The MacKenna Saga. The ins and Outs of Writing
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Seven useful websites writers
From grammar guides to usage resources. From usual suspects to obscure gems, here are seven web sites writers of all genres will find of great value:
1. Amazon.com
You may have heard of this website — a good place, I understand, to find books (or anything else manufactured). But what I appreciate even more is the “Search inside this book” link under the image of the book cover on most pages in the Books section. No longer do you need to own a book, drive out to the bookstore, or thumb through it at library in search of a name, that clever remark or expression you can’t quite remember. And even if you do have access to the book in question, it’s easier to search online than to try to remember on what part of what page in what part of the book you remember seeing something last week or last month or years ago. The book search can be a writer’s salvation.
2. The Chicago Manual of Style Online
A review on this site, The Chicago Manual of Style, notes that despite its abundance of useful information, buying the bulky book is overkill for writers (but it is an editors best friend). Editorial professionals of all kinds will benefit from the CMOS, Style Q&A feature, which responds authoritatively, sensibly, and often humorously to visitors’ queries.
3. Banned for Life
Newspaper editor Tom Mangan’s site lists reader contributions of clichés and redundancies.
4. GrammarBook.com
Jane Straus, (May 1954 - Feb 2011) author of The Blue Book on Grammar and Punctuation, created this site to promote her book. It also features simple grammar lessons (and quizzes), as well as video lessons, an e-newsletter, and blog entries that discuss various grammar topics.
5. The Word Detective
Words and Language in a Humorous Vein on the Web Since 1995
This online version of Evan Morris’s newspaper column of the same name (some were also published in the book The Word Detective) features humorous Q&A entries about word origins.
6. The Phrase Finder
A useful way to find proverbs, phrases from the Bible and Shakespeare, nautical expressions, and American idiom (the site originates in the United Kingdom), plus a feature called “Famous Last Words” and, for about $50 a year, subscription to a phrase thesaurus. (Subscribers include many well-known media companies and other businesses as well as universities.)
7. The Vocabula Review
The Principal Web Destination for Anyone Interested in Words and Language
Essays about language and usage; $25 per year by email, $35 for the print version.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Grammatical Errors That Aren’t
Just finished running my manuscript through the WordPerfect Grammatik. I ran into so frustrating, if not down right maddening rules that drove me crazy. Rules that can, in dialogue screw up you character’s way off speaking, if you adhere to them, Here are seven I found and I will ignore.
There are two types of grammar: Prescriptive grammar, which prescribes what should be, and descriptive, which describes what is customary. Tension between the two systems is
foreseeable and healthy; it keeps us thinking about what we’re writing and how we're saying it.
Allowing mob rule at the expense of some governing of composition is madness, but articulate absolutism is dangerous, also. As with any prescription, overdosing is contraindicated. Here are seven hard pills to swallow for the language storm troopers who insist on a strict attachment to rigid syntactic patterns at the expense of, well for lack of a better word, language:
1. Never begin a sentence with a conjunction. WHAT! WHY!
And why not? For an honorable tradition of doing just that exists. But many people persist in prohibiting this technique. Yet as writers defy them. Or we ignore or laugh at them, neither of which they appreciate. Nor do they understand our attitude, though we try to convince them, and will continue to do so. So there.
The words beginning each of these sentences are conjunctions, easily recalled with the mnemonic FANBOYS. Every one is perfectly acceptable at the head of a sentence. As is obvious from the previous paragraph, however, a little goes a long way.
In case you don’t know,
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
2. Distinguish between, While and Though
Petty prescriptivists would have us reserve while for temporal usage only: "While I agree, I resist," they say, should be revised to "Though I do agree, I resist." I will admit I often change while to though, and while I understand, I’m sorry, I can not stop myself , and though I understand that it may seem bookish, but I think though reads better.
3. Use Data only in the plural sense. (Huh!)
Who came up with this data? The alternative is to use the word datum in the singular sense, which makes you sound like a propeller head. (Look it up, kids.) People who say "datum" get data, but they don’t get dates.
