I’m a guitar player who played music in a band many years ago. We were a garage band meaning we didn’t write our own songs, but were fantastic at playing the best songs of the 60’s and early 70’s recorded by other artists and musicians. I never tried to write a song myself, but now I’m tempted to give it a shot. Poets and other creative types have a leg up in that writing probably comes easier to them.
Here is an article than describes the process of songwriting. You may find that it mimics your poetry writing. The challenge is to remember that the goal is to hear it rather than see it. Can you put your poem to music? Try it. It may prove to open a new creative way to express yourself.
1. Destination Writing
Begin by free-writing in paragraph form. Describe a scene, or a person, or a moment; focus on using adjectives and similes tied to the five senses, and verbs that are forceful and direct.
2. Separate External and Internal Details, and look for rhyming pairs among them
External details are those that focus on the setting, while internal details focus on the ‘who’ in the story and identify feelings. A proper balance of external and internal details helps create an experience for the listener without sacrificing authenticity or pacing. Lay out key phrases from the free-writing exercise on a table, with external details on one side and internal details on another, then connect the ones that rhyme.
3. Choose a rhyme scheme, toggle pattern, and plot progression.
Some rhyme schemes include ABAB, AABCCB, or XAXA (where matching letters indicate rhyming lines and X indicates lines that don’t rhyme at all). Pattison uses the term “toggle pattern” to describe the movement between the internal and external details identified in the previous step. Every song should tell a story, so plan how to structure your story across verse, chorus, or bridge.
4. Put some meat on the bones.
Fill the rhyming phrases from step two into your structure from step 3, adding conjunctions and prepositions so they tell the story cohesively in that order. Pattison calls this “toggling” the verse and pre-chorus. He adds that “your first few lines should establish the ‘who,’ ‘when,’ and ‘where’” of the song.
5. Write your chorus.
Destination write about the same thing again, but with an inward focus. This time you’re looking at the thoughts and feelings of your main character. Just as you did in step 1, write in paragraph form without restriction or hesitation.
6. Find rhyming pairs of phrases in this material for your chorus.
Just as in step two, put the phrases you’ve written in a table and connect the ones that rhyme. Try to find the heart of the story, the point or the moral you’re trying to convey. This is also where you might find material for the title of your song. Note that the title is not the first thing you’ll write; it only shows up after you’ve spent some time with your subject matter.
7. Construct the second verse and pre-chorus.
At this point you can focus more on internal details and broaden the scope of your focus relative to your first verse. Verses and even lines of a verse progress from a narrow to a broad focus – “zoomed in and zoomed out” – in a process that Pattison calls “pyramiding.” While your first few lines must establish the ‘who,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when’ to draw your audience into the story, you now have the freedom to explore your concept more and add connections. It’s a principle that should be familiar to anyone who has written blogs, speeches, or hard news.
8. Construct the bridge.
A bridge should break from the rest of the song not just in melody and tone, but in structure and thought as well. Pattison recommends a contrasting toggling pattern between external and internal details. You should also consider how this section will elaborate, add to, or even contradict the themes of the song.
By now, your song has taken shape. You might be pretty proud of it, but don’t let it go just yet.
9. Review your verbs, tenses, and points of view
Is the song entirely in first, second, or third person? Each are valid choices, but they must be consistent throughout. Is the song happening in the past like a memory or a story, the present like an experience, or the future like a promise or a hope? Most importantly, circle all of your verbs; ask yourself whether there are stronger or more precise verbs you could use in their place. This should also be familiar advice to writers: Keep a thesaurus handy and never submit your first draft.
10. Check for conversational quality
Remember that your audience isn’t reading this, they’re hearing it. Can you follow the action without looking back? Do your thoughts flow smoothly through the use of conjunctions and prepositions? Are the characters, setting, and action clear from the beginning? Make changes where necessary.
By now you might have a pretty rumpled piece of paper and a worn-out pencil, but you might also have a song. Congratulations! More importantly, you have a concrete method for how to write a song you can return to again and again. Like every skill, songwriting gets easier with practice.
‘Many traumatic events (e.g., car accidents, natural disasters, etc.) are of time-limited duration. However, in some cases people experience chronic trauma that continues or repeats for months or years at a time. The current PTSD diagnosis often does not fully capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with prolonged, repeated trauma. People who experience chronic trauma often report additional symptoms alongside formal PTSD symptoms, such as changes in their self-concept and the way they adapt to stressful events.’
