A Touch of Grammar

This blog will be devoted to some grammar. There is so much to go over, and I would like to touch on most of it. The best way to work with grammar, though, is too discuss it in pieces so the reader doesn’t get bored, or worse -- lost.

The first part will cover similar words. The second will discuss specifics and what happens when the writer is not specific. The third will discuss verb tense inconsistency.

To/too/two

Believe it or not, many writers, and student writers, misuse these three words all the time.

To is a preposition – I am going to the store.            
(I am sure you remember the prepositional phrase. The phrase begins with a           preposition and ends with a noun. Here we have the preposition to and then       the article – the—and the noun, store.

 Later, I will show you the use of to as the sign of the infinitive.

Too is an adverb – He hoped it wouldn’t take too long.
(Remember the adverb describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb or an entire sentence. Too usually shows amount or degree – I am too hot.)

Two – the cardinal number

 He has two brothers.

***

Its/It’s

Its is a possessive pronoun.

We are searching for items that belong to the cat so it can go to its new home.

It’s means it is.

It’s too late to go to the store to buy a new bowl. We’ll get a new one in the    morning.

***

Their/They’re/There

Their is a possessive pronoun.

This is their house.

They’re is a contraction meaning they are – pronoun they and the verb are.
 They’re not at home right now.

There is an adverb, indicating location.

They will be there around eight.

Always Be Specific

Back when I was attending Cal State Univ, Long Beach, whenever anyone used the word “they,” everyone would turn to stare at that person as if he or she had said something really bad. Someone would then shout, “Who are They?” It was used so often it almost became a joke.

Remember this short lesson and when you are using “they” make sure everyone knows whom you are talking about.

I guess this is as good a place as any to remind you of the use of who.

Who is a pronoun and is used as the subject of a verb or the sentence.

Who is going to the party?

Whom is the object of a verb or a preposition.

He is going to the party with whom?

I am going to the party with Jason, Bob, and whomever else cares to come.
And this is the reason we write “To Whom It May Concern” on somebusiness letters. 

The word “it” can also be the cause of confusion when the writer doesn’t stop to really think about what he is writing.

Don’t say, “It is so complex.” What is it?
Instead say, the method of resolving the problem is complex.

Verb Tense Inconsistency

In English, the singular noun takes a singular verb, which then takes an s. The plural noun takes an s, but the verb does not take an s.

Confused? Let’s look at an example.

A boy plays alone but the boys in the team play. 

In a research paper, a student wrote about scandals in the U.S. She wrote Scandals has…

My red antenna immediately went up. Ding, the first red check mark.

The correct way to write this is

scandals are ….and finish the sentence.

I hope this little review in grammar will help in whatever you are writing. If you have any questions, please post them here. I will have more coming soon.

Thank you. And have a wonderful day.

Critical Steps to Strong Writing

When I was in college many years ago, I had a professor who wasn’t shy about handing out valuable bits of advice. One day he stood before the class, and said, “Don’t ever love what you’ve written so much that you can’t throw it away.” He didn’t say this to scare us; instead, his goal was to get us on the right path to becoming strong writers.

As we continue our studies as writers, I will go into depth on the process of revision. But in the mean time, let me say this: we need to pay attention to each word we have written, each clause, and each sentence.  We need to ask ourselves if each is important and adds meaning to what we are attempting to do in our writing.  I believe this is what the professor meant by advising us to not be afraid to throw away what we have written.  If what we write doesn’t work, then it's time to start over, but I suggest that you keep the same story line. Just rework the words and the sentences. Keep in mind that every word, every clause, every sentence must contribute to the story. If they don’t, get rid of them.

This is all part of the learning-to-write process.

Another measure we must take in order to strengthen our writing is to gather works by the greats and absorb ourselves in them. Works by Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Chopin, and O’Connor are perfect for what we need to do. We can begin by studying how characters act and react with other characters; do they come to life on the page? This is important because if they don’t, the reader will get bored with them. They will be dull and unbelievable. What type of conflict do the characters face? How is the setting described? What mannerism of speech does the character use?

