Georgia Writes!
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
V O L U M E
Learn how grammar can be your friend with Raymond Atkins!
Eliminate stative verbs from your writing with Josh Langston!
Review grammar concepts with Sara Meyer!
Find local writing events!
Practice with the writing prompts!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Grammar is Your Friend
1
Palmetto Bugs
1
Grammar For Writers
4
Writer’s Block
4
Events Around Atlanta
5
Meet Your Georgia Writers
6
1 . 3
S U M M E R
2 0 1 1
Grammar is Your Friend By Raymond L. Atkins
The problem with writing is that it looks like it ought to be easy, but it isn’t. And since it seems simple, many novice writers believe they can sit down, take a deep breath, crack their knuckles, and then knock out something profound. I suspect we lose a lot of good writers this way, because when that first draft doesn’t measure up to the initial concept for the piece, discouragement sets in, and the tendency is to give up the craft of writing as a bad idea. Notice that I said craft. Writing is a learned skill, just like any other endeavor known to humankind with the possible exception of k araoke. Writers are made, not born, and it takes a long time and a lot of work to make one. It takes a longer time and even more work to make a good one.
Take welding as a comparison. If you want to be a welder, you cannot simply grab up the welding leads and start to weld. You must first learn how to use the tools of the trade, and then you must practice. Otherwise, your welds will break, you’ll get fired, your wife will leave you, and she’ll probably take the dog and the truck with her when she goes.
successfully engage in an activity if you have not learned the skills necessary to do the job. Writing is no exception to this maxim, although it is not always easy to convince people of that fact. You have to learn how to write properly before you can convey your words to others. The rules of grammar are the road signs that lead the way.
The same argument can be made for nearly any undertaking you can think of, including medicine, flying, teaching, advertising, landscaping, astronomy, and countless others. It is not a reasonable expectation to be able to
This subject is most likely on my mind right now because I recently taught two English Composition classes to college freshmen, and as we made our way through the semester, I found myself spending more and more time teaching my students the basic rules of grammar, rules that they had not quite mastered despite the fact that they were a full thirteen years into their educational careers. (Continued on Page 2)
Palmetto Bugs of the Literary Landscape By Josh Langston
Palmetto bugs. You've seen the nasty things: creepy relics of an era predating the dinosaurs and allegedly immune to the effects of radiation. No wonder they seem to flourish everywhere, including
our writing! I use the term "palmetto bug" for two reasons: (1) nobody wants to read about roaches and (2) because these disgusting crawlies have so much in common with what should be a writer's arch nemesis: stative verbs.
For my purposes, any form of the verb "to be" is a stative verb. What's wrong with 'em? Plenty. Laziness tops the list, because writers use them in lieu of real verbs, i.e., verbs that actually do something. (Continued on Page 3)
PAGE
2
Grammar is Your Friend (continued from Page 1) Raymond L. Atkins is the author of two novels, The Front Porch Prophet and Sorrow Wood, and newspaper columnist in his hometown of Rome, Ga.
“You have to learn how to write properly before you can convey your words to others. The rules of grammar are the road signs that lead the way.”
Writing is no exception to this maxim, although it is not always easy to convince people of that fact. You have to learn how to write properly before you can convey your words to others. The rules of grammar are the road signs that lead the way. This subject is most likely on my mind right now because I recently taught two English Composition classes to college freshmen, and as we made our way through the semester, I found myself spending more and more time teaching my students the basic rules of grammar, rules that they had not quite mastered despite the fact that they were a full thirteen years into their educational careers. My students and I finally came up with a list of general guidelines that kept them out of trouble about 95% of the time. Admittedly these rules mostly apply to freshman essays, but you might find one or two that will help you stay on the old straight and narrow in whatever type of writing you prefer. We named this list The Ten Commandments of Writing, even though there were many more than ten entries on it, and even though the list keeps getting longer all the time. 1. Never use colons or semicolons for any reason. 2. See number one. 3. A good essay has five paragraphs.
GEORGIA
WRITES!
