Katharine's Writer's Block

One of my aims with Writing Lessons & Advice is to give you plenty of direction on what to do  in and with your writing. In this post, I’m aiming for a different approach by trying to discuss what not  to do. Here are twelve common writing errors (in no particular order) according to several highly-regarded writing sources. Error: incorrect or missing words   Incorrect word errors typically occur with easily confused words , be it with homophones, homonyms, homographs or more

Bonus content is an awesome feature of most DVDs and Blu-ray discs! While the movie or show is the main content of the medium, of course, most supplementary material is for fans of the property or of film in general. Good bonus content entails a combination of bloopers, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, commentary, games, trailers, alternate or extended cuts, and so much more! They ultimately give viewers a deeper connection to the main content itself. You find that

Illustration from "Schoolhouse Rock" segment on verbs. Video clip in sources. The insights into living life are a dime a dozen: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill “There is no passion to be found by playing small--in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” -Nelson Mandela “Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” -Emily Dickenson “The key to immortality is first livi

I was listening to a Grammar Girl podcast a while ago, and she discussed how different types of nouns exist. I had not thought about that...

This lesson will be running shortly before my second wedding anniversary!  In honor of another wonderful milestone, I’m again drawing inspiration directly from the love of my life, more particularly a language habit of mine that’s become a pet peeve of his: double-negatives. While English classes were not his favorite subject, one thing he retained from them was a rule discouraging their use. I’ve decided to refresh my own memory on the issue and here’s what I found. A double

I touched on commas in a general lesson about punctuation , but I feel the topic warrants its own lesson for a better focus.  As...

You have an essay project. You’ve decided on a topic, started some research, taken some notes on your findings, and maybe even have a...

A study from Stanford University identified the top twenty errors found in undergraduate writing. The number one error is using the wrong word in a certain context. As explained in a previous lesson , the confusion stems from the fact that many words have such close similarities or subtleties that spelling, pronunciation and/or usage are the main ways to tell them apart. A word’s spelling and pronunciation should be self-explanatory. While a word’s usage pertains to one of e

A cooking hobbyist may read cookbooks to learn new recipes or techniques. In the same way, a writer is suggested to read to improve their craft. The reasoning behind it includes: Reading makes a habit out of creative consciousness. If you’ve ever done a close-reading exercise/study , engaging that consciousness is what it intends to do. Reading exposes you to different writing styles and new ideas. Reading makes writing lessons out of entertainment. Reading improves vocabular

Throughout history, the act of writing has embraced many tools and mediums. Writers of previous centuries wrote with quill pen and ink. The written word went from preservation on payprus scrolls to the printing press. Writers of previous decades wrote with pencils, ballpoint pens, or typewriters. Even more recently, writers have shifted from using paper to digital forms. For all the evolution in the act of writing, the art of writing still prevails. Spelling, grammar, and eff