Errant Dreams Reviews
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Archive for the ‘Editing, Style, Grammar’ Category

“Grammar & Style at Your Fingertips” by Lara M. Robbins

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

Pros: A bare-bones, up-to-date, highly useful reference tool for grammar and style issues
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5

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“Novelist’s Boot Camp”, by Todd A. Stone

Wednesday, October 11th, 2006

Pros: Great for inducing discipline; fantastic revision advice; turns the writing process into a (comparatively) simple process of following checklists
Cons: Metaphor/shtick gets driven into the ground; overdoes the “more/bigger is better” advice
Rating: 4 out of 5

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“Between the Lines: Master the subtle elements of fiction writing”, Jessica Page Morrell

Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

Pros: Incredibly insightful and analytical; presents solid, helpful techniques that I just haven’t seen broken down and analyzed anywhere else
Cons: So much information to assimilate!
Rating: 6 out of 5

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“The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier”, Bonnie Trenga

Tuesday, August 1st, 2006

Pros: Entertaining, sly, informative, memorable, easy to reference, quick to read
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5

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“The Writer’s Idea Workshop: How to make your good ideas great,” Jack Heffron

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

Pros: Extensive, helpful, useful and eminently practical
Cons: Tone is a bit world-weary at the beginning
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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“Self-Editing for Fiction Writers,” Browne and King

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

Pros: Entertaining, interesting, informative, useful
Cons: None!
Rating: 5 out of 5
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“The Little Red Writing Book: 20 Powerful Principles of Structure, Style & Readability,” Brandon Royal

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

Pros: Stylish; helpful; concise; clear and readable
Cons: Dry
Rating: 4 out of 5
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“The Dictionary of Disagreeable English,” Robert Hartwell Fiske

Wednesday, July 5th, 2006

Pros: Hilarious; fun; unbelievably informative
Cons: It’ll make you cringe (in shame!)
Rating: 5 out of 5
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“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grammar and Style,” Laurie E. Rozakis

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

Pros: Sense of humor; aimed at “normal people”; in-depth grammar information
Cons: Sense of humor; audience troubles; incredibly annoying; moves too fast in places
Rating: 2 out of 5
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“The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction,” Michael Seidman

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

Pros: Lots of helpful information; an editor’s-eye view
Cons: A bunch of little things that grated on my nerves
Rating: 3 out of 5
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