Meter is one of those words with several meanings. It's a measurement of size, though we spell it metre in Canada. It's a device like a parking meter, measuring time. It's also measurement of rhythm and pace.
According to my Funk & Wagnalls dictionary, a meter is: "A measured rhythm constituting one of the chief characteristics of verse."
Meter isn't just for poetry. There is some form of poetry in our fiction and nonfiction writing. The words you choose, how you arrange them and how they sound when they come together, are all part of writing something people will want to read more of. Think about it.
Recently in the BackWash message boards PussNBoots, one of the Adult columnist's said:
"Every writer searches for their own "voice." The best way to find it is to write. Also, pay attention to the voices of writers you admire. Read their work out loud to hear the rhythm and meter. Listen to why they chose particular words."
I thought that was brilliant. Reading your work out loud is the best way to check it's meter, the rhythm of your words. That doesn't mean you need to make your writing longer or chop it down, just choose different words or arrange them differently. See how your words flow, does the rhythm change or get monotonous? Is it dramatic and fast paced when you write about action? Or are the sentences you use kind of long and clunky? Do you tend to start sentences with the same pattern or rhythm? Vary your sentence structure.
"Tom went to the market, at Guildwood, everyday" Could be "Everyday, Tom would go to Guildwood's market." Not great examples but you get the idea, I hope.
Not Knowing Where You're Going
"At a moment of heightened awareness there is a confrontation of image and idea. Words come together in a flow, seeking out their own order, their own rhythm; lines measure themselves into a given form; words you didn't think you knew or had long forgotten suddenly cojoin to tell you what you are feeling, seeking out insight and revelation. In that first flow, all you know is that you are in mid-air between elation and fear. "Keep going, just keep going!" you tell yourself, not knowing where that first line will lead." - Shulamis Yelin.
That's how I start writing. I'm not a planner. I don't have a schedule, a format or any real idea of where I'm going once the idea has germinated from my brain onto the physical plane of my computer screen.
Sometimes the seeds never get past the germination stage. They become part of the cluster of ideas in a folder on my computer. The 'Idea Folder' is full of half planted ideas. Now and then I go back and rescue one, add some root hormone, whatever it takes. But, most of them just get kind of sad and pot bound. I forgive myself for letting them stagnate into infinity. You have to forgive yourself. Each idea is like a little soul and you are the only one who can give it the bloom of life. I do feel guilt for not taking those ideas into fruition.
Enough garden terminology?
I read the above quote in an article about writing poetry. As a writer of any style of wordage you should read about all kinds of writing. How to write or better still 'how I write' articles and books can be really inspirational. Not just for the art of writing but the craft too. The technique in putting a spin on your words. The ideas about the ideas. You can never have too many ideas. Well, except for those really weird ideas we keep in the closet or swept under some rug or other. I won't tell if you don't tell.
That's how I start writing. I'm not a planner. I don't have a schedule, a format or any real idea of where I'm going once the idea has germinated from my brain onto the physical plane of my computer screen.
Sometimes the seeds never get past the germination stage. They become part of the cluster of ideas in a folder on my computer. The 'Idea Folder' is full of half planted ideas. Now and then I go back and rescue one, add some root hormone, whatever it takes. But, most of them just get kind of sad and pot bound. I forgive myself for letting them stagnate into infinity. You have to forgive yourself. Each idea is like a little soul and you are the only one who can give it the bloom of life. I do feel guilt for not taking those ideas into fruition.
Enough garden terminology?
I read the above quote in an article about writing poetry. As a writer of any style of wordage you should read about all kinds of writing. How to write or better still 'how I write' articles and books can be really inspirational. Not just for the art of writing but the craft too. The technique in putting a spin on your words. The ideas about the ideas. You can never have too many ideas. Well, except for those really weird ideas we keep in the closet or swept under some rug or other. I won't tell if you don't tell.
Mistaken Words
What are your words? The ones you always have to look up and check spelling or meanings? Looking at a book with "the most common mistakes in English usage" I found a couple of my own.
Accept and except.
These even sound about the same. Do you know which is which? When do you accept and when do you except?
Lay and lie.
For me it's really the word lay. A chicken lays eggs. Do people lay down or lie down?
Then, there are common mistakes I see myself. Not my own mistakes but those of others.
They're and there.
They're going to the park on the way there.
Your and you're.
You're going too fast your speed is too high.
Where and were.
Where were you?
A lot and alot.
Alot is not a word. It should always be a lot.
Do you know which is the principle and which is the Principal?
When is it better to further your efforts to go farther?
No doubt those aren't glowing examples of grammar but sometimes knowing how words fit in helps you remember which one you need at the time.
Other confused words are anything with double "0's". Choose chose, too to, loose lose and so on.
But my personal worst mistake is its and it's. I still can not keep them straight. Sometimes I get lazy and just type 'its' regardless of correctness.
