Inspirations:

  • It is said that good things come to those who wait. I believe that good things come to those who work. - Wilt Chamberlain
  • A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit. - Richard Bach
  • You don't find time to write. You make time. It's my job. - Nora Roberts
  • Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. - Buddha
  • Luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it. - Denzel Washington
  • I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying. - Michael Jordan

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Grammar References

I haven't heard back from Michelle at 3 Seas Literary Agency, but decided to go ahead and update my blog anyway.

In a writing group I've joined, we've been sharing our favorite grammar references. I thought you all might like to know what they are. So here goes:

Books:
Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Painless Grammar by Rebecca Elliot, Ph.D (This is what I use. Great examples.)
Prentiss Hall Reference Guide
The Writer's Guide and Index to English by Porter Perrin

Internet:
www.bartleby.com/141/strunk.html
grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar
owl.english.purdue.edu (The Purdue University online writing lab.)

Please note, if the above links don't work, copy them into your search box and you will find the sites.

Happy writing!
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12 comments:

  1. Taryn KincaidMarch 10, 2010 at 6:17 PM

    My favorite:

    http://twitter.com/FakeAPStylebook

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wendy S MarcusMarch 10, 2010 at 6:24 PM

    Ha, ha, ha! How do you find this stuff?

    ReplyDelete
  3. TerriMarch 10, 2010 at 7:10 PM

    It finds me.

    (Twitter.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. John BaronMarch 10, 2010 at 8:19 PM

    The Elements of Style is far and above my favorite reference on grammar. It's so simple and neat.

    I also have The Deluxe Transitive Vampire (The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed). I find it to be almost more entertaining than useful, which in this case is not so much of a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wendy S MarcusMarch 10, 2010 at 9:16 PM

    Thanks John! I checked the book out on Amazon. Very cool! I will share it with my writing group.

    ReplyDelete
  6. TerriMarch 10, 2010 at 9:35 PM

    The Deluxe Transitive Vampire (The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed).

    ---
    I want that! I just looked it up and Karen Elizabeth Gordon's other titles -- Torn Wings and Faux Pas and The Disheveled Dictionary)-- also sound interesting.

    As for Elements of Style...I can't recommend the magnificent "Essays of E.B. White" highly enough. I suppose he's best known for Charlotte and Stuart, but the essays put his superb craftsmanship,love of language and wonderful thoughts on display.
    Wonder if he'd be blogging or tweeting today?

    ReplyDelete
  7. TerriMarch 10, 2010 at 9:43 PM

    Forgot to mention:

    "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynn Truss

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wendy S MarcusMarch 11, 2010 at 10:09 AM

    Thanks Terri!
    Funny you should mention Eats, Shoots, & Leaves.... Someone in my group just recommended it this morning.

    Also, I have another grammar link if anyone is interested: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/serial-comma.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  9. LizMarch 11, 2010 at 5:03 PM

    I'm Grammar challenged. Books are no help. Nothing is retained You can tell, show me, doesn't matter. If it doesn't look right
    make sense to me then it stays.

    I blame this on my english teachers who let me get away with it - though I think they did not want to squash the creativity -

    and even when they would cover it on the blackboard every year I would shut down - hate - hate - grammar

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wendy S MarcusMarch 11, 2010 at 5:10 PM

    Hi Liz!
    I've come a long way with grammar since I've started writing, but I still have a ways to go. There's a lot of conflicting info. out there re: commas, my biggest problem. My CP Nancy is great with grammar. Lucky me!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Regina RichardsMarch 11, 2010 at 6:39 PM

    Wow, lots of great reference books. Thanks, Wendy.

    I'm a comma offender. But I'm trying to change.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wendy S MarcusMarch 11, 2010 at 7:00 PM

    Thanks for stopping by, Regina! Pick one of the reference books to help you stop offending commas in their tracks!

    ReplyDelete

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