7/28/09

Hi! If anyone's reading this...haha, I have several stories that are unfinished, and for that I sincerely apologize. I know you want to rip my guts out (you can do that virtually, btw), but I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. I'm not sure how to extricate myself from said rut, but when I do, surely you shall see a story alert!

Oh, and I randomly signed up for NanoWriMo even though it isn't even remotely close to November. This is what they said:

1) It's okay to not know what you're doing. Really. You've read a lot of novels, so you're completely up to the challenge of writing one. If you feel more comfortable outlining your story ahead of time, do so. But it's also fine to just wing it. Write every day, and a book-worthy story will appear, even if you're not sure what that story might be right now.

2) Do not edit as you go. Editing is for December. Think of November as an experiment in pure output. Even if it's hard at first, leave ugly prose and poorly written passages on the page to be cleaned up later. Your inner editor will be very grumpy about this, but your inner editor is a nitpicky jerk who foolishly believes that it is possible to write a brilliant first draft if you write it slowly enough. It isn't. Every book you've ever loved started out as a beautifully flawed first draft. In November, embrace imperfection and see where it takes you.

3) Tell everyone you know that you're writing a novel in November. This will pay big dividends in Week Two, when the only thing keeping you from quitting is the fear of looking pathetic in front of all the people who've had to hear about your novel for the past month. Seriously. Email them now about your awesome new book. The looming specter of personal humiliation is a very reliable muse.

3.5) There will be times you'll want to quit during November. This is okay. Everyone who wins NaNoWriMo wanted to quit at some point in November. Stick it out. See it through. Week Two can be hard. Week Three is much better. Week Four will make you want to yodel.

I found this line most profound in its simplicity: Do not edit as you go.

I suppose for some this proves to be untrue, but yikes. I think I should follow this advice. XD

Thanks to http:// www.loony-archivist .com/angel/faql_friendly.html

fan fiction faq

What is fan fiction?
"Fan Fiction" is fiction based on a television series (or film, novel, rpg, etc.), written by fans. Fanfic—by and large—is not scripts but prose. While some have chosen to write their fanfic in teleplay form, those are few and far between. Pieces range in length from vignettes (1000 words) to short stories to full blown novels (50,000+ words). Fan fiction has existed in print since the turn of the century pulp magazines, but fanfic as we have come to know it today began in the late 1960s and early 1970s Star Trek fandom. Fanfic was collected in APAs (AmateurPublishing Associations) and circulated through the post, and more commonly in "fanzines"—not-for-profit anthologies of short stories, poems, novellas, and novels usually accompanied by fan artwork, published by fans and sold at cost through the post and at conventions like MediaWest, an annual 'zine con in the Midwest. Many professional authors (Jean Lorrah, A.C. Crispin, Peter David, and Susan Garrett, to name a few) had their start in fanzines.

Since the web hit big in the early 1990s, fanfic has spread through the on-line media fan community like wildfire, even moving from tradition genre subjects (SF, Fantasy, Horror, Espionage, Police Dramas) to rather unconventional ones (Sitcoms, Medical Dramas, Soap Operas). Many fanfic writes on the Internet, AOL and other forums have never seen a fanzine, and their first introduction to fanfic were the on-line Usenet newsgroups and archives of fanfic written by print fandom media fans writing on-line—which inspired them to write their own.

The marriage between on-line fanfic and 'zine fandom is uneasy—largely due to the print world's use of copy and content editors to ensure the quality of the published fiction, and the 'net's conspicuous lack thereof. Sturgeon's Law definitely applies, and the "slush pile" on-line is ten to a hundred times greater in volume than the 'zine world.

However, fanfic discussion lists and the now common practice of "Beta Readers" (friends of the author who do some copy and content editing, and provide editorial feedback) have sprung up to attempt to rectify this situation. True web "publishing" is rare, but some of the best fiction today is being written by on-line authors, and this fanfic is finding its way into the print world through various fan publishers culling their submissions from the 'net.

To learn more about fanfic in the media fandom world, I highly recommend Textual Poachers, a sociological text by Henry Jenkins which examines the creation and growth of fanfic and 'zines, and goes into great detail about the various genres of the medium, and contains interviews with authors, editors and publishers.

For more essays and sites devoted to fan fiction, check out: Dr. Merlin's Guide to Fan Fiction

How can I become a better writer?
Write.
Then write some more.
Oh, and write.
And have I mentioned, write?

Seriously, the best thing you can do to improve your craft is to write constantly. Have writer's block? Don't moan about it; write through it. Go ahead and write badly, just keep going. You can always cut out the parts that suck later. The important thing is to keep working at it.

However, before you share your work, make sure that it is the best work you are capable of.

