grammar

The Oxford Comma

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments


Should you use it or not? #writetip That depends on how you write. I’m a believer in consistency. I do believe a writer should learn how to use a comma properly.  Wasn’t I surprised when I took the correspondence course at Humber School for Writers and my mentor, Joan Barfoot, pointed out numerous comma errors.

 

So what did I do? I read the entire grammar section in the Chicago Manual of Style and made sure I knew not only how to use the comma but the rest of the punctuation marks. Sound like a lot of work? It was but worth it. When my work is edited now, I rarely get commented on a misuse of a comma. I can focus on writing instead of the fundamentals.

 

Back to the Oxford Comma. Up to you, but be consistent.

 

On a side note. Today is the day I get to see my Lagoon 380 for the first time this season. She’s up on the hard and waiting for us to get her ready. This has nothing to do with a comma, but she’ll be my writing platform for the upcoming months.

 

Proofreading A Novel

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Being asked to proofread someone else’s novel is a scary and flattering task. #writetip I’ve been asked to do this, and I started thinking about what this means.

I asked the author and myself the following questions:

What is the author looking for? Does he want comments on punctuation and grammar, characters, or plot line.

Does he use a style guide that I should consult?

What are my own talents? Being honest here is important. Can you pick up typos? Or does your eye easily breeze over them?

Do I have the time? It’s a big commitment to review a manuscript. It deserves my full attention. The author has spent many hours creating the manuscript, and it’s better to say no to reading than to rush through it.

With that said, I’d better get focussed and start reading.

Back to School

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

The writing profession is like any other when it comes to keeping your skills honed. #writetip

For me, fall is an exciting time of year. The change of seasons, the freshness in the air clear my mind. Fall in Canada means new clothes, colour in the trees, candlelit evenings, and late dawns.

This is the time of year I study. Maybe it’s because for many years fall meant a new term at school or maybe it’s because it’s dark in the evenings, but every year, I read one grammar book. I choose a recently book published with exercises in it. The exercises make the reminders stick and ensure the material is understood. The exercises seem like crosswords puzzles and keep me entertained.

Even If I only learn one new grammar rule or new trend with punctuation, it’s worth the time. More time spent studying rules means less time spent looking them up when writing.