Grammar | Sharon C. Williams-Author

Commas are my Kryptonite,” I said to my friend Gina one day. She laughed because she understood what that meant. She is of the thinking you can’t have to many as she places commas in excessive even when there is no need for them to be there. I am of the theory in the less the better, often leaving out spots where I should place a comma

I hate commas. They serve their purpose, one of which is to irritate me when I don’t get it right in placement. But that is why I have an editor. She is worth her weight in gold and then some. Which is awesome for me , the commaless person who couldn’t be bothered to learn where to put them.

What else is my Kryptonite now that I am thinking on it? I have issues with a-than vs then b-to vs too and c- effect vs affect.

Though in fairness to me I am getting better with the two first ones. See even I can learn. I am sure there are others that I am just not thinking off at the moment. Writing. Thanks to my editor, I can stick to writing.

When one writes so much has to be taken into consideration. Is the plot line working, how is the pace and flow of the story and are we bringing our readers along for the ride or leaving them back at page four? We have to incorporate and weave scenes, characters and drama and make it all work together or else it will go nowhere. When we finally finish a book well that is just the beginning. The cliché that writing is the easy part I feel is dead on.

For once we are done we are now having to revise and edit. To me edit is an evil word but one that is needed and required. Some words we must pay certain attention to for it can change our sentence structure around.

Its vs. It’s: When I have to use either word I tend to pause sounding out the contraction to make sure I am using the right form. Its is possessive while it’s stands for It is.

I vs. me: I truly hate this one. What helps is if you separate the sentence. For example if you are not sure whether it is “Sharon and I will go” vs. “Sharon and me will go”, take them apart. You now have “Sharon will go” and “I will go” which both make sense. “Me will go” does not so hence you need to use the word I.

Another example of this is “Give it to Tom and me” or “Give it to Tom and I”. Separating the two you will have “Give it to Tom” vs. “Give it to me”. Both make sense so the correct word to use is me.

Your vs. You’re: This one does make me pause. Your is used as a modifier before a noun. For example: Your books. You’re means you are which would not make sense if you say you are books.

There vs. Their vs. They’re: There is the possessive form of they. They’re stands for they are. There tends to mean place and position.

This is their car.

Take a note of their names and addresses.

The child is theirs.

Sit over there.

I wouldn’t go there again.

Stop there before you make any more mistakes.

They’re going to the concert.

They’re making bread.

There are other examples that make me mutter such as effect vs. affect, to vs. too and then vs. than.

I won’t even bring up commas. They are the death of me and that is why I have an editor. Editing is not fun and while people have said they love to do it, I doubt those words will ever be uttered by me. So yes writing is the easy part as far as I am concern. The revising and editing are the hoops writers must go through to get their MS ready for the world to enjoy. It is not fun and that is probably while I still have three books to be edited. Instead I continue to write.