I love welcoming guest bloggers. Most writers do a bit of everything and today's guest is one of those writers. She heads up book fairs. She edits. She helps writers with their marketing. She writes short stories and makes sure they get read by publishing on Kindle. And--as you can see--she shares her knowledge with fellow writers. And, quite honestly, after many graduate level courses in grammar, I never thought to look at sentences quite this way.
Sentences: It’s All in the
Presentation
by
Valerie
Allen
There are several types of
sentences and each conveys information to the reader in a different way. Varying
the type of sentences in your manuscript will help the reader stay focused and
add interest.
Here are four different types of sentences and
their uses.
Controlling sentences: name and control
the topic.
The prison was damp and cold in the winter.
It was humid and hot in the summer.
Clarifying sentences: help make the topic
clearer.
Inmate comfort was not a top priority with
the warden. It was no secret a high percent of his annual bonus was, in part,
based on reduction in the cost of running the facility. Discussion of the
utility bills took up a major portion of his weekly staff meetings.
Completing sentences: add specific
details.
There was no air conditioning at the Cadejama
Prison in Death Valley. The cells had no windows to open in the spring to take
away the humidity, nor in the summer to relieve the oppressive heat. In winter
the inside temperature never exceeded 40 degrees. The only attempt at climate
control for the inmates came in December, with the issue of one thin well-used
blanket.
Period Sentence: delays the most
important thought and deliberately withholds it from the reader to create a
special climax.
Confined in her cell day after day, she began
to go mad.
The first three types of sentences are
cumulative. They begin with the main clause and continue with details. The
period sentence is more powerful because it offers known information at the
start of the sentence and saves the unknown detail for the end.
The way we arrange words in a sentence brings
our story to life, adds interest, and makes a significant impression on the
reader. Sentence structure can make a good story great.
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MORE ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER
Valerie
Allen, author, playwright, and speaker,
writes fiction, non-fiction, short stories, plays, and children's books.
She is a popular speaker at writer's
conferences, libraries, and community events using her book:
Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, Easy,
Inexpensive Ideas for the Marketing Challenged 2nd
Edition.
She is a
co-founder of Authors for
Authors, which supports new and experienced
authors with book fairs, book launches, book displays, and writing seminars.
Authors from across the US have had their books displayed at two Florida book
fairs held in March and November sponsored by AuthorsforAuthors.com.
Valerie Allen can
be contacted via FB, Twitter, Google+ and at VAllenWriter@gmail.com or
ValerieAllenWriter.com
~
Valerie Allen ~
Amazon.com/Author/ValerieAllen
Beyond the Inkblots: Confusion to Harmony
Write Publish Sell!
Summer School for Smarties
Bad Hair, Good Hat, New Friends
The Prodigal Son
Amazing Grace
Sins of the Father
Suffer the Little Children
'Tis Herself: Short Story Collection, Vol 1
Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers)
. Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips 
on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:
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