Applicable Writing Advice?

Great writing tips abound. If you've been writing more than ten minutes, you've probably heard these two:  

"Write what you know."

"Show, don't tell."

While these contain great advice, there are certain words of wisdom I've found more applicable and helpful than others.

For example, years ago I came across this quote in The Elements of Style by Strunk and White:  

“Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”


This was something I practiced immediately. It dovetailed perfectly with the courses I'd just completed at the Institute of Children's Literature, where they taught us the value of word economy. 

Here's another favorite from the same book:

“Do not overstate. When you overstate, the reader will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in his mind because he has lost confidence in your judgment or your poise.

Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for the reader, the object of the writer’s enthusiasm.” 

 

 

This quote brings to mind the exclamation mark and its generous use everywhere. And it makes me wonder if we are a society of people who shout all the time. Or are we guilty of overstating? Or maybe both. :)

 

One veteran writer's opinion on this advised counting the number of exclamation marks in a piece. He recommended eliminating all but one, and to carefully consider even the lone remainder. Ask, he said, "Is such emphasis necessary?"  

 

Ever since reading those wisdom filled words, my use of such in formal writing is deliberate and sparse.

While some advice seems more applicable or timely than others, I'm grateful for the wealth of info at our fingertips. Always something to learn, always something to improve upon, right? 

What advice did you find most applicable when you began writing? What have you found most useful lately? 

 

Happy writing,

Karen

Photo credit: Pexels

Good Writing Books?

"What writing books do you recommend?"


I've been asked this question several times, but perhaps the most memorable instance was on a Sunday morning. In church. Right before the service was about to begin.

Since the timing was not conducive for this kind of discussion, it caught me off guard. As I scrambled to deliver a brief answer, I pictured the shelf on my desk where I keep important resources and considered, What books do I use most?


It's not a bad question, just a broad one, like when someone asks how to get started as a writer. (For more details on answering that question, check out this recent post.)

My mind stretched for an educated answer. I am a writer, after all, and am supposed to be able to communicate in an articulate manner. What seems like a simple question has many answers, depending on what you're looking for.

I felt a little tongue tied. Here I was, a dedicated scribe who's having trouble thinking of good writing books. But I figured I could use the setting and timing as an excuse, right?  

The first book that came to mind was The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Other books popped up in regard to blogging, freelancing, and fiction writing, such as L. Diane Wolfe's How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now, Smart Branding for Busy Bloggers by Jennifer Brown Banks, The Emotion Thesaurus series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress, and Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. More titles crowded in, like Roget's Super Thesaurus, Barron's Essentials of English, and Edit Yourself  - all helpful for tutoring my teen writing students.

My final answer? The Elements of Style. Figured you couldn't go wrong with this classic, right?

After this incident, I thought about what my "non spur of the moment" answers would be. Pretty much the same, I'm thinking, but I'd probably narrow the field by asking questions like:

• Are you looking for general writing and grammar info? 

• Do you plan to write for children, young adults, or adults?

• Will you write fiction or non fiction? 

• Do you want additional info on writing for magazines, writing the novel, or about self publishing?

Once that's established, I'd suggest using this list of considerations to assist:  
  

• Applicable Genre - A no brainer, yes, but if you're new to this it helps to narrow the search.

• Good, down to earth content - If it isn't reader friendly, seems too technical or complex, it might be good to pass, at least for the beginning writer.

• Reviews from readers - What's the general consensus among the reviews? Take applicable cues from them. 

• Recommendations from writer friends - This is often the best way to find good books.

• Endorsements from reputable writers - Does your favorite author or other respected writer endorse it? This can offer helpful clues too.

While these points might seem obvious, with so many resources now available it's easy to get overwhelmed. And let's face it, unless you're independently wealthy, there's a budget to respect as well. These items might help steer someone in the right direction.

Did I miss anything? What would you add to the list?

Has anyone asked you a similar question at an unexpected or not-so convenient moment? What are your go-to writing books and resources?

Happy writing,

Karen  


Photo credit: Free Images

Are You Guilty of Overstating?

 

The view from my front porch. :)

5 Questions 

To celebrate the grand re-opening of the Coffeehouse for Writers, Jennifer Brown Banks is spotlighting the instructors in a 5 Questions series on her blog, Pen and Prosper. I have the privilege of teaching the Boot Camp for Writers, so I'm featured in this post.  I invite you to stop by if you have a moment. :) 
 

Overstating, Are You Guilty?

Strunk and White had this to say in The Elements of Style:

“Do not overstate. When you overstate, the reader will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in his mind because he has lost confidence in your judgment or your poise.

Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for the reader, the object of the writer’s enthusiasm.” 

I must admit, overstating puts me off. You might say it's one of my grammar pet peeves. For example, I cringe when I get an email that includes something like this: 

"I KNOW you’ll AGREE with ME WHEN I SAY that WE MUST put an END to THESE ATROCITIES."

Why must we shout? Isn't it more civilized to simply say, 

"We must stop the atrocities."

