Tag: editing

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Write Justified

Beware These Confusables

 

Because spellcheck, wonderful as it may be, doesn’t catch words used improperly …

And because the English language has more than its fair share of homophones …

This month’s post alerts you to five sets of words that are prone to misuse.

Let’s start with a 3fer.

  • Imminent – eminent – immanent

The most common of the three is eminent, meaning “distinguished, of good repute.” It is commonly replaced with imminent, meaning “certain, very near.”

The arrival of the eminent professor is imminent.

Immanent is primarily a theological term. It means “inherent,” or “restricted to the mind.”

John Brown’s immanent belief in abolition motivated his attack on Harper’s Ferry.

  • Complacent – complaisant

These two adjectives with corresponding nouns (complacency, complaisance) share a Latin root, complacere, meaning to please or be pleasant. In English, however, they have morphed into different meanings. To be complacent is to be self-satisfied or so pleased with yourself that you’re smug, self-righteous, conceited.

Complaisant, on the other hand, refers to a desire to please to the extent one might be considered a pushover.

“I’m worried that Junior is too complacent about his grades and won’t be able to get into an Ivy League school,” Mrs. Jones complained.

 The widow’s complaisance made her an easy target for scammers.

  • Descent – decent  -dissent constitute another threesome that are sometimes confused.

Use the adjective decent to describe something wholesome, in good condition, appropriate, or modest.

The newlyweds’ apartment was in a decent part of town.

Descent is a noun that refers to a downward slope or in a downward direction as well as birth or lineage.

The descent may seem like the easiest part of a mountain hike, but experts say that’s when most falls occur.

In the ancient world, the line of descent was usually to the oldest son.

Decent and descent are not true homophones because they are not pronounced the same. Decent rhymes with recent, with the accent on the first syllable. Descent and its homophone dissent are pronounced with the accent on the second syllable: di SENT.

Dissent can be a verb, meaning to disagree, or a noun, meaning to have a different opinion.

The administration seemed unprepared for the level of dissent the executive order generated. Dissenting opinions were voiced throughout the country.

  • Altar – alter

Not only do these words have distinct meanings, they are different parts of speech.

Altar is always a noun—a place or structure on which sacrifices or incense are burned in worship. Alter is a verb, meaning to change or make different. Altar may also be used figuratively to describe something of great value or that is valued at the cost of something else.

Queen Elizabeth’s coronation took place at the altar in Westminster Abbey, forever altering the life of the young woman. Some suggest she sacrificed her own desires on the altar of the monarchy.

  • Rack-wrack

Finally, if you’ve ever racked your brain over the use of rack and wrack, well, you’re not alone. Even the experts concede this a confusing and complicated word pair.

The two words have different origins and meanings. The verb rack likely comes from the Dutch and means “to stretch,” while wrack comes from the Middle English for shipwreck. As a noun, rack has multiple meanings—a set of antlers, a frame for setting up pool balls, a horse’s gait, and the one applicable for this confusing twosome: a framework for stretching used as a medieval instrument of torture. And this is where we get the sense of suffering i.e. racking your brain, rack and ruin, though you’re just as likely to see wracking your brain and wrack and ruin.

What to do? It’s nerve-racking, for sure. Some advocate dropping the use of wrack. It’s an archaic term, they argue. Others, like Merriam-Webster, acknowledge wrack/rack as alternate spellings for the same word. Isn’t it nice to know that at least in this case, there’s more than one acceptable way to spell a word?

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Write Justified

The Common Comma – Part 3

 

Bryan Garner, author of A Dictionary of Modern American Usage, and a raft of other books on English language usage and style, calls the comma the least emphatic punctuation mark of all. While it may not have the impact of a period or semi-colon, marks that call for a full stop or pause, the comma’s primary role is a separator. And when it comes to clarity, that’s an important role.

Garner identifies nine uses for a comma. We’ve covered

We’ll finish this series with Garner’s final five.

  • Qualifying adjectives

When more than one adjective is describing a noun, separate them with commas if both can be true of the noun.

John’s worn, red sweater won the award for the company’s annual Ugly Christmas Sweater contest.

Since John’s sweater is both worn and red, the qualifying adjectives are separated with a comma. Note the tip here. If the comma could be replaced with and, the comma is needed.

When the adjectives describe the noun in different ways, or one adjective describes the other no comma is needed.

Repainting the bright pink walls was the first item on the new homeowners to do list.

Bright modifies pink, not walls. No comma.

  • Direct vs. indirect speech

When writing dialogue, use a comma to separate direct speech from indirect speech.

“My goodness,” Marjorie exclaimed, “look how that child has grown.”

  • Participial phrase

Introductory participial phrases are set off with a comma.

Famished after their ten-mile hike, the scouts lined up early for dinner.

Waiting for the bank to open, Margaret caught up on Facebook.

No comma is needed if the sentence is inverted and the phrase immediately precedes the verb.

Facing down the monster was the prince himself.

  • Salutation

I know it’s becoming a lost art—letter writing—that is. But should you have occasion to write a note or informal letter, insert a comma after the salutation. Dear John, Dear Sally,

That’s not a bad practice to carry over into those emails you dash off, either.

  • Parts of an address

Separate the elements of an address, as well as dates, when they are run in the text.

The package was shipped to 758 Potter Street, Hamlin, Missouri, by mistake.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 3, 1776, not July 4.

Punctuation, like language itself, evolves over time. What was once a preference for more commas— “close” style, has given way to an “open” approach using fewer commas. Some have gone as far as saying, “When in doubt, leave it out.” Keep in mind that[bctt tweet=” the whole reason we use punctuation is to make our writing as clear as possible” username=””]. You’ll be on the right path if you adhere to Bryan’s nine uses.

