Monday, December 10, 2018

Indefinte Articles


Many English speakers who probably use the indefinite article an in front of a vowel when speaking seem to encounter a mental disconnect when it comes to writing.

The following examples were found on major news sites or on sites offering professional services or advice:
Pieces of the bag recovered have been sent to a FBI lab for forensic testing.
The 404 or Not Found error message is a HTTP standard response code.
Step-by-step tutorial on how to add a LED to a USB thumb drive.
Applying to a MBA program can help you advance in your career or switch careers entirely.
A NBC executive indicated that the independent formatted Nonstop channels were doing well but needed separate 24/7 programming.
There are several benefits to being a RSVP Volunteer.

Did you setup and assign a STMP server for this account?

The problem lies in an incomplete understanding of the rule for the use of a and an.
Many speakers retain the rule as “Use an before words that begin with a vowel and a before words that begin with a consonant.”
The complete rule is “Use an before words that begin with a vowel sound and a before words that begin with a consonant sound.”
The 26 letters of the alphabet are sound symbols, but the symbols have names. And several of the consonant letters have names that begin with vowel sounds:
F [ef]
H [aitch]
L [el]
M [em]
N [en]
S [es]
R [ar]


Here’s the correct way to write the words and initialisms given in boldface above:
Pieces of the bag recovered have been sent to an FBI lab for forensic testing.
The 404 or Not Found error message is an HTTP standard response code.
Step-by-step tutorial on how to add an LED to a USB thumb drive.
Applying to an MBA program can help you advance in your career or switch careers entirely.
An NBC executive indicated that the independent formatted Nonstop channels were doing well but needed separate 24/7 programming.
There are several benefits to being an RSVP Volunteer.
Did you setup and assign an STMP server for this account?

In deciding whether to write a or an in front of an initialism, say the name of the first letter. If the letter name begins with a vowel sound, use an.

From: Daily Writing Tips

Monday, November 26, 2018

Rules for Bullet Lists:


From: Daily Writing Tips  https://www.dailywritingtips.com

Before reading this post you might wanna check one we published a while ago titled 7 Rules For Formatting Lists. Here's a quotation from it:
"The items in unnumbered lists are often preceded by dots or other symbols known collectively as bullets, though such markers are technically not necessary, especially in a recipe or a materials list. (In those cases, it’s implicit that the ingredients or components are added or constructed in the order listed — it’s actually a numbered list that needs no numbers.)"
A bullet list lets you
  • display a set of terms, phrases, or statements clearly.
  • prevent reader fatigue or confusion in the form of a long run-in list in a sentence.
  • avoid repetition by following an introductory phrase with “fill-in-the-blank” list items.
Keep these guidelines for constructing bullet lists in mind:
  • If each of the items in a bullet list completes a sentence begun with an introductory phrase, the first letter of the first word of each item should be lowercase, and the last word should be followed by terminal punctuation (a period, question mark, or exclamation point), as in the preceding bullet list.
  • The format in the previous list, however, is not recommended for items consisting of less than a few words, unless listing multiple items as a run-in list in a sentence would produce a ponderously long sentence.
  • If all list items are complete sentences, they should follow an introductory statement ending with a colon, as in this bullet list.
  • If all list items are incomplete sentences, they can follow an open introductory phrase or one ending with a colon; in the latter case, the first letter of the first word in each item should be uppercase.
  • The first letter of the first word of each complete sentence should be uppercase, and complete sentences should include terminal punctuation.
  • All items in a list should have the same format -- a word a phrase, or a complete sentence -- and should follow the same grammatical structure.
  • If every item in a list begins with the same word or phrase, try to incorporate the word or phrase into the introductory phrase or statement, then delete it from the list items.
  • Avoid creating a bullet list in which one or more items consist of very long sentence or more than one sentence; if this is the case, it’s better to use traditional sentence form.
A bullet list with a closed introductory phrase and whose items are single words should be formatted as follows:
  • apples
  • bananas
  • cherries
Likewise, a bullet list with a closed introductory phrase and whose items are short phrases should be formatted as follows:
  • personal identification number
  • automated teller machine
  • liquid-crystal display
The following elements are superfluous in a bullet list with an introductory phrase ending in a colon:
  • A comma after each item
  • A semicolon after each item
  • The word and or or following a comma or semicolon in the penultimate item
  • A period following the last item
A bullet list preceded by an open-ended introductory phrase may but need not include
  • a semicolon (not a comma) after each item;
  • the word and or or following the semicolon in the penultimate item (optional); and
  • a period following the last item.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Every Writer Should Attend At Least One Writers’ Conference. Here’s Why.


