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How to Use and Punctuate Quotation Marks Correctly

11/25/2014

Most writers know that it is required to use quotation marks when writing the exact words of someone else. Additionally, quotation marks are used to set off titles and technical words. Writers also use quotation marks when wanting to draw special attention to a word or phrase, such as when we are being sarcastic. In this blog post, I show you how to use quotation marks correctly and how to punctuate sentences containing quotation marks.

How to Use Double Quotation Marks
Use double quotation marks to set off the exact words of someone else. Place a double quotation mark at the beginning and at the end of the entire quote.

Example:
          William Shakespeare wrote, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

Use quotation marks to set off titles for magazines, articles, books, chapters, plays, poems, songs, and such.

Example:
          He read the book, “The Mountain of Love,” and enjoyed the ending a lot.

Set off technical words or concepts with quotation marks.

Examples:
          That doctor wrote the book on “bedside manners.”
          At Endeavor Homes, we sell home building kits that come with “paneled” walls.

Use quotation marks to draw special attention to a word or phrase or when you want to show sarcasm.

Example:

                Drawing special attention -

                The woman was a “little” bit peeved when she saw her fiancé having lunch with his ex-wife.

                Showing sarcasm -

                The police officer said he was there to help the burglar get what he “deserved.”

How to Punctuate Quotation Marks

Grammar books lay out dynamic and drawn out explanations for how to punctuate quotation marks, but at the end of the explanations there is really only one rule to follow, and this is it:

“The quotation marks follow punctuation.”

Example:

                Maria said, “I’m tired. I want to go home now.”

                “Tell me,” she said, “are you really a grandmother?”

Single Quotation Marks

Single quotation marks are used to quote a quote within a quote. At the end of the quote within the quote, remember to place a space between the single quotation mark and the double quotation mark.

Example:

                He said, “Melissa pleaded, ‘Don’t leave me!’ “

That’s all there is to using quotation marks.

In my next blog, I will answer the question, “When should I use a semi colon instead of a period?”

Until then, happy writing!

Copyright 2014 Marlene Bertrand

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Common Comma Usages and Ways to Use Commas Effectively

11/18/2014

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Most writers use commas correctly; however there are some comma usages that are not necessarily mistakes, but when used ineffectively, can cause confusion for writers and readers. Learn which comma usages commonly cause confusion and how to use commas effectively.

First, let me state that what I am about to share is not all of the comma usage rules. What I share here are the comma usage rules that cause confusion when not used effectively.

Now, let me go on to state that some comma usage choices are not based upon rules, but rather guidelines that leave the usage up to the writer’s preference. You are the writer, so write in a way that makes your content clear to the reader. If adding a comma adds clarity, by all means, place that comma exactly where you deem it needs to be.

Using Commas Effectively

Alright, in order to use commas effectively, you need to have a handle on the purpose of the comma. The purpose of the comma is to indicate a brief pause in a sentence. A comma lets the reader know that there is more to follow.

Effective Comma Use #1: Use commas to separate words in a series of three or more items. Example:
I like ice cream, cake, and candy.

Note: Some grammar professionals suggest that the final comma can be omitted from the series. Whether you place the comma before the final item in the series or not is up to you, however either way you decide to use the comma, just be consistent throughout your work.

Example:
I like ice cream, cake and candy.

Another Example:
I like ice cream, cheese and crackers and candy.

To omit the comma in the last item in a series (as in the last example shown) might cause confusion. People, who are not familiar with common food dishes, may think cheese and crackers and candy is one item. It would be best to include the comma for clarification in a way that is similar to the first example.

Effective Comma Use #2: Whenever you have two adjectives in a sentence, and whenever those adjectives can be used interchangeably, then use a comma to separate the adjectives.

Example:
Alice ate the delicious, ripe apple.

Note: The adjectives (delicious and ripe) can be used interchangeably in the sentence, so a comma is appropriate to separate them.

Effective Comma Use #3: Expressions such as nevertheless, after all, however, by the way, in other words, etc. are words that tend to interrupt the flow of the sentence. Use a comma to set off the expression.