DR. Judith Herman, Harvard University
But nonetheless, kept writing, channeling those powerful emotions of pain and longing and hope into your main character’s actions and dialogue.
Aspiring authors who develop strong reading habits will learn a lot from the books they consume. Try “reading to write” as a way to discover creative writing strategies, word choice strategies, and syntax control that can supplement your own writing skills.
Why Is Reading Important to Writers?
If you aspire to be a great writer, you’ll gain mastery of your craft, in part, by reading extensively. Aspiring authors who develop strong reading habits will learn much from the books they consume.
Your Writing Goals
The goal behind reading to write will depend upon your ambitions as an author. Perhaps you wish to write New York Times bestsellers. Then read the work of bestselling authors like Dan Brown, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling. If you’re interested in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction, start reading books by good writers like Margaret Atwood, Tim O’Brien, and Jennifer Egan. If you dream that one day your work will be taught in college and high school classrooms, study the great writing of Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Joyce Carol Oates, and Kurt Vonnegut.
5 Ways Reading Improves Your Writing
Better readers become better writers. You must read books with the mindset that you’re investing in your own writing craft. The art of reading like a writer does not come instantly; you must work at it. Here are a few key tips and reading strategies to make the act of reading fiction and nonfiction books as productive as possible.
Reading helps you develop critical thinking skills.
As you read, ask yourself: “Am I reading good writing? And if so, why?” Decide for yourself who the good authors are and find great books that inspire you. More importantly, think about why you consider your favorite books to be great. Is it the character development? The author’s use of theme and subtext? If you can critically determine what makes good writing good, you’ll be better able to bring a similar thoughtfulness to your own work.
Reading exposes you to a variety of writing styles
Reading can help you focus on the mechanics and stylistic choices that make various genres of writing work. Approaching varied works of literature with an eye on the authors’ stylistic tendencies will help you find your own style.
Reading allows you to study grammar in context.
Think of reading a novel as a hack that lets you study grammar without having to work through a textbook. The best books clearly communicate their messages. To clearly communicate, you must have a working knowledge of English language grammar. Also, take note of how professional authors tackle grammar questions you were never quite sure about in your own work. Study the way they use punctuation and grammar conventions, and you might just spare yourself the headache of reading a formal grammar book.
Reading helps you expand your vocabulary.
Note-taking does help ensure that you remain engaged with the book you’re reading. Highlight or write down various turns of phrase that you find especially masterful. Jot down any new words you don’t recognize. Learn them, memorize them, and assimilate them into your own prose in your next writing project.
Reading inspires new ideas.
Make reading a fixed part of your regular routine. You can continually expose yourself to new ideas and techniques and recharge your creative juices for your next writing. The truth is that reading is most productive if it becomes a daily habit. Most working authors partition time for reading, just as they set aside time for writing and rewriting. A disciplined reading habit gives you the daily opportunity to happen across ideas that inspire you. You may be able to channel that inspiration into a new written work written in your own words.
4 Tips for Improving Your Writing by Reading
In sports, they say you should always compete with someone more skilled than you because it forces you to rise to a higher level of competency. Similarly, reading the writing of authors who have shaped the canon will expose you to excellent craftsmanship and challenge you to up your game.
Read voraciously:
Writers are shaped by other writers. The books we read as children influence our tastes and can often have an impact on our writing style as adults. The writers who shape us are almost like unofficial mentors. Voracious readers can learn at the feet of history’s most famous writers.
Read with purpose:
Don’t just read for pleasure. As you read a novel. study the way different writers tackle different subjects, how they craft their sentences and story structures, and how they handle dialogue.
Build your vocabulary:
If you read Ulysses by James Joyce, for example, chances are your vocabulary will improve. Your work won’t necessarily come out sounding like his, but your process will be informed and elevated by his style. You’ll likely come out on the other side familiar with new words.
Recognize what other authors do best:
Other authors can teach you different lessons in craft: J.K. Rowling can teach you how to build fictional worlds. Nicole Krauss can teach you how to layer multiple narrators and perspectives. Rebecca Curtis can teach you how to use patterns and repetition for humor. All you have to do is study their work.
“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.” —Pablo Neruda
It’s officially spring in the northern hemisphere! Flowers and rain and baby animals are just around the corner. And with the warmer weather coming in fast the spring vibes are abundant. Let’s write a bit about spring using these 15 writing prompts from “The Writer.”
Personal
1. What specific sensory detail outside your window tells you that spring has arrived? Is it the first wave of bright green grass, the smell of budding flowers, the song of the birds returning from winter? Write about the sensations that tell you spring has arrived as well as their impact on your emotions.
