What we write is important. It’s important for us to write well so that the people who read what we write understand our intent and we communicate what we want to. When we write sloppily, the reader loses interest and might not finish reading whatever we wrote. I want us all to become better writers. Don’t just think of me as your American teacher of English. Think of me as Professor Sharece, writing coach. Here are a few tips I have to help us all become better writers.
· Only use exclamation points when you need them. Try shouting the sentence. If it sounds terrible or you realize that the exclamation point is unnecessary, put a period.
· Use your editor. Before any paper is turned into the teacher, two people should have edited it. First, you should have read it and edited it. Then, your editor friend should have edited it and suggested changes.
· Do not start sentences with and or but. I am actually a fan of using and or but to begin sentences but not in our classes. Our writing assignments are not the kind in which and or but at the beginnings of sentences are welcome.
· Avoid idioms. Idioms take away from the writing and they sound cliché.
· Do not use abbreviations. Write out something. Do not abbreviate words. To abbreviate words in writing assignments is just lazy.
· If you introduce something new that the reader may not know about, explain what it means.
· Do not use parenthesis as smiley faces. Turning in papers is not like using a chat room or writing messages on facebook. Smiley faces are unnecessary and unwelcome.
· Please don’t begin sentences with “speaking about” when you are writing. You are not speaking when you are writing.
· “I with my girls” is not the correct way to form this idea. “My girls and I” is the appropriate word order.
· Writing “I felt myself very poor,” is not a good sentence. If you “feel yourself” that means that you are literally touching yourself.
· Capitalize the main words in the titles of your papers.
· Double-space your papers.
I hope this helps. Keep these tips in mind next time.
Sharece
· Only use exclamation points when you need them. Try shouting the sentence. If it sounds terrible or you realize that the exclamation point is unnecessary, put a period.
· Use your editor. Before any paper is turned into the teacher, two people should have edited it. First, you should have read it and edited it. Then, your editor friend should have edited it and suggested changes.
· Do not start sentences with and or but. I am actually a fan of using and or but to begin sentences but not in our classes. Our writing assignments are not the kind in which and or but at the beginnings of sentences are welcome.
· Avoid idioms. Idioms take away from the writing and they sound cliché.
· Do not use abbreviations. Write out something. Do not abbreviate words. To abbreviate words in writing assignments is just lazy.
· If you introduce something new that the reader may not know about, explain what it means.
· Do not use parenthesis as smiley faces. Turning in papers is not like using a chat room or writing messages on facebook. Smiley faces are unnecessary and unwelcome.
· Please don’t begin sentences with “speaking about” when you are writing. You are not speaking when you are writing.
· “I with my girls” is not the correct way to form this idea. “My girls and I” is the appropriate word order.
· Writing “I felt myself very poor,” is not a good sentence. If you “feel yourself” that means that you are literally touching yourself.
· Capitalize the main words in the titles of your papers.
· Double-space your papers.
I hope this helps. Keep these tips in mind next time.
Sharece
RSS Feed