How to Make the MOST of your Writing Weekends: WORDfest 2019

WORDFEST.org

Saturday, March 23, 2019 -- a day spent with writers, bloggers, authors, playwrights, educational specialists -- in essence, a day to grow and learn as a writer.

Like most conferences, there were seminars designed to encourage growth of basic skills to the next level, those for writers who've been around the proverbial publishing block, ones to maximizing online presence and even specialty sessions for groups wanting to grow their membership.

Visual demographics leaned heavily toward the female gender, but there was a great blend of young and old. Writing isn't for the faint of heart and the smart-minded encourage their common writing sense and find like-minded folks. Writing is for the tenacious . For those who can stand the solitude. For those who are willing to toil.

I read so many blogs of young women -- and for those reading this, almost all of you will be younger -- who feel a calling, an undeniable urge and a thirst to write and more to share that writing.

in my typical Texas fashion, I tip my hat -- that's a Stetson, of course -- to you all for that bravery.

Writing is a bit like bull-riding.
Hang on, I haven't baked my brain in Texas sun.
The 8-second goal is always on the bull-rider's mind.
That buzzer + being on the back of the bull = SUCCESS.

But ladies and gents, if you believe that it's all about . . . or . . . ONLY about those 8 seconds, then you're not in your 'right-thinking-mind' as we say in Texas. Bull-riders are tremendous athletes who put in hours of grueling training, weeks on the circuit, bruises (in places that we won't mention) even broken bones. IT's hard work. Now, you're getting it. Just like writing is hard work. I will be the first to admit that I have NEVER broken a bone due to excessive writing so bull-riders still win that event.

My good Texas advice to all you youngsters -- and remember, you're all younger than I am . . . if you're serious about your writing: Find a group, a seminar, a critique partner and invest the time and effort to learn your craft then HONE your craft.

Writing Organization worth a look-see:

Romance Writers of America

Young Adult Romance Writers of America

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

Sisters in Crime

Horror Writers Association

Writers' Guild of Great Britain



Time between conference seminars is meant for visiting the exhibitors; here's a list of a few of the participating groups at Word(Field) 2019 -- so named this year because it was a combination of WORDfest & the rescheduled WORDfield event. Hence, WORDfield 2019.

Long Star Literary Life

North Texas Chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association

Sisters in Crime

Writing Workshops Dallas

Happy writing to you all, and remember the 8-second rule: Stay in the Saddle and git it done!

How to entice Readers . . . 5 Writing Tips to Building Book Teasers!

Writing . . . writing . . . and writing. The book is nearing its end.

NOW WHAT????

Before you go crazy considering ALL the things to do for a book launch, focus on something closer to your current writing mind-set.

Every writing day is about producing new words. But it is also about editing what's on page. You polish scene consistency, authentic characters, snappy dialogue, and just enough narrative to set any scene.

So, while completely enmeshed in the writing and rewriting, here is the perfect opportunity to search out book teasers for the upcoming book launch.

Remember, writing as a PROfessional requires authors to hone their craft, daily.

Teasers -- DO's and DON'T's

FIRST-- THERE is NOT a perfect number of words required to produce a great teaser. Don't believe that it must be one paragraph . . . or two paragraphs . . . or three paragraphs. The word count isn't important. The essence of the teaser -- what is revealed -- is, however, crucial.

My mother frequently used the Winston Churchill quote when I was in middle school. Oh, not the good speech part, but the short skirt part.

The concept of just long enough is what's important.

SECOND -- IF you lift text exactly from your WIP, the teaser may leave the reader scratching their head. Consider editing the text for dynamic purpose. Does a line or two need to be removed? Is this text section filled with 'he said/she said', but it doesn't really identify the characters? Is there NO scene setting in the lifted text and your characters have that 'floating in space' problem?

THIRD -- YOU will need more book teasers than you think so it's better to have loads in the hopper then sort through to cull out the best.

I start by sorting book teasers into short, medium, and long categories. If posting to Twitter, keep in mind the character count. If posting to Pinterest, keep in mind the pixel sizing. Consider where you plan to, initially, launch your social media blitz. Be clear on the perimeters to successfully and EFFECTIVELY target that audience. Very often, less is more. Heavy text even on the greatest artwork becomes too cumbersome for readers to scan. Think about movie trailers and how many scenes are flashed on screen in 30 seconds. Concise and poignant is often the best bet.

