In my last class on “Crafting an Inspirational Blog” I asked how many of the participants read their writing out loud as part of the editing process.
The answer? None.
Am I the only one who stands at the head of my dining room table and delivers my prose to an imaginary crowd of fans? I’m kidding– I don’t do that. But I do read a finished piece aloud before I send it into the world and you should too.
Once again, I’m in a Cook County Courthouse. How many times have I been here over the last 5 years? I’ve lost count. Anyway, these are not visits I want to remember. Judge Lopez is a gentle looking man, and soft spoken. But he’s been the arbiter of my shattered marriage and, no offense to him, I never want to see him again.
Words to avoid in your writing:
SO: used as an intensifier, “so” can often have the opposite effect, making your adjectives less punchy. So, don’t strive to be so clever. Just be clever.
VERY: should be used very, very sparingly. In fact, see if you can give it the week off in your writing. It’s very tired of holding up words that are strong enough to support themselves.
It was a summer day in 1977; I was watching “Days of Our Lives” with my mom while she folded laundry. The announcer broke in. “Elvis is dead,” he said, and my mom cried. I was too young to follow politics, and two years later, I would barely register the upheaval in Iran, but in my world, Elvis Presley reigned supreme. So I cried too.
This week I went to a Meet-up event for writers– something that’s been on my to-do list for ages. There were seven of us at the Village Tap in Roscoe Village. We sat on the back patio with a noisy crowd of Cub fans. Above us a section of the cloth roof was rolled back like the lid of a sardine can, showing us a sliver of sky. We took turns posing questions to one another and shouting our answers down the length of the picnic table.
This week’s writing tip comes in the form of a quiz! I memorized the following group of words as a chant in 7th grade English class (thank you Ms. Merkel) and they’ve stuck in my head ever since. What is this group of words called, and what is their job?
I come from a family of gun enthusiasts. My younger brother is a firearms instructor in Iraq. My older brother, who lives in Atlanta, keeps a handgun tucked in his waistband. Even my 66-year-old mother is taking up arms, having just earned her permit to carry a concealed weapon in Michigan. Recently she held up her paper target for me to see: two bull’s eyes! Her exuberance seemed to expect matching enthusiasm from me.
Use definite, specific, concrete language!
The surest way to arouse and hold the reader’s attention is by being specific. The greatest writers–Homer, Dante, Shakespeare–are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report the details that matter. Their words call up pictures.
Goodreads Book Giveaway Hello Loved Ones by Tammy Letherer Giveaway ends June 17, 2016. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway
I’ve finally finished my video trailer! It’s just over a minute… a mere blip to most, but representing a huge learning curve for me. It was fun (kinda), after I worked out most of the kinks. Most all the footage was shot in and around Holland, Michigan. I wish I could have done more to …
👉 Enjoy dedicated writing space just steps from Lake Michigan
👉 Benefit from one-on-one developmental editing sessions