#IWSG: Writing Rules

... Yes, writing RULES the universe, but rules can ruin writing. When do you follow the rules and when do you break them? Well, that is certainly open for debate.

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

It's essential to know the rules and to choose consciously when breaking them, but there are SO many rules ... is it even realistic to know them all? No. That's why it's crucial to study and read and revisit the craft of writing as often as possible. The one rule I wish I'd never read is the one about split infinitives. I struggle constantly with them. They plague my writing - not by choice, but by personal blindness to them. Thank heavens for terrific critique partners who catch them for me.

Here are two more writing "rules" --- do you follow these?

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GRAMMAR: Apostrophe S

[Originally posted on March 16, 2012.]

- - - - - -

There is a BIG difference between a plural noun and a possessive noun.

Right?

For example: Hero's vs. Heroes

...

The hero's sword is big and shiny.

source: www.marvel.com

The heroes band together to fight for their right to wear spandex.

source: www.trackingwonder.com

What?

It seems obvious to you?

What about the possessive singular form of Charles?

Well ... according to THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White, the correct answer is:
Charles's friend

Did you get it right?

That tricky little apostrophe S can get the best of us sometimes.

What about you?
Do you ever struggle with possessive nouns?

Zombie Grammar Rules

1. According to Rebecca Johnson: "If you can insert "by zombies" after the verb, you have passive voice."

2. "What are zombie grammar rules? They are misconceptions about the English language that, for whatever reason, refuse to die. ... Don’t be a zombie! Consult your dictionaries and style and usage guides (preferably ones from this century). And the next time you encounter one of these nonsensical rules, get out your metaphorical literary hatchet, baseball bat, or what have you, and strike down these myths until they’re dead instead of undead" (lernerbooks.blogspot.com).

3. Arnold Zwicky, a linguist, in 2009 developed Zombie rules. "A proscription that has died in practice but continues to lumber about in odd corners of usage advice.”

4. "... zombie rules: Though dead, they shamble mindlessly on. The worst thing about zombie rules, I believe, is not the pomposity of those advocating them, or the time-wasting character of the associated gotcha games, but the way they actually make people’s writing worse. They promote insecurity, and nervous people worrying about their language write worse than relaxed people enjoying their language" (chronicle.com).


...

I think #4 is my favorite.

Bottom line: RELAX. Enjoy writing.

Years

How old are you?
I am nineteen years old.

A 19-year-old writer? Wow!

:)

Yup, here we go again. Do you know the correct way to hyphenate (or not) and spell out (or not) an age in a sentence?

Here's the quickest tip I found while researching:

From Grammar Girl ...

Many people get confused about when to use hyphens when writing ages. Here's a Quick and Dirty Tip that will help: When the age is an adjective that comes before the noun and modifies the noun, or when the age is a noun, hyphenate.

• My eight-year-old neighbor wrote a poem about commas for National Grammar Day.

• That 70-year-old with the purple hoodie loves Justin Bieber.

When the age is part of an adjective phrase after the noun, don't hyphenate.

• Charlie Sheen is 45 years old

• His twin sons are nearly two years old.

...

Any questions?

WELL versus GOOD

How are you?
I'm good.

How are you feeling? Have you gotten over the flu?
Yes, I'm well.

How does that steak taste?
Mmm, it tastes well.
Oh, did they overcook it?
No, it tastes good.

How does that rose smell?
It smells good.

...

Do you know when to use the word WELL versus the word GOOD? Are you sure?

The basic rules:
Good is an adjective. Use it to describe nouns.
Well is an adverb. Use it to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Except:
** When describing senses like taste and smell, it is more common and acceptable to use GOOD instead of well (see examples above). It makes more sense to say the steak tastes good. Saying it tastes well leads to confusion.

** And when someone asks you how you are feeling either during an illness or after an illness, it is acceptable to say "I am well." It indicates how you are feeling (a verb).

Of course, there are a million more details to the topic, but this covers the basics.

Good luck with your writing; I hope it goes well.

:)

Vulgarisms

Seriously.
What is a vulgarism and how does it relate to grammar?


According to merriam-webster.com:
A vulgarism is "... a word or expression originated or used chiefly by illiterate persons."

:-)

Okay.


Strunk & White think vulgarisms include wrong word choices:
Wrong: small, home-type hotels
Right: small, homelike hotels
(THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, p. 62).