4. Never split an infinitive.
It isn’t wise to always ignore this fallacious rule against dividing the elements of the verb phrase "to (verb)" with an adverb, but to blindly follow it is to prohibit pleasing turns of phrase — one of the best known of which is from the introductory voice-over from all the Star Trek television series: "to boldly go where no one has gone before." (The original series, produced before the more recent sensitivity to gender bias, put it "no man.")
5. Use none only in the singular sense. (What!)
None of these rules, followed strictly, allow for a vernacular ease with language.
Did Earth stop spinning? Did that sentence hurt? Did the waves stop crashing to shore? If you Want to replace none with "not one" or "no one" ("Not one person admitted guilt"; "No one saw that coming"), by all means, do so, but fear not none in a plural sense.
7. Distinguish between Since and Because.
Ditto. And ditto. I agree that indiscriminate replacement of since with because may seem finicky, but since — ahem — because I find the latter word more pleasing, I reserve the right to prefer it.
6. Never end a sentence with a preposition.
This rule is ridiculous, to start with. If you believe it, please tell me what planet you are from. Give it up. What are you striving for? Do I get my point across
The stricture against closing sentences with words that describe position stems from an eighteen-century fetish for the supposed perfection of classical Latin, which allowed no split infinitives — for the excellent reason that Latin infinitives consist of single words. English, however, being a distant relative of that language, should be allowed to form its own customs.
There are two types of grammar: Prescriptive grammar, which prescribes what should be, and descriptive, which describes what is customary. Tension between the two systems is
foreseeable and healthy; it keeps us thinking about what we’re writing and how we're saying it.
Allowing mob rule at the expense of some governing of composition is madness, but articulate absolutism is dangerous, also. As with any prescription, overdosing is contraindicated. Here are seven hard pills to swallow for the language storm troopers who insist on a strict attachment to rigid syntactic patterns at the expense of, well for lack of a better word, language:
1. Never begin a sentence with a conjunction. WHAT! WHY!
And why not? For an honorable tradition of doing just that exists. But many people persist in prohibiting this technique. Yet as writers defy them. Or we ignore or laugh at them, neither of which they appreciate. Nor do they understand our attitude, though we try to convince them, and will continue to do so. So there.
The words beginning each of these sentences are conjunctions, easily recalled with the mnemonic FANBOYS. Every one is perfectly acceptable at the head of a sentence. As is obvious from the previous paragraph, however, a little goes a long way.
In case you don’t know,
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
2. Distinguish between, While and Though
Petty prescriptivists would have us reserve while for temporal usage only: "While I agree, I resist," they say, should be revised to "Though I do agree, I resist." I will admit I often change while to though, and while I understand, I’m sorry, I can not stop myself , and though I understand that it may seem bookish, but I think though reads better.
3. Use Data only in the plural sense. (Huh!)
Who came up with this data? The alternative is to use the word datum in the singular sense, which makes you sound like a propeller head. (Look it up, kids.) People who say "datum" get data, but they don’t get dates.
4. Never split an infinitive.
It isn’t wise to always ignore this fallacious rule against dividing the elements of the verb phrase "to (verb)" with an adverb, but to blindly follow it is to prohibit pleasing turns of phrase — one of the best known of which is from the introductory voice-over from all the Star Trek television series: "to boldly go where no one has gone before." (The original series, produced before the more recent sensitivity to gender bias, put it "no man.")
5. Use none only in the singular sense. (What!)
None of these rules, followed strictly, allow for a vernacular ease with language.
Did Earth stop spinning? Did that sentence hurt? Did the waves stop crashing to shore? If you Want to replace none with "not one" or "no one" ("Not one person admitted guilt"; "No one saw that coming"), by all means, do so, but fear not none in a plural sense.
7. Distinguish between Since and Because.
Ditto. And ditto. I agree that indiscriminate replacement of since with because may seem finicky, but since — ahem — because I find the latter word more pleasing, I reserve the right to prefer it.
