• Top 10 Ways to Celebrate National Grammar Day

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    Grammarists rejoice! National Grammar Day is upon us, and we have cooked up some really fun ideas to help you celebrate the day. First, how about a little history? Martha Brockenbrough originally founded National Grammar Day in 2008 because she wanted to help her students with their grammar in a lively and positive way. Even former President George W. Bush sent a letter to commemorate the day in its inaugural year. Since then, the day has gained more popularity around the country. The National Grammar Day website shares, “Language is something to be celebrated; and March 4 is the perfect…

  • books to read for black history month

    Top 5 Books to Read for Black History Month

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    I have very distinct memories of Black History Month in the primary grades: reading about Martin Luther King Jr., watching movies about Jackie Robinson, and painting a lot of clasped hands in different shades of paint. Now I know that, as a writer, the most significant way for me to celebrate this month is to revel in the rich words and reflections of African-American authors. Celebrating Black History Month might be just the muse you need for your own writing. After all, Black history is a huge field that connects different time periods, perspectives, styles, continents, and topics; books written by…

  • Passive Voice: It’s So Passé

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      Passive voice has a time and place in writing, as it serves to be a stylistic additive in many books and papers. In some cases, people prefer passive voice in creative pieces, such as poetry and prose; however, writing in passive voice too often in your fiction and non-fiction pieces can cloud your writing. The “passive voice” can best be described as writing that quietly emphasizes the subject in the sentence, rather than the verb. It also indirectly guides the reader to a course of action or situation without a direct voice, which can leave readers scratching their heads. It…