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Welcome to "Showers of Blessings" which is a blog for writers and their readers! It is my prayer you will find many blessings in these humble words as you open your heart to hear about my best friend, Jesus Christ. He has called me to write for Him and though I remain stunned by this, wondering how He could use someone like me in this competitive industry, I know He has equipped me to do the job or He would never have opened all the doors He has to a career in writing. He gets all the glory for such an awesome plan, believe me!

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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Tools of the Trade

This is the second in a three-part series designed to help equip writers with the tools they need to complete the job of writing God has called them to do. Please see last week’s post for the first part; the last installment will appear next weekend. Let me know what you think!

Nails/Screws/Bolts/Nuts/Washers
Use these to finish off your manuscript in fine form as you fit the precise word exactly where it is needed to hold the entire project together. They may be little and seem worthless at first glance, but without them your book will be wobbly and insecure. Words are what we writers are all about, after all. Leave out the adjectives and adverbs and use powerful and specific verbs and nouns instead. Be sure you have used the correct one of these various tools for a particular spot which needs tightening and also ensure you haven’t repeated words within a sentence or paragraph, preferably even within a document. Learn what each is for and how to use them properly, then apply where required!

Screwdriver

Use it to put the screws (see above) into place and tighten them securely. A thesaurus and a dictionary are vital to your writing, whether in book form or on the computer from a software program of your own choosing. If a word doesn’t seem to be fitting properly, check to ensure that you have used the correct screwdriver for the job; a slot-head won’t work on a Phillips-head screw, obviously, and vice versa. Many synonyms exist for words in English but if one can’t be found, then consider rewording to perhaps use an antonym instead. And be careful not to over tighten—that is, to use words simply because you know they exist and like the sound of them. No one enjoys reading “superfluous verbiage” when simple words will do. And in the same manner, don’t try to use a screwdriver when a hammer is needed!

Hammer

Use it to pound in the nails (see above) as needed. When revising your manuscript, tap lightly at first until you are certain you have the wording you want. Then hammer away on those words until they fit tightly into the meaning of the passage. And don’t forget the nail remover part of a hammer. If you discover the nail is wrong for the hole or has been stripped of its purpose by overuse, pull it out and start over finding the correct nail for that spot!

Wrench

Use it to tighten the nuts and bolts of your manuscript. Ensure you have the correct size and type of words you need, then tighten as much as possible to give the project a finished feel readers will appreciate (including publishers!). Every step in tightening your writing is a good one and well worth the effort. This tool may seem bulky at first but there is no other one which can be used for this purpose, so don’t overlook it in the revision process!

Chisel

Use with the hammer to chip away at your manuscript wherever you find repetitive words and phrases. Word find is a marvelous tool for this and will help you discover which ones you use the most. A writer friend of mine has called these “Writer’s Warts” and she is so right. They can mar a page quicker than spilled ink, because ink is easy to spot whereas these are more insidious since they are hidden to our eyes as a rule. Another reader can also help with finding them but it still is your job to use the chisel effectively whenever required!

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