Newbies Tool Box
Leave "said" alone. Don't be tempted by the muse of variation to permit characters to "opine," "elaborate," "chortle," "cajole," or "laugh." Roy Peter Clark
Newbies should be issued a toolbox automatically, before we set our first precious word to paper or blank screen. When our muse strikes and claims us as one of her own she should also hand us a little metal box marked tools. In it we should find all the necessary items needed to help us build our masterpieces. A pair of vice grips to squeeze and tweak recalcitrant sentences. A mallet to hammer home dramatic points, a hatchet to chop out unnecessary words and a set of slotted and Phillips drivers to use when we find out we’ve written ourselves into a corner and now we’re screwed.
Sadly, this doesn’t happen. Happily though , there is such a tool box. I just found it on one of my early morning jaunts around the net. It contains 50 tools and is written by Roy Peter Clark. Each tool is a short article dedicated to one subject. Examples of that are:
Tool #2: Use strong verbs.
Tool #3: Beware of adverbs.
Tool #14: Interesting Names.
I’ve spent about a week reviewing these tips and am now on number 18. The tools are aimed at all kinds of writers, fiction and journalist. The website is http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=61811. Look for articles by Roy Peter Clark and you will find an icon of a toolbox and links to his 50 tools. I’ve been using them since I stumbled into the site and find them most helpful. I also found out that Roy Clark has a book due to be published in September titled, appropriately enough, "Writing Tools: Fifty Essential Strategies for Every Writer.” It will be published by Little, Brown Publishers. As I like a hard copy of everything, I’ll be picking up one when it comes out.
Till next time, keep on writin' , Aelf
Sites to see, places to go and groups to join:
Nick Daws Writers Circle: Click link on this page. I'm a moderator on this site, It's awesome.
Newbie Writers:http://www.newbiewriters.com/. Great place to meet other newbies.
The Writers Toolbox: http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=61811.
I’ll be adding to the above list as I find more newbie friendly sites
Newbies should be issued a toolbox automatically, before we set our first precious word to paper or blank screen. When our muse strikes and claims us as one of her own she should also hand us a little metal box marked tools. In it we should find all the necessary items needed to help us build our masterpieces. A pair of vice grips to squeeze and tweak recalcitrant sentences. A mallet to hammer home dramatic points, a hatchet to chop out unnecessary words and a set of slotted and Phillips drivers to use when we find out we’ve written ourselves into a corner and now we’re screwed.
Sadly, this doesn’t happen. Happily though , there is such a tool box. I just found it on one of my early morning jaunts around the net. It contains 50 tools and is written by Roy Peter Clark. Each tool is a short article dedicated to one subject. Examples of that are:
Tool #2: Use strong verbs.
Tool #3: Beware of adverbs.
Tool #14: Interesting Names.
I’ve spent about a week reviewing these tips and am now on number 18. The tools are aimed at all kinds of writers, fiction and journalist. The website is http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=61811. Look for articles by Roy Peter Clark and you will find an icon of a toolbox and links to his 50 tools. I’ve been using them since I stumbled into the site and find them most helpful. I also found out that Roy Clark has a book due to be published in September titled, appropriately enough, "Writing Tools: Fifty Essential Strategies for Every Writer.” It will be published by Little, Brown Publishers. As I like a hard copy of everything, I’ll be picking up one when it comes out.
Till next time, keep on writin' , Aelf
Sites to see, places to go and groups to join:
Nick Daws Writers Circle: Click link on this page. I'm a moderator on this site, It's awesome.
Newbie Writers:
The Writers Toolbox: http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=61811.
I’ll be adding to the above list as I find more newbie friendly sites
posted by Aelf at 12:52 PM 
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