Little Things Mean A Lot

Little Things

Frank Sinatra sang a song that had the lyric Little things mean a lot. Today's photo shows a coffee grinder with some little things around it. The miniature chef and muffins add a lot to the picture. 

When we write a story, a memoir, a poem, or an essay, little things can make a good piece shine. They can also make the difference between an editor accepting or rejecting a submission. 

There was a period when English teachers began giving a grade only for the content of a written assignment. The grammar, spelling, punctuation--the mechanics--didn't count toward the grade. The first time I heard of this, I was livid. Those mechanics, those many 'little' things make the difference in a good paper and a poor one. 

You might have a lot to say in whatever it is you write and that's good. If you don't pay attention to the little things, that's bad. What are the bits and pieces that will improve whatever you write? 

Passive Verbs:  Our first drafts are filled with passive verbs like was, is, are. When you edit, change as many passive verbs to action ones as possible. Action verbs are visual for the reader. Besides that, action verbs are more interesting. When you replace a passive verb, it's sometimes necessary to change the order of a sentence to make it work. You cannot always pluck the bad out and drop in the new one in the same spot. 

Length of Sentences:  One of the greatest problems for some writers is writing overly long sentences. I have noted that one sentence looks like a full paragraph. If you attempt to read it aloud, you'd be gasping for breath before the final punctuation mark. If you have a sentence like that, it's quite easy to break it into two, or even three, shorter sentences. We should also attempt to balance sentence length. If you have a long sentence, let the next one be short. No reader is going to count how many long or short sentences you have, but it gives a smoother flow to your work.

Spelling:  No one should have a spelling error with today's technology.  Use a spell check program when writing on a computer or tablet. I signed up for Grammarly and have been very pleased with what it offers. I cannot link it here as it goes automatically to my personal account. Just go to grammarly.com to get started. They have a free version and an upgraded paid one. I have the free version and have been satisfied.

Punctuation:  Commas bring the most confusion in this category. Some writers grab a handful, toss them in the air, and let them land wherever. Not literally, but it sometimes appears as if that is the way the commas were inserted. Learn the rules--google to find sites for help. Grammarly is helpful in punctuation, too. Don't use too many exclamation marks or you lose the ooomph they are meant to give. It's worth learning the rules and using them.

Grammar:  Again, this is something that requires one to learn the rules and apply them when writing. There are all kinds of things to be concerned about--compound verbs, subjects and objects, using adjectives and adverbs properly, and more. Many writers had the benefit of a top-notch grade and high school education where they learned all these things. Many others either did not have the exposure to a highly credited program in school or didn't bother to pay much attention. Kids are like that, as we all know. If you struggle with grammar, work on it now to improve your writing skills.

Redundancy:  Repeating words too close together makes for boring reading. Repeating a thought by using different words in consecutive paragraphs doesn't fool anyone but many do this. Sometimes, a writer does it to ensure the reader 'gets the point' and sometimes they do it because they don't know what to say next so why not keep on with the same thought said in a different way. 

There are other little things that will make or break what you've written. This list is quite long enough. Go through your files, select one of your favorite pieces of writing and read through it looking for all of the above. I guarantee you'll find at least a few that qualify for the list above. I know that anything I pull from my files would have problems here and there. No one writes perfectly but we surely can strive to write as best we can. It will definitely show in the final product.