No one writes a perfect first draft. Even the most skilled writer makes mistakes.
Once your story is done, how do you keep track of all the things that can possibly go wrong?
And publishers rarely give a reason for rejection. What if an editing issue is the reason your otherwise amazing story was passed up?
Our upcoming self-editing mastermind event is about developing a foolproof system to make your stories and manuscripts the best they can be before submitting to agents, publishers, or a professional editor.
Learning to self-edit will also incrementally help you become a better (and faster) writer.
We invite you to join us and to bring your most pressing editing questions and struggles. We will help you settle them once and for all!
Our Guest Expert
Candace Johnson is a professional freelance editor, writer, proofreader, and ghostwriter. She has worked with traditional publishers, self-published authors, agents, and independent book packagers in numerous fiction genres and nonfiction subjects. As an editorial specialist, she believes in maintaining an author’s unique voice while helping to polish every sentence to make it the best it can be.
Grammatical expletives are not dirty words, but they can be equally offensive. Grammatical expletives are empty words that take up valuable space and dilute the power of your sentences.
This article from Just Publishing Advice tells us how to target these words in your writing and how to formulate your sentences so that each word does a job.
You probably use the grammatical expletive very often in your writing. But what is it?
The definition of the word expletive is an oath or a swear word. But in grammar, it means to use a word or phrase to fill out a sentence without adding to the meaning or sense.
The word derives from the Late Latin word, expletivus, which means to fill out.
When you know what you are looking for, you can quickly edit these words with no meaning.
What are expletives in grammar and writing
They are empty words that occupy space in a sentence but with no meaning or action.
The most common forms use there or it as the subject of a sentence.
When a sentence starts with either of these two subjects, the verb that follows is usually the verb to be.
The forms are almost the same.
There is/are/was/were/will be
It is/was/will be
When you start a sentence with any of these combinations, the words say nothing.
As with many writing rules, there are exceptions. For example, you can certainly use grammar expletives when you want to add emphasis or delay the main subject of the sentence.
However, in general, the best practice is to remove them when you can.
Grammatical expletive examples
Here are some example sentences that start with the expletive.
There were more than one hundred and fifty people at the wedding.
It was a very violent storm that hit the city last night.
There are so many politicians riding on the gravy train.
It is my fault that we lost the match.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn’t take the job.
It will be my 21st birthday in June.
There is no way you can learn all the grammar rules.
As you can see from these examples, the first words give no meaning, sense, or action to each sentence.
How to fix grammatical expletives
If I use the sentences above, you have some options to change each one.
All you need to do is start the new sentence with a subject that is a person or thing, and if possible, follow it with an active verb.
There were more than one hundred and fifty people at the wedding.
More than one hundred and fifty people attended the wedding.
The wedding was attended by one hundred and fifty people or more.
It was a very violent storm that hit the city last night.
A very violent storm hit the city last night.
The city was hit by a very violent storm last night.
There are so many politicians riding on the gravy train.
So many politicians are riding on the gravy train.
The gravy train is ridden by so many politicians.
It is my fault that we lost the match.
We lost the match because of me.
I lost the match for my team.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn’t take the job.
You shouldn’t take the job for lots of reasons.
You’ve got lots of reasons not to take the job.
It will be my 21st birthday in June.
I’m turning 21 in June.
My 21st birthday is in June.
In June, I’m celebrating my 21st birthday.
There is no way you can learn all the grammar rules.
You can’t possibly learn all the grammar rules.
Don’t think that you can learn all the grammar rules.
You all know this famous phrase. It is the opening line written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in the novel Paul Clifford (1830).
It was a dark and stormy night.
When you think about how you would change this sentence, the possibilities don’t seem right. The night was dark and stormy; it doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Although the expression may have originated before the 14th century, it was made famous by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.
There’s no place like home.
In the Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses the grammatical expletive to emphasize each element of the sentence.
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …
As you can see, using expletive phrases have a use. So while you are not competing with the greats of literature, you know that it is a tool you can use.
Summary
There is no right or wrong when it comes to using either common or grammatical expletives.
But usually, a little goes a long way. When you are aware of the rules, you can then decide to edit them out or leave them as is.
Candace Johnson is a professional freelance editor, writer, proofreader, and ghostwriter. She has worked with traditional publishers, self-published authors, agents, and independent book packagers in numerous fiction genres and nonfiction subjects. As an editorial specialist, she believes in maintaining an author’s unique voice while helping to polish every sentence to make it the best it can be.
INTRODUCTION
SELF-EDITING
Self-editing can be a daunting part of the publishing process, but it is a necessary skill set every writer must have.
WHEN TO DO YOUR SELF-EDIT?
Whether you’ve been self-editing your story/book along the way or have waited until you’ve typed “The End,” you will want to make sure your manuscript is as polished as you can possibly make it.
It’s important to emphasize that writers should not rely solely on self-editing before submitting or publishing. Getting the help of a professional editor is crucial to your success as an author.
However, if you know how to prepare your manuscript for your editor, you will save time, money, and frustration.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
In this masterclass, you will be guided through a thorough checklist of common issues in story structure, plot, characterization, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and formatting.
This will ensure that your self-editing process is efficient and that your manuscript is as tight and clean as can be before handing it off to your editor.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
6-Part Video Series
36-Page Self-Editing Workbook
Support, motivation, and advice in our private Facebook Group
Access to our live write-ins and all classes in the members area
Live Q&A with Candace Johnson from Change It Up Edit (replay available)
COST
FREE with your 30-Day Trial in the Writers’ Mastermind
Then $19 per month if you choose to stay (Sign up soon. Membership price goes up to $29 per month July 1st)
An appositive is a modifier. It’s a noun or noun phrase that immediately follows another noun or noun phrase to further define it. You probably use appositives all the time without even realizing it. But are you punctuating them correctly?