4. A good paragraph has six sentences. 5. The punctuation goes inside the quotation mark. 6. It’s is a contraction that means it is. Its is the possessive form of it. They are the most mis-used words in the English language. Avoid them as if they were radioactive in-laws trying to borrow money. 7. See numbers one and six. 8. Too many exclamation points are hard on the reader!!!!!!!!! 9. There is a place. Their is a possessive pronoun. They’re is a contraction meaning they are. 10. Apostrophes are not staples. Do not use them to staple an s onto a word. 11. Let your work age as long as possible, and then proofread it one more time. 12. The longer a sentence is, the more likely it is to contain an error. 13. I is a personal pronoun and should always be capitalized. 14. Pick a tense and stick with it. 15. Read your finished work out loud, and the errors will talk to you. 16. Dew knot re-lie up on spell Czech. 17. Put the noun as close to the verb as you can get it. 18. Unless you are a terminally vague person, avoid ellipsis points…
19. Another word for independent clause is sentence, and you can’t join two of those with just a comma. 20. You can’t just squeeze two sentences together really tightly and hope that works, either. When you try this, it is called a run-on, and run-ons are bad. 21. A fragment is not a sentence. It is, well, a fragment. 22. Unless you are e. e. cummings (and thank goodness you’re not), the first word of a sentence is always capitalized, and some form of punctuation must go after the final word. 23. When in doubt, look it up or leave it out. 24. OMG, UR, LMAO, WTF, and the like should not appear anywhere in your work. There you have the Ten Commandments of Writing. I imagine you can probably think of a few more rules to add to the list, and please feel free to do so. But keep in mind that these guidelines are just a means to an end. The important thing is to keep writing. The more you write, the better your writing will become. Becoming a better writer is the goal. ***
VOLUME
1.3
PAGE
3
Palmetto Bugs (continued from Page 1) Remember the old adage, "Show, don't tell‖? Well, stative verbs tell; real verbs show. It takes time and effort to eradicate them, but if we don't, they'll creep into our work just like palmetto bugs: behind the woodwork, up in the cupboards and into the drawer with the silverware. Bleah!
But I digress. Let's try another set of examples: A. The murder weapon was a .38 special, a cop's gun— the same as Joe's. He had been carrying it for years. Notice the dual statives ("was" and "had been"), and while neither would cause a reader hives, neither is especially useful either.
Recast almost any sentence containing a stative verb, and you'll likely end up with a more interesting one. Do it often enough, and it becomes automatic. A couple examples should make the point: 1. Mary is a beautiful girl who lives in the house next door. An okay sentence, technically speaking, but decidedly ho-hum. 2. Mary, a beautiful girl, lives in the house next door. Marginally better, and we nuked the stative verb, but the sentence remains bland and doesn't do much to advance the story. 3. Sometimes I catch sight of Mary, the beautiful girl next door. Still better, and we get a hint about the observer. A little more work might actually shift this line into the "keeper" pile. 4. I saw my beautiful neighbor, Mary, seventeen times today. Now we're not even thinking about the stupid little stative verb any more. We've stumbled onto the start of an actual story!
B. The murder weapon? A .38 special. Like Joe's. His hand fit it like a glove. Better, but the glove cliché gets in the way. C. The murder weapon? A .38 special. Joe instinctively wrapped his hand around his own. This calls for the tale to be told in Joe's point of view, which may or may not be appropriate, but the improved strength of the passage is undeniable. Your use of the adverb "instinctively" is optional. (We'll address adverbs in a future column.) See how easy that was? From "Okay" to "Oh, cool" in nothin' flat. See for yourself. Go find the last thing you wrote and copy the first 500 words into a
separate document. It doesn't matter if you write fiction or non-fiction, love stories or letters; statives can—and do—crawl into anything. Take that document and eliminate every last stative verb you can find. All of 'em! Some revisions won't require anything more drastic than the c hanges between examples 1 and 2 above. A number of other changes, however, will require more effort. And you know what? That's a good thing. Don't be surprised if one of those changes sets your story in a whole new direction. When you finish, try to honestly evaluate which version does the better job of showing over telling. Which makes for more interesting reading? Many writers will apply this technique to the balance of their piece instead of throwing away what they just revised. The lazy writers won't take the time to finish the exercise in the first place, but you'll know their work when you see it crawl by. So, the next time you get geared up to write something, do it with a can of bug spray handy. Cheers! ***
“Take that document and eliminate every last stative verb you can find. All of „em!”