FOURTH -- INCORPORATE artwork into the teasers. The graphic artist is still hard at work on the final cover design for my second book: Chasing Destiny. In the meantime, I utilized basic concepts and it gives me a working backdrop. Depending on your skill set with 'artistically' based programs, you may build any number of options. The point is to consider the best written offering to attach to the artwork for maximum reader impact.

As I write romance, I select short, medium, and long book teasers that will emphasize sexual tension between my protagonists.

Long teaser:

“You could kiss me." Jaycee's whisper reflected the ache of her soul.
“I thought we didn’t have a relationship."
Uh-oh, maybe she’d misread the clues. It had been a long time since she’d wanted to seduce a man. Scratch that. She’d never wanted a man the way she wanted Garrick Shapiro. Striving for a lighter tone, Jaycee gave his shoulder a playful poke. “I’m talking a simple kiss here."
“There is nothing simple between us." He stroked a thumb across her bottom lip. “Timing’s not great. You’ve already had a roller coaster day."
“Don’t coddle me, Garrick,” she stressed. Reaching out, Jaycee took the initiative. He wasn’t immune to her, not if the fire in his eyes was any sign. “I’ve lived a lifetime with overprotective males. Assume I know my own mind."
“Full sail ahead and damn the reefs, is that it?" He lifted his head, turning his gaze to the distant horizon as if searching for answers. “So, all you want is a kiss?”
Eyes the color of molten steel and filled with every woman’s dream of pure passion turned her way, capturing her breath and holding her a willing prisoner.
This was the look she’d waited for a lifetime.
Jaycee nodded.

Medium teaser:

When Jaycee didn’t immediately take the proffered material, Garrick extended it further. “Go on. It doesn’t bite.”
“What about you?” Embarrassed heat rushed across her cheeks. Great. Smooth. She’d lost what was left of her mind. With a face that probably glowed like a bright red fire truck, Jaycee reached up, pulling down hard on the brim of her baseball cap. “What I meant was . . . you were in such a mood before. . . earlier.” She jerked at the offered folder. “Never mind.”
“On the contrary, Ms. Donovan. It’s a fair question.” His grip tightened, not releasing their paper tether until she lifted her gaze. Flecks of amusement glittered in his glance. “I will admit . . . I’ve been known to bite, but only when invited.”

Short teaser:

Wanting as never before, needing to be closer still, Jaycee slid into his warmth and melted into Garrick's embrace. She was certain, the world ceased to spin because nothing at that moment—his future or her past—none of it mattered.

FIFTH -- CONSIDER the audience for your genre. If writing fantasy, what teasers from your WIP best put the reader under your spell? If writing horror, what teasers from your WIP would scare the living bejesus out of them . . . and of course, make them want to turn the next page?

Finishing the book is a great and fabulous accomplishment. Be certain to celebrate the moment. But on the road to the end, gather a few of your written gems for use as Book Teasers

Be a Better Writer . . .
AT

Teaching an Old Dog (writer) New Tricks. Secrets to Better Writing.

Writing The Perfect Phrase -- studying the masters!

Book Club Pro - an author promotional and marketing option!

I'll start with the obvious. This is a blog about BookClubPro, a promotional and author marketing environment for the Twitter feed.

I discovered this opportunity on Twitter via Stacie Sultrie, a Paranormal Romance Author.

Registering for Book Club Pro took about 30 minutes out of my schedule. The registration sheet is comprised of basic questions, book links, author bio, book blurb, and if you have them in your wheelhouse, COMPRESSED TWEETS that Book Club Pro can use to promote your book. As I did not have all this information gathered, there was a bit of maneuvering between my Amazon site and my word document that contained my compressed tweets, but the entire process was painless. And the exercise forced me to compose a few of the missing links for the next promotional adventure.

I'll keep you posted as to the effect of BookClubPro . . . or if you've used this service or other author promotional services, please share.

Oh, and the best part --it was FREE.

Writing is hard work and always deserves our best effort. Sharing that BEST effort with readers can be daunting and taxing for authors.

