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Busy Writer's Guides #5
Grammar for Fiction Writers
Not your same old boring grammar guide! This book is fun, fast, and focused on writing amazing fiction.
The world of grammar is huge, but fiction writers don’t need to know all the nuances to write well. In fact, some of the rules you were taught in English class will actually hurt your fiction writing, not help it.
Grammar for Fiction Writers won’t teach you things you don’t need to know. It’s all about the grammar that’s relevant to you as you write your novels and short stories.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
• Punctuation Basics including the special uses of dashes and ellipses in fiction, common comma problems, how to format your dialogue, and untangling possessives and contractions.
• Knowing What Your Words Mean and What They Don’t including commonly confused words, imaginary words and phrases, how to catch and strengthen weak words, and using connotation and denotation to add powerful subtext to your writing.
• Grammar Rules Every Writer Needs to Know and Follow such as maintaining an active voice and making the best use of all the tenses for fast-paced writing that feels immediate and draws the reader in.
• Special Challenges for Fiction Writers like reversing cause and effect, characters who are unintentionally doing the impossible, and orphaned dialogue and pronouns.
• Grammar “Rules” You Can Safely Ignore When Writing Fiction
Each book in the Busy Writer’s Guides series is intended to give you enough theory so that you can understand why things work and why they don’t, but also enough examples to see how that theory looks in practice. In addition, they provide tips and exercises to help you take it to the pages of your own story with an editor's-eye view. Most importantly, they cut the fluff so you have more time to write and to live your life.
The world of grammar is huge, but fiction writers don’t need to know all the nuances to write well. In fact, some of the rules you were taught in English class will actually hurt your fiction writing, not help it.
Grammar for Fiction Writers won’t teach you things you don’t need to know. It’s all about the grammar that’s relevant to you as you write your novels and short stories.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
• Punctuation Basics including the special uses of dashes and ellipses in fiction, common comma problems, how to format your dialogue, and untangling possessives and contractions.
• Knowing What Your Words Mean and What They Don’t including commonly confused words, imaginary words and phrases, how to catch and strengthen weak words, and using connotation and denotation to add powerful subtext to your writing.
• Grammar Rules Every Writer Needs to Know and Follow such as maintaining an active voice and making the best use of all the tenses for fast-paced writing that feels immediate and draws the reader in.
• Special Challenges for Fiction Writers like reversing cause and effect, characters who are unintentionally doing the impossible, and orphaned dialogue and pronouns.
• Grammar “Rules” You Can Safely Ignore When Writing Fiction
Each book in the Busy Writer’s Guides series is intended to give you enough theory so that you can understand why things work and why they don’t, but also enough examples to see how that theory looks in practice. In addition, they provide tips and exercises to help you take it to the pages of your own story with an editor's-eye view. Most importantly, they cut the fluff so you have more time to write and to live your life.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
162 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2014
50 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Marcy Kennedy
20 books128 followersMarcy Kennedy is a science fiction and fantasy author who believes there's always hope. Sometimes you just have to dig a little harder to find it. In a world that can be dark and brutal and unfair, hope is one of our most powerful weapons.
She also writes award-winning mysteries under a pen name, but that's a secret. Shhhh...
Marcy lives in Ontario, Canada, with her former Marine husband, Boxer mix, eight cats (all rescues), and budgie. In her free time, she loves playing board games and going for bike rides.
She also writes award-winning mysteries under a pen name, but that's a secret. Shhhh...
Marcy lives in Ontario, Canada, with her former Marine husband, Boxer mix, eight cats (all rescues), and budgie. In her free time, she loves playing board games and going for bike rides.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 9, 2020
Not all, but some were really useful points. Anyone in fiction writing business can read this, and I am sure he will like it.
July 15, 2015
Grammar for Fiction Writer’s by Marcy Kennedy
I took my time in reading this book. A page or two each day to get the full understanding. I found a lot of information that helped me in my writing. From grammar rules to special challenges for fiction writers, such as myself, I was enriched. It was nice to review the punctuation basics. I recommend this book for any serious writer.
