Posts in Category: Writing and Publishing
The Controversial Comma
A famous quote by author Oscar Wilde reads:
“I have spent most of the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day taking it out.”
I can sympathize. The comma is said to be one of the most misused punctuation marks, and I have spent many an hour contemplating commas in my writings. So where do you place those little worm-like squiggles?
I had been a creative writer for many years. I knew the basics, but it had been awhile since I attended an English class. I knew I had some gaps in my knowledge and wanted to brush up on my punctuation skills before I began to publish my books. Thankfully, I found Mignon Fogarty (A.K.A Grammar Girl), a young hip grammarian and writer of grammar guides, who explains all parts of speech and punctuation in a fun, clear, and concise manner.
My two favorite books by Mignon “Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students” and “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips” can be used by beginning students to learn the basics or by more advanced students as a refresher course. (Or those like me who were busy daydreaming in the back of class.)
So, back to the comma. Sometimes the misplacement of that little mark can drastically change the meaning of the sentence, such as the case with the Oxford comma (oh my, such a big name for such a little squiggle.) But do not be intimidated by its prestigious name. The Oxford comma is just another name for the serial comma or the final comma in a list of things.
For example: Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and ruler. The Oxford or serial comma comes after eraser.
Interestingly, use of the Oxford comma is still considered stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t. AP Style—the style guide that newspaper reporters adhere to—does not require the use of the Oxford comma, thus adding to the confusion of “to comma or not to comma” (if that is the question).
Whether or not you use the Oxford comma is generally up to you or your teacher—some require it, some don’t. But whatever style is chosen it should be consistent throughout the document. However, omitting the Oxford comma can sometimes cause some strange misunderstandings as in the example below.
I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.
Without the Oxford comma, the sentence above could be interpreted as stating that you love your parents, and your parents are Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.
Here’s the same sentence with the Oxford (or serial) comma:
I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty (three strange but separate entities.)
Therefore, I choose to use the Oxford comma! However, there are some sixteen other comma rules, some of which I am still a little shaky on. So please forgive me if you spot any wayward or missing commas in this post.
www.zeehuxley.com
The ESP of Writing
Books are like magic in the sense that through a group of words, sometimes even a short sentence or two, a writer can project an image and carry the reader to a different time or place.
But a meaningful character description reaches somewhere beyond the physical realm. It is a momentary glimpse into a person’s soul. Stephen King describes this type of description in his book “Stephen King on Writing” as something akin to ESP. This is the subtle art of a writer who can project an image into the reader’s mind without stating a detailed physical description of a character or place.
A good example of this type of writing is from favorite writer Eleanor Lincoln Morse. In her book “An Unexpected Forest” she describes, in a few short lines, a woman’s “soulful appearance” through the eyes of her main character, Horace.
~~~
Ripley’s campground was on the edge of a shallow river not far from Horace’s house. He and Bob drove through the gate and stopped at a log cabin. A woman in high heels came to the front porch. “I’m here to try out my new tent,” said Horace getting out of the truck. Why would she want to know this? He saw that she didn’t. She had the face like someone who’s been sitting in a laundromat too long, watching clothes tumble in a dryer.
This description speaks to me of a woman whose life has been caught up in a never-ending cycle of unhappy circumstances, and she’s grown weary to the point of losing hope.
A few paragraphs later Horace continues with his observation of the woman.
How did you end up here? He wanted to ask. This wasn’t where your life was going when it started out. It took a wrong turn somewhere. Her high heels were covered with dust.
From these few sentences, we learn much about the woman and about Horace, too.
Horace is an empath. His observations of the woman give us the sense that he feels empathy for her plight in life.
“Her high heels were covered in dust.” To me, this is a haunting statement. This woman has dust on her shoes. Who wears high heels at a campground? Maybe she has run away or is escaping from something in her past? Obviously, she is someone who is out of place in an outdoorsy environment. Does she have a job elsewhere? Are her shoes dusty with age or a dying remnant of another life that she still clings to?
Could you feel this woman’s presence or, perhaps, see a picture of her in your mind’s eye without reading her physical description? I wonder how many of us saw an image of the same woman?
An Unexpected Forest by Eleanor Lincoln Morse
A soulful, well-crafted story about a handful of mismatched (unexpected) people, who come together on a journey of discovery and change.
Me and Stephen King
Stephen King and I have little in common as far as our writing genres go. I have never been a fan of horror stories or movies—too scary! But I did become a fan of Stephen King after reading his book: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
While I’m still not a fan of horror stories, I do understand now (from a Stephen King point of view), how and why he chose the writing direction he did. I also appreciate the way his book “On Writing” describes the process of writing in a non-academic and often humorous way. This autobiography/writing and editing guide gave me an entirely different view into the Stephen King psyche. I would recommend this book to readers and writers alike, whether you are a fan of horror stories or not.
So in honor of Stephen King, I am “taking a stab” at my first horror story.
The Wrong Suitcase
The newly built townhouse complex sat in the middle of a vast sunbaked flatland, a land void of color–the buildings painted in nondescript shades of drab. The only landscaping in sight was the claustrophobic patch of lawn between our sliding glass door and the tall wooden fence behind—just enough room for a couple of lawn chairs and nothing more.
Thank goodness it was a temporary stopover, or so we were told. My parents had always been secretive about these sorts of things, and we had learned over the years that it was better not to ask. Why, pray tell, would us kids want to know anything that could possibly affect our future and well-being? But even at the young age of fourteen, I assumed it had something to do with finances.
The heat that summer, along with the embarrassing sounds coming from the adjoining neighbors, crept into my upstairs room. But what sold it for me was the view, especially at night when the shadowy light fell on the dump behind the old suitcase factory, revealing a pile of rejected suitcases with nothing inside.
Now, I ‘d like to tell you that I didn’t climb the fence that summer. That I didn’t steal that one lone suitcase from the edge of the pile. That I didn’t open it. That I didn’t find what was lurking inside.
Okay, I’m beginning to scare myself.
P.S. The above is based on a true story.
Spreading the Word
Being a newly published author, I have read volumes on how to promote my book through social media, etcetera. Some of these ideas I have put into practice—some I have not. Since I only have so much time, I try to choose the avenues that I enjoy the most.
I have just finished my third Goodreads book giveaway. This has been an exciting and productive way to promote my new novel since many people have placed my book in their “want to read” section after viewing it on my giveaway. I am also excited to see that I now have 22 followers on Goodreads!
One article mentioned Pinterest as a site to help authors promote their books. Captioning images with excerpts from my book was a fun project. Check it out. Zee Huxley’s page on PINTEREST.
By the way, my book is featured on my website www.zeehuxley.com with easy links to purchase it through Amazon. And it’s FREE if you have Kindle unlimited! (Now, how’s that for a little self-promotion?)
But truly this journey is not about making book sales. It’s about sharing stories. Most of my books, so far, have gone out as gifts to family and friends. And this has created a lot of interesting dialog between us. My biggest compliments so far have been that my storyline is easy to visualize and fun to read. Those who have read my offbeat cozy mystery novel, Bon Voyage, My Love: Ticket to a Mixed Plate Paradise, feel as if they have taken a vacation and traveled with my heroine to the remote tropical island of Katoonga.
I also read somewhere that photos of animals grab more attention than photos of humans. So to test the theory I’ve decided to use my friend Suki for my bio photo. She is currently assisting me with my new book, (the sequel to the above) and helping me with this weekly blog. So far I have found her to be a loyal audience and a great listener too. (Note the big ears.)