2. Write about a particularly memorable spring holiday, whether it’s Easter, Passover, Nowruz, Mother’s Day, etc. What about this day stands out in your memories now? Can you recall what the weather was like, what you ate, what you were wearing? What conversations did you have? What was the prevailing emotion of the day?
3. April showers may bring May flowers, but neither can come without the thawing mud of March. What metaphorical mud do you need to slog through in your writing life to reach spring this year? What needs to be treated and tilled so new creative life can grow?
4. After a long season of stark white and brittle brown, many of us hunger for any sign of green in the window. If you had to pick a favorite, which would you say is your favorite shade of spring green? Is it the yellow-green color of tiny buds on the trees, the vivid shade of just-blanched asparagus, the rich emerald of clover? How would you describe that green and what it represents to someone who had never experienced it? Write a poem or a piece of flash nonfiction dedicated to this particular shade of spring green.
5. For many, the end of winter marks the return of baseball, often fondly called America’s Favorite Pastime. Do you think the phrase still accurately suits the sport today? If so, defend your case; if not, pen an argument for what you think could more accurately be called America’s Favorite Pastime.
Professional
1. Hear the collective groan of new freelancers everywhere? That’s right – it’s tax season. Take deep breaths, stay hydrated, and don’t wait until the last minute (even if you pay quarterly). This year, pay careful attention to what information you don’t have readily available. What has you frantically paging through your emails or credit card statements? Where can you keep better records for next year? Making note of these trouble spots now will help prevent future struggles. Consider writing what you did in order to preserve a step-by-step instruction manual curve for next time.
2. After you file, take a small moment to celebrate – and then create templates for nest years finances based on the documents you used for this year’s filing. Taking the time now will prevent the last-minute scramble next year.
3. The post-tax season is the perfect time to straighten out your hard drive. Comb through your documents and organize them. Create a naming convention for your drafts and files if you don’t have one yet. Clean up that chaotic desktop. Empty your trash can. And for heaven’s sake, name all those untitled folders already.
4. Your digital spaces are in order. Now it’s time to turn your attention to your physical ones. Wait until the first sunny day where it’s warm enough to open all the windows and then clean your favorite writing and reading spaces while enjoying the fresh spring air. Fill your lungs with the crisp breeze of a new season and free yourself from all the clutter you’ve accumulated over the long, dark winter.
5. Spring marks the start of writing conference season – have you filled your calendar with events yet? Many of the gatherings this season will probably be hybrid or virtual events, so don’t sweat it too much if you haven’t started researching them until now. Start with events near you and in your state, then branch out to specific nationwide events with an emphasis in your genre. Check your local universities for festivals or readings, too.
Jump-starts
1. This is the time of year when bees emerge from their hives, eager to find pollen and replenish depleted rations. If you were to imagine a colony of humans inspired by a beehive, what would it look like? Who would live there? What would be at stake for these characters? What would threaten its existence?
2. A protagonist witnesses their neighbor growing – or burying – something highly unusual in their garden. What is it? And, more importantly, what is your character going to do about it?
3. Alternatively, imagine your protagonist has become determined to plant something seemingly impossible to grow. What obstacles stand in their way, and do they ultimately succeed in their goal?
4. Graduation ceremonies are rife with pomp, circumstance, and plenty of high-stakes emotion. Imagine an argument that takes place at one such ceremony. What sparks the conflict? What does each party want? How will it be resolved?
5. Spring is a season of new beginnings. Take a character from a story you’ve been working on and imagine they’re offered a fresh start from whatever’s been holding them back – but it comes at a cost. Would they accept the offer? How can you best render their internal conflict on the page for the reader?
April is the month of showers or fools. Students and teachers will typically take their spring break during this month. But not you. You will be busy with April Fool’s Day prompts.
Here is a writing prompt for each day of April that can be used as straightforward writing assignments, warm-ups, or journal entries. Feel free to use and modify these as you see fit.
Writing Prompt Ideas for April
April 1 – Theme: April Fool’s Day Have you ever been ‘fooled’ successfully by someone on April Fool’s Day? Have you ever fooled someone else? Describe the experience. Note: Your answers must be appropriate for a school setting.
Please complete your April Fool’s Day writing prompt quickly because there are 29 more prompts waiting for you to complete in the month of April. No hurry though. Just complete them in one day.
“April Fools”. Just do one a day, like the pill.
