 Noticing Newbies: July 16, 2008 Issue [#2498] |
  Noticing Newbies
This week: Finding the Perfect Match Edited by: esprit  
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Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter! Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com
We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends!
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The mechanics of writing (grammar, punctuation, and such) are tools of the trade. "But they hinder my creativity!" I hear you cry. Maybe you can substitute a butter knife for a screwdriver, but to do it effectively you have to understand how a screwdriver works.
Holly Jahangiri
Finding the Perfect Match
Finding the writing help you want is as simple as typing a key word into the search box.
Every writer has questions and every writer has answers, the topic of this newsletter is helping them find each other. If you have a question, enter a keyword into the search box and see if someone has the answer. You'll probably find more than several. Here are a few examples taken from Jessie's forum, linked below.
 Subject: Adverbs
I was recently gently counselled to avoid the use of adverbs in my writing. Now I like using adverbs and do not agree that their usage becomes "telling" not "showing". Anyway persistent "showing" can be a bit intrusive or pushy! A little gentle "telling" interspersed with judicious glimpses via "showing" is effective too! I have also been cautioned not to use first person present tense for stories. I don't see why not?
Subject: Re: Adverbs
Because most writers do both badly.
Use ALL the tools at your disposal. Just know when they can be used effectively, and when they are like...too much salt in the soup. Overuse of adverbs can be annoying. First person present tense is very hard to pull off, but it can be done. It's very limiting for you, as the author, and it is so rare that it calls attention to itself and can seem gimmicky. But if you think that's the best way to tell the story, and if you can do it with some skill and grace, you may have a bestseller on your hands.
A caution from other writers is just that - a caution. Not a prohibition. Similarly (since I know it will come up, over and over and over ad nauseum), passive voice is not evil. It is not a tool of the Devil, himself. Sometimes, it's the best choice. But when used to shirk responsibility - or to cover for the writer's lack of specific knowledge of essential facts - it can be a clear sign of amateurism, shoddy journalism, or careless story crafting.
by: Holly Jahangiri
Subject: Beginning
Can anybody tell me just a good place to start with grammar. The mechanics of punctuation has always discouraged me from writing. I am ready to tackle this challenge, can anybody give me some advice as where to start. I want to write, but I know that I am not going to learn the mechanics of puncuation over night, but I do just want to use what I do know if this makes sense. Thank-you for your help
Subject: Ellipses
There is a great piece I remember reading on ellipses, but I can't find it. Does anyone have any links?
Hyphens and dashes: "Invalid Entry"
"Lay vs. Lie"
"Invalid Entry"
If you would like to begin or join in a discussion you're always welcome here.
There are some fine articles found on-site. Why not try here first?
Thanks for reading,
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Remember to read your neighbor's work too!
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