 

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Write Justified

Before You Hire an Editor

 

You’ve written your masterpiece. Or at least a short story, novel, or essay you believe worthy of publication. But is it? Other than your mother, who thinks everything you write is perfect, has anyone else laid eyes on your work? Is it really submission-ready?

Writers need editors. As a freelance editor, I hope that doesn’t conjure up an image of a stern-faced, red pen-wielding person whose only purpose in life is to make yours miserable. Far from it. Would you be surprised to learn that editors face each project with as much trepidation as you do when submitting a piece for their review? Though I can’t speak for others, I know that to be true for me. [bctt tweet=”My goal is to help you make your writing say exactly what you mean in as clear and understandable language as possible.” username=””] Peter Fallon describes the relationship between writer and editor as more of a duet than a duel. It ought to be a collaborative, not adversarial relationship, intended to make your writing sing.

Assuming I’ve convinced you that you need an editor, here are three things to do before passing your work off to a professional.

  1. Format:    Standard publishing format calls for one-inch margins, 12 point font, typically Times New Roman, double-spaced with one space between sentences. Yes, if you learned to type on a typewriter, you learned to put two spaces between sentences. And habits die hard. But in the computer age with proportional fonts, just hit that space bar once after a period or other end punctuation.
  2. Spell-check:    Do run spell-check, even though it won’t catch all the errors. Spell-check won’t find homophone errors or actual words used incorrectly. But it can eliminate extra spaces, double periods, and other kinds of errors that creep in when you’re in the zone and the fingers are moving faster than the brain.
  3. Critique:   One of the best things a writer can do is seek out other writers who will honestly critique her work. Whether you join a group such as Word Weavers or search out an accountability partner who can also offer meaningful feedback, you need someone to look at your work with unbiased eyes. As a reader would. A good critique will point out the positive and negative aspects of your writing and suggest ways to clarify the language or engage the reader more effectively.

Aside from the value of the honest feedback of a critique, the camaraderie of other writers is essential for the often-lonely exercise of writing. It may be just the motivation you need to keep putting pen to paper.

These simple steps will save your editor time and frustration, save you money, and ensure the writer-editor relationship gets off to a good start. It may just be the beginning of a life-long friendship.

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Dear Young Scribes

Tips for Surviving the 6 Seasons of a Writer’s Life

If you’ve been in the industry long enough then you probably know by now that the writer’s life is unpredictable, and your path will never look identical to that of another writer’s.

 

Writing is like no other profession. There doesn’t seem to be a typical day’s work because our daily work shifts as the seasons change.

 

Although there are surprises—both good and bad—along the path to publication, the writer’s life can be categorized into 6 seasons…

 

  1. Writing Season. 

 

Tips for survival:

 

Stock up on writing fuel! This may include chocolate, herbal tea, sunflower seeds, trail mix, coffee, etc. Also, when you’re deep into writing, it can often become easy to ignore the outside world. Yet if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle then it’s important to stay balanced. Prioritize your responsibilities. Join a writer’s group for feedback and fellowship. Keep God and family first. Make time for socialization and relaxation. Most importantly, seek God before every writing session and watch to see how the Holy Spirit helps you churn out those words.

 

  1. Submission Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Prepare yourself for rejection. Keep a strong backbone for criticism, and allow the criticism to make you into a better writer. Seek support from friends and family members when you start to have writing doubts and are tempted to give up. Write down your writing career vision and greatest dream on a post-it note and stick it on your desk. Keep a running list of encouragement you receive on your writing, whether it’s from those you love, members of your writer’s group, or a writing professional. Take this list out every time you feel beaten down by rejections and critiques.

 

  1. Waiting Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Prayer! Waiting seasons are the best opportunity to seek God’s will for your writing career, to ask Him to open the doors that need to be open and close the doors that need to be closed. Only He knows the paths you should take. Pray that others will be touched by your words and that you’ll have the patience to wait on His timing. Trust that He’s in control of your writing dream. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to start working on your next project!

 

  1. Celebration Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

Of course, it’s not difficult to survive during a time of celebration! 😉 This is the high point of the writing career—when you receive a contract from an agent or publisher. Take advantage of it! When you reach this season, reward yourself for your hard work. You deserve it! Go to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant. Take time to relax and watch your favorite movie. Meanwhile, keep a good head on your shoulders by staying humble. Make sure God receives the glory He deserves for opening this door. Involve Him in on the process; He wants to celebrate with you, too!

 

  1. Editing Season.

 

Tips for survival:

 

It can be tough to overhaul your manuscript to meet the needs of an agent or publisher. However, it’s important to remember that they’re the professionals in this industry. They ultimately know what sells. During this editing process, keep the big picture in mind: Your book isn’t getting ruined during surgery; instead, it’s getting better and stronger. It’ll improve. During this process, detach your heart from the project—as hard as it might be—and try to view it under a critical eye. Sure, it might seem a bit messy during the surgery. But what surgery isn’t messy? It may seem like it’s been ripped to shreds, but rest assured, it will be put back together again. The end result will be worth the pain and torture, and ultimately the manuscript will look much better than it did before the procedure.

