Figurative language refers to words and phrases that go beyond their literal meanings within a text. Using figurative language could be described as “writing in the abstract.” We place figurative language within the Editing section of the Tameri Guide because mistakes in usage are common. We have read some odd…
Tag: writing
English words evolved from a variety of other languages. Worse, how we pronounce words has continued to change, so phonetic spelling is problematic. Yes, once we really did pronounce the k and g sounds in knight. The following is a list of words commonly misspelled or confused with other words.…
Word Usage and Abusage Guidelines for choosing the best words This guide to word usage is based upon several sources, which are not always in agreement. Remember American English is a “living” language. Also, writers must consider their audiences. As of 2006, we began relying on Garner’s Modern American Usage…
We assume you have stumbled upon our website for one reason: you are interested in writing. These pages address the writing processes, which vary by form and genre. A novel, a play, a software manual, and a screenplay are different; they require different approaches creatively and mechanically. Throughout the writing…
We created this site long ago in 1996 with authors in mind and continue to focus on writing for general audiences. Articles in the Tameri Guide for Writers reflect our experiences as professional writers and editors. Some teachers complain that our choices are not “proper” for their students. Instructors should…
Writing, revising, and editing content needs to be convenient, or mistakes go uncorrected and content goes “stale.” The Tameri Guide for Writers has pages with errors. Many pages are incomplete. Other pages are stale. Sometimes, things go wrong, yet lead to a positive change. On November 19, 2023, our web…
We have started a major redesign and content refresh of the Tameri Guide for Writers. The new design focuses on the user experience. I want to explain some of the changes that are finally taking shape after years of benign neglect. Website Design Updates The new template uses a simple, modern…
Writers develop biases for how they capture the words in their minds and record them for others to read, hear, or see. We both like to use paper, pens, and pencils for notes to ourselves. Susan keeps a notebook on her desk for thoughts and I have several notebooks on…
One of the difficult lessons for aspiring writers is that realistic dialogue sounds strange to readers and audiences. What is realistic does not seem authentic. Do not write dialogue that mirrors the way people speak. Nobody will enjoy reading the dialogue in a book and nobody wants to hear authentic…
Admittedly, I dislike the stylistic rules of academic writing. Citations, I understand, but style rules should be limited to those rules that help ensure clarity. In science, I want the Oxford comma, for example, so groupings are clear within a list. I am not a stickler for citations, either, as…