How to Write a Good Story

Advice from Cliff Pickover (III)

The advice in this chapter and the next are further points on the more nitty gritty mechanics of writing a best seller novel, which I hope you will find useful.

"Like" or "As If" 

The word "like" should not be used preceding a clause with a subject and a verb. Examples: 

It felt like a furry ball.

It felt as if a furry ball rolled around in his stomach. 

Split Infinitive 

Some publishers ask that you don't put an adverb between "to" and "verb." 

Wrong: "to carefully create." Correct: "to create carefully." (However, I tend to disregard this rule whenever it sounds "wrong" to my ear. You can usually ignore this rule, too.) 

Wordiness 

Reduce wordiness by changing: 

"stooped down" to "stoop" 

"rose up" to "rose" 

"penetrated through" to "penetrate" 

"caught sight of" to "saw" 

"in the event that" to "if" 

"at the present time" to "now" 

etc. 

Also change: 

"towards" to "toward" 

"besides" to "beside" 

To Lie/To Lay 

The verb form of lay takes an object, and lie does not. Example: 

He laid the shovel on the ground. 

He wanted to lie on the ground. 

Since/Because 

"Since" should be used when time is involved. 

I have been sad since you arrived. 

Use because when implying a cause. 

I have been sad because my house burned down. 

Each Other/One Another 

"Each other" is used when you refer to two people. "One another" is used when you refer to three or more people. 

Example: Mindy and John bumped into each other. 

Participial Phrases 

Modifying phrases that start with verbs ending in"ing" or "ed" require a comma before the phrase. 

He pushed the ball, using a can of peaches.