More Punctuation in Dialogue—A Reader’s Questions

Can you combine dialogue for multiple readers in one paragraph? Learn what readers expect about dialogue and why it’s important to follow the rules.

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Some writing rules are not rules, certainly not rules that must be followed to craft understandable and engaging stories. Let’s look at some of the rules we can toss out.

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There’s much more to a paragraph than what you learned way back when. See what your paragraphs can and should be doing for your stories.

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Even though it’s often ignored, the semicolon has important uses that other punctuation marks can’t handle. Learn where and where not to use the semicolon.

Continue reading Don’t Fear the Semicolon—It’s a Useful Writing Tool »

Even professional writers might need a review of comma use. See what the wrong use of commas can do to a reader who otherwise loves your story.

Continue reading No Comma Necessary—Coordinating Conjunctions Don’t Always Need Commas »

We all need help with the rules of grammar and punctuation, but sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. This list can help you with a few rules you might not be familiar with.

Continue reading Rules of Grammar & Punctuation—The Weird, Odd, or Unfamiliar »

Participial phrases have something to do with writing? You probably think I’m pulling your leg when I say that they do. But I promise I’m not. And I promise you’ll recognize these oddly named phrases once you see them. Learn how to use these modifiers correctly to bring variety and clarity to your writing.

Continue reading Participial Phrases? C’mon, You Made that Up »

Punctuation rules are not always fun to study and learn. Yet a strong grasp of the rules can make you a stronger writer. Here are a few of the rules concerning commas, presented with a different slant—learn when not to use a comma.

Continue reading Finding Commas in All the Wrong Places »

A list of commonly misused words is not a very exciting article. But all writers and editors should know how to use words correctly and how to identify misused words. Here are some confusing and commonly misused words.

Continue reading Misused Words—Common Writing Mistakes »

Comma splices are common writing mistakes that are easily corrected. Learn how to identify comma splices and how to correct them.

Continue reading Comma Splice—A Common Writing Mistake »