I took my time in reading this book. A page or two each day to get the full understanding. I found a lot of information that helped me in my writing. From grammar rules to special challenges for fiction writers, such as myself, I was enriched. It was nice to review the punctuation basics. I recommend this book for any serious writer.
July 25, 2015
Great addition to reference shelf
I bought three other books in this series and got this one as an afterthought. I decided it would be a good idea to refresh my grammar skills. The book gives clear examples. It also covers the gray areas when writers can get away with "breaking the rules" and when they can't. Just like the other books, a link to a downloadable checklist is provided for printing out.
One thing I've noticed about formatting is that many of the underlined, bolder, or italicized examples didn't appear correctly in my kindle for iPad app. I do not have an actual kindle to see if it was an app problem or something with the file itself. However, it was not distracting enough to make the examples unclear to me.
I bought three other books in this series and got this one as an afterthought. I decided it would be a good idea to refresh my grammar skills. The book gives clear examples. It also covers the gray areas when writers can get away with "breaking the rules" and when they can't. Just like the other books, a link to a downloadable checklist is provided for printing out.
One thing I've noticed about formatting is that many of the underlined, bolder, or italicized examples didn't appear correctly in my kindle for iPad app. I do not have an actual kindle to see if it was an app problem or something with the file itself. However, it was not distracting enough to make the examples unclear to me.
June 1, 2016
This is a good book for starters. There were some things that I knew instinctively, but with this book, I got a name for them and reason behind them. Some parts were pretty detailed, sprinkled with funny comments to not make the book a boring slab of rules.;-)
But I actually ended up being confused about the hyphen rule. I really wish the author had given a few more examples, especially considering that we read complicated descriptions in the style guides.
My most favorite part was of "Dangling participles and Misplaced modifiers". What an AMAZING point to make...
I've read many grammar books, but this one is the best for me!!:-)
But overall, I'm one satisfied reader. Great way to explain, really great examples, some great things pointed out. I'm sold.:)
But I actually ended up being confused about the hyphen rule. I really wish the author had given a few more examples, especially considering that we read complicated descriptions in the style guides.
My most favorite part was of "Dangling participles and Misplaced modifiers". What an AMAZING point to make...
I've read many grammar books, but this one is the best for me!!:-)
But overall, I'm one satisfied reader. Great way to explain, really great examples, some great things pointed out. I'm sold.:)
February 7, 2017
Great refresher for any writer. I recommend it.
March 23, 2022
Love this one and I recommend it to every author writing fiction. Learned so much from this book and it was probably one of the less boring reads I've ever come across. Thanks for writing this one. It feels as if you have written it just for me.
January 23, 2018
A great reference book. I especially used the lists of crutch words, weasel words, helping verbs, and weak words. The take it to the page sections, were also very helpful. Overall, a great resource!
August 29, 2018
Probably one of the weaker books I've read on style.
September 20, 2020
good reminder of the grammar rules that I've forgotten since finishing high school eons ago.
January 27, 2023
Another great book in her series. Don’t miss it.
June 30, 2024
quick reference for common questions.
I love the Busy Writer’s Guides and this one is excellent. An easy reference and review to support our writing.
I love the Busy Writer’s Guides and this one is excellent. An easy reference and review to support our writing.
December 30, 2020
An easy to follow reference
This is an easy to follow reference for writers. Much easier than other guides! Will be using over and over
This is an easy to follow reference for writers. Much easier than other guides! Will be using over and over
February 6, 2017
This is a nice book for fiction writers as the title suggests, I just want her to stop picking at high school teachers because not all of them have the same ideas, but the book is too the pooint
February 22, 2017
Love a good grammar book and this one gives excellent examples along with clear explanations. Good to have in a writer's toolbox.
March 9, 2015
Thought I had grammar sussed and sorted years ago, but still found this book a gem for fiction writing. Easy read with useful examples.
May 5, 2015
This is mostly geared for new writers, but even those who have been writing a while and just want to brush up will learn a few things.
January 8, 2016
Short and sweet--and packed with practical rules/tips for shaping fiction grammar into a thing of beauty. I'm going to keep this guide close and use it during my revisions.
June 3, 2016
This book was very easy to understand and covered a lot of the grammar issues that are most important to fiction writers. It was very helpful to me.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews