Free E-book!

I've been enjoying the blog Wordplay, by author K.M. Weiland. It's full of helpful advice and inspiration. I've never read any of K.M. Weiland's novels, but she's a good writer - one who loves her craft.

There's an extra bonus on the site; right now, on the top of the left sidebar on Wordplay, there's a link to sign up for a newsletter. If you sign up, you get a free e-book, by Weiland, called "Crafting Unforgettable Characters." I've never been one to impulsively sign up for things, but character crafting is a weak point of mine, and I decided to give it a go. After all, who can resist a free book? And a free book on writing? I'm gone.

It was worth it. I read all 50-some pages in a single evening (not much of a feat), and was inspired to get to work on my current characters. I've now created a new word document for character development, and I've copied and pasted just about every "character interview" I found online. I have SO many questions to answer for each character! I'll know them all inside and out by the time I'm done coming up with answers.

Right now I have a conversation going with one of my favorite characters; Philip. I was working through the typical questions - "how old is this character?" "what is his favorite color?" "what is his goal in the book?" etc., and I came to the beginning of a new set of questions (copied from a different website). These were written as if talking to the character. The first one I noticed was "What do you want?"

Philip answered. I wrote it down.

Then I found myself asking, in writing, "That's fine, Philip, but what do you really want?"

He told me. We ended up having a very profitable conversation, in which I learned a lot about him, and about putting his voice and expressions on a page. He's a very troubled young man.

But those characters make the best stories, don't they? :)

Anyway - get a copy of that e-book. It's a good read! And many thought-provoking or humorous quotes are scattered through-out. You'll like it.

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Write Better English

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A Favorite

I'd like to introduce you to THE book when it comes to style. You will not find a better writing handbook than this. I've loved many writing books, but this one is a classic. Take a look at the contents:

1. INTRODUCTORY
   
   
2. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE
   1. Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's
   2. In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last
   3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas
   4. Place a comma before and or but introducing an independent clause
   5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma
   6. Do not break sentences in two
   7. A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject
   8. Divide words at line-ends, in accordance with their formation and pronunciation
   
   
   
3. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION
   9. Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic
   10. As a rule, begin each paragraph with a topic sentence; end it in conformity with the beginning
   11. Use the active voice
   12. Put statements in positive form
   13. Omit needless words
   14. Avoid a succession of loose sentences
   15. Express co-ordinate ideas in similar form
   16. Keep related words together
   17. In summaries, keep to one tense
   18. Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end
   
   
   
4. A FEW MATTERS OF FORM
   
   
5. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY MISUSED
   
   
6. WORDS COMMONLY MISSPELLED

Can you get more basic and to-the-point than that? Strunk and White were the gentlemen who first taught me that less is better, that concise is power. (Omit needless words! Omit needless words!) And they follow their own advice. The book is only 105 pages. Don't cringe at the hint of grammar - yes, it's in there. And it's totally enjoyable. Don't be such a rebel that you can't learn to use words in the way that will best convey your meaning. Words are your tools - learn to control them! Grammar isn't evil.

Repeat: grammar isn't evil.

This book doesn't sound like a grammar book at all, or a boring English book, either. It's a gem of potent advice. Some copies come with ridiculous cartoons, to illustrate each point, but I prefer the black-and-white text-only style. I'm strange that way.

I've had our library's copy checked out many, many times. I keep saying I need to get my own private copy. (Hint, hint - Christmas is coming up, Mom!) I would think that every library would have a copy of this classic, but just in case yours doesn't, I'd like to offer this site as a place to read the whole thing online. Isn't technology great?

Maybe you don't think less is more. Maybe your style is more "flowery, poetic, and full of adjectives and words." Fine. I won't try to convince you. Just get the book. And read it. If you still believe in packing in the words once Strunk and White are done with you, I dub you unreachable.