How to Polish Up Your English

If you want to improve your spoken and written English the best way to do this is to add a few decorative, flowery touches to you sentences. There are lots of ways of doing this. Don't try to use them all in one sentence or you will make your English sound 'silly'. For example, if I said:

The cuddly, curious, cute, little, fluffy kitten tore through our house like a wild, fierce, stormy, unannounced tornado and damaged our new, Italian leather, expensive sofa.

It would be much more effective to use fewer adjectives:

The cuddly bundle of fluff that was our new kitten, tore through the house like a tornado, damaging the sofa as it went.

Too many adjective over describes the scene and make the English sound clumsy and unpolished.

Another example of this is an email that I received from a student:

'You are patient, kind, good, excellent teacher who gives good mark. My homework is late, not finished, forgot, undone. I am bad, useless, sad, unhappy student.'

This actually sounds funny but I don't think the writer intended it to be.

Don't overdo the adjectives, or use strings of adverbs that mean the same thing. Using two different adjectives that mean the same thing can sometimes be very effective and gives impact to the sentence.For example:

It was black dark outside and I couldn't see a thing.

Acronym.

It is generally acceptable to use acronyms when speaking and writing English. You will sound better if you use these instead of using full titles.

Take the initial, or first letter, of a group of words and put them together, they form an acronym. An acronym is a word in its own right. There are many examples of this:

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

CAT Computer assisted testing.

WHO World health organisation.

However, you should only use established and accepted acronyms, don't make up your own.

Using Alliteration.

Using alliteration makes English language makes what you say more expressive but here again, don't over do it. It is the grouping together of words which start with the same letter.

Slowly sizzling sausages

Cool, calm and collected

Long, lanky legs

Using Analogy.

Using an analogy makes speech and writing much more effective. It is a way to show off the finer points of the language and to express yourself clearly. An analogy takes another situation that is similar to the one you are describing and uses it to illustrate. This is good to use in writing creative pieces and is especially useful when presenting at a seminar. Using analogy makes your English sound richer and more polished.

The arrival of the new kitten in my house had a similar effect to an unexpected tornado.

Copyright: Louie Jerome 2008

Louie Jerome is a UK writer, editor and publisher

Writer Soup is a monthly magazine which is available on the internet

http://www.writersoup.co.uk

'Word To The Wise' is a humorous blog about the English Language

http://noway2blog.blogspot.com

Getting Up Earlier

Necessary Ingredients That Must Be Part of Your Novel

The words "publish" and "novel" have so much meaning to so many people. To write a novel is a lifelong dream for millions. To publish a book with one's name on it...it runs chills down the spine just thinking about it.

But this phrase - publish novel - also has a great deal of mystery, fallacy, controversy and even danger attached to it. Bluntly put, if you don't know enough about publishing a novel, your book dream could be washed away, like a torrent of rain over watercolors.

I always say, and live by: "Become empowered by knowledge and you will enable yourself to succeed."

Here is Part 1 of the "Publish Novel" series.

Let's look at what goes into creating a great novel...one that others will read in its entirety and also rave about it to others (viral marketing) for years to come:

1 - Great Writing

There is no getting around this one. You have to take an honest look at yourself, without personal bias, and decide whether you are an exceptional writer who can carry through with the immense endeavor of writing a book. This may require that you delve into your book idea and actually make an attempt at writing it.

Take note as to how it goes. Do you find yourself at the end of your "novel" after ten or twenty pages? Do you feel confused? Is it enjoyable or painstaking? Ask yourself these and other relevant questions with the understanding that your project can take two years or longer to write. In other words, would it be confusion or clarity? Effort or ease? Torture or delight?

If delightful, decide whether your novel writing experience is more important than the quality level of your book. Realize that novel writing can be a most therapeutic undertaking for the right kind of person or a living nightmare for others. If you get great pleasure from it then figure whether you can actually produce your novel at a publishable level of quality all on your own.

One great solution for the novel writing enthusiast is to higher a bona fide book writer to collaborate with. The old saying, "Two heads are better than one," is never more applicable than with collaborative book writing. I can't tell you how invaluable it is to be able to bounce ideas back and forth with someone who understands the makings of a great novel.

If you learn that novel writing is not your cup of tea, but you have a vivid imagination or good ideas, don't be discouraged. Less than one percent of the population is actually capable of writing a great novel on their own. The fact is, you are still in a great position - with your imagination intact - to have your novel in hand before you know it!