Example:
He is, by the way, very handsome.

Effective Comma Use #4: The use of independent clauses can cause many a heated conversations. The most acceptable rule is that when a sentence is started with a dependent clause, use a comma after it.

Example:
If it rains tomorrow, call before leaving.

Effective Comma Use #5: When a subject is clearly identified, then the description that follows that subject is not really essential and should be set off by commas.

Example:
Aunt Mary, the multimillionaire, lives in a mansion on the hill.

If your readers are already familiar with who Aunt Mary is, then explaining that Aunt Mary is a multimillionaire is non-essential. The explanation should be set off with commas.

On the other hand…

Example:
That elderly lady who is a multimillionaire lives in a mansion.

Since the readers do not know who the lady is, the explanation that follows is essential and does not need to be set off with commas.

Effective Comma Use #6: Use commas with direct quotations.

Examples:
Mary Ann said, “This is it!”
“So,” I said, “you can have it your way.”

There Are More Comma Usage Guidelines
There are many more comma usage guidelines to explore. The guidelines shared today are guidelines that tend to be the most confusing and cause the most heated discussions among writers, subject matter experts, and publishing managers.

When I need answers, I refer to resources that have served me well as a technical writer in the past and as a freelance writer now. The following books sit on my bookshelf ready for use at my demand. When working with clients, you will need to adhere to the client’s style guide for how they want their documents to be formatted. As an independant writer, you have the liberty of setting up your own style guide. The following resources offer excellent information on grammar and punctuation styles that are most common to writing for United States publishing standards.

For more in depth information and to find more comma usage guidelines, explore the following resources that I use on a regular basis. These books can be found easily an most retail bookstores.

Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style

AP Stylebook

Next Writing Tip
I will approach the subject of “Quotation Marks” and how to use them correctly.

Until then, happy writing!

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How Many Words is a Book?

11/14/2014

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Relaxing with a good book.

There are no hard and fast rules to determine the length of a book. Mostly, your publisher guidelines will determine how your story is to be classified. Find out what generally accepted guidelines are for determining whether your manuscript is a short short story, short story, novella, or novel.

Word Count
The number of words in your manuscript is important, because when your manuscript is published into a book, the number of words determine into which genre your book will be placed.

So, the first thing you need to do is determine the word count of the work you intend to write or have written. Fortunately, most word processing software programs, such as Microsoft Word have a built-in tool that calculates the number of words for you, so the task of sitting down and physically counting words is not necessary.

Most writers have an idea of which category they wish to write. Personally, I wish to write short stories. One day, I hope to venture into writing novels, but for now I am happy writing short stories. Knowing that I will be writing a short story allows me to keep the number of words in my manuscript to a certain number of words. If the number of words in my manuscript fall below or rise above the generally accepted guidelines for short stories, then I run the risk of my short story being classified either as a “short short story” or a “novella” or “novel” and placed in a category that I did not intend.

Generally Accepted Guidelines for Manuscript Classifications
First, let me be clear about guidelines. Guidelines are guidelines. They are simply aids in helping writers and publishers determine which category a manuscript would be suited best. No organized writing authority mandates how books are classified, so in each case, it is left up to the writer and the publisher.

According to a nationally published study performed by Staples, most people read at what is determined to be an eighth grade reading level which is about 250 words per minute. For more information about this study, please read my blog post titled: Why Write Short Stories?

This information is helpful in determining how long it will take people to read your work. My blog post also has a fun tool to help you figure out what your own reading level is. Try it! It’s kind of fun to know at what level you read as compared to other readers.

Generally, the following guidelines are typical --

Short Short Stories: These are stories that can be read in fifteen minutes or less. The word count is usually less than 3,000 words.

Short Stories: These are stories that can be read in fifteen minutes to two hours. The word count is usually between 3,000 to 10,000 words. Longer short stories are accepted, as well. Some publishers consider a story as long as 20,000 words to be labeled as a short story.

Novellas: A novella is considered a short book. The word count is usually between 20,000 to 60,000+ words.