Punctuation can also be used in error and result in a vulgarism:
"Question marks . . . have their own vulgarism, an attempt to attribute sarcasm to a word by putting a query in brackets after it: 'We attended a really cultured (?) dinner-party last night, at which the other guests could talk of nothing but film stars and football pools.' This habit should be strangled at birth. . . .

"There is, however, one other misuse of the question mark that deserves more serious comment, namely its intrusion in indirect questions, such as:

He asked me why I was so silent?

This is definitely wrong. The original question mark of 'Why are you so silent?' must give way to a full-stop [period] when the question is converted by 'He asked me' into its indirect form, for the sentence as a whole has now become a statement."
(C.V. Carey, Mind the Stop. Pelican Books, 1971)


...

So, really, any grammar error would be like fingernails on a chalkboard to an astute person of grammatical expertise (not me, by the way).

A vulgarism.


Does making an word choice error, punctuation error, or grammar error designate you as an illiterate person?

Underlining

Back in the stone ages (or merely before the personal computer), underlining served as a useful tool to emphasize words and to indicate titles. As word processors have simplified the writing process many people now italicize a word instead of underlining it.

Is there any difference between underlining and italicizing?

According to grammar.ccc.commnet.edu:
"We use italics (characters set in type that slants to the right) and underlining to distinguish certain words from others within the text. These typographical devices mean the same thing; therefore, it would be unusual to use both within the same text and it would certainly be unwise to italicize an underlined word."


According to grammarbook.com:
"The Chicago Manual of Style says: When quoted in text or listed in a bibliography, titles of books, journals, plays, and other freestanding works are italicized; titles of articles, chapters, and other shorter works are set in roman and enclosed in quotation marks.

"Example: That Time magazine article, “Your Brain on Drugs,” was fascinating.
Note that the word “magazine” was not italicized because that is not part of the actual name of the publication.

"Newspapers, which follow The Associated Press Stylebook, have their own sets of rules because italics cannot be sent through AP computers."

...

There you have it.
And remember: Never underline and italicize at the same time.


How about you?
Do you prefer to underline or italicize?

Split Infinitives

A split infinitive is when an adverb or adverbial phrase is placed between the word to and its companion verb.

Most common example of breaking this rule comes from Star Trek: "To boldy go where no man has gone before."

Sometimes the meaning or emphasis can change when the split infinitive is fixed. For example:

You have to really monitor the gauge on the pressure valve.
You really have to monitor the gauge on the pressure valve.

Where's the emphasis placed in each sentence? In the first example, the importance is monitoring the gauge. In the second example, it would seem only you can handle the job.

Researching this topic, I discovered there is quite a bit of controversy regarding split infinitives. Some people say you should NEVER break this rule, while others say its an archaic rule based on Latin structure and isn't always applicable to current day usage in the English language.

What you think?

Not Only, But Also

Hmm. I learned a few things while researching today's grammar post. I honestly thought I knew how to properly use the words: not only, but also. Now ... well ... I am smarter than I was yesterday.


First, from Strunk & White:

"Correlative expressions (both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first, second, third; and the like) should be followed by the same grammatical construction" (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, p.27).

For example:
Wrong: A day not only for sorrow but also joy.
Right: A day not only for sorrow but also for joy.


Second, from The Grammar Girl:

When not only is followed by but also ... it's considered good form to make sure the parts that follow each set of words are formatted the same way.

• He is not only a great swimmer, but also a great musician. (Good: the sentence uses two noun clauses, which are underlined.)

• He is not only a great swimmer, but also plays amazing music. (Bad: the sentence uses a noun clause and a verb clause. It's bad because they don't match.)

You could make the second example better by rewriting it with two verb clauses:

• He not only swims with ease, but also plays amazing music.

 

Third, from Grammarly Handbook:

Not only… but also can be a difficult correlative conjunction to work with because of the extra words and their placement in the sentence. Just remember to use two verbs that make chronological sense, two adjectives, or two nouns.

[wrong] He’s not only funny, but also he’s intelligent.

When using a correlative conjunction, both clauses have to be parallel.

[right] He's not only funny but also intelligent.

...

[wrong] Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but also Greece for a couple of weeks.

Because the subject is after not only, there also needs to be a subject after but also.

