| Susan only submitted her manuscript to
| |
| | three literary agencies. She didn't
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| three literary agencies.
| |
| | submit it to publishers. She didn't enter
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| Susan submitted her manuscript to only
| |
| | it into writing contests. She didn't have
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| three literary agencies.
| |
| | it bound and engraved. (Don't do that, by
|
|
| |
| | the way, if you're planning to send it to
|
| Ever hear of a "misplaced modifier"?
| |
| | anyone.) In fact, if we're being really
|
| Don't worry, I'll get into those in
| |
| | strict, she didn't do anything else at
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| another article. Today I'm going to
| |
| | all. She didn't even get out of bed and
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| briefly explain one example, a pet peeve
| |
| | brush her teeth this morning. She "only
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| of mine and of copyeditors everywhere:
| |
| | submitted."Now look at the second
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| the use and misuse of the word "only."
| |
| | sentence. Aha! Now you get it. Susan
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| This is one of those grammatical rules
| |
| | submitted to "only three" literary
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| that most people (including yours truly)
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| | agencies. This construction leaves no
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| don't follow in speech or in informal
| |
| | room for doubt. And it emphasizes more
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| writing, and therefore needs editing in
| |
| | strongly the sentence's significance:
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| every single manuscript that comes across
| |
| | that she didn't submit her manuscript to
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| my desk, even those by the most
| |
| | very many agencies. This simple
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| experienced authors. "Too picky," you
| |
| | rearrangement of words eliminates
|
| might say -- but remember: book writing
| |
| | ambiguity and improves clarity and
|
| isn't speech. Being "picky" means being a
| |
| | specificity -- so why not go through your
|
| professional.The sentences above, if you
| |
| | manuscript right now, do a global search
|
| spoke them out loud, might have the same
| |
| | for the word "only," and make sure it's
|
| meaning to your ear. But a closer look on
| |
| | used properly?The proper placement of the
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| the page reveals that their meanings are
| |
| | word is not always this clear-cut, and
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| different. The most important thing to
| |
| | there may be instances where moving it
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| keep in mind when writing -- after, you
| |
| | makes your sentence read awkwardly. As
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| know, stuff like spelling words correctly
| |
| | always, use your judgment and tailor this
|
| -- is to never to confuse a reader. This
| |
| | tip to your own work. But if you ever see
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| doesn't mean never intentionally mislead
| |
| | that clarity is in doubt, this is an easy
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| the reader of your mystery novel or leave
| |
| | way to eliminate that doubt and make your
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| ambiguous the ending of your thriller. It
| |
| | writing that much more professional.Lisa
|
| means that the meaning you are trying to
| |
| | Silverman is a freelance book editor and
|
| convey is never in question, not in any
| |
| | works in the copyediting department at
|
| single sentence. If it is, readers become
| |
| | Farrar, Straus and Giroux, one of New
|
| distracted, and you've lost them.The
| |
| | York's most prestigious literary
|
| first sentence in my example does not
| |
| | publishing houses. She has also worked as
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| convey its intended meaning. Why? Because
| |
| | a ghostwriter and a literary agent
|
| "only" is next to "submitted," which is
| |
| | representing both book authors and
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| not the word it is modifying. As written,
| |
| | screenwriters. She founded in order to
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| the sentence tells us that Susan did
| |
| | provide writers with free advice on both
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| nothing but submit her manuscript to
| |
| | writing and the publishing business.
|
