Writing Tip Wednesday: “All right or alright?”

PenPal says:

Is it all right or alright?
All right is the correct spelling of this term.

Incorrect: It is alright to call me after 10:00 a.m.
Correct: It is all right to call me after 10:00 a.m.

Unfortunately, we’re now seeing more and more incorrect usage of the “alright” spelling. The reason? Inattentive writers have accidentally transferred the spelling pattern of the words “already,” “altogether,” and “almost” (correct spelling) to “all right” and merged the two words to “alright” (incorrect).

To be accurate and professional in your writing, please remember the following correct usage of all right: I have already used the words “all right” in this short article.

________

Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal

Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal

About PenPal…
Cathy Kodra works as an independent editor in Knoxville, TN. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Roanoke Review, New Millennium Writings, Common Ground Review, Now & Then, Cavalier Literary Couture, Slow Trains, Still Crazy, The Medulla Review, Prime Mincer, Yemassee, and others. She is a contributing editor for New Millennium Writings and past guest poetry editor for The Medulla Review. She was first runner up in Prime Mincer’s 2011 Poetry Contest, judged by Rodney Jones, and took first place in the 2012 Old Gray Cemetery Poetry Contest. Cathy’s first poetry chapbook, Thin Ice, was published in 2011 by Medulla Publishing.

Cathy is a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and of two local writing groups. An avid reader and writer, she is currently working on two poetry collections and a collection of short stories. Her hobbies include gardening and vegan cooking, and she lives happily with her husband Ron, two dogs, and a cat. She can be reached at www.cathykodra.com.

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Eleanor and Rose and “The Case of Fleaing Colors,” part 2

Part 2: Eleanor and Rose prepare for the chase.

Part 2: Eleanor and Rose prepare for the chase.

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Monday morning writing joke: publisher Q & A

Q. What’s the difference between publishers and terrorists?

A. You can negotiate with terrorists.

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Eleanor and Rose and “The Case of Fleaing Colors,” part 1

Part 1: Eleanor and Rose are catching some Zz's as our story opens.

Part 1: Eleanor and Rose are catching some Zz’s as our story opens.

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New word: “congressed”

Upon occasion, it seems that there are gaps in the English language: experiences, ideas, emotions, and even eventualities that don’t quite have a word to identify them. Today, we have one such experience in need of a new definition…

They congressed.

v.i. (verb intransitive): To meet for no discernible reason, to then accomplish no discernible goal, and then to adjourn with no discernible conclusion.

Speeches can be made, positions staked out, even bills passed out, but all of little note in addressing the issues at hand.

They congressed despite themselves, and were well paid for it.

As well as a verb intransitive which means a verb that needs no direct object, this is a new classification of verb, known as the verb intransigent: meaning a verb that has no direct object and does no direct work due to the entropy of ideology, intellect, or the simple overwhelming asinine nature of the persons congressing.

A fine example of a place where congressing takes place. A place where good governing goes to die.

A fine example of a place where congressing takes place. A place where good governing goes to die.

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Haiku to you Thursday: “Drive by”

I watched you drive by /
yours eyes — once on me — forward /
the road your lover.

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cARtOONSdAY: “eLIGHTENMENT”

And that's the way it is....

And that’s the way it is….

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Monday morning writing joke: “The story of my life”

Three guys are sitting at a bar.

First guy: “Yeah, I make $75,000 a year after taxes.”

Second guy: “What do you do for a living?”

First guy: “I’m a stockbroker. How much do you make?

Second guy: “I should clear $60,000 this year.”

First guy: “What do you do?”

Second guy: “I’m an architect.”

The third guy sits there quietly, staring into his beer, and then the others turn to him.

Second guy: “Hey, how much do you make per year?”

Third guy: “I guess about $13,000.”

First guy: “Oh yeah? What kind of stories do you write?”

[Editor’s note: Last figures I heard was that the average writer makes less than $15,000 a year from his or her writing. Must be something more than money driving people to write. What drives you?]

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Freeform Friday: “Stroke of Genius”

Stroke of Genius

by David E. Booker

O’ gods of justice and of light
Pause to consider this poor man’s plight.
He stands erect, with chain saw there
In place left best for underwear.

He yanks the cord with all his might
Hoping to overcome his limpid plight.
The motor chuffs; the man’s abrupt
Wondering loudly why nature interrupts.

He tugs and tugs and tugs once more
Imploring the gods: implore, implore.
Sweat from his face is running down
And he wants to toss saw to the ground.

Yet, one final time he assails his plight,
Stroking and stroking with all his might.
The engine coughs and sputters to life
Then its biting causes him new strife.

Putting something sharp where he ought not to.

Putting something sharp where he ought not to.

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Haiku to you Thursday: “scraps”

scraps of the morning /
tired moon, tart breeze, hollowed dreams /
a mirror’s blurred face.

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