Short story author, Novelist in the making & Grammar enthusiast
Welcome to my first MicroBlog, where I’ll share a grammar nugget at lightening speed.
I recently saw a humorous book about punctuation titled: ‘Have You Eaten Grandma?’
What a horrible question!
But what if we add a comma? ‘Have you eaten, Grandma?’ As if by magic, the question transforms from horrible to caring. [Read More…] about MicroBlog 1: Commas, Names, and not eating Grandma
In late-19th-century Boston, one lonely figure strides past closed curtains and shuttered windows, hurrying to catch the earliest train to New York City. Hers is a life defined by death and hell-bent on revenge. Two … Read more » about Glimpses. Your free book of short stories.
COULD I HELP YOU PERSONALLY? Instead of reciting abstract rules and principles, or using examples that look nothing like anything you’d ever write yourself, couldn’t we figure this grammar and punctuation business … Read more » about Your Free Grammar Edit
Here’s a simple grammar principle that’s well worth remembering: Where there is ‘however’, there should always be a comma nearby. That comma can come … Read more » about ‘However’ and commas
Words joined by hyphens. They’re all around us. But what are they? Give me five minutes, and I’ll explain just that. By the end, you’ll also know … Read more » about Hyphens? When to use them made simple
Do you want to write clear sentences that use grammar and punctuation correctly? But do phrases like "compound … Read more » about To Comma or Not to Comma? When to put commas before “and”, “but”, “or”, “nor”, and “yet” made simple
Writing description can be a tricky business. Too much and the reader might get bored. Too little and they’ll … Read more » about How to write Riveting Description with “The Pillars of the Earth”
I’m back again on my mission to present the rules of grammar and punctuation without any jargon and with a … Read more » about A Simple Guide to Fixing Run-On Sentences
Ken Follett opens The Pillars of the Earth with a stark and unsettling line. The small boys came early … Read more » about Sentence cadence. Uncovering this secret of great prose in “The Pillars of the Earth”
I’ve got a book on my shelf printed by the Oxford University Press and another printed by the Cambridge … Read more » about What’s an Oxford comma? How do I use it correctly? And do I need one at all?
‘Place a comma before “which” but not before “that”.’ I’ve come across this simple guideline many times, and … Read more » about Can a single comma change the meaning of a whole sentence? A simple guide to placing commas before ‘which’ and ‘that’
I used to stare at my computer screen, deeply perplexed, trying to choose between everyday and every day, … Read more » about Everyday or Every day? How to choose between words like these with ease
It’s dialogue time again. Over the last two weeks, I’ve addressed paragraphing dialogue and capitalising … Read more » about How to Punctuate Dialogue
If you’ve written fabulous dialogue, I’m ready to help you defend it against awkward punctuation, strange … Read more » about How to capitalise dialogue
Brilliant dialogue is central to so many of our favourite stories, fiction and nonfiction. So, how unfortunate … Read more » about How to paragraph dialogue
I wonder how many of us have ever asked our readers to believe in talking elephants: While talking with a … Read more » about How to avoid talking elephants. Fixing faulty introductory phrases
In December 2012, a young Matthew took his seat in the cinema without a clue what he was getting himself … Read more » about “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” teaches story structure
In the following sentence, a vital comma is missing. Where do you think it should go… and why? If you come … Read more » about A tiny comma edit guaranteed to make a massive improvement
When I finished my first few blogs, I realised that I had based many of my descriptions on “complete … Read more » about What makes a complete sentence?
Hi, there. I’m back again, ready to investigate another grammar topic. If I let myself stray into prideful … Read more » about How to Put Commas Between Descriptors
