader has some advanced degree or is not, romance readers are not dumb nor are romance authors.  Nor are women.

Ok...i'll grant that, but unfortunately the written word doesn't not allow for the inflections that the verbal word does.  When you read you infer things, and I will admit that maybe I should say that I inferred you meant..... rather than saying you claim....  

 I would also think that at some time you have stated about your career and therefore that leads one to think of education needed to have had that type of career....but as I'm not going back over 2 years of postings to prove something one way or the other I will apologize....but I do have the right to my opinion, and in my opinion your response to FF was rude, and deserving of an apology.  In my opinion you like to degrade women, and the romance world in general.  I have inferred you read romance so as to write a romance, and if that be the case best of wishes to you, and may it be a best seller, but it won't be residing in my TBR.   

I do not understand your inflections either but the word wry is not in everyday vocabulary but it is an elegant word nevertheless. Using terms like lazy and noncreative seemed to me as you attacking an author. And then Romance 101 too. It is hard not to read condescension into the choice of your vocabulary. It doesn't matter to me personally if you like wry or not but it is the inflammatory choice of words that prevents me from having a meaningful, stimulating discussion about the often interesting issues you sometimes choose. Showing versus telling is a great topic but I can't go there because your choice of words already comes loaded with connotations. Maybe you did not mean it that way but words like lazy and your response to FF closes down what could be an interesting discussion. I prefer to just discuss the topics and not have it so personally directed.