"So, You Want To Write For Publication -
But Are Worried That Your Written English Will Let You Down?"Essential English for Authors will take you through everything you need to know to ensure editors and publishers give your writing serious consideration – not dismissed at first glance as being too badly written.
Here are just a few of the many things you’ll learn...
• Is it “between you and me” or “between you and I”?
ONLY ONE of these is ever correct! (2–2)
• Where should you put the apostrophe in expressions such as the boy’s room and the
people’s choice? Here’s a
simple but foolproof rule you can follow. (4–5)
• What is a split infinitive? And is it
EVER correct to use one? (2–4)
• Is it “our team is” or “our team are”?
This easy rule will help you make the right
decision every time. (2–2)
•
Is it "grandmother" or "Grandmother"? The answer DOES depend. We give you
the hard and fast rule! (6-4)
• What is a
comma splice, and why should you try to avoid this in your writing?
(2–5)
• Which of these is correct? “Neither Ruth nor I are able to come” or “Neither Ruth
nor I am able to come.”
Find the right answer here, along with the reason. (7–1)
•
What is the vocative comma? Many new writers don’t know about this, but failing
to use it correctly will mark you out as an amateur. (5–1)
• What are the three main uses of the semi-colon? And how about the colon? Used
correctly, these punctuation marks are invaluable.
Used incorrectly, they WILL embarrass
you. (4–2)
• Is it “lie” or “lay”? When should you write “laid” and when “lain”? In spoken
English people get this wrong all the time. But as a writer,
you need to get this correct.
(9–8)
• What common word
doesn’t mean what most people think it does? Save yourself
embarrassment in future by reading this article! (9–1)
• When should you use “affect” and when “effect”?
HINT: The answer isn’t as
simple as you might think! (9–4)
Here’s a further taster of what’s in the twelve modules...Mini-guide to writing dialog.
Many new writers are hopeless at punctuating and setting out dialog – but if you’re
going to write fiction in particular, you must be able to do this. Find out everything you
need to know in this module.
Punctuation Primer.
In this module I’ve set out all the main punctuation marks and explained their
correct use, along with mistakes that are commonly made. From colons to dashes,
commas to exclamation points, it’s all set out here for you, with plenty of examples to
illustrate correct (and incorrect) use.
The Rules of Capitalization.
Many new writers agonize over whether they should use initial capitals for some
words or not. Worry no more! This module sets out all the main rules, and ensures you
should always know whether to use an initial capital.
Sentence and Paragraph Construction.
This module covers the key topic of how you combine words and punctuation into
sentences and paragraphs. It explains what makes a “grammatical sentence”, and reveals
the exact function performed by paragraphs. Essential reading!
Subject and Verb Agreement.
This is another common problem area for new writers. Agreement is one of those
technical things that is very easy to get wrong. This module looks at the wide range of
situations where agreement can present difficulties, and explains the rules to follow to
ensure your writing doesn’t become ungrammatical.
Improve Your Spelling.
Okay, we all know that English isn’t always as logical as we might like where
spelling is concerned, but this module sets out a number of rules which can greatly
improve your skills in this area. Plus it looks at common spelling mistakes, the use of
computer spell-checkers, and the differences between US and UK English.
Putting on the Style.
I haven’t stopped at the basics either. In this module I turn my attention to some
more “advanced” topics. Don’t worry, none of it is rocket science, neither is it strictly
essential if you hope to write for publication. But if you’re aiming to write to the highest
professional standard – and why shouldn’t you? – the information in this module will put
you on course for the top literary awards!
With the aid of
Essential English for Authors you really can bring your writing up to a publishable standard, and enjoy all the cash, prestige and personal satisfaction being a published author brings.
