Grammar: what have you learned?

[Pete]

LOL, I’ve learned that practically the entire world suffers from the propensity to insert an apostrophe in a plural noun.

It drives me banana’s.

(Heh)

[Skye]

Yes, they do! I taught college English and just learned grammar by teaching editing techniques; my problem, however, is a proclivity to be too formal when I write fiction. On the other hand, I am sometimes appalled by the mistakes I discover in published works that contain so many issues in mechanics, diction, syntax and subject-verb agreement.

[Skye]

Good point, Gail, and that's where I need to gain momentum; the creative process is the grit of all writing.

[Skye]

And it's the only time I can let go of the harsh grip I place on myself in everything I do; it's a exercise of wild abandonment and as an author labeled it-----The Midnight Disease.

[Skye]

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou

[Skye]

Gail, you might be just the person to help me along: I am trying to fictionalize my memoirs into thrillers; I know you have a past history with memoirs.

[Skye]

I know about your memoir, Gail, and it has stayed with me since you shared; I started mine several years ago, but I never finished, and I need to keep adding, skipping decades.
Each episode or vignette needs to be fictionalized---the information is real, but many events are extremely odd ---- mysterious---the true grit of several thrillers. I don't want to implicate people who are alive. I need suggestions.

[Skye]

Gail, I value my privacy over and above most things; I destroyed years worth of journal keeping because the fear of self-exposure was enormous and halted me from continuing. My journals took on a life of their own, and that, in itself, became a very unusual journey.

[Skye]

Thanks, Gail; some are no longer in the landing of the living, but I will try my hardest not to disclose any incriminating identifications.

[Alex]

Whenever I think I know something about grammar, I go to https://english.stackexchange.com/ and find out that I don't.

[Skye]

I am not going on the link; grammar is my expertise ( ONLY because I had to learn it in order to teach it to college students when I was under a grad assistantship). I knew how to use it, but I didn't know the rules or reasons why...the odd thing, however, is in fiction, grammar, diction, mechanics, etc., is not vital, and this is my stumbling block; my fiction is TOO FORMAL and less laid back.

[Skye]

OR go to PURDUE OWL ----- it offers a wonderful explication of passive vs. active voice.