Novels: When people refer to books, they are usually referring to books with a word count of 80,000 to 89,999+ words.

As you can see, there are clearly some areas for serious subjectivity. Manuscripts between 10,000 words to 20,000 words are left up to interpretation of the market, the writer, and the publisher. Manuscripts that are between 60,000 to 80,000 words are not directly addressed and it is left up to broad interpretation as to whether the manuscript belongs in the novella or novel category. You and your publisher will make the determination as to which category is best. If you are an independent publisher, like me, then you have the liberty of making the determination as to which category your published book falls.

When I outline my stories, I consider my desired word count and then I use that number as a guide for writing the whole story. Generally, I determine which genre my manuscript should fall into and then I write the manuscript so that it falls within the word count for that specific genre. I am a self-published author, so I make the determination according to what is a popular word count at the time of publication. Generally, I write less than 10,000 words, so I can easily fit my short stories in the short story category without concern that it would be considered anything other than a short story by generally followed guidelines.

The good thing about writing is that it is subjective. As writers, we are artists. Publishers are executives who cater to artists and while they have specific standards, they also have the ability to be flexible. You and your publisher will work out the details of whether your manuscript should be published as a short short story or short story; a novella, or novel.

Guidelines, but not laws! Such is the world of writing.

Next Writing Tip
Something that plagues most writers, including me, is how to use commas. In my next blog post I will tackle the standards most publishers accept for using commas.

Until then, happy writing!

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Marlene's Short Story Outline

11/5/2014

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Marlene's Short Story Outline

Writing is subjective, so of course there is no true formula for writing. I enjoy writing, but I also enjoy reading. At one point in my life I became enamored with reading short stories. I found great satisfaction in being able to read a story from beginning to end, in one sitting, which is as Edgar Allen Poe states, a half hour to two hours at the most. I like reading while I am waiting at the doctor’s office or waiting in line for something to happen. I like reading at night before going to bed and reading a short story is a way to relax my mind after a long day. I don’t like leaving things undone. That includes reading. So, the fact that the short story can be read in a short amount of time is the attraction to me.

The more I read, the more I noticed the pattern of certain writers. I started analyzing their books and applied the results to general writing components. The goal here was to determine how many words these writers used for the introduction, the buildup, the plot points, the climax, the end, and so on. I discovered something fascinating. All of the writers wrote with a fair amount of consistency with regards to the number of words contained in each writing component.

As I read through various books, I marked the pages where, for example, the introduction ended and the plot began to turn. I noted what type of change took place at each point in the story. Compiling my findings led me to generating an outline that I use to compose my own stories. It works for me and I share it here with the hope that it works for you, as well.

I am a short story writer, so for the purpose of this tip, I will show my tip for outlining a short story of 5,000 words.

Here we go!

First, Break Your Story Into Three Parts
You must have a beginning, middle and end. First, describe what happens at the end of your story. Then, describe the beginning of your story. Finally, describe what is happening in the middle of your story.

Let the middle of the story be the place in the tale where you begin to direct your readers to the basic point of your story. By the time you get to approximately 2,500 words (of a 5,000 word story), start leading your readers toward the most exciting moment in your story (known in the writing world as the climax).

Next, Outline Your Story
I created a graphic image as a visual aid to help you outline your story. Use the graphic image as a quick guide to direct you through your outline.

Graphic Image Explained
Now, let’s see what it takes to write a 5,000 word short story. Write a one or two sentence description of each component in the outline. Pay attention to the word count expectation, but don’t get hung up on being exactly right on the mark. Depending on your story, you may need to write more in one component than another. That’s alright. The outline is not a rule. You do not have to adhere to it strictly. Use the outline as a guide to help move your story along.

After writing a brief description for each component, begin to build your story. The beauty of having an outline and anticipated word count expectation is that you can write any part of the story in any order, and then place it all together, smoothing out the seams where they connect, creating an even flow from one component to the other.

As you move through the components, answer questions that are pertinent to your story.

Introduction
Introduce the primary character and the initial scene. Who or what is your story about? What does your character look like? Where does your story take place?