 

  1. Promotion Season.

 

Tips for survival: 

 

Keep a good head on your shoulders during the promotion. For many introverts, it might be hard to promote yourself. But keep in mind that it’s vital if you want to make a living from writing and if you want the book to sell. Remember: You aren’t promoting yourself; you’re promoting your product and the message you stand for. What is it that you stand for? How can you get others involved to help you share this same message? God gave you this message for a reason, and it can’t get into the hands of other people unless you promote! Yet promotion can often become draining, especially for us introverts. Make sure to carve out time to feed your creativity as well—whether that comes through brainstorming your next book, reading, working on a craft, going to an art museum, etc.

 

  1. Repeat!

 

Tips for survival: 

 

There is no destination in the writing journey. It’s a cycle of the above steps—so once you receive your dream-come-true, it’ll be time to dream another dream and create another goal (for example: “hit the best-seller list”) and so on.

 

The journey is exciting, though, don’t you think? The anticipation, the development of original idea to final product and then the dream-come-true stages that evolve. Even the difficult seasons—such as rejection and waiting—are worth it, because it’s through this process that we become pruned and prepared for what awaits us on the horizon.

 

Yet it’s during those peak moments of the writers’ life that makes all of those rough seasons worth it in the end.

 

[bctt tweet=”Tips for Surviving the 6 Seasons of a Writer’s Life #writerslife #amwriting @TessaEmilyHall” username=””]

 

What’s your favorite season of the writer’s life? What season are you currently in? What tips would you like to add?

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The Writer's PenCase Uncategorized

Seamless Self–Editing––Part VIII

The Writer's PenCase

As this series draws to a close, here are a couple practical exercises you can do at home to learn and practice your own seamless self-editing. Cutting word usage in half, and a proofreading exercise will assist you in learning more about how to edit your own manuscript. Because our object is to become “publish-ready.” #amwriting #publishready #seamlessediting

Continue reading “Seamless Self–Editing––Part VIII”
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Grammar and Grace

Introducing the Eight Parts of Speech

For 2017, let’s understand the basics of English grammar by learning the eight parts of speech. They are the following:

Verb

Noun

Pronoun

Adjective

Adverb

Preposition

Conjunction

Interjection

All words are classified by the role they play in a sentence, or the work they do. Some words may be classified as two or three different parts of speech, but no word can be all eight. Some words will be classified as only one.

Here’s an example of one word in three different parts of speech. Brown can be an adjective, a noun, and a verb.

*The brown four-wheeler slid into the snow-covered ditch. (adjective)

*The brown in the painting overwhelmed the mood of the composition. (noun)

*Before placing the roast in the crock pot, brown the meat on all sides. (verb)

The word brown is used differently in all three sentences.

In the upcoming posts, we’ll learn about all the different parts of speech. Understanding the parts of speech will help in understanding future grammar and punctuation problems.

Happy writing!

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Write Justified

The Common Comma – Part II

 

The comma is one of those punctuation marks that has an outsized impact in relationship to its size. It’s the little but mighty mark of the punctuation world.

One place where a comma can make a big difference is in restrictive and nonrestrictive—or if you prefer—essential and nonessential clauses. Essential/restrictive clauses include necessary information that must not be set off with punctuation, such as these examples:

Jan and Perry bought the clock that chimes on the hour and half hour.

The fabric (that) Jenny needed to finish her project was backordered.

A theater that has served a small southern Missouri town for fifty years will close next month.

Nonrestrictive or nonessential clauses or phrases are set off with commas. Note how a slight change in the wording and punctuation changes the meaning of these sentences:

 The clock, which chimes on the hour and half hour, was Jan and Perry’s anniversary gift.

         Here the description (modifier) of the clock is not essential to the sentence and is set off in commas.)

The fabric, which was backordered, would not arrive before the project deadline.

The Omni Theater, which has served a small southern Missouri town for fifty years, will close next month.

       Making the clause nonrestrictive indicates that the Omni is one of several theaters in the small town. The previous sentence with its restrictive clause limits the closing to the theater that has served the town for fifty years.

Note the use of that and which. That is used for restrictive clauses, which for nonrestrictive. Nonrestrictive clauses could be eliminated without changing the basic meaning of a sentence, thus they are set off with commas.

Similar rules apply to appositives.

An appositive is a word or phrase modifying or describing a noun. A nonrestrictive appositive restates the noun or pronoun without changing the essential meaning of the sentence.

 Peggy’s husband, Robert, is a model train aficionado.

        Since Peggy has only one husband, the appositive Robert is nonessential and is set off in commas.

My brother John is five years younger than me.

I have more than one brother so it is essential to identify which one is younger. Here, John is a restrictive appositive; no comma.

Fredrick Backman’s debut novel, “A Man Called Ove,” is one of my favorite books.

An author can only have one debut novel, so either debut or the book title could be eliminated without changing the basic meaning of the sentence.

Backman’s novel A Man Called Ove has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for more than forty weeks.

Backman’s debut novel is the only one to have been on the best seller list this long, thus the title restricts the modifier to that book and no comma is required.

Like language itself, punctuation rules are evolving—especially in the age of social media. But the publishing world still adheres to these. Aspiring authors ought to, also.

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Grammar and Grace

Presents for the Writer

For this post, I’m suggesting some books that you may want on your bookshelves or your may want to give as gifts to the other writers in your life.

William Strunk’s, The Elements of Style, has been a classic for almost a hundred years. Read it.

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE (UPDATED 2011 EDITION) by [Strunk, William, Strunk Junior, William, William Strunk, The Elements of Style by]

Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King is a must-have for writers. Read it, make notes, then read it again.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss shows grammar is necessary, but it can be fun. My copy came with a punctuation repair kit.

And just for fun, Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog by Kitty Burns Florey is a quirky history of the lost art of diagramming sentences. I always thought diagramming sentences was fun. After reading this book, I know other people like it, too.

