Category: Writing for Web and Tips

Quick posts and tips that teach you how to write and enhance clean, effective Web content.

If You Want to Write: Be Your Character

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

I’ve read a lot of fiction – good and bad. One common factor between the two seems to be the hardest part to write. Characters. The bread and butter of any story. Sure, you can have a great premise, plot arch, and writing style, but if the characters suck the piece may suffer a worse fate.

In the chapter Microscopic Truthfulness, Ueland urges us to look for the truth within ourselves. I know, I know, it sounds deep and something that many of us seldom find, but this is a different truth. This is a truth most of us can achieve.

Own How You Feel

Human emotion is raw and pure. We seldom write when we are overflowing with emotion because we are afraid of the outcome. During the day, maybe you’re at work where you must be professional and conduct yourself responsibly. At night, maybe you’re out partying with friends or home with your family. Ueland asks us, “but how to single out your true self , when we are all so many selves?”

The trick is to own it. I find myself stepping away from the computer for a few if I receive an email that fires me up. I also take a deep breath and calm down before I confront someone. And because human emotion is so powerful, I have to do these things. What would happen if I didn’t? The idea has some dangerous potential.

However when you write, that is your time. That is your time to get it all out. Scribble down how angry, happy, turned on, drunk, or whatever you are at the moment. The writing will be messy and disorganized, but it will be believable and real. Ueland says, “Active evil is so much better than passive good, which is docility, feebleness, timidity.”

Find Truth in Your Characters

My favorite quote from this chapter: “If you feel like a murderer for the time being, write like one.” And how true that is. In order to write good characters, you must get inside their head. You must be the character. Why do you think Stephen King uses writers as so many of his main characters? What about the wife who writes about making love or an unhappy marriage? What about the child who writes about the kid with superpowers? They are their character.

Sure, sometimes it takes some research and time, but you need to know your characters. By getting in tune with your own feelings, you can tap into others’, making you more observant. The comment I write to new writers the most is “How does this character feel? Show the emotion.” A plot is easy to outline and change, character development takes serious work.

The Challenge

I challenge all the writers out there to keep a journal for one week, even if it’s a notepad on your desk or in your purse. Take 15 minutes a day and write about your day and how you feel – not how you think you should feel, but the real emotion that lies within. You may find it therapeutic, and you’d be surprised how much you learn about yourself. Happy writing!

When to Use Was and Were

On By R. PettyIn Grammar and Punctuation, Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

GrammarTips

You may not think about it, but do you know when to use was and were? Believe it or not, most native English speakers use these intuitively. However, if someone asks us why or when to use them, we stutter and can’t explain it.

Common terms used in this post:

Subject: What is doing the action.

Verb: The action that is performed.

There are only two rules to remember:

1. Subject-verb agreement. If the subject is just one person or thing, use was. If the subject is more than one person or thing, use were.

a. I was going to wash my car, but it rained.

b. The dog was barking, so I couldn’t sleep.

c. He was my favorite speaker.

a. We were going to the zoo, but our car broke down.

b. The kittens were playing all day.

c. James and I were going to play Smallworld, but we played Zombiecide instead.

2. If I and I wish statements. When you say, “I wish…” or “If I…,” use were.

When talking about someone else, were signifies something that will more than likely not happen, and was suggests it is a possibility.

a. I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener.

b. If I were president, I would increase minimum wage.

c. I wish he was on the football team. (it’s a possibility, so use was).

My personal tricks to remember these rules: one equals was and the Oscar Meyer wiener song. If you have any fun tips about was and were, feel free to share them below!

References: Grammar Girl, grammar video

If You Want to Write: Childhood Memories

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips2 Comments

“A child experiences things from his true self (creatively) and not from his theoretical self (dutifully), i.e.: the self he thinks he ought to be.” – Brenda Ueland

A child’s imagination is a powerful thing. It’s raw, undisciplined, and fierce. There’s an innocence within a child’s mind that doesn’t hold back or worry about how they should be thinking. My son, who has created countless video games, board and card games, and short stories all before he was 10 years old, simply amazes me. Now that he’s a teenager, he uses software to bring them to life. And because of his drive and creativity, I believe he will become a great game designer.