May 2019 be our year to find great author marketing and promotional sites.

Writing It Right with Wordle.net

Breathing new life into an older manuscript brought me back to Wordle.net

WRITERS

Do you want to know your most commonly used words in a chapter?
In a Blog post?
In a letter to your editor?

DIRECTLY FROM THE WORDLE WEBSITE:

'WORDLE is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to your own desktop to use as you wish.'

Wordle.net is a FREE Service that doesn't demand any Google Chrome EXT additions.

However - WORD ON INSTALLATION - you'll need Java RunTime in order to access Wordle, and you will need to download the 32bit version (actually, shows as X86 on the Java download site, which is old school for 32bit). My laptop is roughly a year old and the Win 10 version on my system is 64bit. Just be aware that you might need to handle this conversion depending on which version of Windows is loaded to your desktop/laptop, and which BIT size as well. If Java is currently downloaded to your system, Wordle should open. Also, there is a Wordle trouble-shooting help guide. I used Internet Explorer - not EDGE - just good ole Explorer to access Wordle, and it worked perfectly. Hopefully, these install tips will ease your Wordle path.

Pssst - any program that demands a Google Chrome EXT should be handled with extreme caution.
Check for reviews or malware alerts on these programs before you complete install and allow the EXT full access.
You might find your browser taken over by the EXT . . . never a good result.

CHASING DESTINY - CHAPTER ONE

Through the Wordle process, my nemesis of 'back' revealed its ugly redundancy,
and I dived into the chapter to obliterate its overuse.

The point of this exercise is to make certain - that you, the author - are fully aware of the most commonly used words, and phrases, in your writing.
Does the Wordle picture reflect the language that should float to the top like wonderful cream?
Or have you fallen into a vocabulary trap where the same tired words appear over and over?

Wordle is a bit of visual creativity to color our written world of black-and-white.

Ready to learn more? Additional writing tips @

Snapping Photos? Here's how to Breath LIFE into your Writing

Learn the Art of a Writer's Magic

The Language Garden: The Apostrophe Hummingbird

I have been re-reading ‘Eats, Shoots & Leaves’ by Lynne Truss.

Glutton for punishment?

Hardly.

Like the majority of authors, I constantly hone and refine my skills. There is no 'quick grow' method to sound writing. No short-cut or easy season. Study time, butt-in-chair effort to learn basic and advance grammar is still the most effective method for a good crop of sentences.

As to EATS, SHOOTS, AND LEAVES: if you haven’t read Lynne’s witty take on grammar and its sad decline, you are in for a treat. She entertains and educates – no easy feat.

If you’re new to writing, then best advice: learn the grammar rules.



A past critique partner, albeit a brilliant woman, continually brought her weekly pages with numerous grammatical errors. When we groused, as writers are want to do, about the continual mistakes, she informed us that learning all those pesky rules slowed her creativity and she knew we’d correct her anyway.

NEWSFLASH TO NEWBIES

**Your writing buddies, your critique partners, and heaven forbid, your readers don’t want to slog through your grammatical mistakes.**

FIRST - SINGLE IT OUT

Start simple: pick one aspect that you 'just' don't get and research that grammar rule. There are scads of grammar research sites.

GrammarBook.com

Your Dictionary

Grammar Girl (Quick & Dirty Tips)


My suggestion is check a couple of sites. Not all research sites are created equal -- true. But often when you study from more than (1) source, a real understanding of the rule will become clear.
Simply put: the rule will just make sense.

So, to Single it out: In this case, let's talk about the Apostrophe. NOT all aspects of its use: JUST ONE.

The tiny apostrophe is actually quite a work-horse in grammar. Perhaps, I should liken it to a hummingbird. Always around, busy, and cheerful if used correctly.

SECOND & THIRD: STUDY THE USAGE & STAY FOCUSED

Here's my exact point: there are hundreds of articles/blogs/grammar quips written about the Apostrophe and its multiple usages. It would be easy -- ridiculously so -- to become overwhelmed. You started with a purpose to learn more about the apostrophe so pick (1) aspect, study the usage, then stay focused on that aspect.