You can hire a professional book writer to write your book for you. What ever the terms of the contract between you (the author) and he or she (the writer) are, you will essential either have a ghostwriter for hire or book writer in a collaborative effort (known as a collaborator or collaborative writer). That's an entirely different subject that needs address at another place and time.

If you feel confident that you can get the job done, then by all means, git 'er done! But you have to realize that writing your novel is only one in many vital steps. Leave just one of these ingredients out, or poorly unaddressed, and your dream will fail.

I will continue with this "Publish Novel" series over the coming weeks and prepare you intellectually with everything you need to know for creating a great publishable novel.

Robert S. Nahas is a professional book writer and president of WriterServices.net. He has written numerous published books of his own and for others, and helps aspiring writers and authors achieve their dreams of getting their books written, published and selling well. You can get more information on how to find good book writers for hire, how to get published, find a good agent, find funding... and more at http://www.TheSavvyAuthor.com You can find more information on R. S. Nahas at http://www.writerservices.net/index.php?sid=ez08

Copyright 2008 by Robert S. Nahas - All rights reserved.

Stopped Losing Your Car Keys

The "ART" of Article Writing: A Template

As I approach my 200th online article, Im amazed at the number of article writers on the net. Many of them have written hundreds, if not thousands, of articles. I try to vary my subject matter and have covered about sixty different topics. Although my background is in advertising and marketing, I am well-read and interested in science, history, politics, and travel. Yet Ive written about social issues, hobbies, and many humorous pieces. Im also a published author with three books to my credit, two of which are still available on Amazon. So I thought it was about time to offer a public service to those who would like to write articles to promote their websites or just like to write but dont know where to start.

Therefore, without taking up precious online space and self-congratulation, let me introduce my solution to article writing. I call it the ART or an article readers/writers template. You see, it works equally well for both the writer and reader. All you have to do is fill in the blanks. Ive even given you a few examples in the parenthesis. Lets begin with the title. The how-to ones always work well, as you know.

TITLE: The _______ (3, 5, 10) ______ (top, best, secrets) on How to _______ (lose, gain, make) ______ (weight, money, friends).

SUB-TITLE: ________(amazing, terrific, fabulous) ways that you can be _________ (better, more accomplished, successful) at _________ (anything, everything, something) you have always wanted to do.

MAIN BODY: Havent you always thought about __________(gaining, losing, making) a __________ (rewarding, exciting, wonderful ) life for yourself? Wouldnt you like to __________ (look, feel, enjoy) more out of life? Well I think I can show you the way. I have studied many people like yourself and ___________(understand, relate to, empathize) what you must be going through. So Ive ___________ (devised, concocted, created) these ______(3, 5, 10) __________ (methods, solutions, answers) that will aid you in your _______ (journey, quest for knowledge, search). The first way to becoming _________ (thinner, wealthier, successful) is to know ________ (how, what, where) to look. It starts with a __________ (basic, simple, bare-bones) understanding of the problem you are _________ (facing, dealing with, confronting.)

The second step is to _________(embrace, accept, welcome) the issue by _________( looking in the mirror, looking at the checkbook, getting on the scale) and admitting that there is a problem. Once you do that, you can ___________ ( move forward, take a step backward, sidestep) the real root of your __________ (deficiency, failure, lack of control). The third _________ (way, secret, answer) is to __________ (quickly, slowly, methodically) dissect the heart of the problem and begin to ___________(recognize, unravel, appreciate) the actual basis for what is ___________ (hindering, blocking, separating) you from moving in a positive direction. It could be ___________ (timing, social forces, money) and that is something you must _________ (deal with, face, accept).

ART followers: By now, you have gotten the point. Its a formula that can work with any issue. People love to be told how to cure what ails them. All you have to do is be vague enough that it doesnt really affect them adversely and that they eventually feel like they have gained some useful information that will put them on the right track.

Now I know that this is akin to magicians giving away their trade secrets and that I may get flack from my fellow article writers, but as Penn and Teller say when they reveal their magicians secrets, get over it, theres enough room for everyone. Therefore good luck in your first attempt at article writing and remember that practice makes perfect. Did I mention that Ive been writing for over twenty years and have two degrees? Heck, thats probably not important anyway. So have a go at it. Ill check back in two decades to monitor your progress.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix." His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages" which can be seen at his website, http://www.poweradbook.com Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Finding Something You Don

A Children's Writer's Guide to Critiquing Manuscripts

If you've just joined or started a critique group for writers but no one seems to know what to do next, maybe this guide and checklist will help. If you aren't in a critique group, you can still use it to critique your own writing.

