Between Sin and Syntax and Revising Prose I have never thought so much about every word that I put down on the page. Even as I am reading other's writing I find myself over thinking. I admit that I do not come from a writing background and that in fact my grammar skills lack, but reading these books makes me see that I can change this and I will. I would like to recap here the Paramedic Method that is outlined in Revising Prose, it is fundamental to good writing.
THE PARAMEDIC METHOD
1. Circle the prepositions.
2. Circle the "is" forms
3. Ask, "Where's the action?" "Who's kicking who?"
4. Put this "kicking" action in a simple (not compound) active verb.
5. Start fast-no slow windups.
6. Write out each sentence on a blank screen or sheet of paper and mark off its basic rhythmic units with a "/"
7. Mark off sentence lengths in the passage with a big "/" between sentences.
8. Read the passage aloud with emphasis and feeling.
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2 comments:
I know! I am neurotic and my writings, inadequate. Now even a simple blog isn't simple. I long for June already.
That is funny you say you now find yourself analyzing everything you read now. I am, too. Point in fact, I just started reading "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson (it was recently made into a movie starring Will Smith.) There are quite a few sentences that could have been written better. I am mentally editing them in my head!
It's wonderfully horrible. :)
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