Is it just me, or is the extreme capital emphasis distracting? My interest in the message wanes, and I feel like I'm being coerced into taking it seriously and pressured into embracing the cause. Making a point is necessary and commendable, but there is a better way to achieve respected, professional results. As Strunk and White state, overemphasis "diminishes the whole". 

The exclamation mark also suffers from overuse. Its true purpose of course, is for commands or exclamations, like: 

Stop, thief!  or Your book was published, hooray!  or I haven't had my coffee yet! 
                         

It works for informal correspondence like in social media, emails, texts, or blog comments. But I've noticed their generous use elsewhere and I wonder, how excitement worthy are these statements? Are we shouting and exclaiming when simply stating will do? 

One veteran writer's take on the subject advised counting the number of exclamation marks in a piece. He then said to eliminate all but one and to prudently consider even the lone remainder. He asked, is such emphasis necessary? I thought this advice interesting; it now factors in to my editing process.

And since we're on the topic, there's the obvious overstating with excess words and modifiers. When revising and editing I'm on the lookout for extras like very and really, and repetitive phrases such as free gift.

While there is a place for using all caps, exclamation marks, and even bold and italicized print, I believe a good balance equals better communication. Well chosen prose combined with class and common sense never goes out of style.  

What do you think? Do you agree with Strunk and White? What grammar mishaps make you cringe? 

If you have time, don't forget to stop by Pen and Prosper for my interview. Thanks so much!   

I'm taking a break for a few weeks, but will return on June 6 with an interview with author Sarah Sundin. Enjoy the remainder of May! 
 

Happy writing,

Karen :)



Photo credit: Karen Lange

National Grammar Day

 

Did you know that March 4th is National Grammar Day?  

That means it's time for a rousing discussion on grammar, right? :) Well maybe not, but I'm thinking we can at least share a few grammar tips that have helped us along the way. 

One of my favorite gems comes from William Strunk and E. B. White. In their book The Elements of Style they said, 

“Do not overstate. When you overstate, the reader will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in his mind because he has lost confidence in your judgment or your poise. Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for the reader, the object of the writer’s enthusiasm.”

I believe that overstating can take different forms. For example:

1) Capitalized Words 

Consider - which is better? This:

I KNOW you’ll AGREE with ME when I SAY that we MUST put an END to THIS DISPUTE.

Or this: 

We must end this dispute.

Have you ever received an e-mail loaded with caps like this? I understand the desire to make a point, but this is distracting and unprofessional.  

We can avoid this pitfall and emphasize instead with clear, efficient prose. Skip the caps except for abbreviations and similar instances.

2) The Exclamation Point 

The exclamation point (or mark) suffers from overuse too. Its true purpose of course, is for commands or exclamations like: 

Stop!    Wait!     Halleluiah!

Ever read anything (other than informal correspondence) that had exclamation points sprinkled throughout? Was it really that exciting or was the emphasis lost? 

I've read advice that said to review your text for exclamation points and remove all but one. Other alternatives such as italicizing key words and selecting sharp content help make our writing shine.

I think Strunk and White had the right idea. When we put our best writing foot forward, we avoid weak and diluted content. What do you think?

Visit Grammar Girl's National Grammar Day page for tips, links, and more grammar fun.

Do you have any tips to share? Have any grammar pet peeves?

Happy writing,

Karen


Photo credit: Free Images

Text copyright Karen Lange, 2015. Please feel free to link to this post, but no part of this post may be reproduced without written permission.
  

Good Writing Books?

 
"What writing books do you recommend?"

Has anyone ever asked you this?

Someone tossed this question my way last month. The setting was not conducive for discussion, so it caught me off guard. As I scrambled for an educated answer, I pictured the shelf on my desk where I keep important resources and thought, what books do I use most?

It's not a bad question, just a broad one, kind of like another I've been asked.

(You know the one - "How do I get started as a writer?" Well, let's see, where to begin...)

As for good writing books, are we talking about general writing and grammar? Ones on writing for children, young adults, or adults? Fiction? Non fiction? A how-to on magazine articles, novels, or self publishing?

What seems like a simple question has many answers, depending on what you're looking for.

The first book that came to mind was The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, then Roget's Super Thesaurus, and Barron's Essentials of English.

I felt a little tongue tied. Here I was, a writer who's having trouble thinking of good writing books. But I figured I could use the setting and timing as an excuse, right? :) 

Other books then came to mind in light of my historical fiction work in progress, such as The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress, and Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I even thought about two books on my Amazon wish list, Ackerman/Puglisi's newest releases, The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus.

More titles crowded in, like Edit Yourself and Writer's Inc. In addition to The Elements of Style, these provide backup when double checking grammar and coaching my teen writing students.

So my on the spot final answer was The Elements of Style. Figured you couldn't go wrong with this classic guide. Next time I'll be better prepared. What do you think? How would you respond to this question? 

Has anyone ever asked you a question like this at an unexpected time or place?

Have a great week! :)

Happy writing,

Karen 

Photo credit: Stock Exchange