This is done through a variety of steps, namely:
1. Editing.
2. Editing.
3. Editing.
4. Line editing (for spelling, grammar, typos)
5. Content editing (for flow, logic, story structure, and so on)
6. Re-writes.
7. Repeat steps 1-6.And in addition to writing, try reading. Everything. Because you learn as much from reading as you do from writing. Especially if you read good stuff. And if you think people don't learn grammar, structure, content, and flow from osmosis, think again. Better yet, remember the last story you read with POV shifts every 2 paragraphs, no punctuation, and homophones up the wazoo. I guarantee that if you read for pleasure, you are less likely to make those mistakes.

Some cardinal rules:

If your characters have to act out of character for your plot to work, then your plot DOES NOT WORK.
I really don't need to explain this one, do I?

Put the quality of the work above your own ego.
Realistically, what does this mean? It means that even if your entire 12th grade class thought it was brilliant, that doesn't mean the person telling you the ending doesn't work, the pacing is off, and your spelling sucks is wrong. It means that constructive criticism, and putting the welfare of your story ahead of your own crushed feelings, will make you a better writer. And if it doesn't, then you need to examine your reasons for writing.

If you write because it's a fun social activity, because your friends do it, and because you love to read fanfic, and want to contribute to the sub-genre, that does not mean that you are somehow exempt from the same criteria that apply to all writers and all fiction. If you are only sharing your fiction amongst friends, that is one thing. But before you share it with the rest of the world, think about whether or not this is really something you should—or are ready to—share. If you put your name on something, first make sure it's something you want your name on, and be willing to listen to people if they tell you it can be better.

If you are serious about your writing, and want to put out the best work you are capable of, then be prepared for work-shop style critiques. If you can't take it, then either develop a thicker skin, or re-evaluate your reasons for sharing your stories (be it on a mailing list, or publishing them to a website or a fanzine) in the first place. Negative feedback is just as constructive, and often times more useful, as positive, and is not to be confused with flames, a personal attack, etc. Just because you may not agree with something someone has said about your work does not mean he or she has flamed you.

Also, if you are giving feedback, no matter how much or little you like the work, try and be courteous and unbiased in imparting your opinions. Just because you disagree with someone else does not mean they do not have any valid points. Likewise, just because you like the author as a person does not mean you have to defend their work regardless of its merits, or lack thereof. In reality, you are most likely harming them by not telling them how they can best improve their writing, and allowing them to believe they have nothing else to learn. This is, frankly, bullshit. All writers keep learning and growing, with every story or novel they write. And we all learn something new that can help us become better writers. There is alwaysmore to learn.

Use critical feedback to improve your work
You must learn to distinguish critical feedback of your work from a personal attack. If you cannot look at your own work critically, then you will never improve as a writer. The hard part is not taking critical feedback personally, and not rejecting it simply because it hurt your feelings. Try and use critical feedback to view your work from a new perspective. You do not have to make every change suggested to you by a reader. However, you do have to examine all feedback and decide—impartially—if there is merit to it, and how to use it to improve your work. It requires you to be able to separate objective criticism from subjective.

Yes, there is such a thing as personal preference regarding style, plots, and characters and those preferences can bias a reader for or against a certain type of story, or author. This is subjective. Personal preferences aside, you can hate someone's work while still admitting and recognising that it is well-written. You can enjoy someone's plots while acknowledging that their dialogue and pacing is inferior. And you can even love a story despite typos and POV shifts. However, in terms of whether or not something is well-crafted, in terms of technically—the spelling, grammar, structure, plot, flow, etc.—either it is, or it is not. That has to do with facts, not perceptions. It's subjective versus objective. And all the personal preferences in the world won't help a story if it is out-and-out poorly constructed and executed. The mechanics of the work dictate whether or not it is even readable.

You can have a story or novel that is technically perfect—and dull as dust. All the perfection in the world won't make it more entertaining. Likewise, you can have a flawed story that is vastly entertaining despite its flaws. But that doesn't mean the story would not be even better if the flaws were repaired. It doesn't matter how much good feedback it got—it will always bebetter if the craftsmanship is better. But the writing itself—the mechanics of it, not the style, theme, or voice—is still either well-crafted or not. There are no grey areas when it comes to certain aspects of writing. You can't ignore the craft and the skill any more than you can ignore the innate talent and instincts. Both are required for good fiction, but at least if you are lacking the talent, you can try and compensate for that by honing the skills.

While personal taste is always an issue, certain things (such as the importance of spelling, grammar, world choice, plotting, re-writing and editing) will never ever change. And in the end, it's all about how much you really care about the work. If you want to become a better writer, then you do the work. If you love to write fan fiction and don't have the time, or inclination, to research, edit, plot, re-write, and polish—unless your talent and innate skills are very great—the result is simply going to be of a lower calibre than that of a writer who does take it more seriously. In that situation everyone loses. The writer loses a chance to write a better story, and the reader loses a chance to read a better story.

