UK Grammar Test

Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary in the UK, is apparently a Grammar Nerd. (Grammar Nerds are cool!) Recently he released a short test to see if people in the department were good enough at grammar to please him. He believes the little details, like good grammar, are very important.
His full list of instructions is here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/michael-gove-instructing-his-civil-servants-on-grammar-10334298.html
but for a short fun test go here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11690785/Can-you-pass-Michael-Goves-grammar-test.html
I actually disagree with him on one of the items, but see how you go!


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

The 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2015

The Write Life has published a list of what they consider to be the top one hundred websites for writers.

I didn’t look at all one hundred, and I most definitely didn’t attempt to weigh up all the pros and cons between them and rate them all, but the top ones certainly appeared helpful to me.

They’ve broken the list into eight categories: blogging, creativity and craft, entrepreneurship, freelancing, literary agents, marketing, publishing, and writing communities. The sites are listed in alphabetical order within each category, and the numbers are included for easy tracking rather than as a ranking.

Whatever your interests in the writing arena might be, it’d be worth checking out the top blogs in that category.

The post is here: http://thewritelife.com/100-best-websites-for-writers-2015/

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Grammar Nerds Rule!

This fun story proves that people who know their grammar are not only smart, but also get out of paying their parking fines legally.

A woman was given a parking fine for leaving her pickup truck in a restricted area. The sign said those who couldn’t park there were: “any motor vehicle camper, trailer, farm implement and/or non-motorized vehicle”. She decided a pickup didn’t fit the categories and parked.

The judge, apparently another grammar nerd, agreed. He said she didn’t have to pay the fine and the sign needed to have a comma after vehicle (before camper).

Which just goes to show that grammar nerds really do rule.

The full story is here: http://www.mamamia.com.au/entertainment/comma-usage-parking-fine/


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Cut “should” from your writing

Marisa Goudy has written an interesting article on removing the word “should” from your writing. She says it’s preachy and divisive, telling people where they have failed instead of suggesting ways to improve.
She advises people to substitute a more evocative, specific word and watch their writing take on a new tone that invites people to learn more from the writer – the compassionate, down-to-earth authority who is always there to help rather than criticize.
The article is well worth reading and can be found here: http://marisagoudy.com/want-to-connect-with-your-reader-cut-should-from-your-writing/

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Read more

People attending the recent Book Expo America were asked to offer advice as to why people should read more.
Buzz Feed has chosen twenty-six of them to feature in a story. I was excited to see an author I know among them!
For reasons why you should read, check out: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarrylee/reasons-to-read-more#.uaxg0VPyj


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.