April 2 – Theme: World Autism Awareness Day Use #LightItUpBlue to share your experience across social media and help light the world up blue this April! OR International Children’s Book Day International Children’s Book Day encourages reading and promotes the love of books for children.
The publisher Scholastic, Inc. compiled a list of the top 100 children’s books of all time. Readers voted for the top five (5) selections: Charlotte’s Web; Goodnight, Moon; A Wrinkle in Time; The Snowy Day; Where the Wild Things Are. Do you remember any of these books? What’s your favorite children’s book? Why?
April 3-Theme: Tweed Day William Magear “Boss” Tweed, was born on this day in 1823. Tweed’s claim to fame was being convicted of graft and corruption while serving as a U.S. House of Representatives and a New York State Senator. He was exposed because of political cartoons that were drawn by Thomas Nast that pictured him unfavorably. What political issues today are the subject of political cartoons? Try your hand at drawing one.
April 4 – Theme: Keep America Beautiful Month What are your feelings about littering? Have you ever done it? If so, why? Do you think that the punishment for littering is too light or too heavy?
April 5 – Theme: Helen Keller
On this day in 1887: The tutor Anne Sullivan taught Helen Keller the meaning of the word “water” as spelled out in the manual alphabet. This event is dramatized in the play “The Miracle Worker.” Keller became deaf and blind after a childhood illness., but she overcame these obstacles to advocate for others. Who else do you know advocates for others?
April 6 – Theme: The North Pole was “discovered” on this date. Today, research stations relay information from the top of the world on the changes in the Earth’s climate. What questions do you have about climate change?
April 7 – Theme: World Health Day Today is World Health Day. What do you think the keys to a healthy lifestyle include? Are you following your own advice? Why or why not?
April 8 – Theme: April is National Garden Month Do you consider yourself an inside or outside person? In other words, do you like to hang out in your own home or spend time in nature? Explain your answer.
April 9 – Theme: National Name Yourself Day Nick Harkway is credited with saying, “Names aren’t just coathooks, they’re coats. They’re the first thing anyone knows about you.” In honor of National Name Yourself Day, go ahead and give yourself a new name. Explain why you chose this name.
April 10 – Theme: National Sibling Day Do you have a sibling or siblings? If so, what is the best thing about them? The worst? If not, are you happy that you are an only child? Explain your answer.
April 11 – Theme: National Mathematics Education Month Celebrate mathematics and statistics, both of which play a significant role in addressing many real-world problems: Internet security, sustainability, disease, climate change, the data deluge, and much more. Explain three reasons why learning math is important for everyone.
April 12 – Theme: Space Shuttle Columbia First Launched Would you ever consider being an astronaut? If so, explain why and where you would like to visit. If not, tell why you don’t think you’d like to be one.
April 13 – Theme: Scrabble Day Sometimes, the two word combinations in Scrabble (Hasbro) can be high scoring such as the points given for these examples:: AX=9, EX=9, JO=9, OX=9, XI=9, XU=9, BY=7, HM=7, MY=7 Do you like to play word games like Scrabble? Why or why not?
April 14 – Theme: The Titanic Disaster -1912 The Titanic was billed as an unsinkable ship, but it struck an iceberg on its first voyage across the Atlantic. Many saw the fact that it sunk as an example of what happens in extreme cases of hubris (arrogant pride). Do you believe that people who are overconfident and arrogant will always fail? Explain your answer.
April 15 – Theme: Income Tax Day The 16th Amendment that created income taxes was ratified in 1913: The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. What are your feelings on taxes? Do you think that the government should take a higher percentage of money from the wealthy? Explain your answer.
April 16 – Theme: National Librarian Day. Celebrate a librarian that you know from elementary, middle, or high school. Visit the library today, and make certain to say hello and “Thank you” to all of the librarians. April 17 – Theme: Daffy Duck’s Birthday Daffy Duck is a character foil to Bugs Bunny. Do you have a favorite cartoon character? What characteristics make this character a favorite?
April 18 – Theme: Evolution On this date in 1809, the botanist Charles Darwin passed away. Darwin had proposed a theory of evolution for living organisms, but there are other things that evolve, for example, technology, music, dance. Respond to his quote, “In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” What do you notice that has evolved in your lifetime?