Happy writing!

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The Writer's PenCase

Seamless Self-Editing––Part V

The Writer's PenCase

Writer's PenCase-2Writers write because we love to use words, but let’s face it––even though we say we write for ourselves, we all want to be published and have many others read what we’ve written, for the mutual benefit of ourselves and our readers. That’s why self-editing is important. [bctt tweet=”We must do everything we can to get our manuscripts ready for publication.” username=”@a3forme @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #publishready

Continue reading “Seamless Self-Editing––Part V”
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Grammar and Grace

How to Pluralize Names for Christmas Cards–Re-Mix

We’re still a few days away from Thanksgiving, but we sometimes receive Christmas cards a few days after celebrating with turkey and dressing. For all the super organized people who like to get things done early, I’m re-posting  the following blog from last year–and because I’m still seeing names with apostrophes in all the wrong places.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

I love Christmas. I especially love sending and receiving Christmas cards. We send out a lot from our house, and we receive a lot in return. We always include a picture of the whole family. The pictures we receive from our friends find a place on our refrigerator and adorn it all year.

20151025_174741

I don’t, however, love the envelopes addressed to The Dougherty’s or closings that read, Love from the Jones’. Ack!! I’m happy to hear from old friends, but I can’t stop my toes from curling when I see those errant apostrophes.

Here are some simple rules to follow so that you can write names correctly and make sure your cards convey the happy messages you intend.

  1. Add an s to a proper noun that doesn’t end in s to make it plural.

Langston = Langstons
Maurer = Maurers
Tate = Tates

  1. Don’t change the spelling of a proper noun to make the plural.

Dougherty = Doughertys (not Dougherties)

3.  Add es to a name that ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh to make it plural.

Capps = Cappses ( I know it looks strange, but trust me.)
Edwards = Edwardses
Fox = Foxes
Rakiewicz = Rakiewiczes

Notice that at no time have I used an apostrophe. I haven’t used one because I’m making the names plural, not possessive.

Three rules.

That’s all you need to write your Christmas cards correctly. If you can’t bring yourself to add the es to someone’s name or you can’t bring yourself to leave off the apostrophe, there’s always an easy fallback…Love from The Dougherty Family.

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Grammar and Grace

Misheard, Misused, Misspelled Words

This month’s post is all about words you might be hearing and saying and, consequently, writing improperly. We’re not talking about homophones this time. We’re talking about misheard, misused, and misspelled words.

The idea occurred to me when I received a message from whom—before this ill-typed group of sentences appeared in my inbox—I considered an educated, real adult.

Here’s the problem. She used prolly instead of probably. This construction is not a typo. It’s a made up, wrong word. Maybe that’s how she pronounces it, but it’s still wrong, wrong, wrong. And the little red squiggly line that shows up underneath—even in Facebook messages—indicates a warning people—especially writers—should heed. (I apologize if my old English teacher, persnickety self is shining through here.) (A little bit.)

What about should of? NO! The correct use is should have. The problem probably stems from the contraction, should’ve. I agree. It sounds like should of when we speak. When writing, however, use should have or should’ve. Have is a helping verb: I should have paid attention in English class.

Suppose/supposed has a couple of problems. Here are the correct usages:
I suppose I can cook dinner tonight if you wash the dishes.

I am supposed to cook dinner tonight if I have time. (Don’t forget the d on the end.)

Supposedly, I am a good cook. Not, not, not supposably. Supposably is not correct—even if you hear everyone you know say it this way.

All of a sudden is correct. Years ago when I was teaching, a student wrote, “all of the sudden.” I stopped reading. I shook my head. I’d never heard that phrase before. I marked it as wrong. The student was irritated. A wiser colleague mentioned that all of the sudden was a colloquialism. At its worst, it’s wrong. At its best, it’s informal. Use the accepted all of a sudden in your writing.

Finally, here’s one just for fun. One of my students wrote chester drawers in an essay. I don’t believe she capitalized the C either. Again, even if in quick, slurred speech, the words sound like chester, they really should be written chest of drawers.

Now that I’m thinking about it, chester drawers could make for some interesting dialog in my next work in progress.

Happy writing!

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Grammar and Grace

Confusing Words…Again!

 

Yes, we’re continuing to visit confusing words because the English language abounds with them. Here are a few more examples to look for when you’re proofing your writing. Some are homophones while others are confusing because of their close spellings.

       1. Sensuous/Sensual

Sensuous means relating to the five senses, strong sensory appeal. If used correctly, the word does not have a sexual connotation.

The chocolate and hint of chili pepper combined to make a sensuous experience.

Sensual means relating to gratification of senses or the indulgence of the appetite, physically pleasing, and it comes with a hint of sex.

Many advertisements today rely on sensual images instead of clever copy.

      2. Pallet/Palate/Palette

A pallet is a temporary bed or a portable platform.

My grandmother used to make a pallet of quilts for me on her floor.

A palate is the roof of the mouth.

The hot soup scorched my palate.

A palette is an artist’s board of paint.

All the colors mingled on the artist’s palette.

      3. Carat/Karat

A carat is the unit of measure for precious stones.

Her engagement ring is a 2-carat diamond.

A karat is used to measure gold.

Her wedding band is comprised of 24 karat gold.

      4. Homey/Homely           

Homey relates to the home.

The abundance of candid photos and plump throw pillows added to the room’s homey ambiance.

Homely is used to describe things that are thought to be unattractive or simple.

The homely hound licked his spotted paw.

Take time to check on suspect words—the spelling as well as the definition.

