Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Confessions of a Comma Whore

Do you have a grammar sin? You know, that one irritating grammar rule, you consistently get wrong. Well, I do. I’m a comma whore.  I tend to place commas the way I speak and not according to accepted grammar rules.

I first wrote about this issue in 2012 and since that time believed  I’d conquered that grammar demon (for the most part). Unfortunately, I’m sad to report, she’s reared her ugly head again and in the most  humiliating way.

I’m in the process of publishing a collection of short stories and when I received feedback from my editor, I almost fainted (not really). The comma whore had dance all through those stories as if designing a roadmap.

Needless to say, I had revisions to do. In the spirit of helping others who suffer with me, here are some helpful resources. Beyond that, it might take counseling.

Resources for the Comma Challenged:

Strunk & White’s, The Elements of Style is the number one grammar book recommended for writers everywhere. The Kindle edition available on Amazon for free.

Want something more? Check out the power point presentations from Guide to Grammar and Writing. Here you can find everything you need to bone up on your grammar.

Available on Kindle: $9.99

I had the pleasure of winning a copy of the book, Grammar Girls Quick & Dirty Tricks For Better Writing, from 101Word.org. Thanks, Shannon and I encourage all of you to check out the stories shared at 101 Words.

And finally, don’t forget about the software editing tools that are available.

Grammarly 

  • About: Corrects over 250 types of grammatical mistakes,  catches contextual spelling errors, poor vocabulary usage, and enhances clarity and meaning.
  • An automated proofreader and grammar coach.
  • Windows compatible.
  • Can be downloaded as an office add-in to your WordPerfect.
  • Now fully compatible with Mac computers.
  • Offers a browser extension for Safari, Chrome, and Firefox browsers.
  • Desktop App
  •  Cost/Membership:  $29.95/month; $59.99/quarter, and $139.99/annual.

EditMinion

  •  About: A copy editor that helps refine your writing. A copy and paste Beta program, it is word limited.
  • What it Does: Identifies common mistakes, such as adverbs, passive voice, weak words, ‘said’ replacements, ending with prepositions and often-misplaced words.
  • Cost/Membership: Free 

Writer’s Diet:  Is your writing flabby or lean?

  • About: Designed by Helen Sword, this program evaluates writing samples of   100-1000 words.
  • What it Does: Looks at each category: verbs, nouns, adjectives/ adverbs, prepositions, and waste words (is, that, this, there) and scores the work from lean – to heart attack.
  • Cost/Membership:  A great, free tool!

So, there you have it. This comma whore is headed to school.What about you? Do you have a grammar sin?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  PinterestBloglovinTwitter@sheilagood, and Contently.


Filed under: Editing, Grammar, Resources for Writers, Style Guides, Tips and Resources for Writers, Writing Tagged: #amwriting, #asksheila, #editminion, #elementsofstyle, #grammargirls, #grammarly, #writersdiet, Grammar, The Elements of Style

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