Whatever writers’ conference you choose to attend, you should feel good about doing it: you’re taking an important and useful step toward realizing your literary dreams.
There are a lot of ways new authors can educate themselves about publishing and engage with the larger literary community. One is to join local writing groups. Another is to read blogs or become a Goodreads contributor.
But of all the means of jump-starting a writing career, perhaps none is more effective than attending a leading writers’ conference. In fact, even if you’re just aiming to become a better writer, you should attend a writers’ conference. Here’s why.
You’ll learn from professionals
A primary perk of attending writers’ conferences is the opportunity to learn about the craft and the industry from professionals.
You can do this by signing up for sessions, enlisting in workshops, or engaging in talks. The people who conduct the workshops and lead the sessions are often experts in the fields of writing or publishing. It’s hard to imagine a place where so many educational and inspirational resources are readily accessible.
Writers’ workshops also offer the chance to have your manuscripts critiqued — usually by industry insiders who are willing to offer personalized suggestions for improving your writing.
You’ll meet other writers
Where else can you meet hundreds of dedicated, interesting writers and publishers all at varying stages in their careers? It’s another major benefit of attending writers’ conferences. Chances are, you’ll meet someone with whom you really connect, and who knows what could come of that? You might start trading drafts or your new contact might even be able to connect you with an agent.
Writing is a solitary activity — publishing is not. That means you need to network and meet other writers and publishers who share the intensity and enthusiasm for writing as you do.
At the very least, you’ll make connections that will motivate you, but it’s also possible you’ll make valuable connections who can later review or otherwise endorse your books. You’ll also garner important nuggets of wisdom. Wherever you are on the road to success, you will meet others who have been there before and who are ready to help you.
You’ll meet editors and agents
Another thing you can count on at writers’ conferences is learning very useful information about the publishing landscape. In addition to writers, you’ll meet editors and agents who are looking for people who have a book or book idea that might make money for them — like you!
You might even have the chance to sit down with them face-to-face. This process is not only more likely to land you an agent than submitting your work to a slush pile, it’s also the best way to learn about what agents and editors are looking for, how the industry works, and which next step is best for you to take in pursuing your literary dreams.
You’ll get feedback
When attending a writers’ conference, one thing you’ll be sure to do is share your idea for your book with other writers and folks in the publishing industry. In doing this, you’ll learn a lot about the legitimacy and potential of your particular idea as well as how to improve your pitch when it really counts. The responses you receive in the moment will prove to be some of the best feedback you ever get.
And that feedback is powerful. Every time you share your book’s concept, the direction you need to take your book in — along with what changes you might need to make — will become clearer.
You might find a new market for your work
Conferences attract all kinds of writers. Some of them will likely write for markets you haven’t considered. They might even know of a publication that uses the kinds of things you write or a publisher who is looking for a book like yours.
Meeting these folks really does open doors, and a writers’ conference is one of the only places you can make so many connections.
You’ll leave inspired
Sure, you might meet another writer or publishing insider who can change your life — that really is a possibility — but there are other lessons, insights, and bits of wisdom available at these conferences that make them worth the trip.
Sessions, meet-ups, and happy hour gatherings can present unforeseen opportunities, along with lots of practical information you can put to immediate use. You might attend a seminar on how to prepare the paperwork for your nonfiction book proposal, how to format a manuscript, or how to send a query to an editor.
Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, these conferences offer the sort of nuts-and-bolts knowledge that can improve your writing and increase your efficiency in the business side of the craft.
At the very least, you’ll leave inspired. It’s invigorating to be surrounded by other writers — all that energy, hope, and determination is like a kind of electricity buzzing in the air. It’s infectious. I guarantee you’ll leave the first writers’ conference you attend hungrier than ever to actualize your writing dreams.
You can write it off as a business expense
Yes, you’ll get a tax break for attending a writers’ conference even if you haven’t started making money yet.
Look, at the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding. Ask just about every author who has attended a writers’ conference, and they’ll tell you the same thing: these conferences can catapult your writing career. They offer answers and clarity, wisdom and inspiration. They might even help you make a connection that changes your life.

STEVEN SPATZ
Bookbaby

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Six Steps to Seeing Your Book Published



The writing process for a book can take several years. During that time, you will write and rewrite many times. It helps to join a writing group, which can help you stay motivated and focused, encourage you and critique your work. If you can’t take criticism, you are at a distinct disadvantage from the beginning. Practice taking criticism from your critique group. DO NOT take criticism personally; they are trying to help you to get published.

 Step One
Create a team of those you trust who can help shepherd you through the writing  process, whether you intend to self-publish or you dream big of getting your book picked up by one of the omnipresent Big Six publishing houses.
Step Two
Get a driving force who can throw out realistic and pertinent deadlines. Someone who is an interested third party who keeps you in line for you to attain actual progress. This is crucial so you actually can see the idea into fruition.
Step Three
Write, write, write, take a break, go for a walk or swim, or have coffee with a friend then write some more.
Step Four
Take breaks from time to time. It helps prevent writer’s block. Hint: always take a break just when you’ve decided on a distinct direction for your story. Be sure there’s enough of it down so you won’t lose track and can pick it up readily when you return. Leaving the story at the end of a chapter can cause your mind to go blank. Begin the next chapter don’t leave a blank page for your return.
Step Five
Breathe. Take time to walk away from your masterpiece and breath. Get a fresh perspective from a trusted adviser. Take time to vent about your long writing journey. And take time to walk away for entire days, maybe a week or two. Time when you have left your thoughts on writing to the birds. Free your mind, meditate on life and it’s beauty, but what ever you do, remember that stepping away and thinking of other things can help you re-evaluate what you are putting on each digital or physical page.
Step Six
This one is just a thought: Think about writing a chapter or two at a time, maybe not in the order they’ll appear in the final product. This is a distinct advantage of the word processor over the typewriter.