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Writing Resources
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 Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Subject/Verb Agreement for Sentences with Prepositional Phrases
Q: Which is correct: Each one of us "were" or "was" chewing on some sort of candy the day after Halloween. Is it "were" because it's so close to us? Or is it "was" because the subject (each one) is singular? –Karen S.
A: It's "was." The verb must always agree with the subject. The trick is to remove the prepositional phrase "of us" and then read the sentence. That will help you choose the correct verb.
Each one was chewing the gum.
The only exception to this rule is when dealing with the subjunctive mood (which I covered in this blog post). The word "subjunctive" makes this exception sound complicated, but it really isn't. And if the exception doesn't apply, stick with the proper subject/verb agreement mentioned above.
Grammar
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 2:26:20 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Is "Ahold" a Word?
Q: I see people use "ahold" and "a hold," but I've been told that "ahold" isn't a word. Can you clear this up for me once and for all? –Nina J.
A: Unlike "alot" which isn't a word, "ahold" is a word recognized by Merriam-Webster, Garner's Modern American Usage and most other writing authorities. For example:
While it's not easy to get ahold of playoff tickets, I know a guy who knows a guy who sold me two. I tried to get ahold of my wife to see if she wanted to go, but she doesn't consider Wrestlemania "the playoffs."
So don't hold back on your use of ahold.
Grammar
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 2:07:45 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
How Do I Juggle Story Ideas?
Q: I have a hard time staying with my stories. Every time I start one, I think of another story plot and I never get back to the other one. What should I do? —Rachel T.
A: Buy some index cards, and keep them next to you while you work on story No. 1. As ideas that don’t relate to story No. 1 pop into your mind, write them on the cards, put them in a shoebox and hide that shoebox somewhere it can’t be reached without a stepstool. Aside from putting new cards in it, don't open it until story No. 1 is finished.
Writing Advice
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 1:12:55 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Can You Submit the Same Piece to Different Contests?
Q: Is it advisable to submit the same work (essay, short story, etc.) to multiple writing contests at the same time? What if the work is accepted simultaneously by two different contests? Is there any obligation to notify both parties? —Dena M.
A: Unless the contest guidelines specifically state that you can’t, you can submit away. There’s no need to notify contest officials if your piece has been selected by more than one. The lone reason to contact them is if you sell the piece you entered after submitting, because some competitions accept only unpublished work—although I think most writers would be thrilled to have to make that phone call.
Contests
Tuesday, July 06, 2010 2:21:04 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Can I Write for Multiple Genres?
Q: I'm interested in writing in many different categories: adult fiction, young adult fiction, picture books, poetry and, possibly, memoir. Do I need to choose just one to be successful? —Laurie B.
A: Absolutely not. While there are clearly advantages to focusing on one genre—platform building, audience base, honing your skill set—many authors have found success in writing for a broad range of genres. Remember, the bonus of being a writer is that you have the opportunity to dabble in many different forms. If that’s something that interests you, take advantage of it.
Writing Advice
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 6:19:43 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
How Do You Style a Character's Thoughts in Writing?
Q: Writing from the third person, what are the acceptable ways to indicate a character’s thoughts? I’m not excited about italics. Can thoughts be enclosed in quotes or can parentheses work? —Frank A.
A: While you’re not excited about italics (and truth be told, I don't exactly break out the sparklers, either), it is the most accepted way to deal with a character’s internal thoughts. There really isn’t another good way to handle it, Brian thought.
Grammar
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 5:32:40 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 08, 2010
What's Considered a "Clip"?
Q: Many times publishers indicate they want “published clips” along with a query letter. What exactly are they? —Diane H.
A: Published clips are any articles or stories that have been printed
in magazines or newspapers. So, if you wrote “How to Train Your
Husband-To-Be” and it was printed in the latest issue of Crazy Brides
magazine, you have a published clip.
As for how to send it, it depends on the publisher’s guidelines. If the
publisher wants your query via snail mail, make photocopies of the
printed work and paperclip it to your query. If the publisher prefers
e-mail queries (like Writer's Digest), scan your articles and attach
them in an e-mail. Better yet, if your article is posted on the
magazine or newspaper’s website, just link to it in your e-mail query.
Dealing with Editors | Formatting | Publishing
Tuesday, June 08, 2010 4:09:49 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, May 31, 2010
Is "Alot" a Word?
Q: Why are so many people using “alot” instead of “a lot”? There’s no such word as “alot,” right? I can't find any source that says it's an acceptable word, yet it’s in constant use. Can you help me? —Lynn B.
A: You are correct: “alot” is not a legitimate word in the English language and has no place in sentences, paragraphs or advertisements on the side of buses (I've seen this twice!). So my answer is: I have no idea why so many people use it. They must be crazy.
Grammar
Monday, May 31, 2010 5:49:18 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
What is Co-Publishing?
Q: I've been to a few writing conferences and have heard several authors say they "co-published" their books. What does co-published mean? –Charles M.
A: A co-publishing agreement is one where the author and the publisher share publication costs to get the book in print. This is more common in poetry and experimental fiction than in others, but does happen in all walks of publishing.
The bad news: It costs the author some money upfront to get the book published. The good news: The author gets a much, much bigger share of the profits. More risk is put on you as the author, but that risk can reap a higher reward. It's a trade off you have to consider before diving in to this type of agreement.
Business | Publishing | Self-Publishing
Tuesday, May 18, 2010 3:07:54 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Eminent vs. Imminent
Q: I've seen a word spelled two ways and was wondering which way is correct: "eminent" or "imminent"?—Phillip M.
A: Actually, both are correct spellings because both are words in the English language. But they aren't synonymous with each other and, in fact, have completely unrelated meanings.
"Eminent" is used to describe someone (or something) that is distinguished or respected in a sphere or profession. Mark Twain was an eminent writer. When you have a grammar question, just ask WD's eminent word expert, Brian A. Klems.
"Imminent" is used to describe an event that is about to happen at any moment. The cancellation of the baseball game was imminent once the thunderstorm started. My first draft is in imminent danger of getting tossed into the trashcan.
If you want a little mnemonic device to help you remember the difference, try this: "Eminent" people are "Esteemed." "Imminent" things happen "In the moment."
Want more?
Grammar
Tuesday, May 04, 2010 3:33:24 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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