Use approximately 312 words for the introduction. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 312 words.

Build Secondary
Build a secondary element to your story. This can be a secondary location or character. It’s your story, so, you decide. Where does your main character go? Who does your main character meet? How or why do the characters know each other?

Use approximately 312 words to build the secondary element. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 624 words.

Initiate an Incident
Initiate an incident between the primary character and the secondary location or character. This incident does not have to be anything major, but it should at least be some sort of conflict or angst. What happens that irritates the primary character? What does the secondary character do to change the status quo of the primary character?

Use approximately 312 words to initiate an incident. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 936 words.

Build Intensity
This is the main part of your story. Build intensity as you ramp up toward the most dramatic part of your story. This is where you will spend the most time being creative. Make a lot of stuff happen. In building intensity, this is where you may add additional locations, incidents, and characters. Create peaks and valleys, each time, inching toward the highest point of your story. Who or what else comes into the primary character’s life and what is the foreseeable outcome of this meeting? What is this meeting leading toward?

Use approximately 3,235 words to build intensity. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 4,171 words.

Climax
This is the climax! This is the point of your story where it all explodes or comes together – whatever you decide. This is the most dramatic and highest point of your story. It must be the most exciting thing that happens in your story. It must be the most compelling, include the most drama, and have the most emotion in your story. It must be the worst that can happen or the best that can happen in your story.

Use approximately 200 words to write the climax. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 4,371 words.

Ramp Down
Ramp down. Your readers have been on a magical ride. They are riled up and need to come down from the high you just delivered to them. Take them down easily. There is a solution to the turmoil you created for them, now ease them into the solution slowly.

Use approximately 380 words to ramp down. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 4,751 words.

Resolution
Write the resolution between the main character and the location and/or secondary or subsequent characters. The resolution is not meant to excite the readers. It is meant to bring the readers to a place of satisfaction – peace. It is the end of the story. This is what your readers have been waiting for.

Use approximately 249 words for the resolution. At the end of this component, the word count for your story should be approximately 5,000 words.

Adjusting the Outline to Fit Your Word Count Needs
I am a short story writer. Generally, my word count is less than 5,000 words. Sometimes, like my first published novel, “The Mountain of Love,” I wrote about 8,000 words. If the word count for the book you intend to write is more than 5,000 words, you can easily adjust this outline to coincide with the word count you prefer.

First, calculate the percentages.
If you are writing an 80,000 Total Word Book, first calculate the percentage of the total book for each component. For example:

312 Words for the Introduction ÷ 5,000 Total Word Book = .06

(312 words = 6% of 5,000 words).

Then, .06 X 80,000 Total Word Book = 4,800 Words for the Introduction

(4,800 words = 6% of 80,000 words).

Continue finding the percentages for each component and apply those percentages to your proposed word count.

Then, add up the number of words to configure the Word Count Goal.
After calculating the percentages, jot down the numbers and add them together, building the word count as you input the numbers into the component cell.

For example, in the above example using an 80,000 Total Word Book, do this:

Introduction is 0-4,800 Word Count Goal (remember from the previous calculations)

Then, add 4,800 to the calculation for the next component. In this case, the number calculated for the next component (Build Secondary) is 4,800. So add 4,800 to 4,800 to get a word count goal for Build Secondary.

Build Secondary is 4,800 + 4,800 = 9,600 Word Count Goal

Continue adding the words for each component until you have added a total of 80,000 words.

More About the Outline
Don’t stress yourself out if your book strays from the outline. Remember, there are no strict rules to how long each component should be. The outline shared in this blog is compiled from reading many books and analyzing those books to determine what percentage of the book do famous writers attribute to various components of their work. Some writers spend more time on the introduction and less time on the buildup. The outline I composed is basically an overall average.

You are the writer; therefore, you are the master of your creation. Use the outline or don’t use the outline. Modify the outline to suit your needs. Whatever you do, write.

Coming up
My next blog post will be a tip about the word count used to classify the various types of books. Until then, happy writing!