6. Never end a sentence with a preposition.
This rule is ridiculous, to start with. If you believe it, please tell me what planet you are from. Give it up. What are you striving for? Do I get my point across
The stricture against closing sentences with words that describe position stems from an eighteen-century fetish for the supposed perfection of classical Latin, which allowed no split infinitives — for the excellent reason that Latin infinitives consist of single words. English, however, being a distant relative of that language, should be allowed to form its own customs.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
17 Tips for Stranded Manuscript Submission
- If you are submitting your manuscript on paper, type the document. Do not submit a hand written version. (Rejected)
2.Use a single, clear font, 12 point size. The best to use is Courier or Courier New. At the very least, ensure you use a 12 point, serif font. Something like Arial with be Rejected.
3.Black print on white paper. The only acceptable choice.
4.When printing out your submission (rather than submitting it electronically), agood quality plain white paper is a must. Print only on one side of each sheet.
5.Include your name and contact information at the top left of the first page. Put an accurate word count at the top right. Put the title half-way down the page, centered, with "by Your Name" underneath. Start the story beneath that.
6.If you chosen to write under a pseudonym, put that beneath the title but your real name in the top left of the first page.
7.Put your name, story title and the page number as a right-justified header on every subsequent page, in the format Name/Title/Page Number. You can also just use a key word from your title and not repeat the whole thing on each page.
8.Left-justify your paragraphs. Right margins should be "ragged".
9.Ensure there is at least a 1 inch (2 centimeters) margin top, bottom, and left, right, around your text. This is to allow annotation to be written onto a printed copy.
10.Use double spacing for all your text.
11.Don’t insert extra lines between your paragraphs.
12.Leave the first line in the chapter start out a the left margin.
13.Indent the first line of each proceeding paragraph by about 1/2 inch (1 centimeter). Usually one (1) tab keystroke,
14.If you want to indicate a blank line, (Scene Break) place a blank line, then a line with the # character in the middle of it, then another blank line.
15.Don’t use bold or italic fonts or any other unusual formatting. To emphases a piece of text you should underline it.
16.Put the word "End" after your text, centered on its own line.
17.If you are submitting on paper, don’t staple your pages together. Package them up well so that they won’t get damaged and send them off.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Eve Beguilement
After several yeas of starting over and editing the manuscript, I just wrapped up the rough draft of The Eve Beguilement. The 137K word story took a lot of twists due to the delay in the translation of some of the journals and records, but it's finally done.
I'm doing typo read through of The Adam Eradication. I will edit the The Eve Beguilement, while I get From the Garden Cast flushed out. It's at 26,464 word, so only 100K or so words to add. No big deal. :-))
I'm doing typo read through of The Adam Eradication. I will edit the The Eve Beguilement, while I get From the Garden Cast flushed out. It's at 26,464 word, so only 100K or so words to add. No big deal. :-))
Monday, March 11, 2013
Working Cover: The Eve Beguilement
Hi everyone,
Take a look at the working book cover (not the final) for our second book "The Eve Beguilement".
This is the web version so the colors are not what then are in real time.
Incase you can't read the text on the back cover.
The MacKenna Saga
Book Two
The Eve Beguilement
Kalen and Mayla return to Mayla's family's Outlands estate. They hope to leave the past behind settle into a peaceful life. That is until an attempt is made to abduct Daniella and kill Kalen. While seeking answers for the senseless crime, Abel Santiago, Mayla's middle brother returns. Convinced Kalen is guilty of murder, and angered by his family's unquestioning support of him, Abel attempts to kill Kalen. After recovering from the near fatal attack, Kalen travels to the nearby town of Solana and interrupts two men in the midst of kidnaping a woman. The crime uncovers an even darker secret the Central Council is concealing, hundreds of Arrisian young women are missing.
Suspecting his enemies Maria and Jenna are involved, he investigates. Following a lead from the kidnapers, Kalen, Mayla, Jamie Santiago and three roving patrol officers travel to an isolated corner of the Outlands on a rescue mission. But the mission turns in one of survival, their own.