CRITIQUING MANUSCRIPTS (For Critique Groups)

Begin with some basic procedural guidelines for critiquing:

1) Start with something positive - Point out at least one thing that worked really well in the manuscript.

2) Be specific in your comments and suggestions - For example, saying "I liked your story" is flattering to the writer, but doesn't really mean much. Saying something like, "I felt the dialogue sounded exactly like something two teenagers would say and advanced the plot well" is more specific.

3) Use the checklist (below) - This will help you be more specific in your comments and suggestions. And, if you use the checklist to critique your own writing it will help you recognize weak points in your story before you share your work with anyone.

CHECKLIST FOR CRITIQUING MANUSCRIPTS

I. Character

__ Are my characters well-rounded? Do the major characters have both positive and negative traits?

__ Is my main character someone readers can care about? Does he/she want something important?

__ Have I revealed character through action?

__ Does my main character take action? Or is she too passive?

__ Is each character's voice distinctly his/her own?

__ Have I avoided stereotypes and stock characters?

__ Does my main character solve his/her own problem? Is he or she different in some way from how he or she was at the beginning of the story? (this doesn't always have to happen, but usually it means your story has some depth to it)

II. Point of View

__ Have I stayed with my POV character throughout the story?

__ Would the story be stronger if I switched from third person to first person or vice versa? Would the story be better told from a different character's point of view?

III. Plot

__ What is the basic conflict of my story?

Beginning

__ Do I introduce my characters and the conflict right away? Or do I take too much time revving up? Could I chop off the first paragraph and start with the second?

Middle

__ Have I put complications in the middle that get worse and worse and build to a climax?

__ Does my character have to work to reach his/her goal?

End

__ Does my main character solve his/her own problem?

__ Does the ending grow logically out of the rest of the story?

__ Is my ending satisfying without being predictable?

IV. Language

Description

__ Are my details specific, not generalized?

__ Have I bogged down the action with tedious passages of description? (One way to check this is to see how many "ing" words are used; very many usually means there is too much description)

__ Would that description work better if I wove it gradually into the story rather than presenting it as a block?

__ Have I described with more than one sense (i.e. sight, sound, touch, taste, smell)?

Action

__ Have I used strong and specific verbs and nouns?

__ Have I successfully avoided passive voice?

__ Can I cut out redundancies? Small talk? Clutter? Meaningless qualifiers such as "just" and "very"? Passages that bog down the action? Have I used too many different dialogue tags that attract attention?

Mechanics

__ Are there awkward or confusing sentences or scenes that need to be cleaned up?

__ When I read my story out loud, does the rhythm sound right? Is it choppy? Too wordy? Monotonous?

__ Are my transitions smooth?

__ Have I avoided clichs?

__ Does each sentence sparkle with my own voice? Is that voice strong and credible?

V. Purpose

__ 1. Does each character and action in the story have a definite purpose?

With these specific points to look for when critiquing a children's story, it should be much easier for you and your fellow writers to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each and every manuscript.

For more helpful tips for writers, visit http://www.workingwriterscoach.com and sign up for the mailing list. When you do, you'll receive a free ebook for writers, plus every weekday morning you'll get The Morning Nudge, a few words to motivate and inspire you to get a little writing done.

Visit the National Writing for Children Center at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com and find out how you can learn to write for kids. Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, children's author, and founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center.

Finding Something You Don

Simple Tips to Be a Successful Freelance Writer

Back in the old days, it was quite easy to get freelance writing jobs. When our grandparents were still in their teens, they already had jobs at newspapers and magazines. Back then, they were also gutsier and were more resourceful. Perhaps it was because of the urgency during their time that they had no other choice but to excel and do their best.

These days, we have the comfort of technology. Writing does not require you to actually own a pen or a notebook (although other people find such practice more conducive to writing). Modern technologies like the Internet, television and even mobile phones have paved the way for more freelance writing jobs.

But how come only a few seem to have tapped into this new media (especially the internet)? After being in the business for quite some time now, I've come to realize that some people are just not aware. They think it's hard work looking for a gig online. I'm here to correct that notion.

It's not difficult to find writing assignments online and sustain it as long as you find your niche.

Freelance writing jobs start out with you looking for something you're comfortable writing about. At first, you might be given assignments you know next to nothing about. However, don't be dissuaded and give up.