Accept the fact that not everyone who picks up a pen and starts to write—no matter how good their skills—has the talent.
The hard truth of the matter is simple: not every writer who starts writing fanfic should be publishing. You can learn the skills, and you can work all you like, and you can be enthusiastic, earnest, and a wonderful person—but in the end, some people are not good writers. And there comes a point at which people need to realise that saying so is not always a flame or personal attack. No matter how much a fan writer loves writing, and feels great about sharing their work, and pours their heart and soul into their fiction, all the good intentions in the world cannot make a bad story a good one. Only talent, skill, and hard work can do that.

The steadfast belief that good intentions and quantity of work can somehow turn every writer who fancies herself a good writer into a good writer is a fairy tale. Not everyone who writes fiction—be it fanfic, or has aspirations of becoming a published author—is a good writer. But mediocre (or even out-and-out bad) writers can become better if they actually work at the craft.

Yes, this is fandom. But that does not mean that the standards are any lower here than anywhere else. Just because it is motivated by love rather than love and money, that does not mean that we shouldn't set the bar high and strive for the very best in our work. Those who insist the difference between fan fiction and unpublished professional fiction is quality are, frankly, full of shite. Good fiction is good fiction, no matter what the arena. And as a writer, you should always strive to tell the very best story you can.

Here are some links to help you on your journey to becoming a better writer:
Strunk and White's Elements of StyleThe Craft of WritingSFWA's links to essays on writingLinks to Web-Published Articles About WritingWriting about WritingThe Turkey City LexiconThe English DepartmentTips for Fannish WritersGetting There From HereWatt-Evans's Laws of FantasySandy and the Bitkahs present: The Big List of Fanfic Peeves Although written for slash, it applies to gen fiction just as well. Highly recommended!Slash fanfic is like a banquet... Although written for slash, it applies to gen fiction just as well. Highly recommended!How To Write Almost Readable Fan Fiction Highly recommended!Holy Mother Grammatica's Guide to Good Writing Highly recommended!Who is "Mary Sue"?
"Mary Sue" is the term used for a character who is either:1. A thinly-veiled fictional version of the author herself
2. An original character who is the protagonist of the storyNot all "Mary Sues" are cardinal sins. If a good writer commits "Mary Sue", it can still be an entertaining, well-written story despite the above classifications. Examples of this are:
The episode "Superstar" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
However, on the whole, "Mary Sue" stories are written by new writers whose first idea for a story follow a pattern of self-insertion (acting out their personal fantasy vicariously through an original character), and their "Mary Sue" characters suffer from the following characteristics:

1. She's perfect. Literally. Everyone likes her, she can fix the warp core with a bobby pin and a smile regardless of whether or not she's an engineer, she's got an excellent singing voice, and she's psychic too...

2. She's got violet eyes, martial arts training that makes Trinity from The Matrix look like Elmer Fudd, hair down to there, and is usually sleeping with or the daughter of someone we all know and love.

3. She's maverick, headstrong, stubborn, always wins in the end, and always shows "them" how her way is better.Regarding gender: Mary Sue is not an exclusively female phenomenon. Harry Stu tends to be cocky, maverick, and has all the girls swooning while the men admire him for his courage, daring, cunning, swashbuckling, computer hacking, and romantic abilities.

Afraid your original character may be a Mary Sue? Take the The Buffy The Vampire Slayer Mary Sue Litmus Test.

Here are some essays and websites devoted to the subject, that will help you learn how to identify a "Mary Sue" and pointers on how to grow out of that stage of your writing:
Mary Sue MerchandiseThe (Original) Mary Sue Litmus TestMary Sue, How to Avoid HerWho is Mary Sue and why does everyone hate her?Self-Insertion and Mary-Sue-ismWho is this Mary Sue person, and why am I supposed to care about her?Mary SueThe Mary Sue SocietyToo Good To Be True: 150 Years of Mary SueWhat's this I hear about "Willow Sue"?
While "Mary Sue" is generally an original character, using one of the canonical characters as a mouthpiece or surrogate can be (and usually is) just as bad—or worse. Because many authors identify so strongly with Willow Rosenberg, she is most often the character maligned in this way. "She can do all, be all, have magical hair and special powers, research with Giles, comfort Xander, save Buffy, and still manage to make it home in time for a hot night of lurrrrve with Spike. Vampires tremble before her pure heart and dazzling smile and never ever kill her, because who would want to hurt Willow?" says Kate Bolin, author of The Curse of the Willow Sue.