[right] Not only is Matthew going to Egypt for a month, but he’s also going to Greece for a couple of weeks.

...
...
...

 

 

 

 

 

Hang in there. Together, we'll not only improve our grammar but also strengthen our resolve.

Go ahead. Give it a try. Write your best "not only, but also" sentence in the comments! :)

Just Joking - There Are No Rules!

Do you write good?

Then here are some rules you might enjoy. This list is all over the internet with no obvious original source. I borrowed this exact list from: www.creativeteachingsite.com

1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
2. Never use a preposition to end a sentence with. Winston Churchill, corrected on this error once, responded to the young man who corrected him by saying "Young man, that is the kind of impudence up with which I will not put!
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies endlessly over and over again.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't always necessary and shouldn't be used to excess so don't.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not always apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous and can be excessive.
14. All generalizations are bad.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Avoid excessive use of ampersands & abbrevs., etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake (Unless they are as good as gold).
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words, however, should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when substituting a diminutive one would suffice.
23. Don't overuse exclamation points!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed and use it correctly with words' that show possession.
27. Don't use too many quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a billion times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly. Besides, hyperbole is always overdone, anyway.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions? However, what if there were no rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. Avoid "buzz-words"; such integrated transitional scenarios complicate simplistic matters.
35. People don't spell "a lot" correctly alot of the time.
36. Each person should use their possessive pronouns correctly.
37. All grammar and spelling rules have exceptions (with a few exceptions)....Morgan's Law.
38. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
39. The dash - a sometimes useful punctuation mark - can often be overused - even though it's a helpful tool some of the time.
40. Proofread carefully to make sure you don't repeat repeat any words.
41. In writing, it's important to remember that dangling sentences.

Ignore Grammar Rules?

You know, some people are like the grammar police and cringe everytime a tiny mistake is made in writing. Other people say that you can only break the grammar rules once you've mastered them and know what you're doing. And some others think they can simply pretend to have mastered the rules so that they can break them without knowledge or intention.

Haha.

I recently read in WRITER'S DIGEST magazine: "Go ahead: End a sentence with a preposition. Liberate yourself from 10 needless nagging worries. When you return to your writing, you may just find your creativity has increased--tenfold!" (WD Magazine, September 2011, p.5).

While I agree that during the drafting process you shouldn't worry about grammar ... just be free and write ... I also think that during revisions you need to buckle down and make sure you've got it correct in the places that matter most. And when you break the rules, do it intentionally and with purpose.

Do you worry about grammar while writing your first draft?

Submitting Query Letters & Manuscripts in the Digital Age

Maybe I should just post helpful links this week... What do you think?

I stumbled upon this post Monday and learned a few things about submissions! Check it out:
Query Letters & Manuscript Submissions

Have you come across a helpful blog post recently?

Break the Rules Intentionally, Not Accidentally

Another worthwhile class I attended at the SCWW was taught by agent Roseanne Wells, titled "Play by the (Grammar) Rules - and When Not to."

Roseanne was wonderful. I really enjoyed her no-nonsense approach to grammar rules. Of course, as writers, we *should* know the rules. eh... right... ??

If you're not confident with your base knowledge (wow, that sounded kinda smart), Roseanne suggests these books:

* ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White
* The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick

Roseanne commented that there is no shame in not knowing, but it is your responsibility to find out! :)

Here are the grammar rules that always confuse ME, that she spoke about and I took notes on...

1. Whom is an objective pronoun - the receiver of an action
2. Who is a subjective pronoun - the subject of the sentence
3. Use a dash if a person interrupts their own dialogue
4. Use less elipses (did I spell that right?) you know... those three little dots...
5. A semicolon connects two complete sentences that are so very related, they should remain connected and not separated by a period
6. Don't start sentences with BUT
7. At least four words at the beginning of a sentence in a dependant clause before you use a comma
8. Break the rules intentionally, not accidentally

Mmm. Hmm.

What is your least favorite grammar rule? Pet peeves? Share...

to MFA or not to MFA ... that's today's question

I'm trying to decide if I should enroll in an MFA program (Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing).  If time and money were not an issue, I would simply enroll. However, I've got three teenagers who not only eat up all my money, but also eat up all my time. Love them...and they are my main focus right now.