Don't cross your eyes and click off this blog. I have no intention of sending you into GRAMMAR doldrums with a list of apostrophe purposes.

One aspect: Plural Possessive (a plural word that needs to show it 'possesses' something.) The house of Cassey = Cassey's house; The pencil of the boy = the boy's pencil. Got it. Except in the case, we're talking about plural possession. ****

Very specifically –
A) men
B) women
C) children
D) oxen
E) brethren (general usage in today’s time to denote spiritual brothers. Depending on the religion or denomination, women can be brethren as well.)
F) neofen (newcomers to science fiction; fans who are extremely new and inexperienced with the genre.) Wiktionary
G) kneen (obsolete form of knees – plural) Your Dictionary

There is the school of thought that ‘chicken’ belongs in this list; that chicken is the plural for chick. However, Old English scholars believe that ‘. . . chicken, the –en ending isn’t a plural, but a diminutive, expressing small size or affection, which also turns up in kitten and maiden.’ World Wide Words


TO our lesson:

Is it Men’s Locker Room? Or Mens’ Locker Room?

As MEN is already plural, more than one man can go into that smelly, sock-infested locker room and hang out, doing whatever men do in that inner sanctum, and it’s all good. Therefore, Men’s Locker Room will nicely suffice.

Was it the Women’s Suffrage Movement? Or the Womens’ Suffrage Movement?

Again, WOMEN is already plural; the apostrophe goes BEFORE the ‘s’. Women’s history can be charted back to the early start of women’s rights when female abolitionist activists gathered and gave birth to the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Note where to place the apostrophe. The PLURAL of women stands quite nicely on its own.

Should we name the new play area: Children’s Playground or Childrens’ Playground?

By now, the pattern should be clear.

In your writing, if the word is already plural through the use of an ‘–en’ ending, then any possession must take place with an added apostrophe then s.

Some are blatantly common: MEN, WOMEN, and CHILDREN.

Some are dated, almost part of our quietly buried English language: KNEEN, BREATHEN, and OXEN.

Others are new to our language: NEOFEN.

FOURTH & FINALLY, SIMPLY SCRIBE SENTENCES (that means WRITE). Practice this Grammar Rule. Set aside 5 minutes a day, study the rule and practice a few sentences. Make the new Grammar Rule a HABIT.
Personally, if I find it's a rule that continually boggles my mind, I won't just research it, or practice, but I'll write it up in my 'HOW TO' folder. I'll include links, diagrams, and my OWN explanation of the rule. From my brain, through my fingertips, and onto page: the rule becomes mine. (Feel free to steal this trick if it will work for you. My HOW TO folder is massive with all sorts of tips and insights. Word of caution: dumb down naming your research. There's nothing worse than knowing that you saved tidbits and then can't find them.)

In the garden of language, new words sprout and bud; their usages, and meanings offering color to a black and white landscape. Grammar rules are the raised beds, the lattice work, bits of string and twine that allow our ever-evolving language to blossom.

Phrase . . . the true meaning behind the catch phrase: A fool’s paradise.

Pick a genre and you’ve probably read this catch phrase.

‘John thinks he’ll finally get the promotion, but then he lives in a fool’s paradise.’

‘Her fool’s paradise ended the day she caught her cheating lover in bed with her best friend."

Writing a historical and worried about the inception of this phrase?

Unless, your characters are pre-1462, you’ll be safe. This phrase first found its way on page in the Paston Letters, 1462.

But what exactly does a fool’s paradise mean?

Shakespeare embraced its usage in Romeo and Juliet, and certainly that was one couple that lived in happiness based on false hope.

Writing current fiction . . . or non-fiction?

The phrase – a fool’s paradise – is still as potent today.

Artist, Shohei Otomo, debuted his work in September 2012, entitling his exhibition: Fool’s Paradise.

The phrase shows its relevance in modern newspapers, as shown in The New York Times Opinion Section, October 6, 2008, article by Bob Herbert, A Fool’s Paradise, “We’ve been living for years in a fool’s paradise atop a mountain of debt.”

HolidayInsights.com has even determined that some wish to celebrate the day. July 13th is listed in their registry as Fool’s Paradise Day. Perhaps, it is just a day to
believe that anything is possible. Perhaps, a day not to worry about detrimental truth. And perhaps, it’s simply a day to assume that no matter the worst . . . it will all be over in a single day.

