Are you a serial hyphenator? Or do you just wish that was the least of your writing woes? Whether you’ve overused your life quota or have entirely missed the point of the all-too-often-misunderstood Great H, this one’s for you. Today’s tip comes from the good folks at Ragan.com:
Clear-cut rules for hyphens
By Denise C. Baron
Some may argue this makes the language colorful; others may say it drives them to drink.
Exasperating as it can be, at least it’s not boring; and sometimes, elements of the language will cause you to pause and reflect, if only to be certain that you’re using them correctly.
Take the hyphen — a little line that often makes a big difference but one that too often is misused, inserted where it doesn’t belong or missing altogether where it does. It’s the Rodney Dangerfield of punctuation; it deserves a lot more attention and respect than it gets.
The hyphen plays several roles. For one, it’s used to break up syllables in dictionary entries. For another, when the hyphen appears at the end of a syllable at the end of a line in print, it’s telling you that the remainder of the word has carried over to the following line; it’s signaling a continuance.
Grammatically, the hyphen’s main purpose is to ensure clarity, and here’s where things can get fuzzy. The hyphen commonly is used in a compound adjective — a phrase comprising two or more words that express a single concept. The compound adjective usually describes the noun that immediately follows it. One clue that a hyphen is needed to connect these words is when the lack of the hyphen causes the message to be unclear.
Here are some examples:
- fastest-growing population
- four-hour programs
- little-known company
- third-world country
- high-class ring-designer
Without the hyphens, these phrases could be misconstrued. They’ll stop you in your tracks as you read them, because without the hyphens, you cannot be sure what’s being conveyed.
The “fastest growing population” could be interpreted as a growing population that runs more quickly than any other growing population. “Four hour programs” could describe four programs that are each an hour long. A “little known company” could be a small business that is widely known. A “third world country” could be number three in a list of global nations.
However, for “high class ring designer,” is the reference to a designer of class rings who’s tipsy or to a skilled designer of rings, in general? The hyphens let you know.
Then there’s when not to use the hyphen.
Words such as firsthand, necktie and firewall are not hyphenated, and there are a slew of others that, even though you might think they should be hyphenated or have always hyphenated them or have always seen them hyphenated, aren’t. Adding to the confusion are words that, depending on their usage in a sentence, may or may not sport a hyphen. Lowdown, for instance, when used as a noun is a single word; however, used descriptively, as in that low-down, dirty, rotten scoundrel, it needs the hyphen.
Knowing with confidence when or when not to use the hyphen requires the assistance of a good dictionary, because as far as I can figure out, there’s no single rule to keep it all straight. Consider the word long. Just look at some of the many entries listed in Webster’s II New College Dictionary for nouns and adjectives that have long as a prefix:
- longboat: noun, no hyphen
- long suit: noun, space/no hyphen
- long-distance: adjective, hyphen
- longhair: noun, no hyphen
- longhorn: noun, no hyphen
- long-horned: adjective, hyphen
- longsighted: adjective, no hyphen
- long-winded: adjective, hyphen
Cocktails, anyone?
As for adverbs, most English usage manuals advise avoiding hyphens after “-ly” adverbs, such as “fairly close race” and “equally effective medication.” As the Associated Press Stylebook explains, readers expect such adverbs to modify the word that follows.
When in doubt about hyphenation, don’t guess. Instead, check your stylebook for guidance. Better yet, keep a good dictionary on hand — and use it. Or, even better, consult your local bartender.
Denise C. Baron is a director of global communications with Merck & Co., Inc.
]]>21st Annual National African American Read-In
In honor of Black History Month and with the endorsement of the International Reading Association, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE; of which L Words is a proud member) is once again sponsoring the National African American Read-In, dedicated to celebrating the history of African American literature and further emphasizing the importance of (and joy in!) making reading a lifelong practice.
Originally created by a group of scholars to familiarize readers with great works in African American literature, the event has grown to boast over one million participants internationally, including churches, schools, libraries, bookstores, and other community groups and professional organizations. Participants gather in Read-In groups to experience a variety of African American literature together, from public readings and discussions to media-driven author presentations.
