Software, blogs, facebook and other conundrums.

[hrfmac]

As an aspiring writer I have started to look for programs to help me improve my grammar and other cliffs of despair. This is the first site I have found that, I think, has given better than average advice to its members. I have found semi reputable sites like writers digest listing the best writing software. When you look carefully at the best writing software it is for developing characters and story lines, not grammar.

I have found what I think are good online sites to help one with grammar. Just tonight I found one that explained the difference between as of and like. I had not realized I often resorted to like and should have been using as of. From what I see these sites work only because they have specific examples of text and allow you to choose the correct usage of a word or pick out the incorrect section in a sentence. First question, what do you think is the best site for this kind of learning that offers a desktop version. I do not like the online programs but will keep an open mind if you feel strongly about referring one.

In a different thread someone mentioned changing MS word settings for grammar to fiction. I do have a post there asking about it but if you have any suggestions I would appreciate it. I did check out the settings and I think I have improved on its grammar checking. (maybe.)

I have returned to college and hope to have my grammar improve. That alone is not the goal. I would like to improve my grammar where it is a fine example to others. I have no idea if this is a reality now after all these years. I know I can improve upon it. Is there any way for me to attain that goal?

Lastly, I have heard a number of people refer me to word press and other blogs to share my writing. I have been told no one would want to steal your writing, nor your ideas. (yeah, right) When I look at writers or people who claim they are writers, I do NOT see any examples of work in progress. I may see a write up talking about work they have done or a teaser for a book but nothing as described to me about writers sharing their stories in a blog. Any one have good examples of bloggers who are sharing work in progress or how to share ones work in progress with out fear of theft?

The writers I have seen that blog often tell how to find a publisher, how to determine if a publisher is good, give writing tips or a synopsis of their book(s). I have no experience in any of this.

[b.sherman]

Diana Gabaldon regularly shares her work in progress on her Facebook site and via Twitter.
I'm sorry, I'm not much help with your other questions, but I would be curious to hear of Word settings specific to novel writing. I use word and find it pretty straightforward.

[j t hall]

If you share your work on a blog accessible by the public (as opposed to this one which is password-protected), it is considered published, and many magazines and/or book publishers don't want something that has already been published. So, many writers won't post their publishable work on a blog. I have samples of my work on Wordpress, but it's not publishable work.