April 19 – Theme: National Poetry Month In honor of National Poetry Month, write a poem using the tanka format. The tanka consists of 5 lines and 31 syllables. Each line has a set number of syllables see below:
Line 1 – 5 syllables
Line 2 – 7 syllables
Line 3 – 5 syllables
Line 4 – 7 syllables
Line 5 – 7 syllables
April 20 – Theme: Volunteer Recognition Day Pay tribute to someone who volunteers or (better yet) volunteers to help others. You will find out that the benefits can be fun and camaraderie. What could you volunteer to do?
April 21 – Theme: Kindergarten Day Research shows that students who learn more in kindergarten are more likely to go to college and earn more. What skill(s) did you learn in your kindergarten class that help you today?
April 22 – Theme: Earth Day Take the Earth Day quiz from the World History Project website. What are specific actions that you and your fellow students could take to help protect the environment?
April 23 – Theme: Shakespeare William Shakespeare was born on this date in 1564. His 154 sonnets can be read, analyzed, or used for Reader’s Theatre. Turn one or two lines from Shakespeare’s sonnets into a dialogue. Who is speaking? Why?
April 24 – Theme: Time Travel Recent reports claim to supports time travel. Why might physicists be interested in time travel? Maybe because we want to test the boundaries of the laws of physics. If you could travel back in time, to which age and location would you go? Why?
April 25 – Theme: DNA Day If you could determine the sex, eye color, height, etc. of a child in advance by using genetic advances, would you do it? Why or why not?
April 26 – Theme: Arbor Day Today is Arbor Day, the day we are to plant and take care of trees. Joyce Kilmer started his poem “Trees” with the lines:
I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree.
What are your feelings about trees? Explain your answer.
April 27 – Theme: Tell a Story Day Write a short story about a funny event that occurred in your or your family’s past.
April 28 – Theme: Astronomy Day-during Dark Sky Week Download, Watch, and Share “Losing the Dark,” a public service announcement about light pollution. It focuses on the dangers of light pollution on a dark sky and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it It can be downloaded for free and is available in 13 languages.
April 29 – Theme: Film Genre Thriller. Alfred Hitchcock died on this date in 1980. He was one of the most influential filmmakers in the genre of horror or thriller. What is your favorite thriller or horror movie? Why?
April 30 – Theme: National Honesty Day Honesty is defined as fairness and straightforwardness of conduct; an adherence to the facts. Does this definition apply to you? Do you consider yourself an honest person? Why or why not?
If you’re anything like me, you have a love-hate relationship with grammar. On one hand, grammar rules are necessary for greater understanding and more effective communication. On the other hand, there are just so many rules (and so many exceptions to the rules). It can be overwhelming.
But fear not! We are here to share 63 grammar rules for writers that we’ve tackled over the years. So, let’s dig into these grammar rules together.
63 Grammar Rules for Writers
Below is our list of grammar rules for writers. We give a quick explanation after each bullet point. But perform due diligence for further understanding. First example, correct usage. “A” before consonants and “an” before vowels is not the rule. Rather, the rule is that “a” is placed before consonant-sounding words and “an” before vowel-sounding words.
A-D Grammar Rules
A lot vs. alot vs. allot. “A lot” is either an adverb or pronoun, “allot” is a verb, and “alot” doesn’t exist.
Affect vs. effect. “Affect” is usually used as a verb, while “effect” is usually a noun.
Allude vs. elude. “Allude” means to suggest or hint at something, while “elude” means to evade or escape.
Alright vs. all right. “All right” is a commonly used phrase for okay, while “alright” doesn’t technically exist.
Analogy vs. metaphor vs. simile. A “metaphor” is something, a “simile” is like something, and an “analogy” explains how one thing being like another helps explain them both.
Are subjects joined by “and” singular or plural? It depends on if the subjects are independent of each other.
Awhile vs. a while. If you can swap out the word “while” with “period of time,” then you’re likely dealing with “a while.” If not, then you’re likely dealing with “awhile.”
Bi-annual vs. biennial. “Bi-annual” means twice a year; biennial means once every two years.
Can I use contractions in my writing? While avoiding contractions may be proper, it can also be quite stilted.
Can you start a sentence with “because?” Because there’s no grammar rule against it, it’s totally acceptable to begin a sentence with “because.”
Canceled vs. cancelled. If you play “soccer,” then it’s “canceled.” However, people who play “football” (with a soccer ball) should probably use “cancelled.”
Do you underline book titles? Sometimes titles are underlined. Other times, they are italicized or put in quotes. Heck, some folks put them in ALL CAPS. Adhere to individual house styles and stay consistent.
E-F Grammar Rules
E-mail vs. email. When the AP and Chicago style guides agree, it’s time to make it official and drop the hyphen.
