WRITING TIP: Writing Syle, Brits vs. Americans

Writing tip: Semi-colons and Show, Don't Tell

Did you know it's all but a cardinal sin NOT to use frequent semi-colons in British writing? And did you know the Brits use far more telling than they do showing? So... who's right? The Brits or the Americans? It isn't a matter of who's right. It's a matter of who you want to sell to. Ever hear the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do?"

In America, you aren't likely to sell much (if anything) unless you use the Show, Don't Tell rule - which means you should paint a picture of the action and not say it outright. In other words, the art in showing is found in hinting at what you want your reader to imagine. For example, if you were to say, "She blushed," you would be telling the action. If, however, you said, "Shades of scarlet crept up her neck and into her cheeks," you would be showing the blush. Do you see how telling speaks it outright and showing hints at what you want the reader to imagine? So methinks the Brits take the easy way out on this.

When it comes to punctuation, Brits love to use the semi-colon; American publishers hate it; if you use one semi-colon in a whole story it's one too many; semi-colons skew the lines between commas and periods; the Brits rather like to run it all together; whereas the Americans like everything cut. And dried. Ker-chop.

So the conclusion is this: Know who you're submitting to, where they're located and what they want. Or... the secondary answer is, if you don't have a handle on "showing" and you're prone to filling your stories with semi-colons, peddle it to the Brits. For more great writing tips, get The Writer's Choice Newsletter here: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

CHRISTMAS WRITING SALE - WRITING COURSES

Writing $ale Now in Progress!

Eight-week privately tutored writing courses, originally $200, now available at only $140 until January 15, 2011. Lowest prices ever! Your tuition will help scholarship a cancer patient in writing therapy. Lock in the price today and take your course any time in 2011. Classes are filling (12 per class) so hurry! * Conditions apply. See http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

CHRISTMAS WRITING SALE - WRITING COURSES

CHRISTMAS WRITING $ALE

This is a great time of year to make writing a priority. Ask for money for Christmas and use it for a writing course. And speaking of writing courses, Creative Writing Institute is having the biggest sale on writing classes it has ever had. All prices are slashed to the bone. Hurry!

Eight-week, privately tutored classes are ONLY $140.
Conditions apply:

1. Sorry, no payment plan available for this sale
2. No Refunds
3. Lock in the price now and take classes any time in 2011
4. Students must select from courses available at the time of study
5. Twelve students per class

CHECK IT OUT at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com

Amateur Writing Contest Ends - On to the Judging!

Amateur Writing Contest

Our amateur writing contest was a huge success… small enough for good competition but big enough for… uh… good competition. :D Thank you one and all. On to the judging! We’ll notify you as soon as possible. Allow up to two months.

NOTE: I just changed the controls on this site so that you can comment without joining the site, filling in a code or leaving an email address. I know your time is limited and we welcome your comments. Quick and easy!

WRITING TIP: Writing is easier when you have the proper tools. I’m not talking about having fingers to type or write (although that helps). I’m talking about things that will keep you motivated such as joining a writing group, posting your work in those groups, giving and receiving comments, subscribing to The Writer Magazine (or some other) and getting a marketing book such as Writer’s Market. Invest at least $50 a year in yourself. Write 15 min. every single day – even if it’s only about the tidbits of life.

What questions do you have about writing? Just ask and we’ll answer. Please bookmark us, hit “like” and all that good stuff. Help us out and drop in for a visit at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. You can also find me on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Happy day!

AMATEUR WRITING CONTEST CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT

AMATEUR WRITING CONTEST ENDS AT MIDNIGHT. It's not too late to join in the fun. NO FEES. CASH PRIZE - Sure will come in handy for Christmas shopping. Hurry! There's still time! See guidelines at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

WRITING TIP: It's almost impossible 2 find a subject that hasn't been covered. How you build the characters and plot (angle) is what makes your story unique.

Character Development Challenges: Caring about your characters

Character Development Challenges: Caring about your characters

SHORT STORY WRITING CONTEST Ends Nov. 20, 2010

(See link at bottom for writing contest.)

REWRITING and POLISHING

As part of the re-write and polishing phase, read what you've written aloud. This will help you spot the sections that drag or sound choppy. Pay attention to the rhythm of your sentences. If there are too many short sentences or too many long ones, break them up or lengthen them so they vary in tempo. Don’t put your readers to sleep.

Remember that editors are experts at spotting multiple adjectives and adverbs. They scan the nouns and verbs and see how many modifies are attached to them. Commas that separate the modifiers are a dead giveaway. Multiple adjectives like “dark, cloudy, stormy, moonless night” is a sure sign of a beginning writer, and it's sure to put your manuscript in the deep-six pile.

It pays to focus your attention on the rewrite and polishing phase of your story/article. If you can impress the editors, you will impress the readers. If rewriting/polishing is your least favorite part of writing, rethink your commitment to be a writer.

Study hardest that which you dread most and when you master it, you will no longer dread it.

Be sure to join our AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION, which ends Nov. 20, 2010. CASH PRIZE. NO FEES. What do you have to lose? Test your skills. Check http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com for guidelines. You may also sign up for The Writer's Choice Newsletter at the same link. For more free writing tips, see http://www.deborahowen.wordpress.com and http://www.writingtip.wordpress.com.

Caring about your characters

If you have no particular feeling for your characters, your readers won't either. You can have the most exciting plot with loads of action, but without memorable characters, your story will flag and go flat like a bad tire. Learn to love your characters, the heroes as well as the villains. Know what makes them tick. As a real life example, Richard M. Nixon, as president, did some very strange things. It is said that he had an overwhelming desire to be liked by everyone, which explains his motivation.

Know what motivates your charcters. People react in different ways to the same adversities. Some will carry a life-long grudge, others will take that adversity and use it as a challenge to better their lives. What will your characters do? Know this and you will be able to create good, solid characters whom your readers will remember.

AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION - AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION

CALLING ALL WRITERS – Did you know that 80% of the population has thought about writing a book? There’s a little writer in all of us. Pit your amateur talents against others like yourself in this AMATEUR WRITING COMPETITION. NO FEE – CASH PRIZE. Ends Nov. 20 – so hurry! See the guidelines at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and FOLLOW THE RULES. Good luck! Deb

Writer's Death

This was not a good day. My daughter's mother-in-law had a severe stroke and is near death. The doctors called the family in. She is responsive enough to prove that she hears us but does not appear to be conscious otherwise. Even if she survives, she may be severely handicapped for life - and she's way too young and way too active to have a thing like this happen to her.

It reminds me of a lot of writers. I can even remember when it was a picture of me. I was young and healthy but the writer inside me was dying a slow death. I did nothing to help it and responded only slightly when prodded. Somehow I survived, but found myself handicapped for life because I had stunted my own growth. I can never make up the time I lost. Never. Nor can you relive the time you've lost.

If writing is important to you, it must become a priority in your life. Don't give way to a writer's death. Make a list of your top priorities and make sure writing rates in the top three, then learn to focus on those three things. Become a growing writer.

For more writing tips, see my newsletter at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com and also in my wordpress blog at http://deborahowen.wordpress.com/.

Thanks for dropping by. Return again and again for writing inspiration. Bookmark what you like best, and please recommend me to your friends.

Best writing wishes, Deb