Willow becomes the beloved Willow Sue, bedding the authors favourite characters, saving the world, baking cookies, casting spells, all the while proving she's no sidekick but a star.

The best way to avoid this phenomenon is to try not to project your own feelings, wishes, desires, and fantasies onto canonical characters so strongly that they act completely out of character.Ohmygod, I've been writing "Mary Sues" all along! Should I stop writing forever?
Everything and anything you write helps you become a better writer. And yeah, Mary Sues aren't everyone's faves mostly because—on the whole—they tend to be personal fantasies of the author, rather than stories about the characters we know and love. And yeah, a lot of people when they open a Buffy or Angel story are looking for the characters they know and love, and aren't wild about a new character taking up "screen time."

But please please please don't let that dampen your enthusiasm! Keeping writing! Don't be frightened or become discouraged just because you learned something new. And like we've all said, Mary Sues—really good ones, and not the scary kind—can be very good stories and loads of fun. However, try and branch out, and grow past the need for a Mary Sue to tell your stories.

If your original characters continue to take up all your time and creativity, consider creating your own universe for them to play in, and leave the Buffy universe behind.

If you are so in love with the Buffy characters that you can't not write fanfic, then by all means, continue to write fanfic! But try and keep your supporting cast to human scale, rather than operatic, and don't let your additions to the crew eclipse the canonical characters to the extent the show's characters become guest stars in an episode of Mary Sue the Vampire Slayer.

You know what? Even the professional tie-in authors write Mary Sues sometimes. Look at Peter David's Capt. Mackenzie Calhoun. Calhoun is every single Mary Sue cliché in the book, and while that means some of us won't read Star Trek: New Frontier novels, THOUSANDS of Trek fans love them and keep buying them.

Keep writing. If it's what you're meant to do, then you can't not keep doing it. If it's not what you're meant to do... then someday, hopefully for your sake and ours, you will learn to recognise that and come to terms with it.

What is a Beta Reader and how can I find one?
The term "Beta Reader" originated in computer software. "Beta Testers" and "Beta Readers" were those individuals who reviewed software before its release, to check for bugs, critique ease of use, and basically test it to make sure it's something that should be loosed upon the world. Online fan fiction adopted the term several years ago to refer to volunteer copy and content editors who preview a story and provide critical and constructive feedback to help the author whip a story into shape before it is loosed upon the world.

A beta reader should be someone with a strong grasp of the mechanics of writing, but need not be a writer. However, a certain level of knowledge regarding spelling, grammar, pacing, plotting, and copy and content editing is required in order to truly help a writer edit his or her work before he or she publishes it to a mailing list, newsgroup, fanzine, archive, or website.

Line and content editing are vital, but at the very least, a beta reader should be able to:Tell you what's working, and whyTell you what's not working, why, and give suggestions on how to fix itBeta readers who simply volunteer because they wish to be the first to receive new fiction, without providing critical and editorial feedback, are frankly a waste of time and should be avoided. Beta reading takes an enormous amount of time and effort, and a skilled beta reader is the author's greatest asset.

For more essays and sites devoted to beta reading, check out:The Mannerly Art of CritiqueThe Mannerly Art of DisagreementThe Writer's Corner: Beta Reader IndexBeta Reader HQBedlam: About WritingFFSupport Mailing ListBeta Unlimited Mailing List

Tips for writing better fan fiction:

1. Angst does not always equal good drama. Do not kill/maim/torture a character just for effect. Writing a tearjerker just because you want to manipulate the emotions of your readers is not a sign of depth or skill. Keeping the scale and intensity of your stories closer to reality than Opera, means that the genuine emotion you provoke in the reader will be all the more powerful for being attained through subtlety and skill rather than cheap theatrics. Readers identify more with a realistic protagonist's plight than they will the Nibelungen.

2. Relative length is in no way proportional to quality. There are startlingly brilliant vignettes in this world, as well as incredibly well-written novels. Just because something is long does not mean it is automatically good. And anything under 1000 words had damn well better be 1000 incredibly well-choosen words. Quality all comes down to talent and skill. And while the skills can be taught, and honed, God hands out the talent.

3. Show, don't tell.

4. If a character has never referred to another character by a pet name in canon, then it is not always very likely that he or she would start now, even if they have entered into a romantic relationship. Keep your character's traits in mind when you decide to write this into a story—it can be a bit of a stretch for your reader, otherwise, and undermine the integrity of the story you are trying to tell.

