HOT OFF THE PRESS! We love to share our information with writers, and we’re happy to pass some of our INSIDER’S SECRETS along to you. Feel free to print these posts to use as a reference. Pass the links along to your writer friends. It’s packed with great information this month. DEADLINE-DATED lists of anthologies, theme issues, and contests are included at no charge!

In this issue:

* * WAS VERSUS WERE will explain the subjunctive mood.

* * Compound word errors are extremely common. How to and how NOT to handle compound words is covered in TIPS FOR RECOGNIZING AND SPELLING COMPOUND WORDS.

* * Enjoy our tongue-in-cheek piece entitled WHAT WRITER'S RELIEF CAN DO FOR YOU.

* * We’re giving away a FREE REPORT that outlines industry-standard Manuscript FORMAT Guidelines when you order our E-book entitled REJOICE IN REJECTION. Go to: http://www.WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Rejoice-in-Rejection-e-book.aspx.

* * DO YOU HAVE AN ARTICLE FOR OUR NEWSFLASH? For guidelines, visit http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Do-You-Have-An-Article-For-Our-Newsflash.aspx.

* * You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming ANTHOLOGIES, SPECIAL-THEMED JOURNALS, and CONTESTS. Visit: http://WritersReliefBlog.com/post/Anthologies-Contests.aspx.

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Verbs can be expressed in one of three moods:

Indicative: She picks up litter.

Imperative: Pick up that litter.

Subjunctive: If only she were to pick up the litter.

Most of us cringe when we hear "If only I was president of this country…" In the strictest sense, it should be "If only I were president," using the subjunctive—a mood used to express condition, hypothesis, possibility, speculation, and feelings, rather than actual fact. But often in dialogue, the subjunctive sounds too formal. (Imagine a teenage character saying, "Dude, I wish I were a superhero—that would be awesome!")

You’re more likely to see "It is imperative that he is present for the meeting" rather than "It is imperative that he be present for the meeting." The latter uses the subjunctive mood correctly, but it does sound a bit stiff for some writers’ taste. The subjunctive mood has been called "pretentious," and some claim that it’s dying out in modern literature. Perish the thought! (There’s that subjunctive again!)

If you’re feeling confused, don’t worry. You’re not alone. The declining use of the subjunctive in the English language makes it confusing and difficult to use correctly, but it does have its place, especially in formal written expression.

Some examples of the various forms:

Formulaic Subjunctives (common expressions)

if it please the court

truth be told

God save the queen

try as you might

be that as it may

Present Subjunctive

The boss requests that they stop the drilling immediately.

We insist he be appointed at once.

Past Subjunctive

The boss requested that they stop the drilling immediately.

I wish she weren’t leaving tomorrow.

Pluperfect Subjunctive

If you hadn’t told me, I would have said the wrong thing.

Future Subjunctive

If he were to die tomorrow, the inheritance would be mine.

Come tomorrow, that group will be miles away.

More Examples:

The judge recommends that he be put to death.

I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

He recommended that each waitress report her tips.

May the Lord bless you.

I demand that he be taken away at once.

If I should go, will you take care of my cat?

It is important that we donate blood.

He acted as if he were guilty.

I move that the bill be put to a vote.

Knowing how to recognize and spell compound words can sometimes be tricky. Here are some tips to help:

Definition: A compound word is formed when two or more words join to form a new word that has its own meaning. Although compound words are often written as single words (such as teapot), sometimes they are not. That’s why it is important to understand that there are three types of compound words: closed compounds, hyphenated compounds, and open compounds. Let’s take a look at each of them:

Closed Compounds: compounds written as single words (newspaper, goldfish, highway)

Hyphenated Compounds: compounds that are hyphenated (mother-in-law, second-rate, court-martial)

Open Compounds: compounds written as separate words (end zone, high school, health care)

Sometimes knowing when to write compounds as single words, hyphenated words, or separate words is difficult. That’s because some compound words change their type based on their function in a particular sentence.

For example, when used as a noun, backup is written as one word: The police officer called for backup. However, when the same compound word is used as a verb, it is written as two words (back up): Did you back up your computer files? When used as an adjective, backup is one word: What is your backup plan for tomorrow evening?

Thus, the first tip for understanding how to write a compound word is knowing the word’s function in the sentence. Let’s take a look at a few more examples of this:

1. handout: As Jill was walking down the street, a man gave her a handout advertising a free concert in the park. (Here, handout is a noun.)

2. hand out: John handed out the flyers. (Here, handed out is a verb.)

3. upside down: The cake landed upside down. (Here, upside down is an adverb telling how the cake landed.)

4. upside-down: The upside-down poster announced a free concert in the park. (Here, upside-down is an adjective describing poster.)

When in doubt about the spelling of a compound word, you should first consult a dictionary, such as Merriam-Webster, which will list the appropriate spellings based on the word’s function in the sentence. You will find, too, that many words are always spelled one way, regardless of their function. For example, according to Merriam-Webster, high school is written as two words regardless of whether it is used as a noun—Peggy has just started high school—or an adjective—Peggy is a high school student.

The confusion occurs when the compound word is not found in the dictionary. Then, writers need to rely on their judgment to ensure that their intended meaning is preserved. Here are some tips to help:

1. Hyphenate the compound word if its meaning will be ambiguous without the hyphen.

Example: Dr. Lawrence, a small-town practitioner, was the first official to arrive on the scene. (Here, the hyphen is necessary; without it, readers may think that the practitioner was a small man, rather than a practitioner who works in a small town.)

2. Never hyphenate compound words that are created with -ly adverbs.

Example: Tammy and Bob bought the recently renovated house on Main Street.

3. Hyphenate the elements of a compound adjective that occurs before a noun.

Example: They attended a black-tie affair.

Note: The following kinds of compound adjectives almost always need to be hyphenated:

Noun + adjective (tax-exempt), Noun + participle (government-owned), Adjective + participle (friendly-looking), Adjective + noun + ed (high-priced)

Remember these points when working with compound words, and you should have no trouble with their spelling:

1. There are three types of compound words: closed compounds, hyphenated compounds, and open compounds.

2. If you are in doubt about the spelling of a compound word, you should check a dictionary before you apply any other guidelines.

3. Hyphenate if ambiguity will result without the hyphen.

4. Never hyphenate -ly adverbs.

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