teachwrite.com
Its homepage invites you to “Step into Speculative Writing.”
Mike Akins led me to the site after we discussed proofreading marks last week.
For a comprehensive list of them, click on Teachwrite’s “edit” footprint. Don’t
stop there. Take advantage of explanations offered about a story’s structure.
Try the graphics the site provides to help you flesh out characters and outline
your ideas. Designed for students, it exemplifies how computers impact today’s
classroom. It deserves a place in the “favorites” of writers, parents,
teachers, and students.
world-english: test, learn and study the English language
online
Describing itself as “the one-stop resource for the English
language and more…,” it fascinates and overwhelms. Avoid the site when you’re pinched
for time, or if you tend to amble down rabbit trails when you should be
working. Examples of distracting links: “Interesting News Stories,” “World
English Slang,” and the numerous quiz links. But true to its subtitle, it is a
great place to check your vocabulary, and have fun with word games and
grammatical quizzes.
Lynch Guide to Grammar
Lynch Guide to Grammar and the many links Jack Lynch provides
covering all things English is another site that’s fun to get lost in. If you
can put a name on a grammatical question, Jack Lynch’s guide will no doubt help
you. If you can’t name your problem, check out “Bugbears,” and you may decide
to wing it. His introduction begins with: “Arguments over grammar and style are
often as fierce as those over Windows versus Mac, and as fruitless as Coke
versus Pepsi or boxers versus briefs. Pedantic and vicious debates over knotty
matters such as….” Well, you get the gist. But there are conventions in
English, and if in doubt you’d do well to find out what Mr. Lynch has to say.
Resources for Writers and Writing Instructors
Jack Lynch apologizes for the page he states needs
reorganizing. Sure enough, I discovered several broken links. On the plus side,
though, the annotated links give you a better idea of what you can find than by
simply reading the title alone. Also, according to Mr. Lynch, none of the sites
he lists are commercial. I’d give him two thumbs up for that.
The Norton Anthology of Poetry
If you are a non-poet and a member of a mixed-genre critique
group, peruse this site. It is a good place to begin learning how to
understand, and eventually appreciate poetry. Its glossary, less complete than
websites aimed at the more advanced poet, also lacks pronunciation of the words
listed. On the other hand, it offers the novice a learning aid: “glossary
flashcards.”
Worthless Word for the Day
You can Google it. Also, you’ll find it with the
dictionaries listed in onelook.com. Ironically, the dictionary includes aubade, a word listed in Norton’s
Anthology of Poetry. If aubade is
silly, the serenade must be as
well. Kudos to wwtd’s compiler. Where can humor writers find a better list of
uncommon, rib-tickling words?
Speaking of words, 500 are enough for now, aren't they?
