The Grammar Rant

The short-and-easy, hate-grammar-but-want-to-write-person's checklist.

1. Don't write alot. You don't write alittle, abit, acantaloupe, aporkchop. Don't write alot.
2. Avoid repetitions. Repetitions are annoying. Repetitions draw away from the story and to the repetition. Constantly check for repetitions. Only use repetitions for specific purposes.
3. Commas are a wonderful invention that keep sentences from running together like this one is and can prevent odd sentences like this one: Let's eat Grandma vs. Let's eat, Grandma. Commas can save lives. Use them.
4. Proper punctuation! Some things, like exclamation points and periods, can be interchangeable. Other things, like question marks, aren't. Don't end a question with a period! It makes the question sound flat and confuses the reader. For instance: Don't we need to get lettuce. vs. Don't we need to get lettuce?
5. (How often do you see parenthesis in books? Not that often, right? [You never, ever see double parenthesis {Avoid parenthesis like the plague}])
6. The dreaded -ly word! Really, suddenly, abruptly, angrily, sorrowfully, happily, faithfully, amazingly, beautifully, prettily, lovingly, gently, harshly, personally. These sneaky little pirates like to steal the "umph" from your descriptions. Unless these descriptive words are necessary, don't use them. When you edit, search for -ly words and pick and choose the important ones. Let your descriptions stand strong on their own!

Tune in again for more grammar/spelling points!

~Maria

Writing Prompt

"Every breath hurt."

Who is saying this? What does it mean? Physically or emotionally? A beginning or an ending?

Write a paragraph from this sentence.

~Maria

Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55

King James Version (KJV)

1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Thoughts on verse 2: What do we spend our money, time and worry on that has no eternal value?
Verses 8 and 9: God is in control of everything, and He is so much wiser than us! Whenever I think about that, I feel kind of silly for worrying.
Verses 10-11: God's word always does something. Just like when rain falls and waters the grass and flowers, God's word sows seeds or waters seeds already planted. You never know how God might use the sharing of scripture.

~Maria

Writing Prompt

A father and daughter? Husband and wife? A policeman trying to keep a child safe? A family being arrested? Is it the beginning of a story, or an ending?

Write a short description of everything this picture could represent. Pick one that grabs your attention and run with it.

~Maria

NOTE: I did not take this picture. All copyright belongs to the photographer.

Writing Prompt

Culture is a powerful and complex part of our world. Nomads, farmers, villagers, city people, rich, poor, artistic or academic, everyone has a culture.

Think about different cultures: Spanish, French, Norwegian, Native American, Indian, Japanese. Now think about “subcultures:” America's southerners, people from Louisiana, different casts in India, the wealthy of society, the beggars. What character can be given depth and interest by changing their nationality? What could be unusual? Think about different types of people and try switching around their nationality: The construction worker from Louisiana, the soldier from France, the Native American chef, the wealthy Norwegian mountaineer.

~Maria   

Writing Prompt of the Week

Since I missed last week (trip to the Creation Museum & Kentucky Horse Park), I will post two prompts now.

What is something that you would not expect to find a character liking? Maybe a shy, quiet girl enjoys turkey hunting or deep-sea fishing. Maybe a hardened warrior is an avid pottery collector. Maybe your villain is an expert on teas.

Think about your characters. Try to give each one something surprising -- either a hobby, a memory, or a cherished object.

Music plays a huge roll in a film. Ben Botkin (a composer himself) says that "if script is king, then music is queen." A lot of people like to listen to music while they write. Soundtracks or contemporary music can provide inspiration. 

Listen to soundtracks while thinking about your writing. Think about how, if your novel were a movie, what scene would go with each song. Try "storyboarding" a scene in your head. See what ideas or scenarios the music gives you.

~Maria

Writing Prompt of the Week

Pain, fear and secrets give depth to a person. Fear was last week's prompt. Now, what pain does your character have? A regret? A memory? Or is it a physical ailment, one that keeps them from doing things they would like? If your character doesn't have a pain, brainstorm until he or she has one.

~Maria