Josh Langston is coauthor of the Druids trilogy. Book one of the trilogy, Druids, was a finalist for Canada’s 2010 Aurora Award while book two, Captives, was ranked third on the Calgary Herald bestseller list for April 2011. His newest contemporary thriller is set to be published later this year.
PAGE
4
Grammar for Writers By Sara Meyer
Sara Meyer is a freelance editor and a graduate of Kennesaw State University’s Master of Arts in Professional Writing program.
As promised in the last installment, we are going to discuss a concept of English grammar that strikes fear when spoken into many an ear: split infinitives. Most people know this is a grammatical ―no-no,‖ but aren’t sure why, or what it is, or how to avoid one if they see it on the street. Just kidding. A split infinitive is a phrase in which an adverb (a ―describing‖ word, sometimes called an ―-ly‖ word) is inserted between the word ―to‖ and a verb. As in: ―She decided to quickly run out of the house.‖ ―Although he meant to gently tell her the news, it came out all wrong.‖ Yes, that is literally and truly the whole concept. Sticklers for grammar
Writer’s Block! Writing prompts courtesy of CreativeWritingPrompts.com.
Are you at a standstill in your manuscript? Are you filling your day with non-writing activities? Try these prompts to get your writing back into gear!
Rewrite the fairy tale of Snow White from the perspective of Bashful, one of the Seven Dwarves. Write a news story based on this headline: “Hospital Won’t Help Dying Man.”
GEORGIA
WRITES!
want to see: ―The cat managed to wait patiently for the bird to settle within range.‖ Why are grammarians so cranky about this little turn of phrase? The answer is: they like to do things the old way. In fact, to understand their attitude requires a short history lesson. The English language was originally a Germanic tongue (think way back, to Beowulf). French and Latin were added to the mixture in the seventeenth century (as British royals began speaking French exclusively; and the intelligentsia, as well as Christian church officials, used Latin). In England, all three languages fused together into one concoction, as surely as if they had been put in a Boston shaker and sent for an ice-and-vodka tumble, and formed not the perfect shaken martini, but the lovely, complicated English language we speak, read, and write today (more or less). One of the major features of this massive change to English is the use of the Latin grammar structure. Split infinitives are not possible in Latin, because in Latin, infinitives are single words. So, grammarians decided: If it can’t be done in Latin, it can’t be done in English,
either! They still hold to that concept. Meanwhile, intelligent people in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, the United States, and most of Canada (just to name a few countries) struggle to understand the split infinitive and why it is such a bad thing—which is the fault of people with some stodgy ideas, in my opinion. The major reason many turn to the split infinitive is that is saves sentences from becoming ―clunky.‖ If you have split an infinitive in the past, allow me assure you: you’re in good company. Name almost any notable English-speaking writer, and you will probably find they have committed the same offense. But, is it really better to ―go boldly‖ than ―to boldly go‖ where the writing wants to take you? Do grace and flow of language need to defer to proper grammatical structures? That is a decision you, dear author, must make for yourself. On that note, we will pause for thought. Next time, we will go over the basics of that most versatile of pauses, the comma. ***
Events Around Atlanta This summer might be the perfect time to visit your local library. In our current economic and political climate, citizens all over the world are fighting to sustain these vital resources. Read this for yourself. Check out the children’s book, The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq, or visit www.independent.co.uk and read ―The Day the Book Worm Turned.‖ Recently, several local libraries narrowly escaped closure during Cobb County budget cuts. Libraries don’t merely protect information and nurture readers of all ages; they play an important role in bringing communities together. So support your local library! Fayette County The Poet Tree: Poetry Circle and Workshop, the third Monday of every month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Open to all poets and poetry lovers, high school age and up. The group meets to discuss favorite published poets, to explore elements and devices of poetry, and to share new writings Visit www.fayettecountyga.gov/public_library.
