Writing Process

Those Pesky Commas

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on May 14, 2021 in Grammar, Writing Process | 0 comments

Commas. Commas are tricky.

We learn in school that a comma means a pause, which is true, when you are reading. This doesn’t mean that, when you are writing, you should stick a comma in anywhere you feel the need to take a breath.

The rule that gets ignored most often is this: do not use a single comma to separate the subject from the verb or the object from its modifier.

Which means:

DON’T DO THIS: Stella ran along the ancient corridor, and dodged a vampire on the stairs. (Here, “Stella” is the subject and and the two verbs are “ran” and “dodged.” Just as you wouldn’t write “Stella, ran along the corridor” you can’t stick a comma between “Stella” and “dodged.”)

INSTEAD, DO THIS: “Stella ran along the ancient corridor and dodged a vampire on the stairs.”

DON’T DO THIS: “Just in time, Ambrose flung the amulet out of the window, and into the shrubbery.” (Here “flung” is the object and “into the shrubbery” is an adverbial phrase modifying “flung.” Just as you wouldn’t write “Ambrose flung the amulet, out of the window” you can’t stick a comma between “flung” and “into the shrubbery.”)

INSTEAD, DO THIS: “Just in time, Ambrose flung the amulet out of the window and into the shrubbery.”

Tune in later for more about getting commas into the correct places.

Writing With Pets

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Oct 7, 2020 in Children's Literature, Dog Life, Writing Process | 0 comments

Tessie thinking, “Yeah, your character development needs work in Chapter Three.”

I think all writers’ households should have pets (barring allergy issues and such). There are definitely good reasons to keep furry family members around, such as:

1) They make great, noncritical first readers, as long as you’re willing to read stuff out loud (which you should be doing anyway, since it’s a great way to catch errors or moments of awkwardness.)

2) Long walks are good for thinking out complicated plots, and dogs help with that.

3) It’s important to read a lot to keep up with the field, and cats help with that by insisting–insisting–that you settle down in the comfy armchair with a cup of tea so they can sit on your lap and purr.

4) They are good to hug after rejection letters.

So I’m pleased to announce that, as well as Karma the Puppy of Infinite Appetite, we now have a new furry family member: Tessie. She is still quite shy, but crept out of hiding this morning to sit on my lap in the comfy armchair, so I think she’s going to be great addition.

Editing Explained

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Sep 24, 2020 in Writing Process | 0 comments

I’ve been working on a new project this week–copyediting another author’s manuscript. I’m really enjoying getting into the fine detail this entails. (Can you introduce a line of dialog with a colon? Does the cat say “mrow” or mrow? Do we talk about the duke of Mantua or the Duke of Mantua?)

It led me to think that I might explain a bit about the different types of editing a book goes through.

1. Editing. This is the stuff people generally think of when they think of a book editor. An editor looks at the shape of the overall book–the plot arc, the character development, whether the climax is satisfying or falls flat. She’ll also niggle about word choice, repetition, sentence structure, and that kind of thing.

2. Copyediting. This is the final stage before the a manuscript goes to design. It’s a very careful, detailed look to make sure the manuscript conforms to grammatical standards and standard spelling and house style. Where do the commas go? Should that be a colon or a semicolon? If a character flips through a pile of paper, is she rifling or riffling? A copyeditor also checks consistency (does a character have red hair in chapter three and brown hair in chapter seventeen?) and chronology (oops, the author accidentally put forty-seven days in September).

3. Proofreading. The final stage of all. A proofreader checks over a manuscript once it has been designed. In the old days, when books were actually set in type, a proofreader was checking to be sure that the printer had not introduced errors during this process. Now, when books are produced electronically, a proofreader serves as a final set of eyes to check those pesky commas and to verify that all of the copyeditor’s changes actually got made and that the formatting didn’t go wonky during the change from manuscript to book.

I like to think of it this way. The editor makes sure the book is good, the copyeditor makes sure it is correct and consistent, and the proofreader makes sure no little details were missed.

(FYI: Yes, you can use the colon, but do it sparingly. Either “mrow” or mrow, just be consistent. The Duke of Mantua. The character who flips through the papers is riffling.)

Waiting for Words

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Mar 20, 2020 in Children's Literature, Writing Process, Writing Tips | 0 comments

At least it’s not too hard to social distance in Maine.

Sometimes it’s not easy to find your creative voice in the midst of dread. Like so many, I’m worried about high-risk relatives, anxious about whether I’m doing the right things to help, missing my beloved Maine community and all the small things we did to stay connected in our taciturn Maine ways.

It can be good to push through the panic and write, create, draw, sing, love. But sometimes it can also be right to take a step back, snuggle on the couch, and be gentle with yourself while the world swirls around you. In those times I lean on the creativity of others who’ve written us message from their own hard times and the fear in the center of their own hearts.

Books and stories will sustain us, whatever happens.