A writer must not shift your point of view.

I’m a big fan of this one! I know there are popular (VERY popular) writers who shift POV within scenes, within paragraph, sometimes within sentences. For the life of me, though, I can’t figure out how to read those writers.

I have to use clean POV for my own sanity. If I’m in Mary’s head, there has to be a break before I hop over to Jane’s head. It can be a new scene. Or it can be the same scene repeated from an alternate POV. I kind of like to do those when I can manage them.    

first photo from morguefile.com lauramusikanski

second photo from morguefile.com kconner

Beginnings and Endings

And don't start a sentence with a conjunction. (Remember, too, a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with.)

What do you think? Are these so terrible? And if so, why?

Okay, I’ll admit to doing this a whole lot in some first drafts. And in subsequent drafts, to, if I’m honest with you. But sometimes you have to start with the conjunction. That’s all there is to it.

As for ending with a preposition? There’s the ironic definition of a preposition is "A word you mustn't end a sentence with." Besides, this is actually a bogus rule. Another example of trying to equate English to Latin. You can’t do it in Latin, but you sure can in English. And there’s nothing wrong with it. Just like there’s nothing wrong with splitting infinitives.

The preposition prohibition began in the 1600s and has been continued, incredibly, ever since then. Here are thoughts on it. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004454.html

 photos from morguefile.com

Right This Way--Happy Fourth of July

I'm sending you over to Killer Characters today to read what Tally Holt has to say about Independence Day and pets. Please take care of them during what can be a terrifying time!

http://www.killercharacters.com/2018/07/wishing-you-and-your-pets-happy-safe.html