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Category: Self Improvement/General Nonfiction
Description: Unique Book On Manuscript Polishing! If you are someone who has chosen writing as a possible career, or who is considering it, then you need this short but invaluable book! When it comes to writing, there are tons of easy-to-find rules. To do it right, budding authors need to be aware of those lesser known rules that can make or break their work. Grammar, spelling and punctuation are the basics of good writing, just as submission guidelines are the basics of a successful submission. With a touch of humor and a couple of writing exercises, this reference deals with some common mistakes beginning writers tend to make. Examples are concise, and there are several interactive quizzes with answers at the end of the reference. In addition to being an romance award-nominee author, Marissa St. James has taught writing workshops and groups.
eBook Publisher: Renaissance E Books/PageTurner,
eBookwise Release Date: October 2006

3 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [35 KB]
Words: 6171
Reading time: 17-24 min.

If you've chosen writing as a possible career, be prepared to be constantly challenged. Some challenges will be frustrating, and try your patience, but if this is what you really want to do, then the majority of the challenges you'll face can only help you improve your craft.

There's a great deal to be learned about this medium of communication. In fact, you should never stop learning. The best thing you can do is read as much as you can. Mysteries, romance, science fiction ... the genre doesn't really matter. The goal is to read for pleasure, and while you're at it, you'll be learning things about writing. You'd be surprised the things you can pick up when you least expect to.

It's also a good idea to invest in books on writing. Most books deal with the elements of building a story--character profiles, dialogue, point of view, setting, plotting, etc. Little is done with the technical side of writing--grammar, spelling, and punctuation--besides the usual reminders to check for typos. I do touch briefly on a couple of elements many writers have a hard time with.

This little book deals with these technical aspects of writing. While it's meant to be a guide for a final polishing, it can also be used to avoid mistakes while you're writing--you don't have to wait until you're story is finished. My philosophy as an editor, has always been to help a writer make their work the best it can be. I'll be the first to admit I can be a very picky editor, but in the long run it's paid off for others. I hope the information in these pages will help you as well.

Marissa St James

Before I get into the technical part of writing, I'd like to use this section to explain some of the terms writers have the most difficulty grasping. It took me quite a while to understand some of them, but as they say, it's like riding a bike ... once you learn it stays with you forever.

VOICE: Everyone has a voice, whether or not you write. You verbally speak to make your thoughts known. When it comes to writing, your voice is what you write--your words on paper (computer screen, whatever the medium). It's one way we, as readers, recognize one author from another.

STYLE: You've heard the expression, 'You've got style...' It means you have a unique way in presenting yourself, getting your thoughts across. Some writers use a sense of humor. Others have a way of building and keeping the tension going. Still others can create and hold an aura of mystery. No two writers will present the same material in the same way. This is style. This is what sets you apart from other writers.

ACTIVE/ PASSIVE: This one is a toughie to learn and involves improving basic sentence structure. What it boils down to is the use of verb forms. I'll get more into this facet of writing, in the next section of this reference guide. The key to learning active/passive is the phrase, "Show, don't tell."