Happy writing!

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Uncategorized Writer Encouragement

Expert Gardeners – Expert Editors

Elaine Marie Cooper

It was early summer and the New England Asters were lush with leaves. But a knowledgeable gardener gave instructions concerning the long, gangly stems.

“They need to be trimmed way back to about six inches or so.”

Six inches??

“Yes, don’t worry, it will grow back and it will look even better.”

I still doubted but I trusted the gardener’s experience. So I began to clip, even though I cringed. I felt like I was ruining the plant by removing all those pretty leaves.

How will it ever be beautiful again?

 FullSizeRender-71

And yet within weeks the stems filled out, growing upward and outward. By the time fall was near, the blooms were everywhere. The plant was more beautiful than when it started.

 

 

*     *     *

FullSizeRender-72

Often we writers fear the trimming process. We think by editing what seems to be the perfect story, book, or article, we are losing the beauty that we see. It might even seem like we are ruining what we thought was important.

 

But editors—the expert gardeners—see the big picture. They know what will turn our writing into something wonderful—a thing of flowering beauty. Editors are trained to read a manuscript with readers in mind. We are often too close to our own work to realize that by making a few changes, we can help the reader better understand our story. And we definitely want our readers to be happy.

Sometimes suggested edits can be discussed between writer and editor. Often there is a reason to leave well enough alone. But overall, I agree with most edits suggested by the experts when I am going through the trimming process.

It can feel uncomfortable at the time. But the finished work will usually show the proof of the editor’s expertise.

It can be a thing of beauty, just like the asters in fall.

NEAsters2

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The Writer's PenCase

Seamless Self-Editing—Part I

The Writer's PenCase
The Writer’s PenCase

You hear it more and more these days. [bctt tweet=”Your manuscript must be “publish-ready” in order for it to be considered. ” username=””] What does “publish-ready” mean? How can self-editing help? #amwriting #publish-ready #self-editing

For the next few blog posts, we’ll look at this and how you can improve your raw writing into something closer to “publish-ready.” I’ll be using several resources for this.

Continue reading “Seamless Self-Editing—Part I”
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Polishing Your Message Uncategorized

Don’t Do Dat – or That

Today’s tip on Polishing Your Message is . . . Don’t Do That.

Do What?

Overuse the word that.

The overuse of  that is one of my pet peeves when grading college essays. (Did you hear me students?) And as expected, many editors feel the same way. So don’t be surprised when you read this in more than one place. Fellow A3 writer Lori Hatcher also shares the same advice in a recent blog about “How To Drive Editors Crazy – Part 2.”

stop that

Overuse of the word has become acclimated in our speech; thus, we easily overlook it when we write it. Most of the time that used in an essay, article, or blog can easily be removed without harm to the sentence or the message.  Simply read the sentence without it and see if it changes the meaning. If not, omit it. When used incorrectly, the word that is as useful as those empty modifiers we also try to avoid like very, really, totally, truly, etc.

Now I am not saying to remove the word that every time. Many sentences will need the word to show the reader important information will soon follow. Most of the time our ear will tell us if that is needed or not. The goal for this post is to suggest you be more aware when polishing your drafts and looking for unnecessary words which can be omitted.

If you would like to read a more thorough source on when to leave that in and when to leave that out, I’ll share with you Grammar Girl’s discussion for your reading pleasure. She has much more to say on the topic. You will be amazed how much there is to think about when considering that little four letter word.

So ,add that to your proofreading checklist, and have fun polishing your message.

[bctt tweet=”Add that to your proofreading checklist” username=”BobbiBushWriter”]

(Photo credits belong to Cat Branchman and Leonard Matthews)

 

 

 

 

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Aid for Comma Splices

A writing acquaintance of mine recently posted about her disdain of the comma splice, more importantly, the proliferation of this punctuation error in today’s printed materials.

Here’s an easy definition of a comma splice: the misuse of a comma to join two independent clauses (two sentences).

I bought new yarn yesterday, I already have fifteen skeins waiting for me to crochet.

In the above sentence, the comma comes between the two sentences. Wrong!

Here are easy fixes.

I bought new yarn yesterday. I already have fifteen skeins waiting for me to crochet. (Break the two independent clauses into two sentences.)

I bought new yarn yesterday, but I already have fifteen skeins waiting for me to crochet. (The comma plus a coordinating conjunction—and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so—can correctly join two sentences with the comma placed before the conjunction.)

I bought new yarn yesterday; I already have fifteen skeins waiting for me to crochet. (The *semi-colon is a stronger than the comma and can separate two sentences by itself.)

I bought new yarn yesterday; however, I already have fifteen skeins waiting for me to crochet. (The semi-colon precedes a conjunctive adverb and then a comma.)

*Some fiction writers avoid using the semi-colon.

 

 

Categories
Uncategorized Write Justified

Confused No More

As an editor, I frequently encounter homonym errors. Someone writes whether when they intend weather. Or peek when the context calls for peak. Some are humorous. Others convey the opposite meaning of what the author intends.

I could write a post on the confused word uses I’ve corrected. But it might be more endearing if I come clean and ‘fess up to some pairs that confuse me.

Affect-Effect

This pair usually sends me to the dictionary to verify I’m using them correctly. It helps to remember that affect is a verb that means to make an impact on or cause a change.

The change in weather affected Fred’s arthritis.

Summer construction affects traffic patterns and travel times.

Effect can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun it means to bring about, or the result of an action. In this usage, it is usually followed by the preposition on.

The effect of divorce on children can be life-changing.

Scientists warn that the effects of climate change may be rising sea levels and greater temperature variations.