In support of the event, L Words has created an online Read-In group that will be facilitated through this site. For the next 5 weeks, we’ll be reading and writing our socks off! (Not literally, of course – the threat posed to the group by such an interpretation is simply too great to comprehend.) Because this event is in truth another lens from which to philosophically view the literacy debate, participants will be considering the following questions (among many others) with each text selection:
How does this work help us understand the concept of literacy, particularly culturally-specific literacy? In what way(s) can this work help us become better readers/writers/speakers?
After days of debate, the following text list (taken from the Recommended Text List created by the NCTE) emerged for our seminar focus: (Notice the range in complexity of subject matter and overall text)
- Angelou, Maya (1983). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
- Comer, James P. (1997). “Waiting for a Miracle: Why Schools Can’t Solve Our Problems and How We Can.” (Essays)
- Hill, Patricia (Ed; 1998). Call and Response: The Riverside Anthology of the African American Literary Tradition.
- Hurston, Zora Neale (1990). Their Eyes Were Watching God.
- Jones, Edward P. (2003). The Known World.
- Morrison, Toni (1992). Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. (Criticism)
- Perry, Theresa, & Lisa Delpit (1988). “The Real Ebonics Debate: Power, Language, & the Education of African American Children.” (Essay)
- Royster, Jacqueline Jones (2000). Traces of a Stream: Literacy & Social Change among African American Women.
- Singley, Bernestine (2002). “When Race Becomes Real: Black & White Writers Confront Their Personal Histories.” (Essay)
- Taylor, Mildred (1984). Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
- West, Cornel (1993). Race Matters.
- Wideman, John Edgar (1988). Sent for You Yesterday.
Obviously, this list is too lengthy to tackle singlehandedly; participants should choose 1-2 works only and be prepared to discuss them, forum-style, with the group. Discussions/presentations/questions should be forwarded to the group every Wednesday by no later than 8:30pm PST.
The group is filling up quickly, and we’d like to keep the size reasonable to ensure thoughtful consideration of all posts. To sign up, email us at info@lwordsediting.com with the subject line reading “Read-In.”
Read-In guidelines mandate that our last post be turned in by no later than March 15, so there’s precious little time to waste. Choose a selection and head to your local library or bookstore today for pickup. L Words will publish the results of our participation and discussion at the conclusion of the Read-In. We are excited to be learning with you all.
Happy Reading!
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Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles…November is upon us again.
Which means it’s time for National Novel Writing Month! It’s been a couple of years since we dusted off our trusty mechanical pencils and notebooks and spent long, caffeinated nights plotting the fate of poor unsuspecting (and suspiciously named) characters. And while it’s certainly true that fiction is not for every writer, NaNoWriMo offers a relaxed, fun venue for even the worst among us to accomplish the rather enviable task of writing a complete novel – even if it’s never published or read by anyone who doesn’t share our last names.
Are you up to the challenge? Sign up now and join in on the fun!
———
(From http://www.nanowrimo.org)
National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.
As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.
In 2008, we had over 119,000 participants. More than 21,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.
So, to recap:
What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month’s time.
Who: You! We can’t do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let’s write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.
Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era’s most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.
When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.
Still confused? Just visit the How NaNoWriMo Works page!
The other day a friend and I were talking about the dissertation project she’s been “hard at work” at now for over two years. Her biggest problem, unlike most graduate students I come across, has not been the research, deciding on a topic, the typical back-and-forth with her Dissertation Chair, or the all-too-familiar laziness that sets in sometime after the 2nd semester. My friend’s problem, rather, has been the actual, nitty-gritty writing.
The stare I gave her must’ve been along the lines of “Are you kidding me? Of all the things that could slow you down, just recording your research is the one that gets you?” She immediately became defensive. “Look,” she said. “Writing doesn’t just come to me like it does to some people. I just don’t get it. It’s super hard and I really have to work at making what I write not sound stupid.”
I thought about this for a few minutes. I do believe that we all have certain strengths, things that come more naturally to us than to others. But to what extent is writing one of those things? Is someone “born” without that strength simply doomed to struggle painfully through every written task in life? Was it okay for my friend to just accept her lot and try to move on as best she could?
