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by swfdoc1
Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:04 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION
Replies: 32
Views: 49561

Re: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION

Lillian’s allusion didn’t “work” for me. Jan, since you didn’t indicate the same, I guess it did work for you. I’ll tell you why it didn’t work for me, and then I’d love to get your reaction, as well as Lillian’s, as the author. It’s true Jan, as you said that the reference to “prodigal” will make p...
by swfdoc1
Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:46 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION
Replies: 32
Views: 49561

Re: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION

Well, I used the "Hound of Heaven" in that piece because I was writing to a Christian audience. I figured some of the readers would be familiar with the poem (at least the title and the concept). I hoped the rest would intuit the concept from the context or else google the phrase. For folk...
by swfdoc1
Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:44 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION
Replies: 32
Views: 49561

Re: Be A Better Writer--ALLUSION

I have alluded to Francis Thompson’s poem, “The Hound of Heaven,” twice. The reason: I think it is such a powerful metaphor for God’s efforts on behalf of our salvation. The first time I used it was in my (unpublished :( ) novel, A Persistent Pursuit . When you see “persistent pursuit” and "hou...
by swfdoc1
Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:12 pm
Forum: Page Turner Writing Contest
Topic: 2013 Page Turner Entry Tally
Replies: 48
Views: 57688

Re: 2013 Page Turner Entry Tally

Deb,

Bea got me in--all is well.

Steve
by swfdoc1
Thu Oct 31, 2013 3:48 pm
Forum: Page Turner Writing Contest
Topic: 2013 Page Turner Entry Tally
Replies: 48
Views: 57688

Re: 2013 Page Turner Entry Tally

Deb, I made a last minute decision to submit, but I had to upgrade to Platinum and cannot yet access anything about the contest. When I click on the links, they take me back to the sign up for Platinum page instead. I'm guessing this is because it can take time to activate the Platinum features. If ...
by swfdoc1
Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:26 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)
Replies: 16
Views: 31590

Re: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)

You did get it right! The author and/or editor are not so lucky. The article was an academic critique of the changes to Black’s Law Dictionary under the editorship of Bryan Garner. (You may be familiar with him from Garner’s Modern American Usage , the grammar/usage/style guide.) The sentence said, ...
by swfdoc1
Tue Oct 15, 2013 6:51 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)
Replies: 16
Views: 31590

Re: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)

I looked at it with an editor's eye, and I don't think I changed a jot or a tittle. Well, maybe one tittle. It's not that this piece is perfect--it most certainly is not--but I like it just the way it is. Very interesting. As I said, I'm not aware of any rule, and you certainly see plenty of these ...
by swfdoc1
Tue Oct 15, 2013 6:02 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)
Replies: 16
Views: 31590

Re: Be a Better Writer--SENTENCE STRUCTURES (THE END)

While I was counting sentence types, I noticed a type of sentence that I may have used too much--sentences like this: Her grayish sheet is crumpled, her bed empty. The sky is pale, the sun invisible behind the city's haze. ...his brothers have begun to cry, their stomachs empty as his. ...the neigh...
by swfdoc1
Fri Oct 11, 2013 7:46 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.
Replies: 61
Views: 63236

Re: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.

glorybee wrote:I'd list a few books that fit it, for me
Great! Thanks.
by swfdoc1
Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:47 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.
Replies: 61
Views: 63236

Re: Be a Better Writer--ASK AN EDITOR/WRITER/Etc.

I suppose my tastes currently run to contemporary literary fiction. If it's edgy, well-written, with well-rounded characters and fast pacing, then it will likely appeal to me. Literary fiction is usually described as being slow paced, but that is a generality and by way of comparison to most genre ...
by swfdoc1
Tue Oct 08, 2013 3:35 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES
Replies: 23
Views: 28542

Re: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES

Lillian,

What you said about subordinating conjunctions is correct.
by swfdoc1
Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:50 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES
Replies: 23
Views: 28542

Re: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES

But there is a real connection between the art of writing and what you are teaching (once we come up for air). One easy example: many people write sentences that are hard to follow or wear their readers out. Once we understand the types of sentences you are teaching, we can better figure out how and...
by swfdoc1
Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:13 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES
Replies: 23
Views: 28542

Re: Be a Better Writer--COMPOUND SENTENCES

Hey Jan, Another great lesson. Here's a quick item for homework #2. (But I'd rather say "slipped past" than "messed up.") This sentence: Since Divine Chocolate supports ethical cacao growers , it is the only brand I will buy . is a complex sentence, not a compound sentence. The c...
by swfdoc1
Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:57 am
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES
Replies: 40
Views: 56583

Re: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES

Also, I know indirect objects are not the topic right now, but I was wondering if one test to determine if a word is an indirect object is the "to" test. For example, in your example, I gave my calico cats three balls of red yarn, the "to" test would be I gave to my calico cats ...
by swfdoc1
Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:28 pm
Forum: Jan's Writing Basics
Topic: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES
Replies: 40
Views: 56583

Re: Be a Better Writer--SIMPLE SENTENCES

Jan, You've discussed 2 concepts—simple sentences and short sentences. So, when I tried to write a pithy sentence, I tried to make my sentence simple, in addition to keeping it less than 10 words. Interestingly, I repeatedly drafted sentences that turned out to be compound or complex. (If you no lon...

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