Writers Etiquette

[Skykat]

Don't feel bad for asking questions. Its good that you want to learn.

The sentence should read:

All the lies and secrecy had taken their toll on her

There/ they're or their?

The rule with there is very similar to the one I told you on PM about where. If you're talking about a place then the word to use is there.

eg. Your card is over there.

Same as with where if you substitute there with here and it still makes sense then you know there is the right word to use.

Your card is over here

They're is basically an abbreviation of they are. To find out if it's the right one to use simply substitute there for they are. If it makes sense then you have the right one.

All the lies and secrey had taken they are toll on her - doesn't make sense.

They're on the kitchen table/ they are on the kitchen table - does.

Their is more possessive. You'd use it if something belongs to someone: their coat; their beautiful long eyelashes

You also use their to describe a characteristic of something: she put the glasses in their place on the shelf

or an effect something can have on something else: their bullying really hurt her

Yor example follows the same rule. The toll on her face is as a result of the lies and secrecy; it is something they're responsible for, therefore it belongs to them and the right word to use is their. Effectively you're using a metaphor, you're turning lies and secrecy into an actual object in that they have characteristics and are therefore possessive.

I hope I haven't completely confused you with that.

The easiest way to check if you're not sure what I mean is by a process of elimination.

Try substituting there with 'here' if that makes sense the word you need is 'there'.

If not try substituting it with they are, if that makes sense you need 'they're'

If that doesn't work the only one left is their so thats your answer.

Hope that made some sense.

As for your actual sentence, with the right 'their' it makes perfect sense. I hope I made some sense with my explanation!

[~Amy~]

I hope I haven't completely confused you with that.

Not entirely. So what you are saying is a good way to check if you're spelling it right is to try to substitute it with the similar ones and see which one looks correct?

[Skykat]

Yeah thats what I used to find the easiest and eventually it'll just click and you'll know instinctively which one to use.

[I love music]

You know, I've noticed that lately a few people are submitting fics that don't have any titles. It's entirely up to you if you want to do that, but I'd advise against it. There are some people who will read a story without a title but there are many who won't - so you're probably losing a lot of would-be readers.

If you can't think of a title for your fic, give it a "working title". You could call it after the main characters in your story (eg Jack and Martha) or after what it's about (eg The Stalker). If you come up with a title later, you can always ask a MOD to edit it for you.

[Eli]

I agree, if you don't find a title the fic might seem like it isn't planned (even though not planning sometimes can be a good thing) and like it's just something you've put together quickly without a good idea.

Another tip is using a quote or simply think "what describes my fic in one word/one sentence"

[Cerise]

You know, I've noticed that lately a few people are submitting fics that don't have any titles. It's entirely up to you if you want to do that, but I'd advise against it. There are some people who will read a story without a title but there are many who won't - so you're probably losing a lot of would-be readers.

If you can't think of a title for your fic, give it a "working title". You could call it after the main characters in your story (eg Jack and Martha) or after what it's about (eg The Stalker). If you come up with a title later, you can always ask a MOD to edit it for you.

I never come up with good Titles and I usually think hard and long about them. I think I may have lost readers by calling my Story 'Nameless' I agree with I love music, you should have a (intresting) Title before Posting. Also a Few usefull stuf are -Make your Chapters long(something I SUCK at but know I should do), -Correct Spelling(It might put older readers off, if the Spelling is the Standard of an 8-year old they might expect the Story to be), -Plan the Story(Have a rough Idea in mind about the Characters, Storylines, Chapters etc), -Write a good Summary(It will get People intrested) and last but not least -Update regulary

[I love music]

You know, I've noticed that lately a few people are submitting fics that don't have any titles. It's entirely up to you if you want to do that, but I'd advise against it. There are some people who will read a story without a title but there are many who won't - so you're probably losing a lot of would-be readers.

If you can't think of a title for your fic, give it a "working title". You could call it after the main characters in your story (eg Jack and Martha) or after what it's about (eg The Stalker). If you come up with a title later, you can always ask a MOD to edit it for you.

I never come up with good Titles and I usually think hard and long about them. I think I may have lost readers by calling my Story 'Nameless' I agree with I love music, you should have a (intresting) Title before Posting. Also a Few usefull stuf are -Make your Chapters long(something I SUCK at but know I should do), -Correct Spelling(It might put older readers off, if the Spelling is the Standard of an 8-year old they might expect the Story to be), -Plan the Story(Have a rough Idea in mind about the Characters, Storylines, Chapters etc), -Write a good Summary(It will get People intrested) and last but not least -Update regulary

It IS good to have an interesting title but ANY title is better than none. And a chapter doesn't have to be long to be a good chapter. I'm not commenting on the planning of stories, I know you should, but I never do...

[Eli]

I mostly agree with you on planning a story, Kat. BUT, I have to say, the story I got best reviews and most readers on was written without any planning at all, just an impulse as a result of too little sleep and too much caffeine

[I love music]

I mostly agree with you on planning a story, Kat. BUT, I have to say, the story I got best reviews and most readers on was written without any planning at all, just an impulse as a result of too little sleep and too much caffeine

Same here. Always and Forever, that seems to be most people's fave story (out of those who read my fics, I mean) was meant to be a one-shot...

Anyway, falling asleep (first day back at work after the hols ) so going off to bed now...

[Eli]

I mostly agree with you on planning a story, Kat. BUT, I have to say, the story I got best reviews and most readers on was written without any planning at all, just an impulse as a result of too little sleep and too much caffeine

Same here. Always and Forever, that seems to be most people's fave story (out of those who read my fics, I mean) was meant to be a one-shot...

Anyway, falling asleep (first day back at work after the hols ) so going off to bed now...

Haha, same with me. "Where do you go...?" was just something I came up with because I was bored and had to much coffee too late at night, so I decided to write a oneshot. But it turned out to be much longer, and I have never gotten as good reviews as I got on that one!

I didn't plan my other fics that much either, and I have this thing about not re-reading. Sometimes I can plan it for weeks, but I can't re-read it once it's written!

I always though "The next moves..." (and now "Closer each day") would be the most popular ones as they are planned, and the ones of my planned fics I like best but I don't have many readers at all!

But "Where do you go...?" and "Dark tunnels" (DT isn't well planned, but a bit more than WDYG as that one wasn't planned AT ALL) are my most popular fics!

So planning doesn't necessarily give a good story. I think that if you have a good idea and you are a good writer ("not hopeless" would be better to say as you really just need a good idea in my opinion) you don't have to plan. I actually think planning can ruin a good idea. I think "Where do you go" would have been bad if I planned it.

And I have got nothing but A's on English and Norwegian exams/term exams for the past three years, but I hardly ever get it when it's homework and I have time to plan and write it.