The English Inquisitor » Writing Tips

Writing Tips – Write Every Day

mrsemery — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:37:02 +0000

If you want to write, one of the best things you can do is to write every day. Not anything fantastic or jaw dropping, just writing. Some people call it their “morning pages” others their “evening pages”. The idea is that you write to get stuff out so that when you actually want to write, your head is clear of all the gobbledegook that tends to clutter it up. Like to-do lists or what your boyfriend’s doing, etc.

Try setting a time for yourself each day to write three pages long hand. Just train of thought stuff, whatever happens to come up, just get it out. Do this every day. The notice the difference once you go to actually write.

Writing Tip: Write What You Know

mrsemery — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:23:41 +0000

It’s simple advice, but sometimes hard to follow. Writing about what you DON”T know requires research and time.

Check out more from Audrey Owen at Writer’s Helper.

Prepositions Go Where?!?

mrsemery — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:22:43 +0000

Grammar Girl has some great tips about prepostions and where to put them.

“Just as Harry Potter was unfairly labeled “undesirable number one” in the latest J.K. Rowling book, ending a sentence with a preposition is often unfairly labeled “undesirable grammar construction number one” by people who were taught that prepositions have a proper place in the world, and it’s not at the end of a sentence.

I’m going to start calling this “grammar myth number one” because nearly all grammarians agree that it’s fine to end sentences with prepositions, at least in some cases (1, 2, 3, 4).

So before I lose you, let’s back up. What is a preposition? . . .”

To read more or listen to the podcast, click HERE.

Writing Tip: Put Off Editing

mrsemery — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:47:46 +0000

Editing can get in the way. More often than not you just need to get your thoughts on the page. You’re not going to write a final draft the first time without any changes or edits. Many times you need to start in the middle, or at the end, or with fragments and phrases. Then you can make it sound all pretty.

Read more by Audrey Owen at Writer’s Helper.