5. Don't set out to write a series from the get-go. Write a self-contained, stand-alone story, and if, down the road, you write a sequel, so be it. If you are determined to write a trilogy, then plot accordingly, and keep each of the individual segments self-contained, with their own conflicts and plots that are identified and resolved by the end of each segment. Carrying sub-plots over from one to the next is fine, but ending in the "middle" of a story on a cliff-hanger is ill-advised. It's a cheap, manipulative device that worked great for Dickens' publishers in the 19th century and the Republic serials of the 1930s to keep those nickels coming in every week-end, but it doesn't always translate well in short stories, novellas, and novels. Likewise, don't advertise segments of a series if they have not yet been written.

6. Try to avoid including popular music in a story unless it's extremely clever and original. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule. But those exceptions are rare. Unless you've got a really solid thematic reason, or clever new way of using this old cliché, steer clear.

If you can make it work, more power to you. Just keep in mind that it has become a cliché, and writing one that works is often more difficult than people realise sometimes when they start out. Top: if you really feel a particular song relates to the characters, then try quoting the song lyrics at the end of the story, rather than referencing it at any time in the story itself. If the story can stand on its own without prior knowledge of the song upon which it is based, then you may not need the song itself.

7. Stories should have a plot, even if it's something as simple in structure as "Angel mulls over his situation, and comes to a decision." or "Willow goes to the library and gets out a comparative religion book and discovers that, yes, she is not Pagan." That plot should having rising action, a climax, and then falling action. Even if you are writing a character-driven vignette, you still need some kind of structure. Otherwise, what you have written is a story fragment, or scene, but not a story. Even so-called "Plot? What Plot" vignettes have a structure of some kind.

8. Spelling counts.

9. Grammar counts even more.

10. Once you set up your universe's rules, stick to them.

11. If you're going to write time travel, make sure you understand time travel. Otherwise, your readers will never understand time travel. For example, know the difference between a causality loop and a working paradox. Examine your favourite time travel stories, and study how they work (or don't work, as the case may be).

12. Don't rush to finish a story just to have it out by a certain date, or to be the "first" to have a particular type of story out. Give your story the time and attention it needs.

13. Don't start publishing a story serially unless it is finished. Not only do you rob yourself of the opportunity to revise and edit earlier sections based on later ones, you rob your readers of a potentially tighter and better story. Also, if you don't know where you're going, it shows. While having a deadline can keep you writing continually—which is a good thing—no one wins in a situation where the author is simply holding court, posting a story piecemeal simply for the purpose of collecting "we want more!" feedback along the way.

14. Just because a story gets good feedback does not mean you are obligated to write a sequel. Although it is very tempting to continue a story because you enjoyed the attention and want more of it, stories should be written because the idea demands you write. Stories that matter have a beginning and an ending, and prolonging a story simply for the sake of satisfying your audience's need for "more" can result in a rambling, poorly plotted story that loses its impact the longer it drags on. As stated above, and many times throughout this FAQ: put the quality of the work above your own ego. The work itself is paramount.

15. Read a story aloud for flow, and to polish dialogue that may be awkward and unwieldy. Reading aloud is also a great way to spot typos and errors that you may unconsciously skip over when reading.

16. Don't be afraid to step away from a piece for a while, and then come back to attack it with a fresh perspective. This is especially important if you have been working on a piece for a very long time, and are feeling like you can no longer tell up from down in terms of pacing and quality, because you're too close to the work to be objective. In the same vein, go back and re-edit and rewrite sections of past work after six months or a year—just because a story is archived somewhere, that does not mean that you can't improve it over time.

17. Dialogue is crucial, and being able to capture the "voice" of a character can be very difficult. Each character has specific speech patterns, sensibilities, and behaviours. Spend time watching your favourite episodes and pay close attention to what the characters say, how and when. While having an ear for dialogue is a talent that can't always be learned, mimicry is a skill that can be attained through hard work, observation, and at the very least, stealing bits of dialogue from the episodes themselves. Read through your dialogue, and ask yourself, "Is this really something so and so would say?" Pay particular attention to word choice and colloquialisms.

18. If a story gets stalled, and is simply not working, it's okay to shelve it. Not every idea yields a readable story, and sometimes, no matter how much hard work you've put into it, it simply won't pan out. Don't be discouraged—just try a different idea, or step back for a while. And keep all your story fragments. You never know when you might find a way to work them into a new piece.

19. Keep a notebook handy to write down snippets of dialogue or ideas as they come to you. Whether you're in class, on the bus, at work, or home in bed, you never know when inspiration will strike.

Have a question about fan fiction that's not answered here? Let me know.

Thanks to LJC for this wonderful intro/explanation of the world of fanfiction.

List of Commonly Misspelled Words (the ones in bold are the most-most commonly mispelled ones)

Accept—to receive, get

Joey accepted the ring Seto held out to him.

Except—to omit, exclude

Joey took all the rings, except for the one shaped like a dog.

