Sunday 4 September 2011

Cheat sheets and ROW80 check in

I am feeling a lot better today,
thankfully the cold did not stay long.
I achieved my goal for this week,
(two chapters edited--huzzah!).

This week is a crazy one again,
(first week of school and I have a bajillion appointments as well),
so although I have high hopes for this week,
I have to be realistic!

I'm hoping to edit two chapters this week,
do two blog posts,
and write a beautiful "About Me" page for my blog.

Today I wrote up an editing cheat sheet...
you know, a page that reminds you of the silly mistakes that you are always making.
Mine has comma's,
(I don't like them...they even look sinister...
like dismembered crooked fingers , , , just not right!),
putting in description,
and omitting unnecessary words (that, felt, seemed, as, while).

So it got me wondering,
what's on other writer's cheat sheets?

So, what's on your editing cheat sheet? You know, the fatal writing no-no's you commit unless you have a post-it note stuck to your computer screen.

8 comments:

  1. i am terrible at just about all grammar and commas are my nemesis, so, seeing this made me smile! my cheat sheet might be more of a motivational tool than a cheat--not sure--but i have a picture of my kids on my desktop that is the folder for my novel...it reminds me to keep writing, keep it fun and not to stress too much about the bleeping commas. i will now look at the commas as you describe and smile. thanks!

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  2. @ Jodi Su: that sounds like a great motivational tool! Sometimes we have to ignore all the rules and just get the words down on the page. I'm glad I made you smile. :)

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  3. all puctuation freaks me - I don't understand dashes in novels and get the tenses mixed - my friend from ever/editor certainly earns her blackberry and apple crumbles and raost beef!!

    all the best for this week

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  4. I LOVE grammar. And commas! My downfalls are those distancing words (felt, seemed, heard) and adverbs. At least with adverbs I can do a search for the culprits after the first draft.

    PS: I'm the one from Hamilton. :) And I'm often even closer, because my family is in Ancaster. (And if you're ever looking for a writing group, I meet with a bunch of people most Tuesday nights in Westdale)

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  5. Hi Karen! I love the idea of a cheat sheet. Right now my cheat sheet is squirreled away in the back of my brain somewhere waiting to be written down.

    Btw, we're in the same beginner blogger group. Nice to meet you!

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  6. I don't have an editing cheat sheet either, and I'm not sure what I'd put on it, though I kinda like the idea.

    It's great to meet you, from one Canadian Campaigner to another!

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  7. @ alberta ross: I hear you!! Thank goodness for those friends who love fixing my messes!:)
    @ jessica: will you be my friend?!? :D lol Does your group meet every Tuesday? I have a writing group but we only meet once a month.
    @ F.E. Sewall: Yeah, I had mine in my brain too...except I kept losing it. So now I made it tangible.
    @ kelworthfiles: Hello fellow Canuk! It's great to meet you. :)

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  8. I nominated you for a Liebster :)

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