Since you're already online anyway, why not try doing research? Research is a freelance writer's best friend. For example, I was once tasked to write about employee relations. Back then, I had no idea what I could write about. Instead of returning the assignment, I looked around for information and read other articles. Soon, I found myself understanding what it meant and I was able to come up with a great piece.

Freelance writing jobs will expose you to a wide range of topics. However, you will soon find yourself having a greater and easier time writing certain topics. At this stage, you have already found your niche and while you may still keep your old job, you can now begin looking for other opportunities that will focus on the topic of your interest.

There are plenty more tips for freelance writing jobs where this came from. Already unspoken rules, of course, include polishing your grammar and being responsible for your articles. Plagiarism is absolutely a no-no. The Internet might be an endless vast space but it's not that hard to bump into articles every now and then.

Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.

Spending 15 Minutes Each Day

Sentence Grammar Checker - Effectively Edit Your English Writing!

Sentence Grammar Checker can make life easier mostly for those who spend much of their time writing emails, articles and other digital documents. English is the most popular international language; we use it for personal or business purposes while communicating with others. If you look for new ways that will help you to improve your writing level - read the following review.

Short overview
Sentence Grammar Checker solutions are actually add-on tools for conventional word processors, they were designed to cover the more complex language issues such as correct grammar and punctuation. Up to several years ago grammar checking technology was very basic, but today it provides better performance based on advanced language processing algorithms. Grammar writing programs enable us to: checking for proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and sometimes few of them offer text enrichment.

Can it make our life better?
Do we really need it? Well, let's examine what is in it for us:

- Automatically identify sentences construction problems that may have been missed during a manual proofreading.
- Providing extra capabilities which do not exist in conventional word processors.
- Saves us time spent on grammar guides.

Looking closer on this technology, we could easily find other advantages that are not covered here, as this tool constantly changes, bringing us new solutions that help us on improving our English writing and editing skills.

Summary
Sentence Grammar Checker is a great way to enhance our writing capabilities and improve our written based communication. This technology is very helpful on identifying writing problems that we were not aware of. Although it brings many challenges to software developers, we can expect this solution to further develop itself, for a single reason: writing is one of the most important tools that help us with almost any aspect in life.

Watch how an advanced Sentence Grammar Checker analyzes text and learn more about innovative technologies that can help you transform your English writing correct, professional and creative.

Habits To Prevent Losing Things

Simple College Essay Ideas

While it comes to writing college essay then there are many components & issues that one absolutely wants to know how one can master. No matter whether you locate yourself writing about proper method to store the plants in order that they will grow adequately and writing about why unlawful drugs must be legalized, as there are right & wrong ways to set-up & write college essay.

College Essay Papers: College essay is the opinion style format and these are type of college essays, which need individual to have opinion on a few issues & provide causes to help your opinion. These kinds of college essays generally have no right and wrong answer, however are generally graded on completeness of opinion all through the paper, and how clearly student conveyed their message.

Persuasive Essay Papers: Conversely, completely different kind of college paper is persuasive essay. These types of papers are destined to have solid structure with thesis statement at beginning of a paper, and whole rest of college essay is intended to support & back up thesis.

Six main constituents of persuasive college paper comprise of introduction, thesis statement, first, second, & third supporting paragraphs, & finally conclusion of this paper. For these kinds of college papers student have to master the writing concise & clear thesis statement, and forming supporting claims, which have substance & proof.

When written, all the college essays have got 3 main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Kind of college essay, which is being written can determine what information goes in all section, but trick & success in writing down great college essay generally lies in giving right kind of info, but as well in being brief and to point. There is not any room for "down" in college paper, and student must be careful to write down with easy words that they & their audience may easily know.

Getting Help with the College Essays: Almost all college students want to take 2 basic writing classes no matter what university or college they attend. Normally these classes may teach every student how one can form & write college essays, also these 2 courses essentially lay foundations for the other kinds of educational writing that one can experience and be needed to do all through one's college vocation. If you are in trouble, when beginning college essay, which you are not very sure about, then there are some places where one will absolutely get aid.

First, the colleges and the universities are always equipped with the tutor centers where all the students can get help in writing college essays & papers. These instructor centers must be able to aid student's form the introductions & thesis statements to make it clearer, and help them with he essays generally if they require help. Other sources for getting the help with this college papers comprise of brothers & sisters that might have gone through the university before them, and private tutors, which can be found all through college campuses.

Find tons of articles like this and more all on Tom's student blog

Backup Plans Feel Good