Affect—(verb) to influence

Train was affected by the events of the day before.

Effect—(noun) a result

There were two effects of the kiss that Train hadn’t anticipated; one, that he would trip and land on his butt and two, that he would accidentally bite his own tongue.

Allowed—permitted

Harry was never allowed to grow up like a normal child—no, he had magic at his fingertips.

Aloud—audibly, loudly

Harry groaned aloud.

Bare—naked; to uncover

The uniform slipped off his shoulder, revealing his bare skin.

Bear—to carry; the animal

Ed had to bear the consequences of attempting to transmute a human soul.

Board—1. wood 2. to receive meals 3. to go on board a ship or plane

1. Ichigo snapped the board in half with a single punch.

2. Harry and his friends boarded at Hogwarts.

3. Haruhi and Honey boarded the plane, chatting excitedly about their trip to Australia.

Bored—weary with tediousness

Yugi tapped his fingers on his desk; he was bored.

Brake—of a car, bike, etc.

Kagome tried pushing the brakes on her bike—but Shippo had accidentally broken them—so she went flying into Inuyasha’s arms (hehe).

Breath—air drawn into the lungs

Luffy gasped for breath as he surfaced above the churning water.

Breathe--verb

Luffy couldn't breathe underwater.

Desert—1. a barren place 2. to abandon

1. The sunlight beat down on Alphonse and Ed mercilessly as they crossed the desert.

2. Ed would never desert his brother.

Dessert—yummy

Defiantly--disobediently, rebelliously

Naruto stared defiantly at Sasuke after he'd used the kunai when Sasuke told him not to.

Definitely--absolutely, certainly

Naruto was definitely in trouble...

Hanged—executed

They were to be hanged at dusk for crimes they hadn’t committed, but they were saved at the last minute.

Hung—past tense of “to hang”

Sven hung his coat on the hook when a warm pair of arms encircled his waist. (hehe, drool)

It’s—it is

Its—possession

It’s true that Full Metal Alchemist will return for its new season in April 2009.

Loose vs Lose—THIS ONE irks ME LIKE NO OTHER

Loose—opposite of tight.

Ed’s hair hung loosely about his face.

Harry’s clothes were loose.

Ichigo held the sword loosely in his hand.

Yugi loosened the strap of his backpack.

Lose—opposite of win

Train did not want to lose control of himself, not now, not ever—but vengeance surged in his veins, and he gripped the weapon tightly.

Site--a place

Harry put the tent up at the campsite.

Sight--as in vision (common saying: "out of sight, out of mind")

Joey helped save Serenity from losing her sight.

Their—possession

They’re—they are

There—in that place, there is…

Wolfram and Yuri are both princes of a kingdom in a different realm; their duties include taking care of their people—in addition to planning their own engagement. They’re both young and naïve, and strive to lead their kingdom well. There are many times when Yuri gets in trouble, but he can depend on Yuri and his brothers to help him.

To—always used except for Two—2 and Too—also

Ed went to Winry’s to fix his automail. Although there were two people waiting in line in front of him, Winry grabbed her toolbox and threw it at his head. She accidentally hit her customer, too.

Were—past tense of to be

We’re—we are

Where—in what place?

Naruto and Sasuke were sparring when Iruka jumped in front of them.

“Where were you two? Making out in the closet?”

Naruto sputtered angrily and opened his mouth to yell at the hyperactive man.

“We’re actually planning to do that right now, thanks,” Sasuke smirked, tugging the blond towards him.

Appropriate Comma Use

Comma use

1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.

The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave.
The student explained her question, yet the instructor still didn't seem to understand.
Yesterday was her brother's birthday, so she took him out to dinner.

2. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause.

a. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.

While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door.
Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class.
If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor.
When the snow stops falling, we'll shovel the driveway.

However, don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).

1. She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken. (incorrect)
2. The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating. (incorrect)
3. She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar. (correct: extreme contrast)

b. Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma include participial and infinitive phrases, absolute phrases, nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases (over four words).

Having finished the test, he left the room.
To get a seat, you'd better come early.
After the test but before lunch, I went jogging.
The sun radiating intense heat, we sought shelter in the cafe.

c. Common introductory words that should be followed by a comma include yes, however, well.

Well, perhaps he meant no harm.
Yes, the package should arrive tomorrow morning.
However, you may not be satisfied with the results.

3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.

Here are some clues to help you decide whether the sentence element is essential:

If you leave out the clause, phrase, or word, does the sentence still make sense? Does the clause, phrase, or word interrupt the flow of words in the original sentence? If you move the element to a different position in the sentence, does the sentence still make sense?