In the plural, effects, refers to belongings, possessions.

All the family’s personal effects were lost in the flood.

Used as a verb effect means to bring about, cause, or accomplish.

The new administrator wasted no time in effecting his own policies and procedures.

Lower interest rates effected stronger home sales.

If you remember that affect is a verb and effect a noun, you’ll be correct in most common usages.

Elicit – Illicit

I don’t recall the precise sentence, but its purpose was to encourage a response. What I actually wrote invited the reader to do something illegal. I had written illicit when I should have used elicit.

Elicit is a transitive verb meaning to draw out or bring forth. It requires a direct object.

Melanie’s antics elicited a reluctant smile from her grandmother.

Smile is the direct object of the verb elicited. Melanie’s actions drew a smile out of grandma.

Elicit also carries the meaning of bringing something hidden to light.

Brandon’s counseling sessions elicited his fear of failure.

Talking confidentially to someone can be a healthy way to discover and overcome such fears.

Illicit, on the other hand, is an adjective meaning illegal or unlawful. You will often see it used to describe the illegal use of drugs or sex. Dictionary.com also includes a second meaning: “disapproved or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons.” That may explain the frequent pairing with drugs and sex.

Compliment – complement

Only one vowel separates the spelling of these two, but that simple letter changes the meaning considerably.

I pay someone a compliment when I tell them their hair (or shoes, or dress) look good on them.

Although the Oxford English Dictionary suggests a compliment usually includes some hypocrisy, Merriam Webster defines a compliment as a formal expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration.

A compliment can also be an expression of good wishes or regards.

Give my compliments to your parents.

The adjective, complimentary, means a gift or gratuity.

The new president gave a complimentary paperweight to each guest at the inauguration.

A complement, however, is something (or someone) that completes or makes whole.

Allison’s pink scarf complements her green dress and red hair.

With the vice president’s arrival, the full complement of PTA officers was in attendance.

These three sets of homonyms hardly comprise the full complement of commonly confused homonyms, but I hope the effect of this post elicits greater understanding.

 

Categories
Create. Motivate. Inspire. Support

Write, Wait…Marinate!

What a day. We’ve been fighting to stay in the zone, our fingers flying over the keyboard searching for that illusive magic. Mr. Deadline—arms crossed and watching with a smirk—ramps up the pressure.

Then, at last. We complete an article, story, or blogpost and in our humble opinion, the finished product is good. We are itching to click “submit” and get this fine piece of writing out into the world.

But wait. There’s one more thing we need to do, so with a groan, we hold back and click “save.”

Why?

The answer will be evident—tomorrow.

No matter how perfect our writing seems in the moment, after giving the words a few hours or days to marinate, needed changes will leap off the page.

And I do mean leap.

I will edit a manuscript ad nauseam, convinced it is submission-worthy, only to return days later and stare dumbfounded at overlooked mistakes. For crying out loud, did I really write “their” instead of “they’re” and use the same verb seven times? Mercy.

A tasty marinade propels an average piece of chicken from good to great—and the steeping process does the same with our writing. Engaging our work with fresh eyes and a clear head is like having superpowers: we have the ability to peer through the fog, locate problems, and brainstorm solutions.

We will see everything from typos and poor word choices to overall structural issues. And we will take great delight in the knowledge we didn’t hit “submit” prematurely.

Are we wasting time allowing a work-in-progress to sit for a couple of days? Absolutely not. We move on to other work. In fact, I love knowing I have a handful of projects out knocking on publication doors, a few marinating in various locations (a drawer, a friend’s computer, on a shelf, in the recesses of my brain), and others bubbling to life in a notebook of possibilities.

Are we ready? Write, wait…marinate. Then edit and send it packing!

 

Do you have a unique way to allow your work to marinate? What is the biggest issue your post-marinade superpower allowed you to see?

 

[bctt tweet=”Write, Wait…Marinate! #amwriting #A3″ username=”@A3forMe @lthomaswrites”] 

 

Categories
Write Justified

Mind Those Apostrophes

When editors are asked to name their pet peeves, misuse of apostrophes ranks at or near the top of their list. The apostrophe, more than any other punctuation mark, is likely to be overused.

The Chicago of Manual of Style names only three primary uses for an apostrophe:

  • to show possession

Most singular (regular) nouns show possession by adding an apostrophe + s: horse’s mouth; company’s policy; Jamie’s daughter. An apostrophe is a less cumbersome way to show possession than the prepositional phrase the mouth belonging to the horse.

The possessive of most plural nouns is formed by adding an apostrophe after the s: girls’ toys, books’ pages, clocks’ batteries. However, in the case of nouns that do not add an s to form their plural, e.g. man – men, woman – women, child – children – the possessive is formed the same way as singular nouns: apostrophe + s.

In the case of nouns that end in s, the 16th (latest) edition of CMOS comes down on the side of apostrophe + s, thus Des Moines’s mayor attended the conference; Descartes’s thesis was included in the syllabus are the proper renderings.

  • to indicate missing letters

Use an apostrophe to indicate missing letters. Common contractions are the combination of a pronoun and verb apostropheplaquesuch as we are – we’re; he/she is – he’s/she’s; they have – they’ve and be-verbs and most of the auxiliary verbs when followed by not: are not – aren’t; was not – wasn’t; have not – haven’t.

(It takes all my restraint, not to insert an apostrophe in this plaque hanging in my son and daughter-in-law’s home. In this case, family harmony trumps punctuation.)

  • and, to form the plurals of lower case letters.

