Language is evolution in action
I’ve written more than a few blog posts about the importance of adhering to certain rules, especially academic writing, but even in more informal writing. I’m not about to tell you to turn around and ignore all that. Again, especially in academic writing. But I do want to point out something important. All languages evolve. […]
The First Step is an Idea
I’m not just an editor. I’m a writer. And as both an editor and a writer, I get asked about how to come up with ideas. In fact, every time I write something new and share it with someone (or speak of it) I have people ask what they believe is the obvious question: Where […]
He said, she expostulated, they insisted vociferously.
In another blog post, I referred to people who have the need to constantly change up words for the same idea as having Variety Syndrome. For example, the writer can’t stand continually writing the name Jane, so she writes Jane, the girl, the woman (a girl and a woman aren’t even the same thing), lawyer […]
i.e. versus e.g. versus for example
Not often used in fictional writing, these words are in very common usage in academic writing. i.e. and e.g. are both Latin expressions. They mean something very similar, but there is an important, if subtle, difference. i.e. is the abbreviation for id est and means “in other words” or “that is to say”. It will […]
Traditional vs Organic Writing
There is debate about whether writers should write organically or traditionally. Of course, there is also debate on what exactly those two things are. In a generalized sense, traditional writing is coming up with a story, knowing the direction the plot is going, and how everything from plot to specific characters, will be resolved. That […]
Getting Over Writer’s Block
Someone asked me to write a blog post on writer’s block. It is something that every writer suffers from, sooner or later. And there are as many causes and solutions as there are writers, because everyone is different. But, here goes… First, don’t fret. Like a baseball slugger who suddenly can’t hit the ball for […]
How Long Should I Spend Writing Something
How long it takes you to complete a project naturally depends upon many factors. What you are writing, its expected length, the amount of planning and research you put into the project before writing, plus other factors. But the short answer is, it shouldn’t be quick; it should be longer than you think it should […]
Supplemental Tools for Writing
Writing isn’t just about sitting down in front of your chosen writing software and typing away. Or at least, it shouldn’t be. Nearly all writing should begin with some organization. What are you writing about? Is it fiction, non-fiction, academic? Something else? How long is it Does it require research? Will it have a lot […]
Never be the Only Proofreader of your Work
One should never try to submit one’s work without having someone else look it over first. That is a relatively hard rule with most writing jobs, though there are rare exceptions to this rule. For example, say you are working as a technical writer for a firm. You are paid to write and submit on […]
Write What You Know
One of the great clichés of writing is to write what you know. By this, the cliché means use what you are familiar with. Many people have criticized this saying, insisting that one cannot grow as a writer without branching out. That writers should use their imagination. These aren’t invalid complaints. But it shows that […]