Pattern of speech or the way people speak is easy to pick up. All we have to do is eavesdrop (I can just see my readers covering their mouths with their hands and saying, “Ohhhhhh.” It’s all right. No one will know. By the way, use whatever you overhear in your stories.) By eavesdropping and listening to the way people talk, you will begin to pick up the natural way of speech. And the dialogue you use in your work will not sound forced or fake.

Pay attention to the words people use. Pay particular attention to the tone. Is the speech angry, happy, excited, or does the person speak in a monologue? Listen and don’t stop listening because this is one way to create believable characters.

As youngsters, as we sat on our beds listening to our dad or mom reading to us, we listened to each word. We looked at the pictures or, as each word entered our brain, we envisioned whatever was being brought to us through the written word. Now, as adults, this is what we are after. We want to create settings that readers can see; we want to create characters our readers believe in.

So as you look back at what you have written, make sure each word, clause, and sentence is strong and essential to your story. If not, get rid of the weak ones. And read to see how the greats have created strong stories through the use of meaningful words, essential clauses, and beautiful sentences.

Happy Writing.

Eight Tips for the Aspiring Writer

The following was written in response to a question I received on an earlier post: 

The following are eight tips I can share with an aspiring writer:

 1. Keep a daily journal. By writing on a daily basis an aspiring writer can only improve and strengthen her writing skills. Plus, through writing in the journal as a daily habit, a writer will discover her true voice. Through journal writing, the aspiring writer will make writing a daily habit rather than one to be indulged in whenever the urge strikes.

 2. As aspiring writer should take a basic grammar class at the local community college. Any writer who wants to be taken seriously will understand that strong writing is as grammatically error-free as possible.

 3. Read, read, and read some more. An aspiring writer will saturate her brain with all the written material she can get hold of.

 4. The aspiring writer should look at the written material that she is reading as a source of study. While she is reading she will pay particular attention to the way other authors have worded sentences, created characters, setting, plot, tension, and all the other elements that make strong stories. It is not a bad idea to keep a separate journal for each story or novel that is read. In this journal, the aspiring writer will note the strong elements of the story and/or novel. By trusting the journal rather than the brain to remember all this, the aspiring writer will reinforce all she is learning as she strengthens her writing skills.

 5. When the aspiring writer goes to the movie theater or watches a movie at home, the writing journal, which was suggested in the above tip (Tip #4), should be utilized in much the same way as was suggested in number 4. While watching the movie at home, the aspiring writer should have the writing journal open and ready for note taking. For example, how does the movie open? Who are the main characters, the foes, and the minor characters? What is the setting, etc.? When watching the movie at the theater, the aspiring writer will pay attention to these elements and when she gets home, she should write a page, attempting to analyze what happened. (The different elements will be discussed in more detail in additional blogs.)

 6. The aspiring writer should join a writer’s group. The aspiring writer will be inspired to write additional pieces and will receive feedback on what she has written. The aspiring writer will also learn the importance of meeting writing deadlines. Through the writer’s group, the aspiring writer will participate in issues pertinent to writers and will learn how to give and receive constructive criticism.

 7. The aspiring writer should trust the members of the writer’s group. They are the ones who are truly interested in what the aspiring writer has written and know how to give constructive feedback; in more cases than not, they have been educated in the writing field and have earned a degree – or two. With this said, it is equally important for the aspiring writer to be wary of whom else she asks to read and give her feedback on her work. For example, a family member or a close friend may say, “It’s good,” and leave it at that. These people either don’t know how to provide feedback or they don’t want to hurt the aspiring writer’s feelings so rather than say something that may be misconstrued, they say little.

 8. The aspiring writer should be as involved as possible with the writing field: read writing magazines and books written to help the aspiring writer improve; go to various coffee shops, bookstores, or other places where writers are reading their works; find places where local writers are showcasing their work and provide support.