Here, Chicago opts for a visual rather than a grammatical choice. In phrases like, “Mind your p’s and q’s,” apostrophes are used simply for ease in reading. But note that “dos and don’ts” rates only the apostrophe for the contraction don’t.

Don’t use an apostrophe in these situations:

  • to form the plural of a family name. We went along with the Smiths to the beach.
  • in possessive pronouns: hers, his, theirs, its, yours, etc.
  • when capital letters are used as words. Capital Bank’s IRAs are earning a higher interest rate than First Federal’s.
  • numerals are used as nouns. The hits from the 1990s continue to attract listeners. (No apostrophe in 1990s.)
  • abbreviations are plural. Fred and Edna cashed in their CDs to fund their retirement expenses.
Categories
Grammar and Grace Uncategorized

Dangling Modifiers

Last month, I overheard a conversation about dangling modifiers. Lots of laughter. Lots of confusion. Lots of questions.

“What’s a dangling modifier?” “Wait. What’s a modifier?”

Let me explain.

A modifier adds description to a sentence. A modifier can be a word, a phrase, or a clause. In English, the modifier usually appears right before the noun it’s describing, but sometimes we find the modifier right after the word it describes.

Terrified, Penny prayed during the bumpy flight, which passed through a thunderstorm.

In the above sentence, terrified comes before Penny and describes her state of mind. Bumpy precedes flight. Which passed through a thunderstorm comes after flight.

In a dangling modifier situation, the modifier is placed near the wrong word. The construction makes the sentence confusing. Because the modifier doesn’t have a word to hang onto, it dangles, not attached to anything in the sentence.

Crushed by the Dear John text, the chocolate cake beckoned to Nancy from the countertop.

Crushed by the Dear John text comes before chocolate cake. Cake is the noun it’s supposed to modify, but cakes can’t be crushed by a Dear John text.

Here’s a correct way of writing the sentence: Crushed by the Dear John text, Nancy ate the chocolate cake that beckoned to her from the countertop.

Nancy is a person who can by crushed by a text, so the modifier is describing the correct word.

Try another one.

Thrilled by the letter of acceptance, the party plans commenced right away.

Plans can’t be thrilled. Thrilled by the letter of acceptance is dangling.

Write instead:

Thrilled by the letter of acceptance, Jordan commenced planning his party.

How about a one-word dangling modifier?

Sleepy, the bed looked inviting.

Do you see the problem? Bed can’t be sleepy.

A correct version would be—Sleepy, I crawled into the comfy bed.

When you start looking for dangling modifiers, you can find them easily, and a lot of times, they make for some funny sentences.

Have you found a dangling modifier lately that you can share in the comments? Please do!

Categories
A Little Red Ink Editing

What is a critique?

What is a critique?

Well, it’s one of my favorites. A critique is very much like a macro edit, only the editor probably won’t comment in the margins of your manuscript. Rather than take the time to stop and comment throughout, the editor acts as a reader and sends you their notes at the end. (Hint: that’s why I like it.)

It’s still important to choose your freelance editor wisely, seeking out someone with a good track record and respect from others in the industry. But this is a step that, used wisely—especially if you’re someone who has spent the time to learn the craft well and doesn’t need help on the fundamentals of writing—can save you from paying for a full macro (or substantive) edit. You still probably need a line edit, a copy edit, or a proofread after this, though.

Let’s get a little more in-depth. What is a critique exactly?

A critique highlights your strengths.

While your editor reads, he or she is taking notes. Lines that made an impression, scenes that were meaningful, moments that characters won your affection. Any moment where they sat safely in the palm of your hand, caught up in the story and feeling exactly as you wanted them to—those will get some praise.

I might compliment your solid hook and satisfying resolution. Tell you how quickly I felt anchored to your story world. Anywhere from beginning to end, plot to pacing to POV and back—if you did it well, I’ll tell you so (and give an example or two).

While I’m reading and targeting items on my checklist, I’m noticing the problem areas as well.

A critique points out your weaknesses.

The first chapter didn’t grab my attention or empathy quickly enough. There was a three-page backstory info dump. Your main character isn’t very likable. Your antagonist is a bit cartoonish. The middle sags. This moment—which really needed to pack a punch—got weak-kneed and sat down.

Those are easy enough fixes. But there may be something more in depth.

What if I can’t keep up with all six POV characters? Or, perhaps, I can keep up with them, but one of them adds nothing to the plot—nothing complex, nothing that makes the POV worthwhile.

What if you have four minor characters who all do essentially the same thing? Can one or more of them be combined?

Perhaps a character’s motivation wasn’t compelling.

If you think this part of the edit might make you cry, don’t fear too, too much.

(Honestly? It might make you cry. I’ve gotten a few that have made me cry, because I’m not armadillo-skinned).

But there’s hope.

A critique makes suggestions.

When I do a critique for someone, I don’t merely point out their manuscript’s flaws and say, “Good luck with that.” I make suggestions. I brainstorm ideas. I come up with a compelling reason or two for something and list a few spots where that might be easy to work in.

A good editor will share ideas about how two minor characters could be combined.

She might suggest adding a scene or two. She might suggest cutting a scene or two.

Your editor could say, “Cut all the on-the-nose writing.” If there are details everyone knows happened, but they don’t move your plot forward? Snip, snip, snip.

[bctt tweet=”A critique is an editor’s professional opinion of your work. Ultimately, though, the choices are yours to make. #editing #critiquevsedit”]

A critique is subjective.

Ultimately, though, the choices are yours to make. A critique is an editor’s professional opinion of your work. If they know what works in your genre, trust them. But don’t let anyone make YOUR story THEIR story.

