Our next topic is language, ooooooh this is a dreaded subject to me, I severely lack in this area, and if you do to then let’s figure this thing out together! Because language and the topics I want to go over is so wide, I will be splitting it up into parts, our first part will be the dreaded comma. . .
This is something we all struggle with (unless you’re a crazy good write who has already learned how to use a comma properly), and as a beginner writer this is something you will have to learn to achieve better writing.
‘Proper placement of commas is an art and a science. Because there are specific rules for where and when to use a comma, it's a science. But because comma usage may be subjective, it's also an art. All novel writers know that their writing has certain rhythms. Commas, as well as other punctuation, are an integral aspect of this rhythm. How you punctuate your writing makes the book easier or harder to read.’
Because there are so many rules to using commas, I found a site that broke down these rules to their simplest form:
1. If you use a series of three or more items with a single conjunction (for those of you who maybe do not know what a conjunction is, its The part of speech (or word class) that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. The common conjunctions--and, but, for, or, nor, yet, and so--join the elements of a coordinate structure.), use a comma after each item. For instance: green, red, and blue. (Be aware, however, that in some style guides, you'll be advised to drop the final comma: green, red and blue.)
2. Enclose expressions that interrupt the flow of the sentence with commas: Going to the store, unless you have a car, can be a long journey.
3. Writing out the month, day, and year will require a comma: January 5, 1968.
4. A comma should go before a conjunction that introduces an independent clause: The trip was bad, but the food was great.
5. In dialogue, a comma separates the spoken words from the modifiers: “Mary went to school,” she said. She said, “Mary went to school.” (I find this rule as important, there are many writers who do not comply with this rule, frankly it’s annoying)
6. •Use a comma to add phrases to the front or back of your sentence: Surely, she'd listen to reason. She believes in Santa Claus, obviously.
7. Commas are great, but if you use too many, your readers will get thoroughly confused. A good rule of thumb is to avoid using more than three commas in a sentence. If you feel the need to do so, your sentence is too long. It would be better to rethink and revise. Remember that you're trying to create a feeling of movement. When you're writing an action scene where your hero and villain are fighting, the sentences should be even shorter, with very few commas. Here are a few examples of comma OVERUSE:
•The swollen river, fed by streams from the mountains, fraught with ice, was dangerous, if not impossible, to pass.
•Tomorrow's stock market, reaching new highs, falling to new depths, rushing toward disaster, is nothing if not, we predict, overzealous.
8. One way to adjust these comma-heavy sentences would be to create more than one sentence:
The swollen river was fed by streams from the mountains. Fraught with ice, it was dangerous and difficult to pass.
The meaning remains the same, but there aren't so many commas and the reading is more casual.
Editors look for excessive comma usage as a way to tell how experienced you are as a writer. The more experienced the writer, the fewer the commas. Don't let them catch you on this. Even if you don't have tons of experience, your manuscript can read as though you do.
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Writing Knowledge: Basics to Advance
Non-FictionBasically we are going to learn everything and anything we can about writing! So if you’re a first time writer or someone who wants to learn how to better yourself in your writing then come on in!
