Writing Center Archives Vol. 1, Issue 4 at
Please note that this is an archival copy. It has not been changed from the original; as such, not all links will work properly! For the most up-to-date information, check out the Writing Center web site or associated Evergreen web sites.
Write On
Weekly writing information and resources from the Evergreen Writing Center
Vol. 1, Issue 4 [View Other Issues]
Visit the Writing Center's brand new Web site at www.evergreen.edu/writingcenter
This week's theme: Fiction
Quotation of the Week
Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
Tip of the Week: The Buddy System
by Gina DiLello (Writing Tutor and fiction writer)
I was eighteen, in the middle of John Gardner's The Art of Fiction. It was the fourth or fifth "art of writing" book I had read, hoping the know-how of successful writers would inspire something worthy in my own fiction writing. One night, as I rearranged my pen collection and tried to figure out why my stories were so obviously constructed, so cluttered with plastic people, I asked myself: What would John Gardner do?
As I waited for celestial intervention, I realized that I didn't know what John Gardner would do because I didn't know John Gardner. He had died before I even started writing, and even if he was still alive, he'd probably still be living in upstate New York, a place that had no bearing on my western cowgirl existence.
Then one day it struck me. My writing community consisted of dead authors and old fogies whom I'd never even met. I immediately set out to find a remedy for this situation. The solution was simple. I attached myself to young writers, people who existed in my world, people whose opinions I valued. As teachers they turned out to be many more times helpful than old John Gardner.
The most valuable advice I've received about writing fiction has come from friends. For example: allow your characters to act extremely, think of your story as a piece of raw meat, and remember that the way to a character's thoughts is through his or her mouth. So there you have it. Now stop reading this advice and buddy-up!
At the Writing Center, we have tutors that specialize in assisting fiction writers with their work. If you'd like a fresh pair of eyes on your fiction piece, then come by Library 3407 and make an appointment. Or call us at extension 6420.
Web Site Review - www.critters.org
While some fiction writers may not be fans of online writer's workshops, one of these sites, www.critters.org, has a feature that is not to be missed.
In the "Resources" section, Andrew Burt, a science fiction writer and the facilitator of the Critters workshop, has compiled a list of very useful links for the scifi/fantasy/horror writer. Many of these links will prove helpful to writers of other genres as well. The "Resoures" section boasts market listings, response time trackers, articles of interest to new writers, and even a space to announce or find in-person workshops.
While Writers' Digest has damned www.critters.org with faint praise, calling them only "stable and well run," Critters' resource section is unrivaled by any other writing Web site.
Writing Center News
**Using Your Sources: Support and Evidence Workshop**
Wednesday, April 30th, 4:30-6:00pm, Library 3500
This workshop will familiarize you with methods for successfully incorporating evidence into your essays. We will discuss different strategies for using evidence to support your thesis and practice this skill. We also will review the outlining process.
This spring the Writing Center will present an entire series of open workshops, from "Avoiding Plagiarism" to "Writing Evaluations." For a complete list of workshops, check out the Workshop section of our Web site.
**Scrabblelicious!**
Attention all Scrabble lovers and novices…
Please join your fellow word freaks in exploring and enjoying the magical world of Scrabble. We will play, discuss, and learn everything Scrabble.
Wednesdays, 6-8pm, Writing Center, Library 3407
For more information, contact Jerry Chiang by email or at 253-232-6583
Stump the Tutors
Each week in this section we'll answer questions on various writing-related issues submitted by our readers. This week's question:
Q: What is the difference between affect and effect? I always thought that affect was a verb while effect was a noun, but I have occasionally seen effect used as a verb. What gives?
A: In their most traditional forms, affect is a verb meaning "to have an influence on" and effect is a noun meaning "something brought about by a cause" (e.g. cause and effect). If you affect a given situation, you are having an effect on it. Less commonly, effect is used as a verb meaning "to create or to bring about" (e.g. to effect a change in company policy). This second definition of effect is rarely used and frequently confusing.
Here are some examples of correct usage:
Many people wonder if television violence can affect a child's mind.
A high crime rate can have a negative effect on property values.
To effect change in a community, one must first take action.