tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post3771445561066124567..comments2023-09-08T09:05:26.912-07:00Comments on Erin Kane Spock: Grammar Is Not The Boss of Me!Erin Kane Spockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05376851676240606472noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-1965300098680932122010-11-04T21:21:38.395-07:002010-11-04T21:21:38.395-07:00Grammar is wonderful as a tool to express thoughts...Grammar is wonderful as a tool to express thoughts. My grammer will alter radically depending on what i happen to be reading at teh time that I am writting. You should have seen the comments I got on a technical engineering essay that I composed whist reading the Three Musketeers. Be true to your context and tell the story, isn't that why people read?Eric Atkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15829537070080770599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-75292125456958428402010-11-04T11:11:04.016-07:002010-11-04T11:11:04.016-07:00I feel about grammar like I feel about all rules. ...I feel about grammar like I feel about all rules. You have to know them in order to break them effectively. Depending on a book's voice and characters, every sentence isn't going to be grammatically perfect. However, I think that errors made accidentally rather than intentionally may make the manuscript look unprofessional. <br /><br />Of course, I am bias. I kind of love grammar.Missed Periodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10343265071637032284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-34147946016931486452010-11-03T03:22:43.235-07:002010-11-03T03:22:43.235-07:00I will be honest now and just say it now, when I d...I will be honest now and just say it now, when I do a critique I do it all, grammar, flow, plot and anything else I can find.<br />Maybe that is why some people don't talk to me anymore :PJoanna St. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06180782095853911283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-41611935579057598622010-11-02T16:03:07.047-07:002010-11-02T16:03:07.047-07:00I flatter myself that I have a somewhat more-than-...I flatter myself that I have a somewhat more-than-instinctual understanding of grammar, thanks to the (near-constant) reading, the (should-be-more-constant) writing, and those aforementioned English classes. <br /><br />But I do have a list of friends I avoid giving anything of mine to to read, because they go after grammar and nothing else.<br /><br />Good post.A.T. Posthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03987529687181431843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-8640593347132214732010-11-02T14:04:22.873-07:002010-11-02T14:04:22.873-07:00As a writer with a bruised ego and slashed manuscr...As a writer with a bruised ego and slashed manuscript...I agree. Sometimes harping on grammar is not only unhelpful, but discouraging. <br /><br />I agree with you wholeheartedly. If I wanted grading and punctuation checks, I'd hire a line editor.<br /><br />Great post!Raquel Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12870113745683162915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-34226095809196007632010-11-02T12:16:34.084-07:002010-11-02T12:16:34.084-07:00Voice > grammar. Of course, making sense = voic...Voice > grammar. Of course, making sense = voice, but just because you have poor sentence structure (or whatever it is), doesn't mean it won't make sense. <br /><br />Francine is right about a historical piece having its own style. Perhaps a fan of the period would make a better critic, because someone who has never read a historical romance certainly won't be a good judge of one.J E Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03372746219262163566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-8446838550913422622010-11-02T09:32:23.327-07:002010-11-02T09:32:23.327-07:00Erin,
I couldn't agree with you more! I wrote...Erin,<br /><br />I couldn't agree with you more! I wrote my first novel last year and I am on the final edit now. The first person who offered to read and help me edit the first draft. Sent it back to me with the comments, "I can't read this!" Your grammar is abominable! "Your sentence structure in unrecognizable!" <br /><br />SO I wrote back to her "Don't you understand American english slang?" <br />Granted I did have many grammar issues, but you could still read for content and enjoy the story ... right? I've been out of school for a few many years and the last college paper I wrote was over a decade ago, Even then my grammar wasn't the best. Always got a A in content, though.<br /><br />It took me all year to beat into my head the do's and don'ts. AND the worst part of all of this ... grammar rules CHANGE! You finally learn one way to do something and then it changes.<br /><br />Overall I think we should know the basics, after that creativity rules!<br /><br />Great post. I really enjoyed it.<br /><br />MichaelMichael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3937582163976319064.post-45791220427373933562010-11-02T08:31:15.249-07:002010-11-02T08:31:15.249-07:00Hi,
Grammar has its place, but given that you'...Hi,<br /><br />Grammar has its place, but given that you're witing a historical romance then aspects of dialogue and narrative passages may well seem - to the inexperienced eye - perhaps unfamiliar in terms of modern grammar. But then again, so too regional dialect can cause problems for the lesser well-read in today's society. In particular novels written by Dickens, Austen and the Bronte sisters consist of long sentence structure, huge paragraphs, and all rather convoluted in style and presentation: not easy reading. Too often publishers have reprinted editions by these authors in what can only be categorised as modern speak and modern prose, which leaves a lot to be desired in creating sense of time and place for historical reading. <br /><br />As for critiquers and critical assessment, yep, there's plenty out there voicing their expertise, but few writers in the historical genre are as hot as they think they are. Take Regency novels, many written by novelists that clearly research by way of Austen re City of Bath & Landsdown Racecourse, London and the Ton. <br /><br />Few of these authors though, seem to have heard of Cheltenham Spa, and few knowing that Epsom (Surrey) Racecourse was frequented by members of the Ton, not Ascot (Berkshire)Racecourse, the racecourse of today's high society, which is owned by the Queen and not far from Windsor. <br /><br />Chin up, and follow your dream your own way! ;)<br /><br />best<br />FFrancine Howarthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02326542867876257042noreply@blogger.com