Bryan Collins's Blog, page 48

Hay vs Straw: Two Words That Are Not Interchangeable

To write about agriculture or gardening, you will need to know the difference between hay vs straw. 

If you spend much time in agriculture or writing about agriculture, you will come across the terms hay and straw. To the non-agriculturally-minded person, hay and straw appear to be the same thing, but they are actually different products. Understanding the difference between hay vs straw will help you use these terms properly.

This guide will discuss the difference between hay and straw, a...

Reticent vs Reluctant: An Interesting Look at the Evolution of Synonyms

Reticent vs reluctant trip up some writers because the two words are now used as synonyms when historically they were not.

The words reluctant and reticent have similar meanings in the English language, but they come from different roots. People sometimes confuse these two words. Historically they were not synonyms, but this has changed over time.

Taking a closer look at the Latin roots for reticent vs reluctant will help you learn to use these words correctly. This, in turn, will make you...

When Should I Use Aisle or Isle?

When deciding between aisle or isle, there are some simple tricks that can help you choose the right spelling. 

The words aisle and isle are two homophones that have different spellings and meanings, but similar sounds, making them homophones. If you are walking a bride down the center of some rows of seats, you need to know whether you are talking about an aisle or isle. 

Taking a closer look at the different meanings of these words and their etymology will help you understand why one has...

Infer vs Imply: What’s The Difference?

Though often used interchangeably, infer vs imply actually refers to two very different words with unique meanings.

Do you get confused when trying to use the word infer vs imply? These two commonly confused words have similar meanings in English, but there are some subtle differences.

If you are going to become a skilled writer of the English language, you will need to know how to use imply vs. infer correctly in a sentence. Thankfully, with a little education, you can get these words cor...

Using Loath or Loathe Correctly: What’s The Difference?

To make your writing clear, you must be able to know when to use loath or loathe, and this guide will help. 

In the English language, words that have similar spellings and pronunciations are confusing to both writers and speakers. Commonly confused words become common errors when writers and speakers are not fully sure how to tell them apart.

When writing about negative feelings, you may want to use the word loath or loathe. While these two words sound and look similar, they are not synony...

How to Write a Conclusion: End Your Writing With a Bang

In this article, we explain how to write a conclusion or a strong ending that leaves the reader wanting more.

Whether you're writing a thesis paper or a non-fiction book, you are going to need an effective conclusion. A conclusion should summarize the main points of the work, so the reader walks away with a basic idea of what you have written.

Yet the conclusion should not simply repeat everything you said in your body paragraphs. In fact, for some writers, the concluding paragraphs are th...

What Is a Plot? Why Good Writers Need to Know the Answer to This Question

What is a plot? This guide will explore plots and plot elements so you can create more compelling fiction writing.

When writing fiction, the plot is one of the most important parts of the story. It drives the action of the tale and helps you cover the sequence of events in a logical way as you take your main character toward the happy ending or tragic demise you have planned.

But what is a plot, exactly? Is it simply the series of events that happen, or something deeper?

This guide will...

The 11 Best Creativity Books for Your Library

With the best creativity books in hand, you can inspire your own creativity and learn to live the creative lifestyle to the fullest.

Are you a creative person? You may feel that you are more logical than creative, but the reality is most people are creative in their own way. 

One way you can tap into your inner creativity, and perhaps even transform it into an income source, is to read books from some of the great creative minds. Yet with so many creativity books on the market, how can you...

Byword Review: Is This Markdown Writing App Worth It?

Our Byword review explores how this Markdown app works and what it’s best at for curious writers!

What is the Byword App and Who Is It For?

Byword is a Markdown text editor aimed at Apple writers.

I’ll talk about this more below, but essentially it's writing software designed for a highly focused experience that allows you to input formatting with various keyboard symbols, allowing you to quickly format as you go without the need for a mouse or menu. That makes this writing app ...

Learn What is a Synopsis to Help Sell Your Book or Movie

Before you can publish a book or sign a contract, you'll need a synopsis that someone can review. Here, we explain what is a synopsis and how to write one.

In writing, a synopsis can be a helpful tool to use to state your main plot in a brief manner. Yet a synopsis is more detailed than just a brief summary of the main action of the story. 

So what is a synopsis? It is a summary of a larger piece of work, similar to an abridgement, that includes the most important plot points. 

Learning...