Beyond Words

Words are the building blocks of writing. They’re what pulls readers in and keeps them there. But having a great vocabulary isn’t all there is to writing. In fact, it’s only half the story. Besides being able to choose the right words, a writer must also know how to assemble them to communicate a clear message. And part of that is mastering the language in which the writer is writing—in this case English.

The use of sentence structure, punctuation, and capitalization is called English usage. Grammar is part of it. As a writer, you cannot ignore grammar. Too many beginning writers today think that it’s the editor’s job to correct their sentence structure and grammatical mistakes. And while an editor may correct the occasional grammatical error, his or her main job is to make sure sentences read correctly and that the content is clear. This is the job of the copy editor.

If you don’t make sure that your final draft is free of grammatical mistakes, then you’re not much of a writer. And while good editors will make sure to point out all of your grammatical errors, it will take away from the job they were meant to do. Plus it will cost you since the more time an editor spends on your work, the more an independent editor has to charge.

If you send your work to a publisher, he or she will assign an editor to work with you. But before an editor even begins to edit a book manuscript, for example, a reader will be assigned to read it. If there are lots of English usage and grammatical mistakes, your manuscript will be rejected.

If you have a problem with sentence structure, punctuation, and the like, you’ll need to do something about it before you go on. A professional writer is a not only a wordsmith but has honed writing skills. They’re the tools of this profession.

Perhaps you felt that grammar and such were unimportant as you sat in English class bored to tears as the teach went on about participles and gerunds, for example. After all, you want to write—to create interesting stories. Why do you need to concern yourself with such mundane things. What you didn’t realize at the time was that those mundane things would become your everyday tools to help you create those interesting stories.

So where can you get help? You could sign up for a basic writing class at a local adult evening school. Or you could buy yourself a book on English usage. You can easily find a used one at a local library book sale or get it online at Amazon.com. You can also improve your English usage and grammar online.

Begin with the article “14 Must-Visit Websites to Learn English Grammar Online.” Then check each one of them out and see which offers the best resources for you. Another great site is English Grammar 101. There are whole lot more to choose from, so take your pick.  Use the exercises provided to improve your writing skills. And before you know it, you’ll be writing like a pro because isn’t that what you want to be—a professional writer. 

Spit and Polish

Most beginning writers don’t bother polishing their work. Is it because they don’t know that they should or that they’re lazy? Most likely, it’s the former. Just like you, they’re eager to write great stories or articles and send them out to be published. But a novice’s eagerness is usually met with rejection—lots of it. Instead of giving up, rev up your determination and make things happen in your favor. To do this, you’ll need to polish your work.

The word polish originally meant to make something smooth and . In writing, polish can mean to improve or perfect or refine a piece of writing by getting rid of minor errors—errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Polishing writing is much like polishing your shoes when your prepare for a special occasion. You polish your shoes because you want to look our best. And because you want your writing to be its best, you should polish it so that you make it as easy as possible for others to read it.

You can use two of your senses to see how well your writing is "working"—hearing and seeing. As you read, listen to see if your writing makes sense, if you’ve left out a word, or if you want to explain a bit more.

You can also read your writing aloud to someone else, such as a family member or a friend. Ask your listener to see if your story or article makes sense. Count on that person to hear what you can’t.

Professional writers often create their own list of trouble spots, typically a list that they use to guide their polishing. You'll want to create such a list for yourself. Are your sentences so long that they’re hard to read? Or perhaps so short that one sentence doesn’t seem very well connected to another? Do certain spelling words always seem to trip you up? Do you have difficulty with endings or beginnings?

Before you can begin polishing, you’ll need to proofread your piece. But before you do that, you need to revuiew the content of your piece. Don’t try to proofread your draft while you edit the content. Divide this into two separate procedures.

Start at the beginning and read your document through slowly, focusing on what you’re trying to say. Make sure your document makes sense as a whole, and that you’ve developed each point. When you’ve spent a lot of time writing a piece, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow of your work, but the human brain doesn’t read every word of longer pieces. Instead, it skims for meaning.

Does your article or story follow the stylistic conventions of the type of content you’re writing, such as the inverted pyramid for news articles? At this stage, focus on the message you’re trying to convey. If you’re having trouble reading for content errors, make an outline of the points you intend to make before you read your content. This is especially important if your piece contains historical information which you’re trying to present in chronological order.

