265 Troubleshooting Strategies for Writers

This back-to-basics troubleshooting guide covers all aspects of writing for beginning nonfiction writers. It pinpoints the challenges writers can encounter at every stage of the writing process--from prewriting and drafting to revising and editing --and provides effective procedures and problem-solving strategies for overcoming them.Unique in its approach, each of the book's chapters addresses a common writing question or problem faced by writers.265 Troubleshooting Strategies for Writersshows readers how to generate new ideas and organize them, polish their editing skills and avoid common grammatical errors, deal with writer's block, and much more.

Barbara Fine Clouse is a longtime college composition instructor who currently conducts how-to workshops for writing teachers. Her many books include The Student Writer: Editor and Critic, Jumpstart! A Workbook for Writers, Patterns for a Purpose: A Rhetorical Reader, Progressions with Readings, and A Brief Handbook.

Acknowledgments

vii

Introduction: Myths About Writing: Don't Believe Everything You Hear

ix

PART 1 A Troubleshooting Guide to Prewriting

1

(26)

1 "I don't know what to write."

3

(14)

2 "How do I determine my thesis?"

17

(4)

3 "How do I get my ideas to fit together?"

21

(6)

PART 2 A Troubleshooting Guide to Drafting

27

(34)

4 "I know what I want to say, but I can't say it."

29

(6)

5 "I'm having trouble with my opening."

35

(6)

6 "How do I back up what I say?"

41

(10)

7 "I don't know how to end."

51

(6)

8 "I can't think of the right word."

57

(4)

PART 3 A Troubleshooting Guide to Revising

61

(44)

9 "I thought my draft was better than this."

63

(4)

10 "I don't know what to change."

67

(8)

11 "What if I want some constructive criticism?"

75

(4)

12 "My ideas seem all mixed up."

79

(4)

13 "My draft is too short."

83

(6)

14 "My draft is too long."

89

(4)

15 "My writing seems boring."

93

(6)

16 "My writing sounds choppy"

99

(6)

PART 4 A Troubleshooting Guide to Editing

105

(68)

17 "I don't find my mistakes."

107

(6)

18 "I used a period and a capital letter, so why isn't this a sentence?"

113

(6)

19 "How can this be a run-on or a comma splice? It's not even long."

119

(4)

20 "It is I; it is me. What's the difference?"

123

(8)

21 "How do I know which verb form to use?"

131

(8)

22 "I'm unsure about modifiers."

139

(6)

23 "Can't I just place a comma wherever I pause?"

145

(6)

24 "What if I want to quote somebody?"

151

(4)

25 "I have trouble with apostrophes."

155

(4)

26 "I never know what to capitalize."

159

(4)

27 "I can't spell."

163

(10)

Index

173

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265 Troubleshooting Strategies for Writers

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials