Journalism for Women | Page 8

a truism: that is why it
needs saying again.
You will find Dr. Richard Morris's Primer of English Grammar
(Macmillans, _1s_.), with Mr. John Wetherell's _Exercises on Morris's
English Grammar_ (same publishers and price), very useful, and,
though they are small books, quite adequate to your needs. Both can be
mastered in a month. The first business is to learn to parse. To parse is
"to explain the duty each word performs in a sentence: that is, to tell the
relation each word bears to the rest in a sentence:" the definition clearly
shows how indispensable to a writer is some skill in parsing. Of course
many of the exercises are set obviously for children, but sufficient
remain to puzzle the woman of average intelligence. That lady might,
for example, have a difficulty in parsing the italicised words in the
following: "My cap, having stuck on a long time, now went whirling
down the lane." Afterwards comes analysis--the breaking up of a
sentence into its component parts--not less urgent than parsing. This
branch of the subject is treated well and thoroughly in Mr. Wetherell's
book, and his exercises should be worked through conscientiously.
Note further, in the same primer, the division relating to syntax, and
especially the exercises on pp. 74, 75. The chapter on conjunctions is
also of serious importance to women.
4. By "composition," I mean merely the art of writing without
transgressing the rules of grammar and kindred canons by which all
writers agree to be bound. The higher matter of "style" will be treated
in the next chapter.
The best book on this subject is Professor Nichol's English
Composition (Macmillan's, 1s.). It is small, but it omits no point on
which beginners are likely to err. Women should give particular
attention to the following:--
False concords, p. 22.

Purity in the use of words, p. 33.
Want of discrimination between synonyms, p. 39.
Carelessness as to the meaning of sentences, p. 42.
The use of relatives, p. 52. Professor Nichol most truthfully says: "The
most fertile source of confusion in English is a slovenly use of
relatives."
Arrangement, p. 63.
For guidance as to punctuation, study Stops, by Paul Allardyce (F.
Fisher Unwin, 1s.). No book, however, could possibly deal with every
point likely to arise under our wonderful English system of punctuation.
It is an excellent plan to read aloud any sentence which presents a
difficulty, and to punctuate it according to the pauses made (almost
unconsciously) by the voice. This method is well-nigh infallible. If
doubt still remains, remember that it is better to punctuate too little than
too much.
* * * * *
Concurrently with the study of newspapers, spelling, grammar, and
composition, the aspirant must make a practice of writing daily a short
interesting description (say five hundred words) of some event or scene
personally observed during the day. Nothing should be allowed to
interfere with the regularity of this exercise, which is essential, not only
for the improvement of style, but also for the sharpening of that faculty
of subject-selection so necessary to the journalist. It is idle to say:
"Nothing interesting ever happens within my ken," There is no event,
no scene, but has its interesting aspect. Your business, madam, is to
discover that aspect.
* * * * *
It may be well to state here that neither shorthand nor typewriting is
requisite to the ultimate success of the journalistic aspirant. The

common notion that shorthand is part of the equipment of every
journalist is quite wrong. If, however, the aspirant possesses a
typewriter and the skill to use it, she will of course be able to get her
articles transcribed for nothing.
Chapter V
Style

"How can I acquire a good style of writing?"
Pathetic question, invariably asked by the artless beginner!
You cannot acquire a good style; only a bad style can be acquired.
It is a current impression that style is something apart from, something
foreign to, matter--a beautiful robe which, once it is found, may be used
to clothe the nudity of matter. Young writers wander forth searching for
style, as one searches for that which is hidden. They might employ
themselves as profitably in looking for the noses on their faces. For
style is personal, as much a portion of one's self as the voice. It is
within, not without; it needs only to be elicited, brought to light.
The one possible way of developing the latent style which has always
been yours, is to forget absolutely that such a thing as style exists.
For good style consists in saying exactly what you mean with the
utmost clearness and the utmost naturalness: simply that! When you
have accomplished so much, you have accomplished good style. In no
sense is style of the nature of