Next, focus on fixing grammar, spelling, and awkward phrasing. To find even minuscule errors, read each part of your text separately by taking each sentence out of context. Make sure each one is grammatically correct.

During this phase of the process, look for incorrect punctuation, especially commas and quotation marks. Also, look for mixed up homophones like “there” and “their,” or “two,” “to” and “too.” And don’t’ forget to check for overused adverbs and passive voice.

Lastly, look through your piece and see if you can upgrade any of the words, especially replacing two words with a dynamic one.

Write Stronger

To be a strong writer, you not only have to be disciplined but also have an awareness of what you’re putting on the page. There are rules for effective writing, and you can save yourself a lot of grief if you take the time follow them. Remember, the creativity comes in what you write about and how you handle it, rather than ignoring the rules of English usage and good writing.
                       
While these rules won’t necessarily make you a great writer, they can make you a good one. They can turn a mediocre article or story into a memorable one. And they’re great for revising your work.

USE ACTIVE VOICE. The difference between adequate writing and good writing is the use of  active voice. Make sure the subject of your sentences comes before the action, not after it. 

    Passive: The painting was restored by the artist.
    Active:    The artist restored the painting.

KEEP RELATED WORDS TOGETHER. While this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised how many writers ignore the relationship of one word to another. Most people have a natural instinct for the placement of adjectives. You wouldn’t say, “He drove a red shiny sports car.” Instead, you’d say, “He drove a shiny red sports car.” The same principle should be applied to sentences you write.

    Not this: The archaeologist discovered the artifact at the dig in the corner.
    But this: The archaeologist discovered the artifact in the corner of the dig.

VARY YOUR SENTENCE STRUCTURE. Using nothing but noun-verb declarative sentences makes for dull reading. Break up the monotony by writing sentences that begin with dependent clauses. And don’t be afraid to use short sentences for emphasis and throw a question in once in a while.

    Because it’s so large, the climate of Brazil comprises a wide range of climatic conditions. Brazil dazzles the visitor. Did you know that you can go horseback riding in the Pantanal, kayaking in the flooded forests in the Amazon, and surfing off the palm-fringed beaches in Rio?

NEVER USE TWO WORDS WHEN ONE WILL DO. In writing, less is more. Usually one vivid word will do the same job as two weaker ones as in the case of two adjectives.

    Not this: Donald stared at the slimy, slithering mass of snakes.
    But this: Donald stared at the writhing mass of snakes.

Another incidence occurs when you use an adverb with a weak verb. Often you can substitute a stronger verb for a verb/adverb combination.

    Not this: Sean ran quickly down the street.
    But this: Sean raced down the street.

AVOID WORD REPETITION.  Readers tire seeing the same words over and over in the same sentence or paragraph. This leads them to believe that they’ve been reading the same text over again. The exception is when you repeat a word for emphasis. Use pronouns and synonyms to add variety to your sentences.

    Not this: The cigar store Indian, used to represent a tobacconist, was in the likeness of a Native American. Cigar store Indians were three-dimensional wooden sculptures several feet tall. Today, collectors of advertising memorabilia covet cigar store Indians.

   But this: The cigar store Indian, used to represent a tobacconist, was in the likeness of a Native American. They stood were three-dimensional and stood several feet tall. Today, collectors of advertising memorabilia covet them.

LISTEN TO THE RHYTHM OF THE WORDS. The best writing has a rhythm to it, just like music. Hemingway knew this and sometimes spent hours searching for a word that fit into the rhythm of what he wanted to write.

    The hills across the valley lay long and white, like a line of white elephants.
   
USE PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION. Parallel construction allows you to write in an interesting way by aligning your verb tenses and uniting phrases with a common construction.

    Not this: The big bear bared his teeth and then, raising his claws, he started licking his chops.
    But this: The big bear bared his teeth, raised his claws, and licked his chops.

REPLACE ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS WITH VIVID NOUNS AND ACTIVE VERBS. Cultivate the use of strong verbs and concrete nouns. They are the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal.

    Not this: The flames came up behind him.
    But this: The flames shot up behind him.

WRITE CINEMATICALY. When you write, think visually. Language holds endless possibilities for a creative approach to expressing an idea. Use a long shot for an overview of the scene, then move in closer for the details. Be sure to make the movement from one shot to another smooth and logical.

   Charlie heard loud noises coming from the street. He moved over to the window of his apartment and looked out at the streetlights. There, down below him, a woman struggled as a man tried to take her purse.