Why am I devoting a blog to appositives? I’m so glad you asked!
Learning how to punctuate appositives—most often done with commas but sometimes with parentheses—isn’t difficult, but I see incorrect examples almost every day. The sad thing is that so many of this common appositive punctuation mistakes show up in Amazon book descriptions, websites, book reviews, and pretty much anywhere you find the written word.
So let’s review definitions, and then I’ll show you how easy it is to correctly punctuate whenever you use an appositive in your writing.
What Is an Appositive?
As a reminder, an appositive is a noun or noun phrase that provides additional information. Like other types of modifiers, an appositive can be essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive) to the sentence. Removing an essential modifier may cause confusion, but removing a nonessential one still leaves most of the meaning intact.
Essential: My cockatoo Snowflake attacked my computer.
Nonessential: My cockatoo, Snowflake, attacked my computer.
Snowflake’s handiwork the day she decided I was working too much.Snowflake the Cockatoo
What’s the difference, and why does it matter?
If I had more than one cockatoo, I wouldn’t use a comma—I’d want to make it clear that I’m discussing Snowflake and not another bird. I’m specifically throwing “Snowflake” under the bus (she deserves it, don’t you think?). If I delete her name (the essential modifier), I remove the clue that tells you which bird was the culprit, so I could be referring to one of several birds.
The second example is the one I personally would use because I only have one cockatoo, and her name is Snowflake. If I delete the appositive (her name), which is a nonessential modifier, you still know my only pet cockatoo created some trouble.
A good test is to use names of people you know. In this example, the writer has two daughters, so which example is correct?
My daughter Mary is ten years old
My daughter, Mary, is ten years old.
Answer: the first. The writer has another daughter, so removing the essential phrase in the second example creates confusion: “My daughter is ten years old” … but which daughter?
Appositives and Titles
The same principle applies when a proper name follows a descriptive title.
“Freelance editor, Candace Johnson, is writing this blog” is incorrect. Why? Remove my name and the sentence is confusing. No commas needed here: “Freelance editor Candace Johnson” is the noun phrase that is the subject of this sentence.
“Candace Johnson, freelance editor, is writing this blog” is correctly punctuated because “freelance editor” is not essential to the sentence’s meaning.
Here’s another example taken from something I read recently:
“The science fiction author, Philip Dick, may have said it best.”
You see the problem, right? By removing what the writer thought was an appositive (Philip Dick’s name), the sentence makes no sense. Correctly punctuated, this sentence should read,
“The science fiction author Philip Dick may have said it best.”
How to Avoid Appositive Confusion
When you’re writing an appositive noun or phrase, always ask yourself if removing the information between the commas creates confusion.
Remember: if a word or phrase is essential or restrictive, meaning that it provides essential information about the noun or noun phrase it refers to, don’t use commas.
QUIZ
Now it’s your turn: which of the following sentences are correctly punctuated?
Thanks to my fiancé Mark Jones for his support while I wrote this book. (She has not been previously engaged.)
Actress Kate Hudson recalled one of her favorite memories from giving birth to her son, Bingham. (She has two sons.)
Speaker, author, and consultant, Mary Smith, is revolutionizing hair care.
My favorite pie, cherry, is out of stock.
Answers:
Mark Jones is the writers only fiancé, so use commas before and after his name.
Kate Hudson has two sons, so no comma.
Mary Smith is a speaker, author, and consultant, so no commas before or after her name (but the Oxford commas after “speaker” and “author” are correct).
My favorite pie is out of stock whether I name it or not, so use commas.
Do you have questions about the correct way to punctuate an appositive, perhaps in your book’s acknowledgments or in a blog? Please post them in the comments, and let’s work together to make your writing shine.
Happy Writing, Candace
Candace Johnson is a professional freelance editor, proofreader, writer, and writing coach for fiction and nonfiction. She works with traditional publishers, self-published authors, and independent book packagers. As an editorial specialist, Candace is passionate about offering her clients the opportunity to take their work to the next level. Learn more at her website https://changeitupediting.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Look forward to Candace Johnson’s upcoming class in the Writers’ Mastermind
Do you listen to podcasts? How about podcasts about writing?
I love listening to podcasts to learn more about writing and publishing during my downtime. I put them on while I do laundry or wash the dishes. They’re especially useful when I’m in a slump to get me out of my head and motivated again.
Here are 5 podcasts for writers that I recommend. They cover the craft of writing, book marketing, interviews with authors, and more.
Writing Excuses – Their tagline is, “Fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart.” This show covers a variety of topics in segments just long enough to give you something new to think about the next time you approach your writing. They also include a little exercise with each episode.
The Creative Penn – This show is hosted by bestselling fiction author and non-fiction writer for authors, Joanna Penn. It is packed with information about creativity, technology, marketing, and tons of amazing resources. She also features guest interviews. This podcast is a must-listen!
Grammar Girl – Bite-sized episodes on all the boggling quirks of the English language. If you have a low-tolerance for grammar, this is a great way to improve your writing without forcing yourself into long, complicated lessons.
The Story Grid Podcast – This is all about story structure. “Listen along as Shawn Coyne teaches the Story Grid methodology. With over 120 episodes and a constant top 100 Literature podcast on iTunes, the Story Grid Podcast has become a favorite among writers who want to become better story tellers.”
Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Formula – The master of book marketing shares his formula to develop a huge readership that will buy every book you publish. He also unravels the mysteries of advertising books on Amazon and Facebook.
The more you learn about writing and publishing, the better prepared and more confident you’ll be when pursuing your goal of becoming a successful fiction author. Podcasts are the best way to absorb information on the go.
