Learning Something New about Little Women

[image error]

Instant Quiz

Can you correct the error in the sentence below? Scroll to the bottom of today’s post for the answer. 

Christine’s bold planning doubled the profits in her department; making her a likely candidate for a top management position.

____________________________________________________________

I don’t remember the first time I read Little Women. It’s a book I know so well that I’m using it to learn Spanish. I’m up to page 56 in Mujercitas (a Spanish translation of Alcott’s classic novel). I’ve read every biography of Alcott I could get my hands on, and I just ordered a new one. (If you’re going to read just one, I recommend Louisa May Alcott by Harriet Reisen –https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312658877/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_ik6iEb0G6WPEB.)

Of course I watched Greta Gerwig’s new filmed version! And I was excited to learn something new about Alcott – or at least something that had never hit me before. Alcott insisted on keeping the copyright to Little Women – and it made her wealthy. Way to go, Louisa!

* * * * * *

Can you name another famous American who made history – and a fortune – by holding on to a copyright? It was Scott Joplin, an African-American composer (and son of a former slave) who was lucky enough to have the Maple Leaf Rag published by a businessman of incomparable integrity: John Stark.

Instead of buying the rights outright – common practice when dealing with a black composer – Stark paid Joplin a penny for each copy sold. That doesn’t sound like much – but it allowed Joplin to retire.

Every writer should have a basic understanding of how copyrights work! Click here to learn more.

[image error]

____________________________________________________________

[image error]

Instant Quiz ANSWER

A semicolon is like a period (but without a capital letter following it). A period won’t work in today’s sentence, so a semicolon won’t work either. Use a comma.

Christine’s bold planning doubled the profits in her department, making her a likely candidate for a top management position.  CORRECT

It’s correct, but I think that’s too much information for one sentence. I would make two sentences out of it:

Christine’s bold planning doubled the profits in her department. Her success made her a likely candidate for a top management position.  CORRECT

Now a semicolon will work (if you want to show off a little!):

Christine’s bold planning doubled the profits in her department; her success made her a likely candidate for a top management position.  CORRECT

What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You is available in paperback and Kindle formats from Amazon.com and other online booksellers.[image error]

“A useful resource for both students and professionals” – Jena L. Hawk, Ph.D., Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

“Personable and readable…Jean knows her subject forwards and backwards.” – Adair Lara, author of Hold Me Close, Let Me Go