Whatever your take on the day, be careful not to live in a fool’s paradise.

Someday the truth will win out . . .
But then that’s a phrase explanation for another day.

Marketing: 13 Thursday Tips on TEXT TEASERS

TEXT TEASERS are a fabulous way to entice readers to purchase your book.
Today's job has been about seducing the reader.

I've highlighted Paint for the purpose of this blog, but other options for image-compiling the Text Teaser are available. However, I highly recommend working these early steps through Paint.

STEP 1 --

Resize book cover to several different sizes and SAVE!

STEP 2 --

Select side background picture for text teasers and paste as an addition beside your book cover. You will need to work with the sizing. Again, I suggest saving in multiple sizes for different media releases. What works on Facebook and what works on Twitter may require different sizes. Take the time - upfront - to resize and then mass media release is possible. Additionally, you can utilize a 'blank or solid colored' background if no particular picture reinforces your book. However, consider the multitude of free media images before you go with a blank slate.

.

STEP 3 --

Choose text teaser. Mine for gold. Choose a teaser that will still make sense when pulled from the text. Choose a teaser that emphasizes character conflict.

STEP 4 --

Load text on side background picture.

STEP 5 --

Save.

STEP 6 --

Oops! Won't save.

STEP 7 --

Re-select side background picture and add, change size of background picture, or as I did -- save as a .png.

STEP 8 --

SAVE NOW!

STEP 9 --

Load text teaser on side background picture.

STEP 10 --

**Transparent? or Opaque?

If transparent, is your text color easy to read? Sized correct? Is your text teaser too long? But long enough to entice? Should the sentences be set apart for more impact?
If opaque, what color? How does that effect the overall read-readiness of your text? Is the text color the right shade against the opaque background color?

STEP 11 --

SAVE!

STEP 12 --

Reopen and make certain that you like the look of the text teaser, the overall sizing, etc. This TEXT TEASER technique is perfect for uploading reviews of your book. Once the basic cover art is sized for multiple media release, changing text teasers to reviews, and then more reviews is a click of the mouse.

STEP 13 --

Now upload -- everywhere.

STEP 13A

Repeat all steps for more text teasers and to increase marketing presence.

If you noticed a theme in the process, it was SAVE. Save at each step so if part of the process falls apart, you can simply reopen the work @ the last step and start again. Starting from scratch is no fun; avoid the aggravtion, and SAVE OFTEN. Oh, and I keep a separate file inside my BOOK COVER folder, marked: TEXT TEASERS. I date each finalized selection so I'll know that's the finished process and I can easily drop into a marketing site.

HAVE FUN with this process.

Don't Slow That Pace

Slowing the pace or resolving a major character conflict at the end of the chapter or scene gives your reader an opportunity to:

1) put down your fabulous writing
2) turn off the light
3) and dream about some other author's characters

Not quite a Kiss Goodbye - but too close for any aspiring author who has designs on a Best Seller list.

Make your readers hang around and hang on, forcing them to read through what would be a natural place to break.

How?

Use strong hooks.

As writers, we WANT to finish the thought, to build to the end - always pushing the conflict up the next notch. BUT - and it's a huge BUT, resolution is the last thing that needs to happen at the end of a chapter. Break the action right in the middle, leave the reader asking the question, ‘What happens next?’ or even ‘OMG, I’ve got to find out more.’; and you’ll provide all the incentive readers need to keep . . . well, to keep reading.

Character answers are a must.
Readers won't tolerate being left hanging or in the dark - indefinitely.

But like good whiskey - a shot at a time is the best way to enjoy.

Instead of wrapping a chapter - Weave the answer through the beginning of the next chapter or scene. Leave the thread dangling until the reader absolutely needs to know. There is power in the payoff with this technique.

Certain notable authors published their works as serials: Louisa May Alcott in A Long Fatal Love Chase, early Louis L'Amour works, and YA author, Gary Paulsen, started his work in 'shorts'.

THE POINT?

They believed and used . . . the HOOK.

If you're unfamiliar with STRONG HOOKS, then familiarize yourself with the above listed authors. Sometimes oldies really are golden.

