How to Avoid Common Writing Mistakes

In the book, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost, he goes to great lengths to describe

how to avoid grammatical errors. I'm going to condense for you, what Mr Provost has to say.

1. Respect the Rules of Grammar
Mr. Provost says it very succinctly, "to succeed as a writer, you must respect the rules of grammar."  He goes one to say, "Good grammar and good writing are not twins, but they are usually found in the same place."

The rules of grammar are not meant to obstruct your work, but to help arrange it in such a way that pure harmony is reached when words, letters, paragraphs, sentences, all work together to create the great symphony of communication.

2. Do not change Tenses
It's as as simple as this: If you being in one tense, do not switch to another.

3. Know how to use the Possessive Case
As you know, most nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and "s". For example:
The cat's toy got stuck under the rug.

However, if a noun is plural, you just add an apostrophe. For example:
All of the girls' toys were arranged in a circle on the rug.

As for the personal pronoun its, it does not require an apostrophe. For example:
The dog scratched at its collar.

4. Make Verbs agree with Subjects
It should be simple right? Plural subjects require plural verbs. Singular subjects require singular verbs. When you're writing a long complicated sentence, check to make sure your verb and subject agree.

5. Avoid Dangling Modifiers
What is a dangling modifier? Something you don't want to have in your sentence, that's for sure! Actually, it's a word or group of words that paper to modify and inappropriate  word in the same sentence. The error most often occurs when passive rather than active verbs are sussed.

For example: In drawing the picture, his dog was used as the model. -- Dangling
                      In drawing the picture, he used his dog as the model.  -- not dangling


6. Avoid Shifts in Pronoun Forms
Be consistent. Don't shift from singular to plural pronoun format.

7. Avoid Splitting Infinitives
How do you split an infinitive? An infinitive is split when an adverb is placed between the word to and a verb.

For example: She wanted to quickly run the race.
Better: She wanted to run the race quickly.

Most of all respect the rules of grammar. Grammar is a living entity. Study it continuously.

And, remember this: you are writing for you reader. They may forgive a grammar mistake here or there. Maybe.

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Friday Writing Prompt - Why or Why Not?

Here we are, it's Friday again and time for the Friday Writing  Prompt. Today we are going to go with a "Why or Why Not?" prompt. Use the following "Why or Why Not" prompt to stimulate those writing juices and maybe even come up with a story?

"Is reading fiction a waste of time? Why or why not? Explain your answer using specific reasons and examples to support your position?"

Would you agree or wouldn't you? Why or why not? Can you cite other sources that say differently?

These are the kinds of questions this prompt should stimulate and even more. Write ideas, a list of words that might come in handy with the story, maybe a list of research material you might need.

Did this prompt help you? Why or why not? Were you able to identify with a character who would think this way? Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Writing!

You're Special: Use it in your Writing

I know that you've heard the old adage "Write what you know," am I right? If that were really true, only serial killers would be writing thrillers and such, but it's not, so some of us have to to research and write outside out comfort zone.

However, we all have some special knowledge and experience that we can work into our fiction. It's a definite advantage to us and we can make it interesting to our readers. And, best of all it gives us a great credibility with our publishers and the public. You are unique.


So, what do you know?
Even if you haven't worked in any important or interesting field, don't think that you don't have material you can draw from. Use some time now to make a list of what experience you have and what you've learned.

• experiences you have lived
• places you have lived
• friends you have made
• hobbies
• times in school
• jobs you've held
• volunteer work
• places you've visited
• romantic relationships
• experiences as parent, aunt, uncle, or godparent, or grandparent
• health background

It's important to remember to use your expertise, but don't overuse it. Don't let your expertise become overwhelming.

Always sprinkle in interesting facts that wouldn't otherwise be known to crease a sense or realism among the characters and in the setting. It will let the reader know that they are right in the middle of the author's world.

What special gifts do you offer the world?

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Reference by:
Your Writing Coach by Jurgen Wolff

Friday Writing Prompt - Do You Agree?