Bartow County Take a Tai Chi Class and meet an author. Join Tai Chi expert and author Phil Robinson in a workshop on the basic principles of Tai Chi along with a light workout. June 3, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Cartersville, Nathan Dean Room A. Visit www.bartowlibraryonline.org.
Forsyth County Forsyth Reads Together 2011, all summer! This community wide affair will encourage everyone to read and discuss works of Louisa May Alcott, especially Little Women. Events are planned all summer from an open house kick-off, book discussions, visits from Louisa and Civil War soldiers, a screening of Little Women (the version with Katherine Hepburn), discussions of the philosophies that influenced Louisa, and in August, a screening of Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women. Visit www.forsyth.cc/library.
Douglas County Attend author visit and book discussion. Join the library for an evening with Eleanor Brown, who will talk about her book The Weird Sisters. June 30, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Highlands Ranch Library. Visit www.douglascountylibraries.org.
Fulton County Take a free Zumba or Yoga class. Attend author visit with Yusef Poole. See the play, Job Security by Martie Charles, "A play which focuses on one of our community's most serious problems: teachers and educators whose first commitment is to themselves, instead of to their students." All performances are free. Saturday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m., East Atlanta Branch. Wednesday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m., Mechanicsville Branch. Visit www.afpls.org.
Gwinnett County Meet two bestselling authors! Karin Slaughter will kick off her book tour for the new book Fallen here in Gwinnett! Friday, July 1, at 7:00pm. John Hart will discuss his book, The Last Child, Monday, July 25, at 7:00 pm. Visit www.gwinnettpl.org.
Clayton County Take advantage of these great opportunities. Zoo Atlanta Passes. Each library branch now has a Zoo Atlanta DVD that can be checked out by Clayton County library card-holders. When it is returned, you will receive a receipt that can be used for free admission to Zoo Atlanta for two adults and two children within 7 days of the receipt date! State Park and Historic Site Passes. Each of branch has passes for state parks and state historic sites available for one week checkout periods. Visit www.claytonpl.org. Cobb County Peruse the Cobb African American Connection. This growing collection of materials focuses on the cultural life and contributions of African-Americans living in Cobb County and Marietta. Visit the Central Library's Georgia Room or www.cobbcat.org for more information.
Hall County Go to the Farmer’s Market. All summer on Thursdays. 4:00-7:00pm, at Spout Springs. Visit www.hallcountylibrary.org.
Dekalb County Visit these websites. The Dekalb County library, www.dekalblibrary.org, is the host and sponsor for the Georgia Center for the Book. This organization is the state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. It was chartered in early 1998 with the DeKalb County Public Library. It offers an enriching and exciting array of events for readers and writers, alike–too many to fit on this page! Visit www.georgiacenterforthebook.org.
