Constant Content

Hello,

I am a newbie who has already established herself on AC. I have even had one article showcased on that site and have had no issues with writing style or rejections. Of course I am well aware that CC is a much more in depth site for writers, however, I feel it is the next step for me.

My question for you is this - where can a writer get GOOD editing help for free? I am looking for a program that will catch the "dangling modifiers" and "word usage" I keep getting rejected for.

I was even rejected for a fragment in a blog-style article. It was my understanding that blog articles did not follow the same rules of writing but I now know otherwise.

Can anyone help me out? Thank you all in advance for your time and suggestions!

Rebecca

Programs can't replace good ol' firsthand knowledge. Get a good grammar book such as Strunk and White's [i]Elements of Style[/i] and a good punctuation book such as Noah Lukeman's [i]A Dash of Style [/i]and read them from cover to cover. Don't put them away; keep them on your desk for easy reference. A few months later, read them again. Repeat. Good luck!

Also, having someone else read it who is fairly well-read is a good idea. Not a catch all, but often someone else will help you see what you are missing. Reading things outloud often helps you catch the dangling modifiers. Also, on CC blogs are a little less formal in tone, but still must be gramatically correct from what I have learned here.

[quote="reberen"]Hello,

My question for you is this - where can a writer get GOOD editing help for free? I am looking for a program that will catch the "dangling modifiers" and "word usage" I keep getting rejected for.

Rebecca[/quote]

There isn't a program that can do this - learning to write in a particular style, like any skill, takes practice. I second the suggestion to buy some books and recommend Stephen King's On Writing. I've read several how to write books and taken something useful from all of them. Perhaps check your library?

Do you have a good friend who is a regular reader that can read through your articles and be trusted to provide constructive criticism? Or maybe there's a local writing group in your area that you can join that can provide honest feedback?

Good luck.


Lorraine
Still learning