I would like to get in touch

I would like to get in touch with other would be writer's and poets maybe sci-fi fantasy writers who are trying to get their work in print in magazines or by entering competitions including anyone who are on a creative writing course Besides writing I have other interests and hobbies as well

mississippi | August 24, 2006 - 07:25

Nat, I'm not trying to be rude or nasty here, BUT, you need to spend some time on improving your writing before any publisher would consider your work. You need to buy a book on sentence construction and punctuation.

Your post above has several glaring errors which, if it was an opening sentence of a piece of work, would make the reader stop right there.

* I would like to get in touch with other would be writer’s and poets maybe sci-fi fantasy writers who are trying to get their work in print in magazines or by entering competitions including anyone who are on a creative writing course Besides writing I have other interests and hobbies as well *

'...would be writer's..'

The apostrophe (the only puntuation mark in the whole post apart from the hyphen in sci-fi!), is erroneous.

'...writers and poets maybe sci-fi..'

There should be a comma after 'poets'.

'...maybe sci-fi fantasy writers'

Though maybe not technically an error, 'fantasy' isn't required, as all sci-fi writing IS fantasy.

'...print in magazines or by entering competitions...'

You need a comma after 'magazines', and/or after 'competitions'.

'...anyone who are on a creative..'

Are? This should be 'is', and is an absolutely awful mistake for a writer to make.

'...writing course Besides writing I have...'

There should be a full-stop after course, (as there should be at the end of any sentence unless other punctuation is required. eg. exclamation mark, question mark). There should also be a double space between sentences and a comma after 'writing'. (I have noticed however, that this program has a habit of removing intended spaces, rather annoyingly.)

'... as well...'

Again, though maybe not grammatically incorrect, it doesn't scan in a literate sense. It would have been better to re-phrase the sentence, eg. 'I have several other interests apart from writing', or, Writing is just one of my many interests and hobbies.'

Lastly, you omitted the final full-stop.

You need to realise that sentence construction and punctuation are very important, especially if you're trying to impress a publisher. Most wouldn't even bother to read stuff written as badly as this.

I hope this is received as constructive criticism and not as a put-down.

yan | August 26, 2006 - 22:07

'I have several other interests apart from writing', or, Writing is just one of my many interests and hobbies.'

Something about punctuation being important?

HED KEEQUAI

mississippi | August 26, 2006 - 22:50

OK, so there's two of you who need instruction in English grammar.

alan_benefit | August 29, 2006 - 18:25

I think that should be 'So, there are two of you who need instruction in English grammar.' Singulars and plurals? People instead of things? Though I may be wrong, and I'll hold my hands up to superior knowledge if so.

archergirl | August 29, 2006 - 18:52

Oh, I just love it. Better than watching Match of the Day.

alan_benefit | August 29, 2006 - 18:59

Match of the Day? Better than watching Big Brother, you mean... but then, anything is.

mississippi | August 29, 2006 - 23:39

two of you / you two ?

I don't think I'm grammatically incorrect, but I can tell you disagree with me anyway, not that I give a shit.

that/who ?

Yes, you are right, must be my sloppy writing, I'll correct it forthwith.

yan | August 30, 2006 - 10:09

Sloppy writing indeed. Do correct it - forthwith

There's nothing worse than a neighbour with crap wind chimes