Congratulations to the winners of the 47th Georgia Author of the Year Awards! Winner for First Novel: June Hall McCash for Almost to Eden Finalist: Jeffrey Stepakoff for Fireworks Over Toccoa
Winner for Fiction: Joseph A. Skibell for A Curable Romantic Finalist: Joshilyn Jackson for Backseat Saints
Winner for Poetry: Phillip Lee Williams for The Flower Seeker: An Epic Poem of William Bartram Finalist: Anya K. Silver for The Ninety-Third Name of God
Winner for Biography: Larry L. McSwain for Loving Beyond Your Theology: The Life and Ministry of Jimmy Raymond Allen Finalist: Neil Wilkinson for Running on Full: The Story of Ruth and Ruby Crawford
Winner for Essay: Peter Augustine Lawler for Modern and American Dignity: Who We Are as Persons, and What That Means for our Future Finalist: Dana Wildsmith for Back to Abnormal: Surviving with an Old Farm in the New South
Winner for Inspirational: Justin Spizman and Robyn Spizman for Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up Finalist: Carmen Acevedo Butcher for Following Christ: A Lenten Reader
Winner for Memoir: D. Craig Rikard for Hidden Epidemic Finalist: Susan Gilbert Harvey for Postmarks: The Summers of ‘98
Winner for History: Toni P. Anderson for “Tell Them We Are Singing For Jesus”: The Original Fisk Jubilee Singers and Christian Reconstruction, 1871-1878 Finalist: Margaret Keiley-Listermann for Sinn Fein Women: Footnoted Foot Soldiers and Women of No Importance
Winner for Specialty Book: John A. Burrison for From Mud to Jug: The Folk Potters and Pottery of Northeast Georgia Finalist: Robert Chambers for Parodies: The Art that Plays with Art
Winner for Children’s Picture Book: Grady Thrasher for Tim and Sally’s Year in Poems Winner for Young Adult Fiction: Ted Dunagan for Secret of the Satilfa Finalist: Elizabeth Laing Thompson for The Thirteenth Summer
Winner for Children’s Mid-Reader: Peggy Mercer for Peach: When the Well Run Dry Finalist: Kathi Harper Hill for The Crow and the Wind
Terry Kay was the recipient of the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award. Terry Kay says, ― My passion for many, many, many years has been to celebrate the writing done in this state. I have been dismayed that Georgia writers have not had the kind of acknowledgement that our neighboring states give their native writers. This occasion tonight does this—gives recognition to our native writers.‖ Kay is the author of several popular novels including Dance with the White Dog which became a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn. His novel The Book of Marie won the Georgia Author of the Year Award in 2008 for best fiction. His latest book, Bogmeadow’s Wish, published by Mercer University Press, was released in 2011. ―There are times I think the writing is overstated. It is really not about us. It is about the person that reads you more than anything else.‖ Congratulations, Terry!
Dr. Ralph Tejeda Wilson was the recipient for the first annual Georgia Writers Association Service Award. As the former executive director of the Georgia Writers Association, Ralph helped to establish the GWA on the campus of Kennesaw State University, in addition to initiating the Literary Events Grant of Georgia (LEGG) to bring literary events to the underserved counties in Georgia. Thanks for all your hard work with the GWA, Ralph!
Meet Your Georgia Writers
By Leslie O’Bryant
This is Jack Mathis. You will like him right away. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a writing workshop in March. Jack served this spring semester as an intern for the Georgia Writers Association. He became indispensable to the organization because he is direct, helpful, honest, diligent and a quick learner. Jack grew up in Atlanta, more specifically in Chastain Park, near Buckhead. He has two happily married parents and one slightly younger sister who graduated, this May, from Georgia Tech about the same time Jack graduated from KSU. Jack majored in English to improve his writing skills. He got the writing bug at age sixteen when he read Orlando by Virginia Woolf. He said when he saw her beautiful sentences, he knew he wanted to write like that, and the feeling has never left him. His favorite genre is American poetry. An old high school tutor introduced him to Walt Whitman and now he is hooked. His favorite thing about writing is the first draft when there are no constraints of editing or hints of censure – just the freedom to express and being in that zone where the ideas flow.
Jack Mathis
When he is not writing or studying the subject, he likes to stay active in his church and do things with his friends. He also likes to go hiking and camping. At the time of this publication, Jack is a graduate of Kennesaw State University and is working on a freelance assignment that he got as a direct result of the knowledge he gained during his internship with the Georgia Writers Association. Congratulations Jack! Thank you for your hard work at KSU and the Georgia Writers Association!
Georgia Writes! A publication of the Georgia Writers Association
Georgia Writers Association 1000 Chastain Road Mail Stop #2701 Kennesaw, GA 30144 Phone: 770-420-4736 www.georgiawriters.org
Do you have an article to share? Would you like to become a quarterly contributing writer? Do you have event information to be included in our Events Around Atlanta section? Please contact Sue Cochran at scochran182@gmail.com for more information!