Separated from their friends, Kalen and Mayla stumble on the kidnappers’ hideout, and derail Maria's plans. Their interference thrusts him and the entire Santiago family into a life and death struggle that destroys the Santiago estate and threatens the lives of Mayla's family. Another attempt to kidnap Daniella, followed by a mid air attack on her and Connor O’Dell sends Kalen and Mayla hunting for the conspirators.
During the ensuing battle to rescue Daniella and Connor Kalen tries to uncover the reason one of the riches, most powerful woman in the colonies would risk death to accomplish her mission. Jenna and Maria escape, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake, one Santiago dead and another near death.
I would appericate any comments.
This is the web version so the colors are not what then are in real time.
Incase you can't read the text on the back cover.
The MacKenna Saga
Book Two
The Eve Beguilement
Kalen and Mayla return to Mayla's family's Outlands estate. They hope to leave the past behind settle into a peaceful life. That is until an attempt is made to abduct Daniella and kill Kalen. While seeking answers for the senseless crime, Abel Santiago, Mayla's middle brother returns. Convinced Kalen is guilty of murder, and angered by his family's unquestioning support of him, Abel attempts to kill Kalen. After recovering from the near fatal attack, Kalen travels to the nearby town of Solana and interrupts two men in the midst of kidnaping a woman. The crime uncovers an even darker secret the Central Council is concealing, hundreds of Arrisian young women are missing.
Suspecting his enemies Maria and Jenna are involved, he investigates. Following a lead from the kidnapers, Kalen, Mayla, Jamie Santiago and three roving patrol officers travel to an isolated corner of the Outlands on a rescue mission. But the mission turns in one of survival, their own.
Separated from their friends, Kalen and Mayla stumble on the kidnappers’ hideout, and derail Maria's plans. Their interference thrusts him and the entire Santiago family into a life and death struggle that destroys the Santiago estate and threatens the lives of Mayla's family. Another attempt to kidnap Daniella, followed by a mid air attack on her and Connor O’Dell sends Kalen and Mayla hunting for the conspirators.
During the ensuing battle to rescue Daniella and Connor Kalen tries to uncover the reason one of the riches, most powerful woman in the colonies would risk death to accomplish her mission. Jenna and Maria escape, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake, one Santiago dead and another near death.
I would appericate any comments.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
A 'Microsoft' email you should avoid at all costs
"Danger Will Robinson, danger!"
I reviewed this warning from Kim Kammando a local radio personality about a Microsoft E-Mail going around. Instead of me telling you about it just click on the link and read for yourself. Kim's claim to fame. 'She is your digital goddess.' She's good and if you've never heard of her check out the rest of her website when you're done reading
The link to the site is no longer active My apologies
http://www.komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=14152&utm_medium=nl&utm_source=alerts&utm_content=2013-03-07-article-in-body-b
I reviewed this warning from Kim Kammando a local radio personality about a Microsoft E-Mail going around. Instead of me telling you about it just click on the link and read for yourself. Kim's claim to fame. 'She is your digital goddess.' She's good and if you've never heard of her check out the rest of her website when you're done reading
The link to the site is no longer active My apologies
http://www.komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=14152&utm_medium=nl&utm_source=alerts&utm_content=2013-03-07-article-in-body-b
Monday, March 4, 2013
Self Editing: The Bane of Self-Publishing
Think how many times you've received a reply to an email you sent out, only to noticed that your original text contained errors. It turns out that editing one’s own writing is remarkably difficult. Once they are initially missed, errors tend to become "invisible" to a writer when they review their work. Our eyes skim past them. A lot of new writers make the critical error of self-editing and think they are done.
If the publishers of writers like James Patterson. Issac Asimov, Sue Grafton, Robert B Parker, Raymond E. Fiest all require an editor to review and check their work. What makes any of us first time writes believe we are better and don't need an editor.
My co-author and I had our self-published Tyranny series picked up by a publisher in Las Vegas. What was the first thing the owner did? He tore out the first chapter (literally). We had to create a whole new chapter starting in a different place. Next he took a scene from book one and had us move into to book two. Next he underlined all the placed where we did tell and not show. We sat together in a marathon session over a weekend and removed all the places he raised objection. Now the company editor is taking her turn and bringing up very good points about character development, scene description, and repetition in the story. The process is frustration at times but necessary.
