Virgil, the great Roman poet, wrote "Practice and thought might gradually forge many an art." From this we can assume that practice comes before thought, and so it is with present day writers.
What must be practiced? If one is to be a successful writer then one must be able to practice good grammar. In order to practice good grammar, a writer must know the rules of good grammar and therefore must study the rules of good grammar. Most editors reject quickly those writers who do not know how to construct a proper sentence with at least a subject and predicate.
Besides knowledge of a simple sentence, a writer must use compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences. In order to perfect the ability to use these sentences, one must practice their use until it becomes second nature.
Once a writer-through practice-has mastered the sentence then it is time to work on the paragraph. Again, composing a unified, effective paragraph requires practice so that it has unity, coherence, rhythm and acceptable syntax.
English syntax can only be learned by practice, particularly the practice of reading. A "wannabe" writer must be a reader-one who reads voraciously and eclectically so that good syntax will come naturally. However, this reading must be done studiously with awareness of the writer's style and composition, because syntax is the way in which one puts the words together. Now the writer must practice and develop his own style of syntax.
This brings us to the next practice: the use of the dictionary and thesaurus-not the dictionary and thesaurus that are found with most word processors. Although they are helpful, they are not as beneficial as a complete and unabridged dictionary or thesaurus. If a writer depends completely on the dictionary and thesaurus found with most word processors, one's writing will be full of mistakes.
Finally, but not the least, is punctuation. Although most punctuation is a personal preference, there still are basic rules that should be learned and practiced.
In all case of grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and syntax, the writer must know the rules before he breaks them. Moreover, the only way to become proficient in their use is by continual practice.
Once the basics are acquired, then the writer can proceed to writing fiction or non-fiction in poetry, articles, essays, short stories, etc., again practicing until one has develop a personal voice or style.
Charles O. Goulet has a BA in English literature and has written several novels that are available through Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and other online bookstores.
His website is: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/go1c
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used... Read More
Just about every marketer on the Internet claims to be... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?The writer, who doesn't have the time... Read More
Have you ever started a creative writing project with great... Read More
Want to write an article or book, but are stuck... Read More
Your computer is a writing machine, a word processor, a... Read More
Any article, report or book which is bought or sold... Read More
I've just come back to work after nine glorious, sun-drenched... Read More
To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More
Plagiarism has been condemned lately by all types of experts,... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
User documentation is all too often written by programmers for... Read More
Connectors -- conjunctions, punctuation, and transitional phrases -- allow readers... Read More
How do you describe a scene without slowing down the... Read More
Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need to... Read More
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More
If you have been online for any length of time... Read More
You have a great idea for a poem, a story,... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
If you dream of turning your book into a best... Read More
My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am... Read More
Les Edgerton writes in his book, Finding Your Voice, that... Read More
Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More
During my 25-year career in a variety of professional positions... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..An island in the Mediterranean. A beach in Africa. The... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
DEFINITIONSRetail margin is basically the difference between your book's wholesale... Read More
SALE, SAIL Sale is either offering something for purchase... Read More
It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More
You may not remember this, but in the early days... Read More
When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More
Some writers complain that writing is arduous work requiring long... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips:Your title is your selling tool. It's... Read More
When you sit down to write a steamy romance, a... Read More
Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business... Read More
Do you know what a query letter is? If so,... Read More
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing... Read More
Winning writing contests can provide several advantages to writers. For... Read More
Most of us hate housework.Nevertheless, even the most hopeless slobs... Read More
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More
The biggest mistake authors make when trying to get free... Read More
On the first day of a bright and shiny new... Read More
This is the ideal topic for us all to think... Read More
1) Can you summarize the story in about a sentence... Read More
Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and... Read More
Let's Discuss Publisher Ethics:If you are an ezine publisher or... Read More
Most books aren't rejected because the stories are "bad." They're... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages... Read More
Writing |