Review your draft using this checklist:
Avoid general statements ("Everyone
seemed to be having a good time") or obvious "telling" language ("In this
paper, I'm going to show you..." "Let me tell you about a good friend of
mine..." "It was such an awesome experience.")
Avoid overuse of the pronoun "you"
since this tends to point a finger at one reader (and you want to be more
inclusive than that).
Watch your verbs! Instead of "He went
home," say, "He sauntered home" or "He hustled home." Instead of "She came
into the room," say, "She appeared at the door" or "She snuck into the room
unseen." Sometimes
the first verb that pops into mind isn't always the best. Don't overuse
is/are or was/were.
Remember that "alot" isn't a
word--it's spelled "a lot"--that "weather" refers to climate and "whether"
connects two alternatives, that "allowed" means "permitted" while "aloud"
means "with a speaking voice," and that "than" compares two things and
"then" means at a certain time. Spell-check won't catch these! Oh, one
more example: "definitely" means with certainty and "defiantly" means with a
belligerent attitude. ("definately" is just misspelled!)
Spot any overused phrase or
cliche
and liven it up. For example, these phrases are not really very descriptive:
"her smile lit up the room" or "my mind was a million miles away" or "we had
a really awesome time." Also, avoid bland labels such as "interesting"
or "nice" or "good" when
possible.
While I will correct grammar, don't fuss about the old-fashioned high school writing rules:
never beginning a sentence with "And" or "But," having paragraphs that are four to
six sentences long, or never using the pronoun "I." Remember--you're a
performer, so use whatever tricks and techniques you need to hook your
audience.
Don't use exclamation points unless
the point you're making is truly astounding. Never use more than one at a
time.
Don't oversell your emotions: many times writers who
think there isn't enough "juice" in the story will resort to over-the-top
descriptions and hyperbole. Resist the temptation.
If you use dialog, enclose each
speaker's words in quotes, and give each speaker his or her own
paragraph--even if the paragraph is short. You may want to pay attention to
"stage directions" or signal phrases to help your readers see who's talking
and when.
Watch for misuse of your vs. you're
and it's vs. its and their vs. there vs. they're. These words likely occur
quite a bit in your paper, so be sure you've got the correct usage.
Use basic formats for the final
paper:
1. Use double spacing through-out and approximately 12-point font.
Accept margin defaults in Word.
2. Produce at least two pages.
3. Use only single-sided printing.
4. Staple everything once in the upper left-hand corner.
Include a cover page with the final draft. Follow this model for creating one.