Empathy vs. sympathy vs. apathy. “Empathy” means you can understand what another feels. “sympathy” means you can share sadness for another’s misfortune. Whereas “apathy” means you don’t care one way or the other.
Ensure vs. insure. Some style guides make these words interchangeable, but WD uses “insure” when referring specifically to financial insurance policies and “ensure” to mean “to make certain.”
Everyday vs. every day. “Everyday” is an adjective; “every day” is a phrase that means “each day.”
Fable vs. parable vs. allegory. Fables and parables are actually both allegories. While fables usually feature animal characters and parables feature humans.
Fewer vs. less. Use “fewer” to refer to descending counting numbers and “less” to indicate declining degrees of something (often in an abstract way).
G-I Grammar Rules
Heroes vs. heros. “Heroes” is the plural of “hero,” while “Heros” is a type of fish.
Heroin vs. heroine vs. hero. Some people prefer to make “hero” gender neutral for men and women. Others feel “heroine” is the correct usage. On the other hand, “heroin” is a drug.
Hone vs. home. “Hone” means to make more accurate; “home” means to aim toward a target with greater accuracy.
How many spaces after a period? One space. Just use one space.
How do you handle animal pronouns? Refer to animals as “it” unless the relationship is personal or you happen to know the gender.
I could care less or I couldn’t care less? “I couldn’t care less” means you don’t care; “I could care less” means you do care.
Imminent vs. eminent vs. immanent. “Imminent” means something’s about to happen; “eminent” describes a person (or thing) that is famous and/or respected; and “immanent” means inherent, intrinsic, or spread throughout.
Into vs. in to. “Into” is a preposition that expresses movement toward or into something else. Meanwhile, “in to” is a separate use of the word “in” that happens to be next to the word “to.”
Is “none” singular or plural? “None” can be either singular or plural.
Its vs. it’s. “It’s” is a contraction of “it” and “is,” while “its” is an adjective or possessive pronoun (basically whenever it can’t be replaced by “it is,” it should be “its”).
K-L Grammar Rules
Ketchup vs. catsup. They both describe the same condiment, though “ketchup” is currently the more commonly used term.
Lay vs. lie (vs. laid). It’s too complicated for a short blurb, so check out the graphic below this list.
Lead vs. lead vs. led. As a noun, “lead” is a type of metal. As a verb, the past tense of “lead” is “led.”
Leaped vs. leapt (vs. lept). “Leaped” and “leapt” are both acceptable past tense versions of “leap,” but “lept” is a misspelling of “leapt.”
Leave alone vs. let alone. “Leave alone” means to leave a person alone, while “let alone” means to quit bugging a person. However, it’s becoming more common for people to use “leave alone” in both instances.
Lets vs. let’s. “Let’s” is a contraction of the words “let” and “us,” and “lets” is the present tense form of the verb “let.”
Lose vs. loose vs. loosen. “Lose” means to cease to retain something and/or be unable to find something. “Loose” means to set free as a verb or describe something that is not fixed as an adjective. “Loosen” is a verb which means to make less tight.
M-P Grammar Rules
May vs. might. “May” and “might” mean the same thing, but “may” hints you’re more likely to do it, while “might” signals you’re less likely to follow through.
Metaphor vs. personification. “Metaphor” is a word or phrase that takes on the meaning of something else (“I am an island”). “Personification” is a figure of speech that attributes human behavior to things that are not alive (“the stars winked”).
More than vs. over. They’re interchangeable.
OK vs. okay vs. O.K. All versions are okay, but OK is the version most commonly used.
Oxford comma (or serial comma) and why it’s so cool. It’s used when you list out three or more things. e.g. like commas, periods, and question marks, use the serial comma to make your lists clearer.
Peak vs. peek vs. pique. “Peek” means to take a look. “Peak” is related to the highest point (like a mountain peak). While “pique” is a French word meaning “to stimulate” (as in a new grammar rule piqued my interest).
People vs. persons. While most people prefer to use “people” in all situations, “persons” can be used when referring to a group fewer than 10.
Pronoun problems: “He/she,” “he or she,” or just “he.” Honestly, it’s a question of style over grammar, since all versions, including the consistent use of “she” is appropriate.
Prophecy vs. prophesy. “Prophecy” is a noun that means a prediction, while “prophesy” is the verb that means to make a prediction.
Q-R Grammar Rules
Question mark placement in dialogue. Question marks should always appear at the end of questions (even within sentences) and within quotation marks.