I'm doing a last read-through of The Adam Eradication. I printed the entire manuscript, got away from my computer and started reading. While the manuscript is complete, and was edited twice, this read is pointing out a boat load of typos made while removing my telly pros and replacing them with pros that help the reader to see the story.
This brings to mind an elderly woman I met. She wrote a book and was very anxious to get it published. So anxious in fact she didn't want to bother having an editor read it at all. This was huge mistake, made by those who decided to self publish.
Concerned about her book I request she allow me to send the first five chapters to the woman who did the first edit on my book. She went through the pages as a courtesy. What this editor returned shocked to woman into taking a second look and she paid the editor to run through her manuscript.
She received her red-lined manuscript back entered the edits and corrections. This writer figured she was done. I tried to convince her to have someone outside her family read through it one more time. Her reply, I made all the changes, it's ready to go.
She had 500 copies printed. After receiving cases and cases of books, her son took one home to read. He returned it to her three day later, red lined, pointing out errors on almost every page. Her concept is a good one, but instead of book worth reading she had boxes of books that are good for little more than starting a fire.
My first editor did the work and I made the corrections. But The Adam Eradication, being my first book, I found what I considered holes in the story and proceeded to plug them. Enter a good friend (enough of a friend to tell me the truth) she did the second edit. The first thing she did was cut the last 10 chapters (48K+ words). Her analysis. Your book ends at this point. A good piece of advise. I used those 10 chapters to start the second book. (Never trash anything you've written, archive it. A good idea can be reworked to fit somewhere else)
Throughout the edit she deleted whole paragraphs as redundant. Some writer suffer from this problem some do not. I was anxious to get the story to press and rushed though the last edit. After publishing the book I gave several copies away. My friend's wife read the book and sometime later handed me her copy. She said "I love you story but --" The book was marked with over forty sticky tabs each on a typo. Though minor typos, I learned my lesson. Fifty fire starters.
Editors cost money. Not as much as publishing an unreadable book. This mistake marks you as an armature, not serious about your craft. This kind of attitude will stop readers from ever considering reading any future work you publish, no matter how much you improve. And without someone finding your story compelling enough to look past your mistakes, no published will take you seriously in the future.
What can an editor do that I can't? What can an editor do that you can't? An editor will read what you wrote, not what you think you wrote. A good editor will find your inconsistencies, help you with the language appropriate for your genre. For instance a steam punk novel's use of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc will be different from those used in a science fiction novel as will a fantasy fiction novel will differ from SF or romance. Next, an editor will point out your flaws in the construction of paragraphs, scene breaks and poor character development. Some writer's characters all talk the same. A good editor will point this out and help you see how to vary your character's personalities. A good editor will tell you when you've shifted you POV(Point Of View) If character A is you POV character you cannot have character's B thought in a scene or describe a scene through character B eyes. You can if your novel is written from an omniscient POV, but few good writers use this POV anymore.
An editor will spot problems with spelling, punctuation, and grammar that can escape your notice.
Does the phrase familiarity breeds contempt. Well, familiarity with your subject can result in explanations and descriptions that are incomplete or confusing to readers. What you see in your minds eye is always what you've put on paper. An editor will ensure that your copy is intelligibly and concisely written.
You may also ask yourself why an editor is necessary when your word processing program already has spell checking capabilities. Spell check, it turns out, is only partially effective at catching problems. For example, homonyms (e.g., council/counsel) you won't find these flagged. Words used nonsensically are regularly accepted by a spell checker. These programs have nothing to say about confusing, ones needlessly wordy, jargony or telly prose.
One of the biggest helps is to join a writer's group. You read your work aloud and they critique your writing. Be advised, while most groups offer good non threatening environment, you need a thick skin, because it is still hard to hear your writing evaluated by others.
You took the time and effort to create a good story. Give it the polish and attention it deserves.
