Disqus - Latest Comments for A Musing Mom

Re: Sentence Tip # 2 - The Density of Long

A Musing Mom — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 11:26:25 -0000

I liked your short sentence tip and assignment better than this one. Because it's easier, maybe? But I've been reading The Elements of Style and trying to get a grasp on punctuation that allows for longer sentences: the colon and semi-colon, chiefly (and trying to get away from parentheses which I tend to abuse). So this assignment intrigues me with it's invitation to long meditation. I don't think it's going to work in my comment here, although you do have me wondering if I could come up with a sentence that is grammatically correct and contains every form of punctuation --properly used--that is still pleasing to read.
Oh dear. I've got a lot of work to do on my writing skills. Thanks for the tips (and prompts).

Re: Pens Should Be Mightier Than Toilet Plungers

A Musing Mom — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:50:09 -0000

I'm a sucker for a good book recommendation (because I'm always looking for more good words to read). I've requested The Road from my library, so maybe by this weekend I'll be reading it. Thanks in advance.

I think the point of good words having both truth AND beauty is important. Like you noted, some truth stinks and we really don't need to read the smelly stuff. But if there's beauty in that truth, then it's worth reading. I've also read words that sound beautiful but don't have truth (though this is more unlikely than the reverse).

It seems to me sometimes that good words are hard to come by, for both readers and writers (but when I find a writer of good words I stick with them). Sometimes I think we, as writers, write to express inner longings or conflicts not knowing whether those words will be good. We know they're true, but until they connect with another person they may not seem beautiful.

My (long) two cents.

Re: Five Tricks to Improve Your Writing Style Now - Trick 2

A Musing Mom — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:55:20 -0000

Ja, ja, ja...that's laughing in espanol.

Depending on the emphasis, your sentences could have been written "Normal conversations, relationships, and friendships, those little things in my work life, they had the greatest impact". Or something like that.

I'm giving a shot a revising because I know I am a terrible perpetrator of "to be" verbs usage. I appreciate this advice. If only I had a work in progress to revise, I'd be happily upon those pesky "to be's" right now.

Re: The Return: Let’s All Review Page One

A Musing Mom — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:52:56 -0000

This first page does a great job of creating tension. Another vehicle approaching from a distance in Chile? Not so disturbing. But on Mars?! It's got me hyped.

30 readers, Austin?! Wow! That's impressive!