Still not convinced?

Are you watching this season's AGT?
Before every commercial break . . . here's what's coming -- stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep watching.
How about the news? Pick any station broadcast. They honestly spend more time telling you what they're going to tell you, than the actual 'telling' of the news story. Why? . . . here's what's coming -- stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep watching.

What do these major entities know that is important to writers?
Stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep . . . reading.

If you wrap the scene up, put a bow on it, give the package away . . . guess what? Your readers aren't forced to 'stay tuned and keep reading'.


From my WIP - The Grave Digger - protagonist, Emma McBride has come to town to visit her godfather, Gus, who owns The Red Belly Bar. Gus is Emma's closest living relative, and the man who has protected her for years. To catch up on the latest news, Emma is pumping Margot, long-time friend, and the godfather's secret crush.


“Burke? Who is Burke?” Emma searched her memory, drawing a blank, but not liking the fact that some man, some stranger had convinced her godfather what was best. “Is that one of the infamous card buddies?”

“No.” Margot seemed to draw out the answer. “I thought Gus had spoken to you of this matter.”

“What matter?” Tension knotted in Emma’s stomach. She might only happen through town twice a year, but she checked in on a weekly basis. “What is it I don’t know?”

“Gabriel Burke, he runs the business. Each day, for the last six months. Shortly after your last visit, he came.” Margot's snow white brows knitted in concentration. “No one expected him to stay. Then one day, he is a partner with your godfather at the Red Belly bar.”

With a nudge against the china, Emma pushed away the remains of her snack and focused all her attention on her companion. “Exactly how sick is Gus? And tell me the straight of it. ”

Confusion then a bit of anger sparked the older woman’s gaze. “I do not keep the secrets from you, child. But it would seem your godfather has kept too many.”

* * *

If storms came in the form of gauzy lace shirts then the gypsy-like creature, who’d just whirled through the Red Belly bar’s front door, appeared to be a heavy-duty downpour. Faded jeans hugged all the right curves and stopped above a pair of slim ankles. Some nonsense of strappy leather sandals crisscrossed her feet. Pure California or some reincarnated flower child was Burke’s first thought. Until she pulled free the wide-brimmed hat and shook her head. A waterfall of blonde strands unfurled like golden silk down to her slim waist. Then the woman turned and Gabriel Burke stopped thinking at all.

This scene is in Chapter One, the closing of Emma's POV and her scene, and then the opening into Gabriel's POV and his scene. *** marks the spot. The conversation is designed to leave the reader asking questions. It's already established how much Emma loves her godfather, how she visits this specific town to spend time with her godfather, even how Emma expects - as we often do - that her godfather will live forever. Now, she's learned he's ill. That someone - some stranger - has influenced her godfather's decisions. Someone who's only been in town a short time, and now has partnership in her godfather's bar. You bet she has questions, and so does the reader.

Share a hook from your WIP, or one from your favorite books.

As always, you’re welcome to drop by my back porch. It’s heating up here in the deep south. BBQ is on the grille (Veggies, too) and beer in the cooler. Drop on by anytime.

Until next time
~Sandra

Don't Bungle your Blogging (or Become a Better Blogger - Writer)

In my daily perusal – read – of a multitude of blog and websites, I’ve discovered some uh-oh moments. Despite the type of blog, the number of individuals involved with the blog, or the purpose of the writing, the mistakes exist. No Grammar Police hat worn here. But I will say that on-page mistakes threaten our reader's pleasure.

Good writing is hard work. More importantly, easy reading is harder work.

GOOD GRAMMAR -- Wait! Don't stop reading yet.

I know . . . I know . . .The word GRAMMAR should be issued in a whisper.
Ears snap closed like a gator before his midnight snack.
Patience, Padawan - this could be useful information.


I’m aware of the Kurt Vonnegut Tweet circulating that condemns the semicolon as a useless brush with higher education and writers would do well to exorcise (not quite Linda Blair in The Exorcist, but close) the tiny punctuation mark from their prose.

Well, you caught me. I did go to university. I did study English (English Composition minor). So, I’m guilty of exercising - not exorcising - advanced punctuation. However, if you don’t know the difference between a semicolon (;) and a colon (:) and when to use each, then you have a writer's duty: learn it.