Oh, fiddlesticks. You may not be as nifty with a fountain pen as say, Shakespeare, but anyone can learn to write well. And barring the time and practice it takes to accomplish that, everyone can at least learn to write better. So for all the struggling, would-be writers of anything out there, I’m going to give you 5 fairly simple steps to writing better and seeing results not in ten weeks or two years, but right now. You ready? Sure about that? Here we go.
- Know your audience. I don’t mean know them personally, but know who you’re communicating to. No matter what you’re writing – a dissertation, a sci-fi comic book, or a post-it note – you need to know who will be receiving the message. What does this audience expect of you? What words or phrases are they likely to understand and use in their daily lives or vocations? Are they professional? Casual? Academic? Tailor your language appropriately. It would be just as ill-advised, for instance, to pepper a presentation to a client with the words ”dude” or “you know?” as it would to overwhelm your high school babysitter with “Peradventure the child should awaken, the steps first and foremost to be taken, according to the most recent studies on Child Health and Well-Being…”
- Consider your message. Here’s where many people make their biggest mistakes – and we haven’t even talked about grammar yet. The most common reason written communications fail is not that they’re full of spelling errors but that they’re difficult to understand. If at any point in your communication your audience does not know what you’re saying, you’ve already lost. The keys to great communication are: precision (“What do I want to say? How will I go about saying it?”), conciseness (“What do I need to say? Can I say it better with fewer words?”), and clarity (after writing, read it over and ask, “What did I just say? Is this an accurate reflection of what I wanted to say in the beginning?”).
- Avoid common grammatical errors. Also a tricky point. Too many people live in fear of the dreaded “g-word” and seem content to assume grammar is much more complicated than it really is. Here’s
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reason to rejoice: for all of you who never intended to become professional writers, you can ignore a good chunk of what you pretended to learn about grammar in the first place. If you want to communicate well, instead hone in on these grammatical principles:
a. Use complete sentences. (Nouns plus verbs!)
b. More than one subject (the person doing the action of the sentence), equals a plural verb. Always.
c. Remember pronouns? (Hint: they take the place of a noun.)
When you use them, make sure the sentence identifies which
pronoun belongs to which noun. In the sentence Bobby and
Tommy played with his kite all afternoon and then went to his
house for lunch, who does his refer to?
d. If you start your communication with present tense verbs
finish up that same way, if at all possible. Please. I’m begging.
e. Don’t use a comma when a period will work better. In fact,
don’t use a comma when anything else will work better.
There’s a popular fiction going around that you should place
a comma wherever you would naturally pause when reading
aloud. That’s simply not true. There are rules for commas
just like anything else. The more commas you use, the
harder it is for your readers to keep track of your full
meaning. If you don’t know the rules, go easy.
4. Writer, edit thyself. Seriously. Buy a good dictionary and then use
it. Also make much use of your word processor’s spell check. People
who argue that it’s only accurate in 90% of situations fail to realize
that 90% is a lot better than they could do unassisted. And if you’re
so talented that you don’t even need spell check, you probably
shouldn’t be reading this.
5. Writer, you are not all-knowing. Get an editor. Even the best writers
make grammatical mistakes or have trouble communicating a point.
The problem with proofreading your own stuff is that it’s yours; it’s
hard to get objective about something so personal, and your brain
can often fill in logic gaps or gloss over spelling or grammar errors
easily because you already know what you intended to say. Your
readers, not being in your head, are thus at a distinct disadvantage.
Help them out. Get someone else to eyeball your writing. You may
be surprised at the errors you missed or the perspective you gain
from a fresh pair of eyes.
Okay, that’s it. Five relatively simple steps (so I cheated and used subpoints – you’re hardly perfect yourself) to immediately improve your writing. I hope it’s been helpful. Come back next week when we tackle global warming.
Happy writing!
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s’ Blocks has just joined the National Gallery of Writing! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this venue, the National Gallery of Writing was founded by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and its partners to spur writers of all ages and abilities to hone their skills, network with other writers, and experience other written works from the comfort of your home office or living room. The gallery is open for submissions throughout the summer and will be unveiled for public viewing on the National Day of Writing (Tuesday, October 20).
