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◊◊◊◊◊ w r i t i n g t i p s ◊◊◊◊ |
Below is a list of tips that may help. Even if just one item jangles a few
synapses in your varicose-veined brain
- to improve your text, then this
little exercise can be deemed worthwhile.
Sample of an edited draft
Write what you'd like to read.
Use your own voice. Too many writers think they have to sound like Elizabethan
nobility -
yet how many of us are Elizabethan royalty? If you're from
Brooklyn, use some colorful language
from that culture. If you've got some
California Valley Girl your genes (or in your jeans, wow!)
.....go for it girl -
don't hold back. Much of the most intriguing reading is 'from the horse's
mouth.'
Get comfortable. Don't slouch. A decent chair is one of the most
basic writing tools.
Take a deep breath once in awhile. Switch positions in your chair,
so your body is not stuck
in one position for too long. Take breaks to go outdoors. Don't eat
while writing.
Keep a writing pad nearby for notes. Yes, even with the whole world seeming
to whirl around the almighty computer, let's not forget the sweet simplicity of
a pad of paper and a ballpoint pen.
Keep sentences brief. Perhaps you can convolute your thinking to hammer
out a multi-concept sentence -
but give your readers a break. If the
sentence meanders too long, find a place to nip it - to make two sentences.
When possible, create some sort of link from the end of the previous paragraph -
to the start of the
new paragraph. Using phrases like 'in other
words....." or "with that in mind......" ....you develop a flow.
Be
specific where possible - carrying over a tangible concept from the previous
paragraph - to the next.
Avoid repeating words. If it's a technical or proper (capitalized) word,
then that's usually ok.
When possible, find alternative descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) as
well as nouns and verbs.
In WORD program, there's a Thesaurus (for synonyms) that's sometimes handy.
It's in 'tools' menu, just below 'spelling.'
Stay
on topic. That's a big one for me, as I often want to swing off on
tangents.
However, it can readily get too flighty for readers.
There's always a better word for 'got.'
It's ok to show off a bit. If you can fit in a reference to a classic
Greek myth, go ahead.
If writing within a web page, use links within the text.
If using a quote from someone else, reference it. If considerably more
than a sentence or two,
email that person to ask permission. You may be surprised at how many people
allow their writing
to be used - particularly if they're offered some publicity in return.
98% of the time, there's no need to write http:// before web site addresses.
Software such as Word, gives an automatic hyperlink after every URL and email
address. It's very annoying,
but I haven't yet figured how to keep it from doing that. If that happens,
you'll have to go through steps to 'unlink' it
and change the color to black and take off the underline. Shame on
Microsoft for keeping such annoying features
(there are a slew of others) - year after year. Another awful feature is
automatic listing, every time you peck in A. B.
Spell check - but not just with the software. Often I'll see misspellings
that elude the spell check.
Examples: 'there' instead of 'their' or 'they're.' Or 'principle' instead
of 'principal.' Use your noggin.
Avoid using too many brackets. I tend to overuse them,
because of the type of writing I do.
Regular rounded brackets are often used to indicate examples, or peripheral things that directly relate
to what is being discussed. Square brackets are ok to use, particularly when
itemizing things - or technical writing.
Square brackets look good for numbering and lettering; [a] [b] [c].
If you've read this far, you see that I like using hyphens ( - ). and use
them in nearly the same context as commas.
The difference is, a hyphen can indicate a slight conceptual change
within a sentence.
Example: Concentrated solar is a wave of the future - though few
politicians appear cognizant of it.
As for quotation marks, use the paired ones for conversation, or anything
spoken. Use the single digit
ones for some idioms or for spellings that are unusual. I also use the
single digits for 'a saying' or to highlight
words (including foreign words) being discussed.
There is the colon ( : ) and semi-colon ( ; ). The semi colon is
often used when giving an example.
The colon often leads to a subtitle. Start the phrase after a semi-colon with a
small-case letter.
After a colon, use a capital letter.
Pronouns. It's interesting to note that many languages don't use
pronouns much at all, because it's often inferred;
who is acting or speaking. The Spanish and Thai languages come to mind. When writing
in English, it's ok to leave a pronoun out
once in awhile. Though not grammatically correct, I often start an
sentence about myself with the word 'am' - rather than
'I am.' Example: 'Am planning a trip,' rather than, 'I am
planning a trip.' If a pronoun is used in an earlier part of
a sentence, it can often be omitted in a latter part of that same sentence - or
paragraph.
Avoid using quotation marks when writing something you yourself said. Some
authors, particularly in the
fiction genre, don't use quotation marks. Instead, they use a long hyphen
to start each bit of conversation.
If the first line or the last line in a paragraph is 'orphaned' on another page
- fix it, by bringing it on to the
same page. If two lines are on another page, then it's usually ok to leave
them - up to what looks right for you.
Same for small bits of text hanging on the end of a sentence. If a new sentence
starts with 'We....,'
and that word is hanging off to the right by itself, do a 'return' and bring it
'round to a new line.
Above all, enjoy your time while writing.
Thai Sticks