Aaaaaargghhhh, Matey. Write Tight or I’ll Keelhaul Ye.
Even the Navy knows good grammar rules. I pulled this from the Navy Correspondence Manual at work. Continue reading Aaaaaargghhhh, Matey. Write Tight or I’ll Keelhaul Ye.
Tag: Grammar
Write Crisp – Word Choice
I apologize if the new title for my writing posts makes you hungry. I cannot stop thinking of Rice Crispies; does any cereal hold more sugar? As a ten-year old boy, I reached for unsweetened cereal in the cupboard. I wanted to choose the amount of sugar on my own. Some cereals tantalized my tongue with lots of added sugar, while others were delicious with … Continue reading Write Crisp – Word Choice
Mr. Grundy’s English Class
Word Choice. Ernest Hemingway is said to have paused writing for days while searching for the right word. I don’t have the patience for that, though I will put my pen down and spend a few minutes racking my brain for the word on the tip of my tongue. I suspect Ernest had more on his mind than finding lexicologic Nirvana. One word that I … Continue reading Mr. Grundy’s English Class
Mr. Grundy’s English Class
I often see writers use the term “aircrafts” when referring to two or more aircraft. “Aircraft” is the correct term for both singular and plural cases. Example the first: “The aircraft flew until it ran out of fuel. Then it made a sudden landing.” Example the second: “The aircraft were parked wingtip to wingtip making them easy targets for strafing by treacherous seagulls. It’s one … Continue reading Mr. Grundy’s English Class
Write Tight
Re-blogged from Cafe Reading Site. You don’t need the exclamation point if you convey your thought well enough in words. That is my goal. In my 90K word novel, I have no exclamation points. Let your characters’ actions speak for themselves. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the … Continue reading Write Tight
Proofread, Proofread, Poofread
Proofreading your work is the most important action you can perform before pressing the publish button. An error-free post sends an unconscious signal to the reader that you care about your writing. I can’t count the times I have found a beautiful post, especially a poem, ruined over a misspelled word, an incomplete phrase, or another grammatical error. The flow is brought up short and … Continue reading Proofread, Proofread, Poofread
Writers Envy 