The Points of View Used in Storytelling

The following post was written in response to a question I received on an earlier post:

There are specific points of view that a writer must think about before she creates a short story or novel. This is the voice through which the story will be told. In a short story, the point of view cannot be changed. The points of view include the following:

First person point of view is I singular or We plural. When first person is used, the I singular is used. For example, I went to the store and ran into a dear friend that I had known ten years ago.

First person present tense is immediate. The action appears to be happening right now. For example. . .

 I am standing before the meat counter in the neighborhood Vons. Oh my goodness, who is that? Is it? Is it really? Yes, it’s John. I feel my heart beating double time…..

Dear Reader, you get the picture. 

Second Person Point of View is You. This point of view is seldom used. The you must be used consistently throughout the story. A strong novel written in the ‘80s was Bright Lights, Big City. The entire book was told through this point of view:

For example. . .

You are standing before the meat counter in the neighborhood Vons when you turn and notice a familiar face. You immediately know it is John, an old friend from ten years ago.

Third Person is the he or she or they view. And again the point of view must be consistent throughout the story. For example. . .

She is standing before the meat counter in the neighborhood Vons when she turns and notices a familiar face. She immediately knows that face: it’s John, an old friend from ten years ago.

There is also the dramatic point of view. In this point of view no mind can be intruded upon so no thoughts can be given. All that is seen is as if the camera is showing all that is going on. Hence, the dramatic point of view. For example. . .

She is standing before the meat counter in the neighborhood Vons when a man dressed in a black suit approaches her. She turns to look at him and smiles.

And then there is the stream of consciousness point of view. The sentences are rarely written in complete sentences. The sentences are similar to what takes place in our minds when we’re thinking. I remember reading something some time ago in which the critic said we never think in complete sentences. For example. . .

Where’s the butcher? Over there. Yes, I see  him. Cluk, cluk…who’s that? What? Who’s that? John? Oh my.

Check out Ulysses by James Joyce to get a real feeling for this point of view.

Why We Write

 I have found, through the many classes I took, and through my own teaching that each person has a separate and very unique reason for wanting to write. And this is good. As a matter of fact, I have encouraged many people to tell their story. In my classes I have often said that each person has a story – and that story needs to be told. In Los Angeles, I had police officers as students. Goodness knows they have many stories that need to be turned into short stories or novels or even fine non-fiction pieces. I have also taught military personnel. And they, too, have varied and strong stories. This doesn’t mean, though, that only police officers and military personnel have tales that need to be turned into either fiction or non-fiction. No, Every person who has walked this great planet has as many experiences as anyone else. Every person’s story is as valuable as the next person’s.

I believe all writers want -- or maybe crave is a better word -- feedback on what they wrote. After all, this is what writing is all about. Unless we are writing in a journal, all writing is done to be read. Writing is communication, and as communication there needs to be a two-way mode of expression. The writer jots his thoughts down on paper or on the computer screen and the reader tells the writer what he thinks about what he has read.

Over the years I have read the beginning experiments of beginning writers.  These writers want someone to pay attention to what they have created. I read and give feedback on everything. The beginning writer needs constructive criticism as much as does the seasoned writer. The difference is the beginning writer is learning all there is to learn about writing and is attempting to utilize it. The seasoned writer knows the rules and often times plays games with these rules to see how much he or she can get away with.

My goal is and always has been to help anyone interested in expressing him or herself in writing to reach the goal where he or she can create and stand-alone and not worry about making mistakes either in style or with grammar.

Happy Writing.

Rebecca G.

The Creation of a Writer's Group

I have decided the best way to utilize this site is to offer it to all of you who are interested in creative writing. Over the years I have attempted to create a writers’ group. Many people have told me they are interested, and as writers they are interested in getting feedback on what they have written – as all of us are. So, with that said, I will share different approaches with you – point of view, the use of setting, symbolism, etc. I will also share some of my own writing experiences so that you can gain from them, and, on the other side, you won’t make some of the same mistakes I have.  

If you have any questions, please post your questions. And feel free to post your views on what I post.

Let’s get writing.