However, I told myself a year and a half ago that if I didn't have an agent by now...I would enroll in an MFA program.

What to do?

Interestingly enough...as I've been contemplating this decision, I've come across a lot of blogs and magazine articles that point toward: NO don't do it.  Comments like, MFA programs only focus on literary achievement and not commercial publication; or MFA doesn't mean anything in a query letter to an agent; or MFA programs only focus on publishing short stories not how to get an agent; and so forth.

Opinions? Do you have an MFA? Are you going to pursue one? At a local university or online? Do you think it will help in the publishing process?

Who should follow the rules?

Yah, Yah... I know... RULES. Who makes the rules, and why should they be followed? Well, that's a huge discussion, and today, I'm only going to tackle part of it.

This weekend, I read the "Hunger Games" trilogy (check out my reviews on Goodreads by clicking on the box in the lower left of this blog).  While I found the stories absolutely captivating, I was distracted and pulled out of the moment many times by the "rules" that were broken. Now, I understand that if you are a best-selling author, the rules may no longer apply, but it was still distracting!  And, frankly, frustrating. I've been told and read many times that debut authors must follow the rules as much as possible in order to get that first book published. However, there are conflicting opinions that argue we should simply read the best-sellers and follow their examples in how to write a great book. Ack. Which is it?


According to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, "Very nearly the only time you need [thinker attritubtions] is when you're writing from an extremely distant point of view..." (page 124).

And yet, in Catching Fire, which is written in a very close first-person point-of-view, Collins constantly uses thinker attributions and italics. "I can't do it, I think. I'm not that good" (page 30).

Another broken rule that constantly distracted me in the trilogy was the use of dialogue tags.  Again, according to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, "Name before the noun ("Renni said") rather than the other way around ("said Renni")" (page 95).

And yet... throughout the trilogy this "rule" was broken. "...says Octavia...says Venia..." (page 48, Catching Fire).

So, while I loved the trilogy (read it in three days) I was frustrated by the grammar.

What do you think? Are "rules" meant to be followed? Only by debut authors? Or not at all?

Coloring outside the lines...

Great post today (as is the case MOST days!) on Kidlit.

Mary writes, "When a first-time novelist “colors outside the lines” in terms of novel craft or structure, I don’t give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re a mad genius and that they’ve totally revolutionized the novel form. I assume that they don’t exactly know what they’re doing yet."

If you'd like to read the entire post: http://kidlit.com/

Following the rules (choke, gag, cough)

I'm not sure an unpublished writer who follows all of the "rules" will ever get published. Seriously.

I finished my young adult novel back in July and began the query process. I was consumed with following the "rules" of proper query letter writing... I read and researched to learn the best ways to write it, submit it, and follow it. Rejection. Rejection. Rejection.

Then I found a series of posts on The Guide to Literary Agents' Blog. The series featured actual queries that snagged an agent. The agents commented on the query letters and explained why they were successful. I noticed a trend. Most of these letters didn't follow the "rules" I had found. I also noticed that many of the agents commented how the letter stood out from the rest of the slush.

I scratched my chin and thought, "They stood out because they didn't follow the rules and because their voice really shined through."

I rewrote my query as though there were no rules. I didn't limit my word count. I didn't limit my paragraphs to three. I didn't start by introducing the genre or the main character.

I sent the query letter out to eleven agents on the eleventh of November, at eleven p.m. HA. I'm actually serious... although, it wasn't premeditated. I figured, my favorite number was eleven. I should take advantage of it, right?

Well, either the number eleven worked for me, or breaking the rules did, because eleven days later (I KID YOU NOT!) on the 22nd of November, an agent emailed me and asked me for the full manuscript. Well, it's been more than eleven weeks, and the ms is still with the agent. She's been busy selling books (which is a good thing, yah?) and so she hasn't had a chance to get to it yet... patience is not my virtue.

So, I sent out a new batch of query letters. This time I tried to conform the letter to more rules. Rejections.

I'm going to write a new letter this week focusing more on the spirit and voice of the book. I'm going to break the rules again and see what happens.

Now, I meant to cover one more thing in this post, but since it's so long I'll save it for another post. While I think it may be necessary to break some rules to get noticed... I think other rules need to be followed. Oh, and one more topic for a future post... Who's writing the rule book and what makes them the authority?