So as I worked my way through the multiple drafts of Catching Echoes, Reconstructionist 1, I highlighted every instance of ‘effect,’ ‘affect’, ‘past, and ‘passed’ that I came upon. I did so because I invariably use one or more of these words incorrectly at least once in every book. Yes, no matter how many times I go over the sentence, no matter how many rules I recite in my head and apply, I always get at least one wrong.
After editing over thirteen of my novels, and I don’t know how many of my screenplays – ten? fifteen? – my lovely editor, Scott Fitzgerald Gray (aka SFG)(who you can find on his Insane Angel website), suggested I might want to jot down the following rules on a Post It! note, then attach said note to my computer screen.
I did one better. And then thought I should share with you all.
Please feel free to share (I’ll also post these separately on Twitter and Facebook for that purpose). And it’s back to writing for me!
You are every bloggers hero about now!! Thanks!
You are welcome!
Meghan,
If my teachers had told me that Effect was a noun and affect was verb I wouldn’t have been confused until I was 58 year old. Thank you
Tim
Thank the editor! Ha.