Grammar and Focus

I finished up the Barnes and Nobles grammar course today. I can’t say that I learned anything that I didn’t already know, but it was still nice to finally learn the rules that I follow unknowingly. And I have certainly written a lot of notes in the past few weeks. I’m going to file everything away so that I have them for reference when a problem crops up.

As for The Book, it is slow going. I think I have decided on a how-to or course, since I am so dissatisfied with all those currently available. That means that there will be a good deal of research to do and notes to make. Most of what I want to include I know, but I can’t always put that knowledge into words. And it is also difficult to be sure that I am including everything that a neophyte would need to know. I must be careful about assuming too much about what my reader already knows. So, there will be much reading of forums, books, and websites dedicated to newcomers. I need to discover what is being taught (or not taught, as the case may be), and what questions are being asked. This is certainly not going to be a six month project.

My dad gave me quite a bit of encouragement this weekend. I am always uncomfortable discussing my spirituality with my parents, but he thinks The Book is a great idea. Maybe I will write it with him in mind. It is important to have an audience in mind when writing, and he might just be right.