If you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions, then the element in question is nonessential and should be set off with commas. Here are some example sentences with nonessential elements:

Clause: That Tuesday, which happens to be my birthday, is the only day when I am available to meet.
Phrase: This restaurant has an exciting atmosphere. The food, on the other hand, is rather bland.
Word: I appreciate your hard work. In this case, however, you seem to have over-exerted yourself.

4. Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that (relative clauses). That clauses after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb expressing mental action are always essential.

That clauses after nouns:

The book that I borrowed from you is excellent.
The apples that fell out of the basket are bruised.

That clauses following a verb expressing mental action:

She believes that she will be able to earn an A.
He is dreaming that he can fly.
I contend that it was wrong to mislead her.
They wished that warm weather would finally arrive.

Examples of other essential elements (no commas):

Students who cheat only harm themselves.
The baby wearing a yellow jumpsuit is my niece.
The candidate who had the least money lost the election.

Examples of nonessential elements (set off by commas):

Fred, who often cheats, is just harming himself.
My niece, wearing a yellow jumpsuit, is playing in the living room.
The Green party candidate, who had the least money, lost the election.
Apples, which are my favorite fruit, are the main ingredient in this recipe.
Professor Benson, grinning from ear to ear, announced that the exam would be tomorrow.
Tom, the captain of the team, was injured in the game.
It is up to you, Jane, to finish.
She was, however, too tired to make the trip.
Two hundred dollars, I think, is sufficient.

5. Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series.

The Constitution establishes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.
The candidate promised to lower taxes, protect the environment, reduce crime, and end unemployment.
The prosecutor argued that the defendant, who was at the scene of the crime, who had a strong revenge motive, and who had access to the murder weapon, was guilty of homicide.

6. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be sure never to add an extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives.

Coordinate adjectives are adjectives with equal ("co"-ordinate) status in describing the noun; neither adjective is subordinate to the other. You can decide if two adjectives in a row are coordinate by asking the following questions:

Does the sentence make sense if the adjectives are written in reverse order? Does the sentence make sense if the adjectives are written with and between them?

If you answer yes to these questions, then the adjectives are coordinate and should be separated by a comma. Here are some examples of coordinate and non-coordinate adjectives:

He was a difficult, stubborn child. (coordinate)
They lived in a white frame house. (non-coordinate)
She often wore a gray wool shawl. (non-coordinate)
Your cousin has an easy, happy smile. (coordinate)
The 1) relentless, 2) powerful 3) summer sun beat down on them. (1-2 are coordinate; 2-3 are non-coordinate.)
The 1) relentless, 2) powerful, 3) oppressive sun beat down on them. (Both 1-2 and 2-3 are coordinate.)

7. Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift.

He was merely ignorant, not stupid.
The chimpanzee seemed reflective, almost human.
You're one of the senator's close friends, aren't you?
The speaker seemed innocent even gullible.

8. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer back to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be placed anywhere in the sentence without causing confusion. (If the placement of the modifier causes confusion, then it is not "free" and must remain "bound" to the word it modifies.)

1. Nancy waved enthusiastically at the docking ship laughing joyously. (correct)
2a. Lisa waved at Nancy, laughing joyously. (incorrect: Who is laughing, Lisa or Nancy?)
2b. Laughing joyously Lisa waved at Nancy. (correct)
2c. Lisa waved at Nancy who was laughing joyously. (correct)

9. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates (except the month and day), addresses (except the street number and name), and titles in names.

Birmingham, Alabama, gets its name from Birmingham, England.
July 22, 1959, was a momentous day in his life.
Who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC?
Rachel B. Lake, MD, will be the principal speaker.

(When you use just the month and the year, no comma is necessary after the month or year: "The average temperatures for July 1998 are the highest on record for that month.")

10. Use a comma to shift between the main discourse and a quotation.

John said without emotion "I'll see you tomorrow."
"I was able," she answered, "to complete the assignment."
In 1848, Marx wrote, "Workers of the world, unite!"

11. Use commas wherever necessary to prevent possible confusion or misreading.

To George, Harrison had been a sort of idol.

Comma Abuse

Commas in the wrong places can break a sentence into illogical segments or confuse readers with unnecessary and unexpected pauses.

12. Don't use a comma to separate the subject from the verb.

An eighteen-year old in California, is now considered an adult. (incorrect)
The most important attribute of a ball player, is quick reflex actions. (incorrect)

13. Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.

We laid out our music and snacks, and began to study. (incorrect)
I turned the corner, and ran smack into a patrol car. (incorrect)

14. Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound object.

The music teacher from your high school, and the football coach from mine are married. (incorrect: compound subject)
Jeff told me that the job was still available, and that the manager wanted to interview me. (incorrect: compound object)

15. Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).