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Writing Tip: Write the End of Your Story First

11/1/2014

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I may not be a world famous writer; however, I am a writer who strives to do the best I can in whatever I do. I am also somewhat of a renegade. While I never break the law, sometimes I veer away from the rules. In fact, the way I see it, the law is the law and the law should always be followed. But, to me, rules are “guidelines” that outline the way things are generally done. I follow the guidelines as much as possible, but sometimes the guidelines just don’t work for me. For example, following the guidelines for writing a story would mean I would start at the beginning and write to the end. But, I’m a renegade and when I write a story, I don’t start at the beginning. I start at the end. In fact, that is my tip for today. It may or may not work for you, but it works for me.

Write the End of the Story First

I approach writing the same way I approach planning a vacation. When planning a vacation, first I need to know the destination. Knowing the destination allows me to book the flight that will take me where I want to go. Knowing the destination allows me to pack the appropriate attire for the location and plan events based on the destination. When I know where I’m going, I know what to do to get there.

So, when I write the end first, the rest of the story falls into place. I start by writing the final sentence. Then, I write the final paragraph. When I know how I want the story to end, the rest of the story falls naturally into place. The characters and events move the story toward the end target.

For example, if I want to write a story that ends with a man eating ice cream at an ice cream parlor, my final sentence might be something like:

There he was, sitting at the little table in the little booth at the back of Uncle Ned’s Ice Cream Parlor.

Now, it becomes easy for me to write the rest of the story because the end of the story commands certain activities to take place in order to make the end come true.

Then Write the Beginning of the Story

After writing the end of the story, I write the beginning sentence and then the beginning paragraph. This sets the starting point. Just like planning a trip, I start from a particular location. Knowing the starting point will help determine how much time it will take to get to the final destination and what I need to do to get there.

In my ice cream parlor story, I might start the beginning paragraph something like:

It is 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Today, Tom’s weekend chore is in the back yard garden. Kneeling over the strawberry bed, Tom pulls up the weeds that invade the patch which runs along the entire length of the back yard fence. Gardening is hard work, but it has to be done. As the sun beams down on the back of Tom’s shoulders, Tom develops a hankering for something sweet, creamy, and cold. Ice cream! Tom knows just where to go to get the best ice cream on the planet.

Then Write the Rest of the Story

Now that I know how the story begins and ends, I can easily write the rest of the story. From the beginning, everything that happens in the story must take the reader to the end of the story exactly as written. For example, in the ice cream parlor story, it is logical to assume Tom would shower and change clothes before heading out to the ice cream parlor. I can decide whether he is married or calls a friend to join him. I can decide whether Tom has to get in his car and drive to the ice cream parlor or whether he takes a lovely stroll to the parlor. There is so much that can happen and I get to decide.

Get Great Results When You Begin With the End

Start with the end of the story to give you some direction. Then write the beginning of the story to give you a starting point. Then, whatever happens in the middle of the story is up to you. As long as the end result is what you have already determined, the rest of the story can be developed to your heart’s desire.

Next Tip: How to Outline a Short Story

The next tip I wish to share in this blog is how to outline a short story. You may follow this blog by subscribing to the RSS Feed.

Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment box. Until next time, happy writing!

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Author

Marlene C. Bertrand declared "Independent Writer" status in 2013. This blog shares her journey as a writer. Visit Marlene's My Books page for recently published books.

Recommended Recources

When I need answers to my writing questions, I refer to resources that have served me well as a technical writer in the past and as a freelance writer now. The following books sit on my bookshelf ready for use at my demand. When working with clients, you will need to adhere to the client’s style guide for how they want their documents to be formatted. As a freelance writer, you have the liberty of setting up your own style guide. The following resources offer excellent information on grammar and punctuation styles that are most common to writing for United States publishing standards.

Any one or all of the following books are valuable books to have on your bookshelf at all times:

Strunk and White's Elements of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style

Associated Press Stylebook

How to Use and Punctuate Quotation Marks Correctly

Common Comma Usages and Ways to Use Commas Effectively

How Many Words is a Book?

Marlene's Short Story Outline

Writing Tip: Write the End of Your Story First

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