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writethisfanficIs your weather, wherever you may be, conducive to writing right now???
How did the writing go since last you posted?
~ Awesome
~ Pretty good
~ All right
~ Coulda been better
~ It was pretty rough
~ it didn't
Share any great accomplishments or disappointments--we're here for you either way.
Discussion topic. . . . of those who mentioned wanting to take a writing class, most said an editing class would be the most helpful. I thought maybe we could go over a few things here. . . .
Like over-used words: looked, very, had, as, so, just, well, and, but, and the like. Though sometimes a "that" or a "had" will add to the cadence or flow of your prose, so even though it's not necessary for the meaning of what you say to be clear, it may sound a bit more lyrical. Also, we all have a word or phrase that we personally like to use. Become aware of it and take care with it.
Adverbs: an adverb isn't a red-headed step-child. They have a purpose and place, but overuse of adverbs is generally discouraged in most professional writing organizations. Stronger verbs mean stronger prose.
For example: "She meandered along the garden path." gives us much better visual than "She walked slowly down the path."
Homophones: words that sound the same and may be spelled the same, but mean something different. Classic cases: to, too, two or they're, their, and there. There are huge amount of these.
And beware of "dyslexic words" if you will--where the switching of a pair of letters changes the word. For example: quite and quiet, barely and barley. Spell-check isn't going to catch any of these, or the homophones, if they are actually spelled correctly.
Another way to perform some basic self-editing is to read your work out loud. And I mean out loud. This can help you catch missing words, as well as words or phrases that read awkwardly. If your tongue trips over it, then the reader's eye probably will too. I also use this as a sort of measuring stick if you will (though not really a good metaphor). What I mean is that if I'm reading and my brain automatically supplies a word or phrasing other than what I've written, I will almost always change it. Why? Because if my brain is cruising along and expecting something and it doesn't get it, I'm immediately jarred from the reading. Chances are my reader will be as well. So, unless it's super-important that I keep my original word or phrase I go ahead and change it.
So what other suggestions do you all have for some basic self-editing tasks?
How did the writing go since last you posted?
~ Awesome
~ Pretty good
~ All right
~ Coulda been better
~ It was pretty rough
~ it didn't
Share any great accomplishments or disappointments--we're here for you either way.
Discussion topic. . . . of those who mentioned wanting to take a writing class, most said an editing class would be the most helpful. I thought maybe we could go over a few things here. . . .
Like over-used words: looked, very, had, as, so, just, well, and, but, and the like. Though sometimes a "that" or a "had" will add to the cadence or flow of your prose, so even though it's not necessary for the meaning of what you say to be clear, it may sound a bit more lyrical. Also, we all have a word or phrase that we personally like to use. Become aware of it and take care with it.
Adverbs: an adverb isn't a red-headed step-child. They have a purpose and place, but overuse of adverbs is generally discouraged in most professional writing organizations. Stronger verbs mean stronger prose.
For example: "She meandered along the garden path." gives us much better visual than "She walked slowly down the path."
Homophones: words that sound the same and may be spelled the same, but mean something different. Classic cases: to, too, two or they're, their, and there. There are huge amount of these.
And beware of "dyslexic words" if you will--where the switching of a pair of letters changes the word. For example: quite and quiet, barely and barley. Spell-check isn't going to catch any of these, or the homophones, if they are actually spelled correctly.
Another way to perform some basic self-editing is to read your work out loud. And I mean out loud. This can help you catch missing words, as well as words or phrases that read awkwardly. If your tongue trips over it, then the reader's eye probably will too. I also use this as a sort of measuring stick if you will (though not really a good metaphor). What I mean is that if I'm reading and my brain automatically supplies a word or phrasing other than what I've written, I will almost always change it. Why? Because if my brain is cruising along and expecting something and it doesn't get it, I'm immediately jarred from the reading. Chances are my reader will be as well. So, unless it's super-important that I keep my original word or phrase I go ahead and change it.
So what other suggestions do you all have for some basic self-editing tasks?
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