In this chapter, Ueland urges us to write like a child. She recommends we write about a childhood memory and remember how it felt to be there. Ueland explains that an older person writes from not only their imagination but from their ego and conscious as well. Adults are afraid to write honest details because we’re afraid someone will judge us, or we don’t want to look bad. The exercise is to write about a childhood memory, and although I don’t have full stories with lots of details, one thing tops the list.

Waffles

When my parents separated, my brother and I spent most weekends at our grandparent’s house. On Saturdays, grandma would clean the house and play or make crafts with us. My grandpa usually remodeled something or worked in the yard.

My grandparents. He passed in 2011, but they are still be most amazing couple ever.
My grandparents. He passed in 2011, but they are still the best couple ever.

As great as Saturdays were, Sundays were the best. They had the same routine, but Sundays started in a very special way. My grandparents let me sleep in, sometimes until 10 o’clock, and when I awoke I knew I had a delicious treat awaiting me.

Almost every Sunday my grandparents would make me a waffle for breakfast. There was nothing special about the smell, but it tasted amazing. They would butter the round waffle, which took up the entire plate, and each little square was filled with syrup. They added a sliced peach for each quarter and sprinkled confectioner’s sugar all over it. It was so sweet and so comforting. And I was so hungry.

I still eat my waffles exactly that way. I have never tried any other fruit and get upset if we’re out of confectioner’s sugar. I will not touch a pancake. I realized this year, I had never made my son pancakes. I found myself almost banning pancakes because of my ties to waffles. Strange as it may be, I’ll probably never eat a pancake, but I do cook them now. Our memories can shape us into someone unexpected and cause us to do crazy things.

Another lesson Ueland addresses is that we shape our children. If you want them to be great, you must be great. If you want them to be a musician, you must practice music. If you want them to believe in themselves, we must believe in ourselves. We set the example.

Now, it’s your turn. Think back and try to write about a childhood memory from a child’s perspective, not an adult’s. Try to remember what you were going through or feeling – it may be therapeutic to your soul.

For fun, here’s a recipe for waffles. Maybe you can add your own fruit or make them special for your family!

Lay vs. Lie: Which One Should You Use?

On By R. PettyIn Grammar and Punctuation, Writing for Web and Tips2 Comments

GrammarTips

Grammar rules are sometimes difficult to remember. I try little tips to remember how to correctly use a word, and in the case of lay vs. lie, I sing U2’s Love and Peace.

Lay down/Lay down/Lay your sweet lovely on the ground/Lay your love on the track…

The song triggers the correct usage of lay, and the rest comes naturally to me. I admit, even though it is listed correctly below, I have never used the word ‘lain’. I imagine I would get some strange looks if I said, “I have lain down every afternoon this week.” If you are speaking and use laid, I doubt anyone would correct you, but make sure you use the correct word while writing. No matter how awkward it seems 😉

Note: The usage of these lay vs. lie depends on the tense in which you are speaking.

Common terms used in this post:

Verb: an action (what something is doing)

Object: the thing (object) that is doing the action or affected by the action (verb)

Tense: when something is happening

a. present – it is happening at this moment

b. past – it happened before this moment

Participle: a word that acts as an adjective and verb (a form of have in this instance)

Rule 1: To recline (think of a person)

Present: lie, lying

Past: lay

Participle: has/have/had lain

Examples:

I lie down every day at 5 o’clock for a power nap.

She was lying on the ground when I found her.

Rule 2: To put or place something (think of verb+object)

Present: lay, laying

Past: laid

Participle: has/have/had laid

Examples:

The birds lay eggs.

The child laid the book on the table.