The greatest part of this adventure? Absolutely anybody can participate! Whether you’re an old pro with another book deal in the works, an amateur poet pursuing that one perfect image, or someone who has never considered yourself a writer, the National Gallery is for you. Don’t have the time to write a lengthy piece? Don’t sweat it – the gallery accepts everything from ‘artsy’ lists, letters, and text messages to short stories.
Each applicant may submit one piece for inclusion in the gallery, so make it a good one! We at Writers’ Blocks will be submitting shortly – we’ll keep you posted on what we decide to send in!
http://galleryofwriting.org/
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What’s your Literary IQ?
We’re not talking about how many Dickens heroines or Joyce allusions you can name in under 60 seconds. But we all know, or at least suspect, that great writers draw on much more than their own experiences – enter any number of unbelievable books, stage left. So how great a reader – in breadth, depth, and quantity are you?
This month’s challenge is simple: Read something (or 30) guaranteed to make you rethink, reexamine your philosophies on life and your place in the world, or just what you plan to eat for dinner tomorrow. (Only kidding. We think.)
Answer the questions/thoughts in each day’s post with something either currently on your “Should Read” list or borrow one of ours. And as always, where posts spur written inspiration, feel free to share.
Happy Reading!
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As writers, we know it’s virtually impossible to achieve greatness without also being a great reader. Every writer I know can trace the origin of his/her career to a particular book (or two, or ten) that will always hold a special place in memory. Mine? The Elephant War (Gillian Avery), which ignited in my little 3rd grade heart a passion for political activism that, if the recent presidential campaign is any evidence, continues to this day.
But for writers, books are about much more than translated ideas. We adore the process, the molding and becoming of an idea. We stand in utterly silent awe of language and give deference to those relatively few who harness its power ably, even for a moment, in lead shavings and laptop keystrokes that will forever expose the rest of us as shadowy imitations.
For me, those books are these:
- Anna Karenina
- David Copperfield
- Everything Is Illuminated
- The Feast of Love
- The Hours
- The Known World
- The Time-Traveler’s Wife
- To Kill A Mockingbird
- To The Lighthouse
- Ulysses
What are yours?
]]>Task: Create a Conflict
From C.M. Mayo’s Giant Golden Buddha – and 364 More 5-Minute Writing Exercises
Today’s exercise is courtesy of Robert Giron, a poet, writer, and translator who lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Find a short article from a newspaper that deals with some kind of conflict but then change the facts of the information given and write a short paragraph placing the person (one you create from your imagination) in a
situation with one of the following:
1. a dialogue involving the person and another (one you create) in the conflict (however, do not use any information found in the article);
2. describe the scene of the conflict (however, do not use any information found in the article).
Remember that you are merely using the article to trigger your imagination, rather than simply reshaping the article.
——
When it finally snapped inside her, she had no warning. A pulsing, frantic, fiery river of anger exploded somewhere in the region of her ribcage and raced through every inch of her body. She felt it break across her neck and face, leaving a scarlet trail in its wake. Her body physically trembled with the force of it. To others, she knew, she looked quite mad.
“What are you staring at!” she snapped. Unable to keep her tone level, she gave up altogether at the end, and the last syllables, high-pitched and blunt, sliced through the air.
If the kiosk clerk – a short, elderly Asian woman with stale bright pink lipstick and dark hair graying at the temples – was surprised, she hid it well behind the narrowed brown eyes visible only through the mirror on the corner of the booth. Caught, the woman shuffled out into view again and came to stand awkwardly in front of Jana. She put one manicured hand to her hip and gestured with the other to the shelf of brightly colored trinkets on display.
“Can I help you with something?” she offered curtly, the small smile on her wrinkled lips doing little to disguise the expression in her shrewd eyes.
Jana looked in those eyes and suddenly hated nothing more in the world than this woman. In a flash she had dropped the crystal swan she’d been considering moments earlier as a Christmas gift for Brent’s mother and turned to face the clerk.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” she accused, her anger so thick she could taste it behind her teeth.
The clerk stared at her defiantly for what seemed like minutes. Finally, she tilted her head slightly, as if acknowledging the game they’d both just stopped playing.
“You think I don’t see you following me around, watching everything touch?” Jana spat. “You do this with everybody?”