WHY? Is that your writer's duty?

Q: How can you possibly break grammatical rules if you don’t know them?
A: You can’t.

Kurt might have hated the semicolon, but the man knew how to use it before tossing it out of his literary realm.

Brief explanation –
Use a semicolon to bring together two complete sentences (related sentences) without a conjunction.

**The hard-drinking party girl closed down the bar; her next day was spent hugging the ceramic throne.**

Two related sentences. Same subject in both sentences. Second sentence demonstrates the result of the first sentence.

The much-maligned semicolon certainly sports more uses than the one above, but to strengthen writing without sending the brain into grammatical shock – pick out one aspect of a semicolon and develop the habit.

Painless? Not necessarily.
Guaranteed writing growth? Probably.
Stronger reader comprehension? Absolutely.

And if you’re taking the time to share your thoughts, advice, information with readers, make it worth their reading while.

I’d planned a short discussion on comma and phrases and clauses and then realized . . . there is no such thing as a short discussion for the comma.

Lengthy subject: The Chicago Manual of Style, 7th Edition, dedicates fifty-five (55) pages to the use of the comma.

Please, if your version of the manual style has a different page count on the ubiquitous comma, don’t notify me. I’ll take your word for it. Suffice it to say, the comma covers a great deal of written ground. If unfamiliar with the comma, consider some of the suggested reading listed below.

However, grammar lessons isn’t over – in this knock-out round, let’s discuss,

Subject – Verb VS. Subject - Predicate

I chose this picture because I’m envious of anyone with this conditioning. Ring-side managers would need to call out paramedics/chiropractors if I even managed to get my leg in this position.

Yet, the picture is accurate for many of us (I’ll include myself here, thank you very much) in readily knowing and understanding the difference between Subject – Verb and Subject – Predicate.

For bloggers, who venture to amazing places, enjoying delicacies I can often not pronounce or engage in hang-gliding, sky-diving, rock-climbing that I’d not be brave enough to try; for the newbie writers finding their literary feet; for the article innocents preparing for the world of submission and rejection, I beg you to learn the basis of sentence structure for Subjects & Predicates.

Simple sentence:
She jumped.

She is the subject.
Jumped is the verb. (A verb that shows action.)

I said it was a simple sentence, but now it gets a bit trickier.

What if the verb didn’t show action? What if the verb was one of those sly ‘state of being’ verbs?

Forms of to be

be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being

Other Linking Verbs

appear, become, feel, grow, look, seem, remain, smell, sound, stay, taste, turn

Simple sentence:
She tasted.

What? What did she taste? Isn’t taste an action? I always thought so, but if it’s an action verb, why doesn’t the sentence seem complete?

Because taste is a tricky linking verb and now needs a predicate to modify – to complete the sentence.

She tasted the sweet flavor of the season’s first apple.
She tasted the bitterness of defeat.
She tasted salty. (Tasted salty? Who would think that, much less write it?)
As he nibbled her neck, she tasted salty.

Don’t wrinkle your nose. If you’ve read a handful of romance books, you’ve encountered something similar.

The point is:
What comes after ‘tasted’ is vital to sentence comprehension, which means ‘tasted (verb required for a predicate) the sweet flavor of the season’s first apple’ is in fact a PREDICATE.

A PREDICATE or better known as that which modifies the subject of a sentence. In this case, the subject is ‘she’.

All right, before your brain explodes from grammar TNT, I’ll remind you that as a writer, you must possess – and actually – read grammar HOW TO books.

A few healthy examples : The Chicago Manual of Style

English Grammar for Dummies

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips.

If you want to be considered a Professional Writer, even a semi-competent writer, then EARN IT!

Homework doesn’t end just because you are an adult. If anything, it’s a more serious form of homework.
Whether Ms. Smith gave you an A on a writing composition isn’t nearly as important as if your readers enjoy the stories you share, the information you impart, or the wisdom you reveal.

Don’t bungle your blogging.

Oh, and if you've been paying attention, you'll have a read a number of colons (:) in this blog: find them.

Summer is in full 'steam' on the back porch. Do drop by again.