Rule 3: To say something that is not true (notice the spelling differences)

Present: lie, lying

Past: lied

Participle: has/have/have lied

Examples:

Sometimes it’s hard not to tell a lie.

I lied to her.

If you’d like to quiz yourself, try the lay vs. lie quiz. And feel free to share your tips in the comments below!

Sources: The Bluebook of Grammar, Webster’s, my brain

5 Tips on How to Edit Your Own Writing

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips1 Comment

“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” ― Stephen King, On Writing

How many writers out there think they don’t need an editor? I doubt many, which is why we have jobs. Editing is a special skill that develops with practice and time. But what do you do if you don’t have an editor or are short on time? What about if you’re submitting to an editor and worry they’ll rip it to shreds?

Here are five tips on how to edit your own work. These tips may help develop your editing skills, improve your writing, and win your editor’s heart.

1. Run spell check. There’s this nifty little tool called spell check. Use it, and add words to your dictionary as you go.

2. Read your copy aloud. I don’t mean fly through it like you’re reading something for school or an online article. Enunciate the words, pause at commas and periods – read it like you would to a four-year-old. You will see and hear how it reads, enabling you to make important changes.

3. Find the meaning. Read each paragraph or section and ask yourself, “What did that paragraph/section mean or tell me?” If you can’t answer that in one sentence, consider revising for clarity and focus.

4. Check your transitions. As you read, pay attention to how you change subjects or points. Does it seem natural? Does it bounce around? Each thought should lead into the next, and the entire piece should tie it all together. If you talk about parachuting in paragraph one, it probably won’t make sense to talk about shoes in the next.

5. Step back. Take a break, and when you come back, read it one final time. If it’s an assignment, does it address everything required? Do you enjoy reading it? How does it read as a whole? Make necessary changes, and if they are extensive, read it once more.

There’s no need to memorize grammar and punctuation rules, or agonize over every word. If you want to learn the rules, I encourage it; however, the above steps will help you find misspelled words (such as its and it’s) and hear things (such as missing words) to ensure you submit your best work.

For more writing tips, check out our Writing for Web and Tips section!

That vs. Which: What to Do

On By R. PettyIn Grammar and Punctuation, Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

GrammarTips

That and which – you see and use them all the time. My college grammar professor once explained that we naturally speak these words correctly, but when writing, they are misused. I think because we are raised to use them correctly we never stop to think about the rules. So, for those who need a refresher, here’s a quick guide on how and when to use that and which.

Common terms used in this post:

Clause: a sentence or a sentence-like section within a sentence

Essential clause: A clause that needs to be there in order for the sentence to make sense. Without the clause, the sentence’s meaning would be unclear. (It is essential to the sentence).

Nonessential clause: A clause that is not important to the meaning of the sentence. It is often additive. (It is nonessential to the sentence’s meaning).

Rule 1: Who refers to people. That and which refer to groups and things. For animals, this rule depends on the style guide you are using and varies. I prefer who for domesticated animals.

Examples:

Dr. Quain is the one who taught me these rules.

Dr. Quain belongs to the faculty that assisted me with graduation.

It was the cat who hurt his foot.

Rule 2: That introduces essential clauses. If you take everything after the word that/which out, and the sentence loses its meaning or doesn’t make sense, use that.

Examples:

I’m going to buy the car that has the best gas mileage.

He only watches shows that make him laugh.

Rule 3: Which introduces nonessential clauses (place comma before when using). It is also used if a selection or decision is implied (comma not needed).

Examples:

We watched him go down the hall alone, which darkened the further he went.

We won the game, which puts us in first place.

I don’t know which road to take.

Rule 4: If this, that, these, and those have introduced an essential clause, use which.

Examples:

These designs, which do not have approval, will be tough to apply.

That dog doesn’t know which bone to eat.

Sources:

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, Grammar Girl, my brain

If you have any other tips, feel free to share them below!