Here we are, it's Friday again and time for the Friday Writing  Prompt. Today we are going to go with a "Do You Agree?" prompt. Use the following "Do You Agree" prompt to stimulate those writing juices and maybe even come up with a story?

"It has often been said that 'Ignorance is bliss,' and 'What you do't know won't hurt you' ' Do you agree with these statements?' Why or why not?"

Would you agree or wouldn't you? Why or why not? Can you cite other sources that say differently?

These are the kinds of questions this prompt should stimulate and even more. Write ideas, a list of words that might come in handy with the story, maybe a list of research material you might need.

Did this prompt help you? Why or why not? Were you able to identify with a character who would think this way? Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Writing!

10 Ways to Develop Your Unique Writing Style

When you think of "Writing Style" you consider the way the idea is presented, not really the idea, itself.

Consider this: a reader picks up a book usually because of content, but more often than not not, puts it down because of style.

1. Think About Style - According to Gary Provost, author of 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing "There is not subject that cannot be made more fascinating by a well-informed and competent writer. And there is no subject that cannot be quickly turned into a literary sleeping pill by an incompetent writer."

2. Listen to What You Write. Writing is a visual art. Provost says, "To write is to create music." So, as writers this of yourselves as composers, and think of your words as making muss. You must read aloud what you write and make sure it sounds melodic. Listen for dissonance. Listen for the beat. Listen for gaps in music. Listen for sour notes. Listen for instruments that don't blend well. As Provost says, "Its is the way in which you combine them that can make the writing succeed or fail. It's the music that matters."

3. Mimic Spoken Language.  Make your writing conversational. Of course, we're not talking about an exact duplicate of speech, oh,  no! What Provost means, is your writing must convey to the reader a sense of conversation. Don't make it an ordinary conversation, make it a good one.

4. Vary Sentence Length.  If you tried counting every sentence in every paragraph in every book all you'd end up with would be a headache. If you tried to make every sentence the same length in every paragraph what you'd end up with is a headache. Why? Because it would be boring. The sound drones on an on with no ending. Let your ear help you with this. It demands a variety, as in music, it demands a beat, a rhythm, a harmony.  Use short sentences, medium sentences, longer sentences, mix them up. Use short sentences to evoke  a sense of urgency. Longer sentences to give the reader a rest. Remember, you're not just writing words, you're writing music.

5. Vary Sentence Construction. In school, do you remember how to structure a sentence? Subject ? Verb? Object? However, ideal sentence construction can bore readers. Of course, you shouldn't go out on a limb and rearrange sentences willy-nilly with no nod to Strunk & White, That's not what I'm saying, however, keep the principle elements of the sentence dancing so they'll create they're own music.

6. Write Complete Sentences. In most cases, a complete sentence creates a complete thought. Incomplete sentences were not acceptable in grammar school. However in the writing world, they do have their place. Provost says, "Good writing often contains incomplete sentences." It's a useful tool -- when USED WISELY and SPARINGLY. As far as Provost is concerned, "...write complete sentences 99% of the time. But now and then if a partial sentence sounds right to you, that's what you should write. Period."

7. Show, Don't Tell. Usually shorter is better. However, it sometimes takes more words to show than it does to tell. That's okay. Description helps.

8. Keep Related Words Together. When you go to a grocery store, even if you've never been there before, you can find most everything you're looking for without the use of a map or customer service. Why? Because they group related items together. Do the same with words. Adjectives should be placed near the noun they describe. Adverbs should be close to the verbs they modify, and dependent clauses near the words on which they depend for meaning.

9. Use Parallel Construction. As the steady of a drum often enriches the melody, the repetition of a sound can improve the music in your writing. Placing words and sounds together by arranging sentences sentences together to show the reader similarities of information contained in sentences is called parallel construction.

10. Don't Force a Personal Style.  Similar to a new set of clothes, style is something you cannot force on a person, or your writing. As Provost says, "Style is your writing.... Do not try to write like Erma Bombeck, Hunter S. Thompson, Ernest Hemingway, or anybody else. If you fail you will look foolish, and if you succeed you will succeed only in announcing to the world that you are not very creative."

Be you instead. 

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