by Foster | Writing Q & A
Some real sticklers for the grammar rulebook — like your high school English teacher, probably — would tell you that it’s never OK to use sentence fragments in your writing. Those people are wrong. Very wrong. (See what I did there?) But wait! First...
by Foster | Writing Q & A
There are no specific educational requirements for becoming a professional writer. The rules of grammar and punctuation that you learned in high school will give you the basic skills you need to start honing your craft. However, particular types of writing jobs at...
by Foster | Writing Q & A
One issue that divides writing experts is whether authors should strive to “write like you talk” or adopt a more formal and rigid approach to our prose. Strong arguments can be — and are — made on both sides of the line, but what’s best...
by Foster | Writing Q & A
In brief, an author’s voice is the unique combination of literary elements that makes his stories “feel” different from everyone else’s. Components of writing that help define voice are syntax, character development dialogue, word choice,...
by Foster | Writing Q & A
Hell, yes, you should use profanities in your writing! Well, maybe. Some would contend that swearing cheapens your prose and turns off your audience. Others will tell you that expletives are part of normal, real speech and can spice up your writing. The truth is, word...
by Foster | Writing Q & A
First off, I don’t really believe in the notion of the “aspiring writer.” However, according to various sources, some 200 million Americans want to write a book at any given time. Considering that most of those folks will never actually put pen to...