Dimly, she was aware that a group of shoppers to her left had slowed their pace enough to take in the conversation. One, she saw, had stopped altogether.
“You’re not slick. You think just because I’m black that I’m gonna steal from your rinky-dink little cart?”
The clerk raised one eyebrow. “Would you like to buy anything, ma’am? If not, please go.”
Jana didn’t know which word pissed her off more. Her eye sockets burned with the fierceness of her glare and she clenched her teeth so tightly that a sharp pain shot through her jawline. She felt the weight of her anger center in her chest, so hot and bright that she felt it must be visible through her sweater and jacket. Having made its rounds through her body, there was nowhere left for it to go but out. The feeling was both unbelievably empowering and terrifying. At that moment, she was capable of anything.
She raised her own eyebrow to match the clerk’s, and lifted a hand to the display shelf where dozens of the tiny crystal creatures sat quietly. Innocently. She chose a panda holding a bright red rose. The crystal caught the light of the display case, shimmered and cast a spectrum of color across the floor. Jana released the panda, smiling as colors collapsed in on themselves, disappearing just before the figurine smashed to the floor.
The security guard was there before either of them could say another word.
]]>WWLD Guide #33: How to Get Over a Regrettable Myspace Obsession (pt. 1)
Readers,
I recently received the below from an old friend struggling with that oldest and most disappointing of temptations, the Illogical Myspace Stranger Obsession. This dear girl, having suffered in near silence for months, is finally showing a desire to take the necessary steps for recovery. Please join me in congratulating her and wishing her every success with the prescribed path away from Cyber-stalkerville.
Ever,
L
—–
Dear L,
Remember the guy from myspace I told you about (last year) that I was feeling particularly guilty over after not speaking to him (after several run ins) and deleting him from my friends list?? Lol… Well, I moved on not long after that conversation and haven’t really thought of him since; but last night, while half-heartedly attempting to study, he randomly popped in my head and the guilt is starting up all over again. God, I just wish I talked to him at least once…but I didn’t and I won’t get that opportunity again (you ever get to the point where you just know something is a “done deal” and the door is closed for good???). Plus, I’m sure any attempts to speak with him now would be extremely creepy (I would have to look him up on myspace and send him an email). I’m so tired of thinking about something I can’t change. It is what it is, right?? There’s nothing I can do. W.W.L.D… to help her move on??
Most sincerely,
E
——–
Dear “E,”
Today is your lucky day, as your question is eerily compatible to advice contained within the latest issue of the WWLD Guide: How to Get Over a Regrettable Myspace Obsession (any real or imagined similarity is, of as always, purely non-coincidental). In this guide, Yours Truly answers the Question of the Day in this manner:
if i don’t remember this guy, neither should you.
in short, it’s myspace. and you’re not feeling guilty, you’re feeling regret. like he’s the one that got away. when in reality, let me point out again: it’s myspace. in the spirit of recovery, i’ve concocted a series of “Get Over It Now” strategies, some of which, although drastic, just might work for you. the very next time you think about this non-issue, let me urge you to try one of the following:
a. delete your myspace account. facebook has rendered it virutally pointless, anyway.
b. slap yourself on both cheeks with a nearby object (preferrably a ladies’ afternoon driving glove). then laugh because you just look silly.
c. say the following in a loud voice, no matter who is in the room with you: “it was just myspace. we were never really friends. it was never going to be anything more. it. was. JUST. myspace.” repeat until desired reaction achieved (you are red-faced and feel rather foolish).
d. look him up. cyber-stalk him. check out all his new pics (this tactic relies on the assumption you haven’t been keeping up to date on his page). realize, mid-click, “this dude isn’t actually in my life in any substantial way, but is actually a stranger. thus, my actions are creepy and border illegal in several states.” straightaway after realization, apply solutions a-c as listed above.
e. go out and find a real man. (caution: this strategy employs additional techniques not described in this helpful How-To manual. for complete details, please purchase WWLD Guide, “How to Go Out and Find a Real Man,” in stores now.)
at WWLD, we are always interested in how our solutions play out in the lives of real people in real time. so after experimenting with the above, please provide feedback on one of our partner sites, which shall be determined at a later date.
thanks for writing. now go take on the day.
L
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