Sift through the advice.

Put the letter away for a few days and do nothing to your manuscript.

Definitely consider the major weaknesses. Work on those.

And then look at the brainstorming ideas again. A few of those ideas will be gems, maybe even be enough to help you fall in love with a story that was beginning to suck the life out of you. (Hey, it’s happened.) Figure out what you can do with them, and let them take your story to the next level.

And then go for it.

On your own.

A critique is the end of that bit of editing.

Unlike with a macro edit, where there may be a bit of back and forth on the editing (some go as many as three rounds), a critique is sort of a standalone. The editor reads your books, writes the critique up, and sends it to you.

That’s it.

What you do with it from there is all you.

To me, though, that’s fun. As an editor, I find it enjoyable work. As an author, I find it empowering. I know what to do to make my story better.

Question

Have you had a professional critique done? How did you feel about it?

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Five Words or Phrases to Avoid

Lots of time we hear verbal patterns that may be acceptable (to some people) in speech, but they are considered ungrammatical in the written word. Below are five examples of words or phrases to avoid in your written communications.

  1. Being as/Being that–Don’t use in place of because or since.

Being as the cake was frosted, we had to eat it.  Wrong

Because the cake was frosted, we had to eat it.   Correct

  1. Can’t hardly—This phrase is a double negative and not acceptable in standard English.

I can’t hardly wait for the first day of summer.  Wrong

I can hardly wait for the first day of summer.     Correct

I can’t wait for the first day of summer.              Correct

 Could of/Should of/Would of—These expressions are ungrammatical uses of could have, should have, and would have. They probably originate from the contractions in speech, could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve. Use the proper form in written English.

  1. Different from/Different Than—The correct usage is different from, not different than.

North Carolina eastern style barbeque is different from western style.

  1. Due to—This expression is a wordy construction. Use because

Due to the fact that Duke lost the game, the team didn’t advance. Wordy

Because Duke lost the game, the team didn’t advance.                   Much better

 Clean up your manuscripts by avoiding these ungrammatical expressions. Clean up your speech patterns by avoiding them, too.

Happy writing!

Categories
Grammar and Grace Uncategorized

Five More Confusing Word Pairs to Consider

We’re continuing to examine words that are used incorrectly.

  1. Enthused/Enthusiastic—Although enthused has become acceptable in standard usage, old school people still prefer enthusiastic.

My daughter was not very enthusiastic about salmon for dinner.

  1. Farther/Further—Farther is used for geographic distances. Further means “in addition to” without involving geography.

A great bed and breakfast is located about a mile farther down the road.

Further accidents can be avoided with common sense.

  1. Fewer/Less—Use fewer for groups or collections with parts that can be counted individually. Use less for things in bulk.

The fifth grade class earned fewer cupcakes than the fourth grade.

We added less butter in our brownies for a low fat option.

  1. Impact/Affect— Some people shudder when impact is used as a verb although it’s become acceptable in standard English.

The impact of the wind knocked me down.  (Yes.)

The song impacted me more than you’ll ever know. (No. This usage may bring to mind images of impacted teeth…or bowels. You don’t want that, do you?)

Instead, use affect.

The nostalgic play affected me to the point of tears.

  1. Irregardless/Regardless—Old English teachers might have rapped knuckles and said, “Irregardless isn’t a word. It isn’t in the dictionary.” My dictionary has it listed along with the definition of non standard English. Irregardless is, however, a fun café in Raleigh, NC. Please use regardless instead.

Do you agree or disagree about the usage of enthuse or impact?

Happy writing!

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Understanding Lie and Lay

 

We’ll take a break from adding more confusing words to our list this time and  focus only on the two verbs lie and lay. They are often confused because they’re both irregular verbs, and the past tense of lie is lay.

(present tense)     Lie                                         Lay
(past tense)           Lay                                        Laid
(past participle)   Have lain                             Laid

*To lie means “to recline.”

I hope to lie down to sleep at 9:30.

Last night, I lay down at 10:30.

I had lain in bed for two hours before I gave up and turned on the light.

*To lay means “to put down.”

Colleen, lay the baby in the crib for a nap, please.

Colleen laid the baby in the crib twenty minutes ago.

Colleen had laid the baby in the crib before the phone rang.

Next time, we’ll continue with more confusing words.

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Five Confusing Word Pairs

The English language has many confusing words because of all of those homonyms and synonyms (don’t even get me started on homographs, homophones, and heteronyms), but in this post we’ll consider only five.

  1. Clenched and Clinched

Clench—to hold tightly

Susan’s clenched teeth signaled an aversion to large, metal objects.

Clinch—to confirm or settle

Anna’s goal in the first two minutes of the soccer game clinched the championship.

  1. Verses and Versus

Verses—the plural form of verse.

The choir sang all four verses of It is Well With My Soul.

Versus—against.

Today’s game will be the Steelers versus the Ravens. Go Steelers!

  1. Complement and Compliment

Complement—something added for completion.

Kevin insists bacon is a great complement to peanut butter.

Compliment—an approval

Because of his kindness toward the refugees, the press gave the governor many compliments.

  1. Affect and Effect

Affect—to impress or to change (usually used as a verb)

Heavy holiday traffic affects our drive from the airport.

Effect—the result (usually used as a noun)

Peace is one of the many effects of prayer.

  1. Lie and Lay

Lie—to recline

I’ll lie down for a nap about 2:00 this afternoon.

Lay—to place

Lay the baby in the crib for his nap.

We’ll tackle more confusing word pairs next time.