Raise vs. rise. Both mean the same thing, but a subject “raises” an object while something that “rises” does it on its own.
Reign vs. rein. “Reign” is a period of time dominated by a ruling power or verb. It means one possesses power over someone or something. Whereas “rein” is a leather strap used to control a horse (or reindeer).
S Grammar Rules
Same vs. similar. Both words are similar, but they’re not the same.
Semantics vs. syntax vs. pragmatics. “Syntax” is the study of sentence structure and grammar rules. However, “semantics” is the study of meaning for those sentences. While “pragmatics” is the study of meaning within context.
Semicolon use. Go for it; they’re fun.
Sight vs. site vs. cite. “Sight” involves your vision. “Site” is a location. But “cite” is an act that involves praise, compelling someone to appear before a body, or calling attention to someone or something.
Simile vs. metaphor. I know we discussed these above (see analogy), but this is a reminder. Simile is like something whereas metaphor takes on the identity of something.
Since vs. because. Both can be used interchangeably, but the use of “since” can get ambiguous if it’s not used in reference to time.
Slight of hand vs. sleight of hand. “Sleight of hand” refers to manual dexterity, and “slight of hand” refers to small hands.
Snuck vs. sneaked. Traditionally, “sneaked” is the proper word to use, but “snuck” is sneaking into everyday use. As a result, this may be an actively evolving change in language. Grammarians, prepare yourselves!
Starting a sentence with “but.” Some folks will tell you it’s improper to start a sentence with a conjunction. But it’s fun and grammatically OK to do it.
Subjunctive vs. indicative mood (or “if I was” vs. “if I were”). Use indicative mood to express fact (such as “I was editor of Writer’s Market) and subjunctive mood to express a hypothetical wish (such as “If I were the CEO of Fill-in-the-Blank Inc., I would do things my way.”).
What is the plural form of email? “Email” is what you use in a general sense (like “I get a lot of email”); “emails” is what you use when using numbers (like “I received 17 emails”); and “email messages” works in both situations (so it’s the safe option when in doubt).
W Grammar Rules
When do I spell out numbers? There are exceptions to the rule, but a sound rule of thumb is to spell out numbers under 10 (zero through nine) and use numeric form when more than (or over) 10.
Where vs. were vs. wear vs. we’re. “Where” defines a location or position; “were” is a past version of “be;” “wear” is a verb and noun most commonly related to clothing; and “we’re” is a contraction of “we” and “are.”
Which vs. that. Brian Klems said it best: “If the sentence doesn’t need the clause that the word in question is connecting, use which. If it does, use that.”
Who vs. whom. If you can replace the word with “he” or “she,” then use “who.” If you can replace the word with “him” or “her,” then use “whom.”
Source: Robert Lee Brewer
For more English Language help, click the link below:
Many aspiring writers hope to quit their day jobs so they can pursue writing for a living, but is this a realistic goal? Here’s an overview of what to expect if you want to pay the bills with your writing.
People dream of becoming professional writers. Getting paid to share your thoughts with strangers is a pretty good job. However, Writing is tough. Few who write regularly make a living doing it, and many of those who do barely scrape by. Most people would probably be better off with a regular job than trying to earn a living writing.
Here is the reality
Most writing will never be read by anyone. Of what remains, the vast majority will stay confined to the narrow corner of the internet they were birthed into. But a few pieces will travel widely. It only takes a few such pieces to build a career.
The easiest way you can increase your chances of success is simply to write more. Writing has a large random component; so, the optimal strategy is to be prolific.
After Andrew Lipstein published The Vegan, his sophomore novel, a handful of loved ones asked if he planned to quit his day job in product design at a large financial technology company. Despite having published two books with the prestigious literary imprint Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, Lipstein didn’t have any plans to quit; he considers product design to be his “career,” and he wouldn’t be able to support his growing family exclusively on the income from writing novels. “I feel disappointed having to tell people that because it sort of seems like a mark of success,” he said. “If I’m not just supporting myself by writing, to those who don’t know the reality of it, it seems like it’s a failure in some way.”
In today’s business climate, most titles sell less than 5,000 copies. Depending on who’s doing the counting, only somewhere between 2% and 12% of books, as of today, sell 5,000 copies. Therefore, you have to sell a lot of books to make real money.
The dismal reality is that unless you’re a best-selling book author, it’s almost impossible to make a living on writing books alone.
Most traditionally published fiction writers take home around 10-12% of royalties, with the rest going to the major publisher and literary agent. So for example, if your book sells for $14.99, you receive just $1.49 per book.
