Monday, October 05, 2009

Tongue in the Cheek Tips

Gotta say, the list is perfect for wannebe writers. The last on the list is a lot of fun put together by fellow writer Sam after a pompous wannbe writer decided to pester an excellent agent for representation. Some of us learned a lot from her/his pompous knowledge. Smile. Enjoy and take what you can use!

Mr. Greatest-writer-since-the-Gutenber-Press thought he(she) had a thing or two to teach (agent). Actually, I learned some things from him, though not in the way he intended.

  1. Have a teachable attitude.
  2. Be humble
  3. The rules apply to you. Really.
  4. Don't attempt to intimidate somone just to get your way.
  5. Use appropriate self-promotion.
  6. Don't take yourself too seriously.
  7. And when writing, do not use big words and long sentences just to impress the reader because most of the time, the usage of extraeous, redundant, and multisyllabic verbiage; long protracted sentences; undefined acronyms; and passive voice often confuses (that is, befuddles [confounds]) the reader, thereby inhibiting communication; furthermore, the greater the length and complexity of the sentence, the easier it is to make an error in punctuation or grammar, it is therefore recommended to writer shorter sentences to facilitate improved communication as this will prevent the reader from getting the impression that you're a pompous know-it-all.
Ah, so right, Sam. Thank you for putting it so succinctly!


Quote:
We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God who is sending love letters to the world. --Mother Teresa
Blessings!

1 comment:

Mary said...

Love the article, Carole. Every time I read about the clueless behavior of a pre-school or kindergarten-level writer, I think, "There but by the grace of God go I." Although some are bolder and more outrageous than I've been, nevertheless, there were times I judged my work as far better than it deserved. It's kind of like seeking to know God. The more I learn who He is, the more I realize I don't know. And I crave for more. I praise Him, too, for leading and guiding me every step of the way in both endeavors.

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