1. She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken. (incorrect)
2. The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating. (incorrect)
3. She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar. (correct: extreme contrast)

Another mistake I'm seeing increasingly is the misuse (or disuse) of the conditional tense

Ex: Sam and Dean climbed up the slope. They needed to see if they can find Big Foot. WRONG. You need to use could.

Aaaaaaaaaand that's a wrap folks. Teacher mode off.

Favorite Characters:

Uryu Ishida

Genjyo Sanzo

Toushiro Hitsugaya

Draco Malfoy

Edward Elric

Roy Mustang

Inuyasha

Raenef

Dean Winchester

Favorite Pairs (seme/uke)

- Draco/Harry (OTP--one true pairing)

- Sasuke/Naruto

- Roy/Ed

- Eclipse/Raenef (Demon Diary)

- Inuyasha/Kagome

Favorite Anime/Manga

NARUTO (Sasuke! Come baaaaaaack!! Naru-chan's pining for you LMAO...it's why I think Naruto keeps going after Sasuke, hehe!!)

Saiyuki Reload

Bleach

Rurouni Kenshin

Inuyasha

Kyou Kara Maou

Demon Diary

Monochrome Factor -- does anyone know where I can watch these? The only ones I can find are in Spanish, and although I understand it, I would rather see them in English! XD

Favorite Shows With Non-Drawn Characters

Supernatural (XD gaga over the boys...pathetic, I know...)

Smallville

Ugly Betty

Diagnosis Murder

You know you live in 2009 when...

1.) You accidentally enter your password on a microwave.

2.) You haven't played solitaire with real cards for years

3.) The reason for not staying in touch with your friends is because they don't have a screenname or Facebook

4.) You'd rather look all over the house for the remote instead of just pushing the buttons on the TV

6.) Your boss doesn't even have the ability to do your job.

7.) As you read this list you keep nodding and smiling.

8.) As you read this list you think about sending it to all your friends.

9.) And you were too busy to notice number 5.

10.) You scrolled back up to see if there was a number 5.

11.) Now you are laughing at yourself.

12.) Put this in your profile if you fell for that--you know you did.

Things my Mother Taught Me

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished
cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3 . My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of
next
week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the
store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught t me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your nec k!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't
have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that
way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don 't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me MATURITY.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

The story of Jack Schitt

For some time many of us have wondered just who is Jack Schitt? We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, 'You don't know Jack Schitt!' Well, thanks to my genealogy efforts, you can now respond in an intellectual way.

Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt. Awe Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, married O. Schitt, the owner of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.

In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt. The deeply religious couple produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, Fulla Schitt, Bull Schitt, and the twins Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt.

Against her parents' objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high school dropout. After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced.

Noe Schitt later married Ted Sherlock, and because her kids were living with them, she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe Schitt Sherlock.

Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with a rather nervous disposition named Chicken Schitt. Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers in a dual ceremony.

The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens nuptials. The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse.

Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.

Now when someone says, 'You don't know Jack Schitt,' you can correct them.

Sincerely, Crock O. Schitt

15 Things to do When You're at Walmart!!

1. Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

2. Make a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the rest rooms.

3. Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in an official tone, "Code 3 in housewares"... and see what happens.

4. Go the Service Desk and ask to put a bag of M&M's on lay away.

5. Move a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

6. Set up a tent in the camping department and tell other shoppers you'll invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding department.

7. When a clerk asks if they can help you, begin to cry and ask, "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

8. Look right into the security camera & use it as a mirror, and pick your nose.

9. While handling guns in the hunting department, ask the clerk if he knows where the anti - depressants are.

10. Dart around the store suspiciously, humming the "Mission Impossible" theme loudly.

11. In the auto department, practice your "Madonna look"

12. Hide in a clothing rack and when people browse through, say "PICK ME!" "PICK ME!"

13. When an announcement comes over the loud speaker, assume the fetal position and scream: "NO! NO! It's those voices again!!"

14. Go into a fitting room and shut the door and wait a while and then yell, very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here!

15.Grab a lot of bouncy balls and throw them down the aisle, shouting "Go, Pikachu, Go!"

╔═╦╦══╦══╦╗╔╦══╦══╗╔╗
║║║║╔╗║╔╗║║║╠╗╔╣╔╗║║║Put this on your
║║║║╚╝║╚╝╣║║║║║║║║║╚╝page if you love
║║║║╔╗║╔╗║╚╝║║║║╚╝║╔╗Naruto!
╚╩═╩╝╚╩╝╚╩══╝╚╝╚══╝╚╝

Have a great day!!

Even though you can't see him, God is always there. If you believe in God, copy and paste this into your profile.

This is just my opinion and it's not meant to offend :p