Solving Apostrophe Issues

What trips you up when editing? I find that apostrophes with unusual circumstances can slow me down. The apostrophe's use with contractions is a given, of course, but for certain questionable instances, I use a cheat sheet. I created it for my teen writing students, and refer to it as necessary. Maybe it will be of use to you too:


General apostrophe guidelines:

• To form a plural of a letter: I got all A's and B's.
• To form a plural of a number or symbol: 6's or %'s
• When a word is discussed as a word: The sentence contains too many hey's and dude's.
• To abbreviate a year: She graduated in '07.

Special possessive situations:

Remember that the owner is the word immediately before the apostrophe. It helps to consider, is it possessive or plural, or is it possessive and singular, or possessive and plural, then follow these guidelines:

• Singular versus plural possession: the horse's trainer, the horses' trainer
  
• Compound word possessives: editor in chief's office, sister in law's birthday
• Plural compound word possessives: brothers in law's cars (more than one brother in law)
  
• For an indefinite pronoun: anyone's guess, everybody's favorite
• Individual possession: Micah's, Allie's, and Nat's books (they each own their own book)
• Shared possession: Tim, David, and Becky's book (they all own the same book)

    
And don't forget:
 

Do not use an apostrophe for possessive pronouns: its, yours, ours, his, hers, their


What grammar issues slow you down? Does anyone else cringe when they see the apostrophe misused in advertising? Or maybe that's just me...? 

How was your summer? What are you writing this week? Does it look like fall in your area? Hope you all are doing well! :)

Happy writing,

Karen 

Image credit: Pixabay

Is Editing Fun?

 

"So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, 

is making a chore for the reader who reads."

Dr. Seuss

How do you feel about editing? Love it or hate it, it's part of the package. Even if you hire an editor to help polish your work, you can't avoid it on some level.

In last week's interview, author Rachelle Rea said, "Editing is such fun!" Her happy statement made me stop and think, Do I like editing?

Guess what? After tossing it around, I came to the conclusion that yes, I do like editing. Mostly, anyway. There's something about setting things to rights and polishing words that brings great satisfaction.

Editing can have its down side too, like when I'm pushing to meet a deadline, or overwhelmed by the direction to take, or by the enormity of a project. But even then, there's gratification - attaining and savoring the finish line.

What checkpoints are you mindful of when editing? Perhaps they are similar to mine.

• Check for grammar/spelling errors, consulting sources like Strunk and White's “The Elements of Style” as necessary. 

•  Check content for excess words/phrases/sections that stray from the point or just don't fit. 

• Aim for content that makes sense, progresses logically, and provides a satisfying reading experience. This includes a good balance of descriptive words/sentence variety, and a healthy dose of class and common sense. 

• In addition to reviewing content on screen and paper, read it aloud. The ear is an excellent editor; it helps improve flow by catching rough or confusing spots.

While simple and often done without conscious thought, these points aid the process, polishing words for all to see. After all, writing that shines won't be "a chore for the reader who reads."

Thanks to everyone who stopped by this month to help celebrate my blogoversary. You are a blessing and I appreciate you all! :)

Do you like editing? What helps you better navigate the process? Do you agree with Dr, Seuss?

Happy writing,

Karen 
  


Photo credit: Free Images

The Grammar Police

Ever feel like you are a one person Grammar Police squad? I do, but it's important to monitor and self edit our writing for polished results.

Apostrophes, for example, can be problematic. Using them for contractions is a given, but there are those tricky spots we run into and wonder...do I use an apostrophe....or not? Here's a peek at the cheat sheet I use:


Use an apostrophe:

• To form a plural of a letter: I got all A's and B's.
• To form a plural of a number or symbol: 6's or %'s
• When a word is discussed as a word: The sentence contains too many hey's and dude's.
• To abbreviate a year: She graduated in '03.

Special possessive situations must be handled with care. Remember that the owner is the word immediately before the apostrophe. It helps to ask, is it possessive or plural, or is it possessive and singular, or possessive and plural?


Use the apostrophe like so:

• Singular versus plural possession: the horse's trainer, the horses' trainer
  
• Compound word possessives: editor in chief's office, sister in law's birthday
• Plural compound word possessives: brothers in law's cars (more than one brother in law)
  
• For an indefinite pronoun: anyone's guess, everybody's favorite
• Individual possession: Micah's, Allie's, and Nat's books (they each own their own book)
• Shared possession: Tim, David, and Becky's book (they all own the same book)

    
And don't forget:
 

• Do not use an apostrophe for possessive pronouns: its, yours, ours, his, hers, their

What techniques and resources help keep your writing in check?

I'm taking a break and will be back on January 2. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season! :)

Happy writing,
Karen



Photo credit: Stock Exchange

Self Editing

Every writer knows the importance of self editing. One technique that I've found helpful came from the keynote speaker of a writer's conference. Roger Palms, former editor of Decision magazine said, “Your ear is your best editor.”

He’s right! When we review our work by reading it out loud, our ears often catch things that our eyes do not. Reading aloud slowly helps us pick through our words more deliberately. It’s a great way to catch awkward or rough spots, or places needing punctuation. It helps us hear how our words are really heard by others, and that’s a great way to make necessary adjustments. It may seem strange to put this into practice, but it really works. I do it all the time, and remind my writing students to try it too. Even reading aloud in a whisper, if one feels really awkward, can reap the same results.

Ever find yourself extremely tired, but facing a deadline, and fairly sure that your eyes will fall out of your head if you read the piece one more time? Reading aloud has been a great help to me in these instances.

What are your self editing techniques? Share them with us, we'd love to hear them!

Happy writing!

Copyright 2009, Karen Lange.