Page 8 - Boca ViewPinte - March '24

Page 8, Viewpointe March 2024
What’s In A Word?

By William A. Gralnick sizes, and they are fun to play with, but one needs some skills thousand words, you can get away with more. Writing a
to keep them from scattering all over the page. The first skill book? Ah, the fun you can have.
Writers are slightly nuts is at least a passing knowledge of grammar. My 8th grade What’s in a word? To the average bloke, not much. For
when it comes to their teacher had a conniption fit when the New York City Board a writer a word, several words strung together, is like the
words. Stephen King might of Education stopped the teaching of sentence diagramming. maestro’s baton. They can speed things up, or slow them
be overstating the case, but To her, this would begin the end of a generation of competent down. They can create pictures in your mind so that you are
said, “Editing one’s work writers—and maybe the world would end. As an eighth watching your book not just reading it. As Joseph Conrad
is like killing one’s children.” A Ph.D. I worked with long grader, I was thrilled; as a writer I am sorry. Object, subjects, wrote: “My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the
ago, had put his manuscript into a mimeograph machine. adjectives, adverbs…gotta know your stuff. Commas are the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you
It malfunctioned. Papers were flying here and there, some bane of my writing existence. I tend to write as I speak. I do a feel–it is, before all, to make you see.” Words can stop you
ripped, some mangled. In utter shock, he cried out, “My lot of pausing for emphasis. Every time I pause in speaking, in your tracks or get you turning those pages. Try this on
words! My words!” I tend to insert a comma in what I’m writing. When one is for size: “Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As
A writer needs a referee. Mine is Grammarly, a computer writing professionally you can’t lean on the law of averages. names have power, words have power. Words can light fires
program that watches over my words and how I use them. It If it isn’t right, it’s wrong. I’ve had to learn those things on in the minds of men. Words can bring tears from the hardest
corrects spelling, grammar, and syntax. It suggests rewrites my own, now wishing Mrs. Ennis had prevailed. hearts.”
of phrases or sentences. If it thinks I’ve misused one or used Variety is the spice of life. That’s true for things written. ― Patrick Rothfus
one too often, it offers me alternatives. And it keeps track of Writers have favorite words, favorite phrasing, and favorite Do you want to know who thought words were what
those words. Last week I received my monthly “grade” sheet. ways of writing outside the lines, so to speak, writing mattered in self-expression? You might say, William
It stunned me. I had written 9,523 words that week and a something that is technically wrong but adds something Shakespeare. I would agree. I would also add Helen Keller.
cumulative total of 7,589,590 words. And that’s just since I undeniably positive to the piece. If you read my columns A closing word—or several—about AI. If you need a
started using the program six years ago! Before Grammarly, regularly you see I do it all the time. Mine is the ellipsis, those “something” to write for you then you are not a writer you
I had already written two books and 900 op-ed newspaper three little dots that I use to let you know that I’m thinking are a user of that something’s words. That’s not nearly as
columns. No wonder I have digital arthritis… there’s more I want to say but that I want you to think what much fun as writing them yourself.
Let’s look together at the joy and despair of using words. it is. I use more exclamation points than a tight-collared
Words are like marbles. They come in different shapes and grammarian would like but hey, done sparingly one can get Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and raised
away with it. Regardless of what my editor says, there are in Brooklyn, NY. He is writing a three-part humorous memoir.
The first is “The War of the Itchy Balls and Other Tales from
times I’ll insist on something because I think it makes for a
Current Events better read for you and ultimately that’s what it’s all about. Brooklyn.” Just published is the sequel, “George Washington
Didn’t Sleep Here.” Both are available on Amazon. You can
The trick is discipline. An exclamation point or an ellipsis

Group in a short piece? One is enough. If one is writing several find his writing at https://www.williamgralnickauthor.com. 

The Current Events Group meet every Monday from ª
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Boca Pointe Resident & cluB MeMBeR juST LISTeD
villa flora
IN CONTRACT COmINg SOON 3/3/2 renovated Single Story

villa flora via Stel
Single Story
3/3/2 renovated 3/2/2 car garage
Single Story
SOLD $726,000 SOLD $839,000 SOLD $485,000
On behalf of The Club at Boca Pointe we valencia iSleS Boca Pointe caravelle Boca pointe - el viento
2/2 + den
3/3 2 car garage
3/3 lake view
would like to remind our residents that NO Beautifully updated Spectacular golf views!
walking, running, bicycle riding coral lakeS villa Boca pointe - la mirada deer creek golf eStateS
SOLD $640,000
SOLD $750,000
SOLD $486,900
or dog walking is permitted 1 car garage, lake view StUnning golf viewS! Updated 3/2 pool home
on the golf course or golf cart FULL SERVICE AGENT remodeled 3/2.5 2 car garage on golf course
paths. For safety reasons, the Ilene Polito SOLD 7917 Travelers Tree Dr. SOLD 23291 FeatherPalm Ct. SOLD 7880 Travelers Tree Dr
paths are for golf carts only. (561) 302-6669 SOLD 4776 Sierra Lane SOLD 22652 Esplanada Circle W. SOLD 6670 Villa Sonrisa
SOLD 22991 Clear Echo Dr, #86
SOLD 7675 Via Grande
ILENE@BOCAHOME.COM BocaRatonRealEstate.com
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