Comments for Writing Power http://blog.writingpower.net write better, live better Thu, 20 May 2010 12:54:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 Comment on How To Write An Effective Summary by Basil White http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/HYQKMOTjlPY/ Basil White Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:18:55 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/16/how-to-write-an-effective-summary/#comment-2249 How To Summarize, as a recursive flowchart - - http://basilwhite.com/images/HowToSummarize.png How To Summarize, as a recursive flowchart - -

http://basilwhite.com/images/HowToSummarize.png

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/16/how-to-write-an-effective-summary/#comment-2249 Comment on Awaken Your Inner Storyteller, Part 2 by coursework http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/CNv9Ab5_YXs/ coursework Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:08:35 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/03/27/awaken-your-inner-storyteller-part-2/#comment-2139 Good points raised. Its so hard to envision stories with your readers or listeners. Good points raised. Its so hard to envision stories with your readers or listeners.

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/03/27/awaken-your-inner-storyteller-part-2/#comment-2139 Comment on Become An Academic Writing Rockstar by matt http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/7odteLxM-FM/ matt Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:44:43 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/19/become-an-academic-writing-rockstar/#comment-2046 Hey - just found your blog and wanted to say I really liked this post, as a grad student. thanks! :) Hey - just found your blog and wanted to say I really liked this post, as a grad student. thanks! :)

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/19/become-an-academic-writing-rockstar/#comment-2046 Comment on Become An Academic Writing Rockstar by My Man-Crush « sum.ology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/sB1fThPxgPg/ My Man-Crush « sum.ology Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:50:54 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/19/become-an-academic-writing-rockstar/#comment-2042 [...] enjoyment of this man.  What complicates things is this man is also an academic heart-throb.  He’s a scholarly rock-star.  He is not just my man crush.  He is my intellectual and professional man [...] […] enjoyment of this man.  What complicates things is this man is also an academic heart-throb.  He’s a scholarly rock-star.  He is not just my man crush.  He is my intellectual and professional man […]

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/02/19/become-an-academic-writing-rockstar/#comment-2042 Comment on (Writing) Style Wars: A New Hope by Mary Locksmith | Term Papers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/j0QeQ8ZpG2M/ Mary Locksmith | Term Papers Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:15:55 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-1468 Your insights about the book is true. Strunk's straightforward approach in his book is somewhat rare for most writers. Your insights about the book is true. Strunk’s straightforward approach in his book is somewhat rare for most writers.

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-1468 Comment on (Writing) Style Wars: A New Hope by Malcolm Campbell http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/xR8pzJPKSQ8/ Malcolm Campbell Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:13:59 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-903 Thanks for mentioning the Trimble style guide. I love having quality books to suggest to people who are wandering and need help. Strunk, I think, bothers us more than it bothered people when it first came out. The book's tone was intended for readers of another age regardless of the quality of the advice. Today, we are more casual about everything from wearing dungarees to church to calling people we don't know by their first names. So, Strunk just seems much too strong. Being strong sometimes intimidates people the wrong way. Great authors certainly use comma splices effectively; and they know when to start a sentence with the "and" or "however." People getting started often take everything Strunk says as gospel, never knowing that as a writer one of their first duties is learning when the most sacred rules should be broken. Very interesting post. Glad I stumbled into your blog today. Malcolm Thanks for mentioning the Trimble style guide. I love having quality books to suggest to people who are wandering and need help.

Strunk, I think, bothers us more than it bothered people when it first came out. The book’s tone was intended for readers of another age regardless of the quality of the advice. Today, we are more casual about everything from wearing dungarees to church to calling people we don’t know by their first names. So, Strunk just seems much too strong.

Being strong sometimes intimidates people the wrong way. Great authors certainly use comma splices effectively; and they know when to start a sentence with the “and” or “however.” People getting started often take everything Strunk says as gospel, never knowing that as a writer one of their first duties is learning when the most sacred rules should be broken.

Very interesting post. Glad I stumbled into your blog today.

Malcolm

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-903 Comment on (Writing) Style Wars: A New Hope by loren http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/T1KJVew8cCw/ loren Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:41:05 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-740 Great comments, Katherine and Charlie! Katherine, I think my specific experiences teaching writing do bias me toward a less rigid guide. Time and time again, I encounter students whose natural writing inclinations have been scared out of them by what you (beautifully) call "knuckle rapping." I have to encourage students to learn that there's more to writing than "the rules." I can see that a critique group would provide a very different perspective, though. Charlie, I took a look at the "however" section, and it made me laugh. As Katherine says, Strunk certainly doesn't waffle! Cheers, Loren Great comments, Katherine and Charlie!