If the publishers of writers like James Patterson. Issac Asimov, Sue Grafton, Robert B Parker, Raymond E. Fiest all require an editor to review and check their work. What makes any of us first time writes believe we are better and don't need an editor.
My co-author and I had our self-published Tyranny series picked up by a publisher in Las Vegas. What was the first thing the owner did? He tore out the first chapter (literally). We had to create a whole new chapter starting in a different place. Next he took a scene from book one and had us move into to book two. Next he underlined all the placed where we did tell and not show. We sat together in a marathon session over a weekend and removed all the places he raised objection. Now the company editor is taking her turn and bringing up very good points about character development, scene description, and repetition in the story. The process is frustration at times but necessary.
I'm doing a last read-through of The Adam Eradication. I printed the entire manuscript, got away from my computer and started reading. While the manuscript is complete, and was edited twice, this read is pointing out a boat load of typos made while removing my telly pros and replacing them with pros that help the reader to see the story.
This brings to mind an elderly woman I met. She wrote a book and was very anxious to get it published. So anxious in fact she didn't want to bother having an editor read it at all. This was huge mistake, made by those who decided to self publish.
Concerned about her book I request she allow me to send the first five chapters to the woman who did the first edit on my book. She went through the pages as a courtesy. What this editor returned shocked to woman into taking a second look and she paid the editor to run through her manuscript.
She received her red-lined manuscript back entered the edits and corrections. This writer figured she was done. I tried to convince her to have someone outside her family read through it one more time. Her reply, I made all the changes, it's ready to go.
She had 500 copies printed. After receiving cases and cases of books, her son took one home to read. He returned it to her three day later, red lined, pointing out errors on almost every page. Her concept is a good one, but instead of book worth reading she had boxes of books that are good for little more than starting a fire.
My first editor did the work and I made the corrections. But The Adam Eradication, being my first book, I found what I considered holes in the story and proceeded to plug them. Enter a good friend (enough of a friend to tell me the truth) she did the second edit. The first thing she did was cut the last 10 chapters (48K+ words). Her analysis. Your book ends at this point. A good piece of advise. I used those 10 chapters to start the second book. (Never trash anything you've written, archive it. A good idea can be reworked to fit somewhere else)
Throughout the edit she deleted whole paragraphs as redundant. Some writer suffer from this problem some do not. I was anxious to get the story to press and rushed though the last edit. After publishing the book I gave several copies away. My friend's wife read the book and sometime later handed me her copy. She said "I love you story but --" The book was marked with over forty sticky tabs each on a typo. Though minor typos, I learned my lesson. Fifty fire starters.
Editors cost money. Not as much as publishing an unreadable book. This mistake marks you as an armature, not serious about your craft. This kind of attitude will stop readers from ever considering reading any future work you publish, no matter how much you improve. And without someone finding your story compelling enough to look past your mistakes, no published will take you seriously in the future.
What can an editor do that I can't? What can an editor do that you can't? An editor will read what you wrote, not what you think you wrote. A good editor will find your inconsistencies, help you with the language appropriate for your genre. For instance a steam punk novel's use of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc will be different from those used in a science fiction novel as will a fantasy fiction novel will differ from SF or romance. Next, an editor will point out your flaws in the construction of paragraphs, scene breaks and poor character development. Some writer's characters all talk the same. A good editor will point this out and help you see how to vary your character's personalities. A good editor will tell you when you've shifted you POV(Point Of View) If character A is you POV character you cannot have character's B thought in a scene or describe a scene through character B eyes. You can if your novel is written from an omniscient POV, but few good writers use this POV anymore.
An editor will spot problems with spelling, punctuation, and grammar that can escape your notice.
Does the phrase familiarity breeds contempt. Well, familiarity with your subject can result in explanations and descriptions that are incomplete or confusing to readers. What you see in your minds eye is always what you've put on paper. An editor will ensure that your copy is intelligibly and concisely written.
