I. Introduction
Welcome everyone, to the guide. I'll be your host, hellnight . If anything in this guide is wrong (or you disagree with) or if anything can be added, send me a PM and I'll be glad to add it in. And before you say it, the plural of noun is noun, apparently. Unless Microsoft Word was just being dumb.
Also, if you want to add or amend a section, just say so and PM or post it here.
II. Grammar and Punctuation
First and foremost, if you have bad grammar and/or punctuation, your story is going to be generally discarded into the pile of crap, no matter how good everything else may be. I won't get too detailed (we'll be here all day ) so I'll cover the bare minimum.
Noun, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs
I know, you're wondering why I'm even bothering to point out something as rudimentary as this, but I feel this should be covered. Noun are people, places, things, or ideas. Adjectives describes the noun, and are words such as orange and fast. Verbs are action words, and say what is being done to the noun. Adverbs describe verbs, and most end in -ly. (I personally think adverbs are a horrible device, but I digress)
Sentence Structure
Sentences have two parts to them. Subject and predicate.
John ran quickly.
Subject is italicized, predicate is in bold. See how the subject is a noun? It doesn't have to be a proper noun either, it can just be a pronoun (I, he, she, etc.) or even a regular old noun (The chair toppled over, the chair as the subject).
Also, see how the verb and adverb make up the predicate? That was a simple sentence, and now for something a little different.
John ran quickly. He passed the finish line.
Good for John. Anyway, both sentences are complete, and simple. But would you disagree if I wrote it like this?
John ran quickly and passed the finish line.
The sentence length has changed, and now the two sentences together are one.
Also, when describing multiple things in a sentence, you need commas. If I wrote the sentence like this:
John ran quickly, and passed the finish line.
It's wrong. You do not add a comma when you are combining two sentances with a compound verb. If there is not a new subject, you do not add a comma. That example should be, "John ran quickly and passed the finish line." However, it would require a comma if you wrote, "John ran quickly, and he passed the finish line." If the second part of the sentence after the conjunction cannot support itself on its own, it does not need a comma. "Subject verb conjunction verb." vs. "Subject verb, conjunction subject verb."
Vocabulary
He ran. She ran. They ran. I ran so far awayyy~
See the problem there? Ran is used exclusively, while other words are disregarded. Here's something better. (Though not all that great)
He sprinted. She dashed. They bolted. I ran so far awayyy~
By varying the words, sentences become more interesting. However, there is a point where it's just too much thesaurus-using (I don't use them personally) and then your writing just seems pretentious.
Quotation Marks and Paragraphs
"So I love him," she said with finality. "Ask him out," he pleaded, eager for her to get on with her life. He crossed over to her, and caressed her face, wiping away the endless tears she had cried. If he couldn't have her, Billy-Bob-Joe-Henry-Samson must. For his sake.
I don't care how great (or shitty) the writing is, that is all clumped together and crappy...well, crappier than it already was.
"So I love him," she said with finality.
"Ask him out," he pleaded, eager for her to get on with her life.
He crossed over to her, and caressed her face, wiping away the endless tears she had cried. If he couldn't have her, Billy-Bob-Joe-Henry-Samson must. For his sake.
Another issue people have is where to place the punctuation within a quotation mark.
"Yo." is acceptable. "Yo". is not.
Apostrophe Placing
Apostrophes are used
To form the possessive of nouns (i.e. show ownership).
If you have a singular noun, the apostrophe goes before the s:
Naruto's ramen.
Kakashi's sharingan.
Ino's flower shop.
If you have a plural noun, the apostrophe goes after the s:
The kage-bunshin Narutos' attacks were lamentable.
The Yamanakas' flower shop.
Apostrophes are also used to show contractions.
I can't, instead of I cannot.
I don't, instead of I do not.
It's, instead of it is.
NOTE: Please, please, please take into account the difference between it's and its. It's is an abbreviated version of it is. There is a missing letter - hence the apostrophe. Its is a possessive pronoun - which doesn't need an apostrophe any more than the other possessive pronouns do (e.g. ours, yours, hers, his).
Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in it's mouth.
This sentence reads: "Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in it is mouth." It doesn't make sense.
Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in its mouth.
Now, it makes a lot more sense.
Apostrophes are not used to donate plurals. Ever.
The following are wrong:
Ramen noodle's at this stall - (should read: "Ramen noodles at this stall.")
Sasuke has two working sharingan's - (should read: "Sasuke has two working sharingans).