Katherine, I think my specific experiences teaching writing do bias me toward a less rigid guide. Time and time again, I encounter students whose natural writing inclinations have been scared out of them by what you (beautifully) call “knuckle rapping.” I have to encourage students to learn that there’s more to writing than “the rules.” I can see that a critique group would provide a very different perspective, though.

Charlie, I took a look at the “however” section, and it made me laugh. As Katherine says, Strunk certainly doesn’t waffle!

Cheers,
Loren

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-740 Comment on (Writing) Style Wars: A New Hope by Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/uPVnDuRqNkg/ Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:06:27 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-710 Thanks for the heads up on this book, Loren. Despite appearances to the contrary, I've read "Elements" and found the tone to be a bit much. Another tirade he went on that chaffed me was on the use of "however." Yes, I know it's not "supposed" to start a sentence, but common usage has made it the norm so much that now it sounds awkward in its "proper" place. Okay, rant off. I'll check out WWS as soon as I clear my current backlog. Great to hear from you. Thanks for the heads up on this book, Loren. Despite appearances to the contrary, I’ve read “Elements” and found the tone to be a bit much. Another tirade he went on that chaffed me was on the use of “however.” Yes, I know it’s not “supposed” to start a sentence, but common usage has made it the norm so much that now it sounds awkward in its “proper” place. Okay, rant off.

I’ll check out WWS as soon as I clear my current backlog. Great to hear from you.

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-710 Comment on (Writing) Style Wars: A New Hope by Katherine http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/ReniAESFfOM/ Katherine Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:40:58 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-707 Thank you for the tip about the Trimble guide! I feel a need to defend Strunk, though. What I love about The Elements of Style is that is doesn't waffle or pander to timidity. Somehow I find that straightforwardness empowering. I also find the examples excellent -- if I don't happen to know the formal grammatical term, I can learn what it is from the examples. It's interesting that you used comma splices as an example of a construction people are nervous about identifying. Whenever I join critique groups, I encounter at least one person who does commas entirely "by feel", and takes more out or puts more in according to what they feel the "pace" of the sentence should be. The usual result is that they have run-on sentences spliced together by commas. A little formal education and a (metaphorical) rap on the knuckles could well be useful for them. Thank you for the tip about the Trimble guide!

I feel a need to defend Strunk, though. What I love about The Elements of Style is that is doesn’t waffle or pander to timidity. Somehow I find that straightforwardness empowering. I also find the examples excellent — if I don’t happen to know the formal grammatical term, I can learn what it is from the examples.

It’s interesting that you used comma splices as an example of a construction people are nervous about identifying. Whenever I join critique groups, I encounter at least one person who does commas entirely “by feel”, and takes more out or puts more in according to what they feel the “pace” of the sentence should be. The usual result is that they have run-on sentences spliced together by commas. A little formal education and a (metaphorical) rap on the knuckles could well be useful for them.

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/07/08/writing-style-wars-a-new-hope/#comment-707 Comment on Writing Power’s Writers’ Circle: Git ‘R Done Edition by Bill http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForWritingPower/~3/qqlTe3ehohQ/ Bill Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:05:14 +0000 http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/05/12/writing-powers-writers-circle-git-r-done-edition/#comment-670 I am new to this site and love the idea of setting goals. I have a goal this month to get at least a page done every day of the month. So far, I am behind 8. So I have a bit of making up to do. This last month I did get one of my short stories done in time to edit it and submit it to the Writer's Digest contest. I have 2 novels I have been working on for a long time, and this year have really focused on outlining the direction they will go, so now I need to get some massive writing finished (and will worry about the quality on the edit - lol). So by the end of the month, I plan to have at minimum 30 new pages of text directed at those stories. Thanks for having this goal. I am new to this site and love the idea of setting goals. I have a goal this month to get at least a page done every day of the month. So far, I am behind 8. So I have a bit of making up to do. This last month I did get one of my short stories done in time to edit it and submit it to the Writer’s Digest contest. I have 2 novels I have been working on for a long time, and this year have really focused on outlining the direction they will go, so now I need to get some massive writing finished (and will worry about the quality on the edit - lol). So by the end of the month, I plan to have at minimum 30 new pages of text directed at those stories. Thanks for having this goal.

]]> http://blog.writingpower.net/2008/05/12/writing-powers-writers-circle-git-r-done-edition/#comment-670