So, What Do You Do?
Most authors have various streams of income from other sources, if not a full-time day job. This may sound like doom and gloom, but consider that now there has never been a greater opportunity to be in control of your work and monetize your creativity. This means becoming an entrepreneur.
Embracing the Entrepreneurial Spirit
Writers can no longer just be writers—they have to be entrepreneurs, marketers, social media managers, and networkers.
Here are a few ideas of key revenue streams to earn money while writing your novel – most of them will help you hone your craft as well:
Where Writing Income Comes From
Freelance Writing: Content writing, blog posts, and articles for various clients.
Online Courses: Creating and promoting online courses.
Coaching: Providing one-on-one coaching.
Digital Marketing: Utilizing social media platforms to promote writing services.
Affiliate Marketing: Incorporating affiliate links into blog articles and social media posts.
Content Creation: Developing white papers, email lists, and other forms of content for small businesses and potential customers.
Social Media Creation: Writing social media posts for clients.
You may also consider these ideas to enhance your income:
Selling your work per poem, essay, story, or novel and receiving pay and/or royalties
Writing regularly for a client or group of clients (e.g. the novelist Vanessa Hua had a weekly column in the San Francisco Chronicle for a number of years).
Subscriptions to your Substack
Ghostwriting
Crafting copy and content for businesses
Writing by the hour for hire (contract) for an agency or business
Editing/proofreading someone else’s writing
Teaching at a college, university, writing center or other organization
Contracts with agencies or businesses
Website ads or affiliate marketing
Direct sales of self-published or e-books
Speaking engagements at schools, conferences, and other meetings
Blogs That Will Pay for Your Tips and Stories
If you love sharing your tips and stories and are looking for some one-off ways to get paid for your words, writing for blogs can be a very lucrative endeavor. You have the opportunity to craft SEO-friendly posts that boost search engine rankings and help companies grow their online presence.
Break Into Magazine Writing
One high-paying writing niche that’s a little tougher to break into is magazine writing. Writing for a magazine can net you anywhere for $0.10-$2 per word. That can add up to a lot of money. If you’re successful in this niche you can make a lot more versus freelance blogging. The only downside is that your work may be a little less consistent.
Find Your Own Clients
Try cold calling to find your own clients. This method can be the absolute best for creating a steady stream of clients who I actually enjoyed working with. While finding your own clients is probably ideal, there are a few things you’ll need to do to make this work:
Choose a Writing Niche – Pinpoint exactly what you want to write about.
To get jobs you need to establish that you have expertise in a particular subject. Choose a topic that you enjoy writing about but also are very knowledgeable in. Competition can be fierce; your knowledge can be your edge.
As you can see, there is more to being a writer than just writing. For more information on writing including tips and prompts, check out my webpage at tutoringyou.org Tons of tips for budding writers.
American author John Steinbeck at his press conference in Copenhagen, Oct. 29, 1946. (AP Photo)
John Steinbeck was an American author. He was born on 27 February 1902 and died on 20 December 1968.
Before he became a successful author, he supported himself as a manual laborer. This gave his writing about the plights of migrant laborers a ring of authenticity. His writing style was realistic and empathetic which made his characters relatable. He stood up for the disenfranchised, making his themes universal.
He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath, as well as East of Eden, and the novella, Of Mice and Men. The Grapes of Wrath also won a National Book Award and was made into a film in 1940. He wrote 27 books and five collections of short stories in his lifetime.
Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
His six writing tips
Here are six things you can learn from John Steinbeck—Pulitzer Prize-winner, Nobel laureate, love guru, with tips on writing. They are part of an interview it the Fall 1975 issue of The Paris Review. They were later included in Steinbeck: A Life in Letters.
1. Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.
2. Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. It also interferes with flow and rhythm which can only come from a kind of unconscious association with the material.
3. Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death. And in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesn’t exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one real person you know. Or an imagined person and write to that one.
Scenes and Dialogues
4. If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it, bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole work, you can come back to it. You may find that the reason it gave you trouble is because it didn’t belong there.
5. Beware of a scene that becomes too dear to you, dearer than the rest. It will usually be found that it is out of drawing.
6. If you are using dialogue, say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech.
To give your characters contradictions, consider the following strategies: Define Core Traits: Start with your character’s essential qualities, then introduce a trait that seems to go against their core characteristic.
Create Internal Contradictions: Explore emotional or psychological tensions, such as a character who fears intimacy while being a warrior.
