Writing Wednesday: Commas

Commas seem to be horribly misunderstood, overused, underused, and/or outright ignored. This is mostly a tragedy because the comma, when properly used, does wonders!

Commas separate the elements in a series of things (when the series includes three or more items), including the last two. Ex: I bought eggs, milk, bread, and cheese at the store today.

A comma combined with a little conjunction (and, but, or, for, so, yet, nor) will connect two independent clauses (that is a lesson for another day). Ex: I brought a notebook for class, but I left my highlighter at home.

A comma can be used between two adjectives when the conjunction "and" could be used between them. Ex: My cat has a shiny, black coat.       You would not use it here: She bought an expensive cotton yarn.  (You wouldn't say she bought an expensive and cotton yarn, because you're conveying that that cotton yarn that was purchased was expensive. Make sense?)

These are just a three comma rules. There are more (of course there are) and there are great grammar websites out there that you can reference if you aren't sure. Some of the ones I check (yes, even I double check myself) are:

The Writing Center
Grammar Book
Guide to Grammar and Writing

Now, go and use commas properly!

Writing Wednesday: Homonyms

Let's have a chat about homonyms, shall we?

According to Merriam-Webster, a homonym is:
          1

                a : homophone [1: one of two or more words pronounced alike

                      but different in meaning or derivation or spelling (as the words to,

                      too, and two); 2: a character or group of characters pronounced the

                      same as another character or group]

                b : homograph [one of two or more words spelled alike but different in

                      meaning or derivation or pronunciation (as the bow of a ship, a bow

                      and arrow)]

                c : one of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike

                      but different in meaning (as the noun quail and the verb quail)

          2

                   : namesake [one that has the same name as another; especially : one who

                     is named after another or for whom another is named]

           3

                   : a taxonomic designation rejected as invalid because the identical

                     term has been used to designate another group of the same rank —

                     compare synonym

Allow us to focus on that first definition for a moment. Most people tend to struggle with the homophones, like:

            - bald vs balled vs bawled                                        - its vs it's

            - to vs two vs too                                                      - your vs you're

            - there vs their vs they're                                         - peak vs peek vs pique

There are all kinds of lists out there on the internet, people. Find them. Bookmark them. They are your friend. Love them. They will save you. They will also save your editor from smashing his/her head into his/her desk repeatedly out of frustration.

G is for....

Hello, and welcome to day seven of the A to Z Challenge!

Today's topic is grammar.

Oh, quit your bitching. It's not a grammer lesson, just some of *my* thoughts *about* grammar. Sheesh.

The English language is a complex, intricate thing. It's rules are contradictory and confusing. Writers are often left gnashing their teeth and pulling their hair, trying to simultaneously express a thought while also expressing it clearly.

One of the biggest challenges I face, not only as a writer but also as an editor, is the idea that not all fiction is "literary fiction." In other words, it doesn't matter (so much) if a comma is out of place or there are a ton of standalone dependent clauses; it's okay if commas are as frequently interspersed as glo sticks in a rave. Gerunds? Whatever!

I say why should a writer settle? So my genre is fantasy or horror or paranormal romance. This now means that, just because I didn't write "the great American novel," my writing should look like crap? I don't think so. What happened to pride in our work? What happened to being a crafter of words, when time was spent not just on what is said but also how it is said? I can write my story... no, I can craft my story as eloquently as any literary fiction author, whether my content is earth-shattering or simply a fantasy escape.

I see authors with great stories publishing through smaller companies and I wonder, where the hell was your editor? How on earth did she miss THAT? And that? And... seriously???? I wonder where the editor's passion went and why he or she doesn't take more pride in his/her work. For me, in my role as editor, I want to make sure that I have put my best effort forward with an author, to help her polish the work so it shines. Anything less than that is disrespectful of the effort she has poured into her novel.**

Where do you stand on the importance of grammar in your story? Should all fiction be a little more like "literary fiction"?


**Okay, so I got tired of he/she but I hope that you, my beloved reader, can understand that I do acknowledge that men are authors and editors, too.