You may also ask yourself why an editor is necessary when your word processing program already has spell checking capabilities. Spell check, it turns out, is only partially effective at catching problems. For example, homonyms (e.g., council/counsel) you won't find these flagged. Words used nonsensically are regularly accepted by a spell checker. These programs have nothing to say about confusing, ones needlessly wordy, jargony or telly prose.
One of the biggest helps is to join a writer's group. You read your work aloud and they critique your writing. Be advised, while most groups offer good non threatening environment, you need a thick skin, because it is still hard to hear your writing evaluated by others.
You took the time and effort to create a good story. Give it the polish and attention it deserves.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Progress On Final Edit
I've printed off my 143, 936 word manuscript The Adam Eradication for my final read-through. 2 or 3 chapter left to complete The Eve Beguilement only another 10K words. Then move on the From The Garden Cast already 35K + words
For you writers, a couple of quotes from Mark Twain on writing (English) One on Adverbs and one on Adjectives both note worthy.
"I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with frozen indifference; it can never give me a pang. ... There are subtleties which I cannot master at all,--they confuse me, they mean absolutely nothing to me,--and this adverb plague is one of them. ... Yes, there are things which we cannot learn, and there is no use in fretting about it. I cannot learn adverbs; and what is more I won't."
- "Reply to a Boston Girl," Atlantic Monthly, June 1880
"I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English - it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don't let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them - then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice."
- Mark Twain in a Letter to D. W. Bowser, 3/20/1880
For you writers, a couple of quotes from Mark Twain on writing (English) One on Adverbs and one on Adjectives both note worthy.
"I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with frozen indifference; it can never give me a pang. ... There are subtleties which I cannot master at all,--they confuse me, they mean absolutely nothing to me,--and this adverb plague is one of them. ... Yes, there are things which we cannot learn, and there is no use in fretting about it. I cannot learn adverbs; and what is more I won't."
- "Reply to a Boston Girl," Atlantic Monthly, June 1880
"I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English - it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don't let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them - then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice."
- Mark Twain in a Letter to D. W. Bowser, 3/20/1880
Monday, February 4, 2013
21 Book Marketing Tips
Sorry followers. I've been dealing with some personal issues and haven't been in the mood to blog. I'm back and for those of you writing I received and email from my coauthor with I load of great links for Book Marketing & Book Publicity Tool Kit. This comes from the BookMarketingBuzzBlog. I thought I'd pass them along to you. There are some real gems here. Check Out Brian Feinblum’s blog.
21
Book Marketing Tips
The Grassroots Way To Build A Following
For Your Book
Going Viral: Challenges &
Rewards
What Is Your Book Marketing
Attitude?
Blueprint
Of The Book Publicity Landscape
Book
Marketing With Social Media
20 Ways To Boost Your Website
Traffic
37
Ways To Get Paid For Your Words
Creating The
Perfect Press Release
The Subject Line Is Your
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Monday, December 10, 2012
Fired for doing the right thing
Friends,
This is from my author Richard,
This is a presonal rant, I don't usually do this. If you're offended by this, ignore it. If you're not. respone as you see fit.
I hope you will click on the link below and read about the despicable
act of Autozone
I went to the autozone website
And this the email I posted to them.
I am Viet Nam veteran and a small business owner. I have been
an Autozone customer for many years. I drive approx 300 mile per day to
service my IT customers. I drive past an O’Riley auto parts store( Store Location in US.) to get to the Autozone Store (Store Location in US). I just read the story of the 22 yr old Air
Force veteran you fired for using his LEGAL firearm to prevent the robbery of
one of your stores. I wish to inform you that I will not longer use Auto Zone
for parts. What you did is despicable, especially to an American veteran, a
father-to-be and an honest man who took the time to contact www.personalliberty.com
so the facts of the incident were completely correct. I promise you I will
email the link to friends and encourage others to do the same. You’re part of
the problem with America. Prevention of crime is everyone's responsibility.
I any of you feel the way I
do I hope you will also let the autozone management know your feelings. Please
forward this on to your friends and contacts and let Autozone know I not the only
one who thinks they're wrong. Crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
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