I can stick up for my laziness by saying that's how language is built, it evolves from laziness and a need for better understanding in communication. But, I know in the case of 'its' I'm just being lazy when I should, or at least could, be checking my handy dandy dictionary.
Accept and except.
These even sound about the same. Do you know which is which? When do you accept and when do you except?
Lay and lie.
For me it's really the word lay. A chicken lays eggs. Do people lay down or lie down?
Then, there are common mistakes I see myself. Not my own mistakes but those of others.
They're and there.
They're going to the park on the way there.
Your and you're.
You're going too fast your speed is too high.
Where and were.
Where were you?
A lot and alot.
Alot is not a word. It should always be a lot.
Do you know which is the principle and which is the Principal?
When is it better to further your efforts to go farther?
No doubt those aren't glowing examples of grammar but sometimes knowing how words fit in helps you remember which one you need at the time.
Other confused words are anything with double "0's". Choose chose, too to, loose lose and so on.
But my personal worst mistake is its and it's. I still can not keep them straight. Sometimes I get lazy and just type 'its' regardless of correctness.
I can stick up for my laziness by saying that's how language is built, it evolves from laziness and a need for better understanding in communication. But, I know in the case of 'its' I'm just being lazy when I should, or at least could, be checking my handy dandy dictionary.
Navigation, Style and Content
What are the keys to a good website? I think there are 3 main things. I have created this list from many years (6) spent reviewing websites.
Navigation, style and content. You can adapt that to NSC, or not. Not works for me, I'm not even sure how to say that.
Anyway, navigation is probably the most under rated website building thing. But, if people can't find your content... what's the point? Navigation needs to be simple, easy to use and easy to find. Some people hide navigation in graphics. Some of them hide it in text. Have you ever seen a site where you click on your browser type to enter it? There is nothing there to say "hey! this is how you enter my site!" Unless it's a site for psychics, it's not very useful and it's a navigational flop. Not to mention pretty annoying for someone who spends time trying to find access to the site and gives up eventually.
I put content ahead of style because content is what people actually came to your site for. It wasn't a demonstration of frames, flash or pop up ads. Hope that didn't come as a shock to anyone. Content should be spelled right, proofread for typos and at least a little fact checking is a good idea. It's also a good idea to change your content now and then. Ideally you should update your site as often as you want people to come in and visit it. If you want daily visits a blog is a good way to go. But, blog everyday with something at least a little unique and interesting. Focus is a good thing too. Being too diversified makes it hard for readers to know your voice and understand what you believe in, who you are. People like to see pictures of the people they read because they want to know who is behind the words.
Last, style, it's kind of the buffer between your content and navigation. It's what makes your site colourful, unique and gives it an attitude that people can see even before they start reading your content. But, style should not take over your site. After all, you want them to read your words too. Things like flash or a ton of graphics will drown you out. Also, people are not likely to wait for an unknown site to load. Especially when it's just a bunch of graphics, not what they came for.
So, off you go. Put up your brilliant websites, make the rest of us green with envy. That, or you know we'll be there to borrow your best ideas and adapt them for our own sites. Did I just type that... ignore that woman behind the curtain she knows way too many of my secrets.
Navigation, style and content. You can adapt that to NSC, or not. Not works for me, I'm not even sure how to say that.
Anyway, navigation is probably the most under rated website building thing. But, if people can't find your content... what's the point? Navigation needs to be simple, easy to use and easy to find. Some people hide navigation in graphics. Some of them hide it in text. Have you ever seen a site where you click on your browser type to enter it? There is nothing there to say "hey! this is how you enter my site!" Unless it's a site for psychics, it's not very useful and it's a navigational flop. Not to mention pretty annoying for someone who spends time trying to find access to the site and gives up eventually.
I put content ahead of style because content is what people actually came to your site for. It wasn't a demonstration of frames, flash or pop up ads. Hope that didn't come as a shock to anyone. Content should be spelled right, proofread for typos and at least a little fact checking is a good idea. It's also a good idea to change your content now and then. Ideally you should update your site as often as you want people to come in and visit it. If you want daily visits a blog is a good way to go. But, blog everyday with something at least a little unique and interesting. Focus is a good thing too. Being too diversified makes it hard for readers to know your voice and understand what you believe in, who you are. People like to see pictures of the people they read because they want to know who is behind the words.
Last, style, it's kind of the buffer between your content and navigation. It's what makes your site colourful, unique and gives it an attitude that people can see even before they start reading your content. But, style should not take over your site. After all, you want them to read your words too. Things like flash or a ton of graphics will drown you out. Also, people are not likely to wait for an unknown site to load. Especially when it's just a bunch of graphics, not what they came for.
So, off you go. Put up your brilliant websites, make the rest of us green with envy. That, or you know we'll be there to borrow your best ideas and adapt them for our own sites. Did I just type that... ignore that woman behind the curtain she knows way too many of my secrets.
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