Welcome everyone, to the guide. I'll be your host, hellnight . If anything in this guide is wrong (or you disagree with) or if anything can be added, send me a PM and I'll be glad to add it in. And before you say it, the plural of noun is noun, apparently. Unless Microsoft Word was just being dumb.
Also, if you want to add or amend a section, just say so and PM or post it here.
II. Grammar and Punctuation
First and foremost, if you have bad grammar and/or punctuation, your story is going to be generally discarded into the pile of crap, no matter how good everything else may be. I won't get too detailed (we'll be here all day ) so I'll cover the bare minimum.
Noun, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverbs
I know, you're wondering why I'm even bothering to point out something as rudimentary as this, but I feel this should be covered. Noun are people, places, things, or ideas. Adjectives describes the noun, and are words such as orange and fast. Verbs are action words, and say what is being done to the noun. Adverbs describe verbs, and most end in -ly. (I personally think adverbs are a horrible device, but I digress)
Sentence Structure
Sentences have two parts to them. Subject and predicate.
John ran quickly.
Subject is italicized, predicate is in bold. See how the subject is a noun? It doesn't have to be a proper noun either, it can just be a pronoun (I, he, she, etc.) or even a regular old noun (The chair toppled over, the chair as the subject).
Also, see how the verb and adverb make up the predicate? That was a simple sentence, and now for something a little different.
John ran quickly. He passed the finish line.
Good for John. Anyway, both sentences are complete, and simple. But would you disagree if I wrote it like this?
John ran quickly and passed the finish line.
The sentence length has changed, and now the two sentences together are one.
Also, when describing multiple things in a sentence, you need commas. If I wrote the sentence like this:
John ran quickly, and passed the finish line.
It's wrong. You do not add a comma when you are combining two sentances with a compound verb. If there is not a new subject, you do not add a comma. That example should be, "John ran quickly and passed the finish line." However, it would require a comma if you wrote, "John ran quickly, and he passed the finish line." If the second part of the sentence after the conjunction cannot support itself on its own, it does not need a comma. "Subject verb conjunction verb." vs. "Subject verb, conjunction subject verb."
Vocabulary
He ran. She ran. They ran. I ran so far awayyy~
See the problem there? Ran is used exclusively, while other words are disregarded. Here's something better. (Though not all that great)
He sprinted. She dashed. They bolted. I ran so far awayyy~
By varying the words, sentences become more interesting. However, there is a point where it's just too much thesaurus-using (I don't use them personally) and then your writing just seems pretentious.
Quotation Marks and Paragraphs
"So I love him," she said with finality. "Ask him out," he pleaded, eager for her to get on with her life. He crossed over to her, and caressed her face, wiping away the endless tears she had cried. If he couldn't have her, Billy-Bob-Joe-Henry-Samson must. For his sake.
I don't care how great (or shitty) the writing is, that is all clumped together and crappy...well, crappier than it already was.
"So I love him," she said with finality.
"Ask him out," he pleaded, eager for her to get on with her life.
He crossed over to her, and caressed her face, wiping away the endless tears she had cried. If he couldn't have her, Billy-Bob-Joe-Henry-Samson must. For his sake.
Another issue people have is where to place the punctuation within a quotation mark.
"Yo." is acceptable. "Yo". is not.
Apostrophe Placing
Apostrophes are used
To form the possessive of nouns (i.e. show ownership).
If you have a singular noun, the apostrophe goes before the s:
Naruto's ramen.
Kakashi's sharingan.
Ino's flower shop.
If you have a plural noun, the apostrophe goes after the s:
The kage-bunshin Narutos' attacks were lamentable.
The Yamanakas' flower shop.
Apostrophes are also used to show contractions.
I can't, instead of I cannot.
I don't, instead of I do not.
It's, instead of it is.
NOTE: Please, please, please take into account the difference between it's and its. It's is an abbreviated version of it is. There is a missing letter - hence the apostrophe. Its is a possessive pronoun - which doesn't need an apostrophe any more than the other possessive pronouns do (e.g. ours, yours, hers, his).
Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in it's mouth.
This sentence reads: "Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in it is mouth." It doesn't make sense.
Akamaru saw the other dog with the bone in its mouth.
Now, it makes a lot more sense.
Apostrophes are not used to donate plurals. Ever.
The following are wrong:
Ramen noodle's at this stall - (should read: "Ramen noodles at this stall.")
Sasuke has two working sharingan's - (should read: "Sasuke has two working sharingans).
