Booking Through Thursday (BTT) Manual Labor

I’ve been seeing these a lot lately, so I’ve decided to join some of my favorite book blogging buddies.

Writing guides, grammar books, punctuation how-tos . . . do you read them? Not read them? How many writing books, grammar books, dictionaries–if any–do you have in your library?

There is a part of me that longs to write a novel. I wrote my first short story in the second grade and I still proudly remember how my mother typed it up – exactly how I spelled everything (I remember because being spelled incorrectly – but I can’t remember how). It was about a lazy cat who almost gets kicked out of the family for not catching mice before he becomes the cat he ought to be. I read it in front of my class. So, I do have several how-to writing guides. I get suckered into them and never get further than about 50 pages. There is one exception. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is incredible.

As a (now former) technical writer, I have bought several manuals of style, etc., that I’ve read at least part of for work. There is one grammar-related book that I’ve bought and am about a third of the way through that is absolutely fabulous and hilarious – and yes, it’s about grammar – Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss. I’m rather behind the curve on this one as it was published a while back now. The good thing is that you can purchase it relatively cheaply at this point. I would highly recommend it thus far. I can’t imagine how the author would critique my blog… Scary. I know I don’t meet her standards.

At 2008.05.08 10:38, Devourer of Books said:

Yay! I’m one of your favorite book blogging buddies!

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[Reply]

At 2008.05.08 10:50, Chris@bookarama said:

I have got to read Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Love the name of your blog. I’m one too

Happy Birthday, Mr Dickens!

Happy Birthday, Mr Dickens. You look good for 200, not a day over 150. I hope you have a great day. Apparently lots of people will be celebrating for you, including the Queen. Sorry you can’t be there[...]

At 2008.05.08 10:51, deb said:

Love the story behind your first story…too cute!

At 2008.05.08 11:26, gautami tripathy said:

Do you still have that story?!

My BTT post!

rising onto the sky

she holds fairy dust in her hands

pressurised into a triangular glass

it cuts into her palm

that redness matches her blood

which she will collect in a glass tumbler

her body disappeared into the.[...]

At 2008.05.08 12:13, Literate Housewife said:

Dev – You know you are!!!

Chris – thanks so much! I’ve registered Literatehousewife.com and am planning on making the graphics pictures of housewives in the midst of cleaning while reading a book. I hope I can find someone to work with on that. I just need someone with the vision…

Deb and Gautami, my mother gave me the typed out sheet at some point and I have no idea where it is. Someday I’m going to find it in an unexpected place. If I do find it, I’ll be sure to post it.