This is going to be a whole chapter dedicated to helping English learners and those struggling with style. I'll be adding more parts on request.

Because Wattpad is mainly populated by English-speaking readers, writing in English is the best way to get more reads. That being said, improper grammar and dialogue will drive away readers, instead of bringing them to you.

Therefore, this chapter will be incredibly important to follow closely, because it IS possible to improve your English and to write correctly. Even beautifully. The trick is not to apologize for bad grammar, but start fixing it.

Shout out to @AinFaiz for inspiring this chapter unknowingly ;)

If any of you want me to focus on a specific issue, let me know in the comments!

TAG YOUR FRIENDS/FOLLOWERS WHO NEED THIS!!!

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"Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." ~Stephen King
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The Best Way to Improve
Read. Read, read, read, read, and read some more. Study a book. No, I don't mean make flash cards. What a yucky idea that would be. I want you to pick up a book at check it out as though you were not just reading for fun, but LOOKING for how the author uses language. See how they make a world come to life. Observe how characters speak. Watch out for the moments of their writing that bring up emotions, and re-read those parts.

Then, ask yourself: what did they do that made you feel a certain way? Can you mimic that with your own writing? Does one of your characters go through a similar issue? What can you gain from reading this?

A good book can change your writing. A great book can evolve it.

I have put a List of the Greats in the bio of my profile. If your English is still improving, I'd recommend the Stephen King book, Misery. If you think you're ready to get your mind blown --in a good way-- then pick any other books from that list at random.

This chapter will now head onward, covering the biggest issues of Wattpad writers of all time. DO NOT SKIP THIS. EVEN THE BEST OF WRITERS NEEDS A REFRESHER.

1. Semicolons

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Semicolons are mainly used to 1) connect two CLOSELY RELATED sentences, or 2) separate items within a list or series.

1) Examples of combined, closely-related sentences:
🔸I am going home; I intend to stay there.
🔸It rained heavily today; however, we still managed to have our picnic.

Note: when using a transitional word such as "however" after a semicolon, be sure to use a comma!

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2) How Semicolons Can Be Used to Make Lists: The Quick Answer

It is usual to use commas to separate the items in a list. However, when the list items themselves contain commas, you can "outrank" those commas by using semicolons as separators for your list items.

Look at this list:
▪️John
▪️Simon
▪️Toby
This list would be written like this:
John, Simon, and Toby.

Now look at this list:
🔹John, the baker
🔹Simon, the policeman
🔹Toby, the architect
This list would be written like this:
John, the baker; Simon, the policeman; and Toby, the architect.

Note: Semicolons can be used to separate list items if one (or more) of the list items contains a comma.

Semicolons do NOT replace commas. Semicolons are NOT dashes. (Refer to 3. Dashes for more information)

2. Colons

Everyone confuses semicolons and colons. Even native speakers. Make sure that by the end of this chapter, you can understand the differences.

Here are ALL the ways to use colons (make sure you never use a semicolon on accident):

1) Use a colon at the end of a business letter greeting.

🔸To Whom It May Concern:

2) Use a colon to separate the hour and minute(s) in a time notation.

🔹12:00 p.m.

🔹3:50 a.m.

3) Use a colon to separate the chapter and verse in a Biblical reference.

🔸Matthew 1 : 6

4) Use a colon to join 2 independent sentences when you wish to emphasize the second sentence.

▪️Road construction in Dallas has hindered travel around town: parts of Main, Fifth, and West Street are closed during the construction.

5) THIS IS THE BIG ONE! Use a colon after a sentence when it is followed by a list, a quotation, or another idea directly related to the sentence.

🔺I know the perfect job for her: a politician.

🔺Julie went to the store for some groceries: milk, bread, coffee, and cheese.

🔺She offered the following advice: "Don't drink the water."

3. Dashes (--)

1) Dashes (--) can be used to indicate an interruption, particularly in written speech (A.K.A. dialogue):

🔸The chemistry student began to say, "An organic solvent will only work with—" when her cell phone rang.
🔸 "You're a nervous Nelly now, aren't —OH MY GOD!"

2) They can also be used as substitutes for parentheses (this allows the writer to add more information to a sentence):

▪️Mr. Lee is suited to the job --he has more experience than everybody else in the department-- but he has been having some difficulties at home recently, and would probably not be available.

▪️The first thing the lazy employees did when they arrived at work —besides slowly drinking their coffee— was to turn on their computers so the boss would think they were busy at work.

▪️After eighty years of dreaming, the elderly man realized it was time to finally revisit the land of his youth—Ireland.

Note: most computers will automatically change these two lines (--) into one line. As I am writing on the app, it shows up as two lines.

4. Hyphens (-)

1) Hyphens (-) are used to connect two or more words (and numbers) into a single concept, especially for building adjectives.  Likewise, some married women use hyphens to combine their maiden name with their spouse's name. Notice: hyphens use ONE line, while dashes use TWO.

🔹She stopped buying 2-liter bottles, and started buying 0.5-liter bottles instead.

🔹I had a conversation with Mrs. Skinner-Kcrycek this morning.

🔹There are fewer Italian-American communities these days.

🔹A red-gold glimmer caught their eyes.

2) They are also a necessary component of the numbers 21 through 99:

🔺Before the exam, Tomas studied for thirty-three hours without sleep.

🔺In a twenty-four hour period, three bodies were found in Yosemite National Park.

🔺"One hundred and fifty-five dollars? No, use your own money," she said.

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There you have it, folks. Some no-funny-business guides and examples on what you need most: colons, semicolons, dashes, and hyphens.

The next chapter will be ALL ABOUT DIALOGUE, so stay tuned!

If this was long but helpful, please click that star button and vote!

DON'T FORGET TO TAG FRIENDS/FOLLOWERS!!!

As you can see by the length of this chapter, there's a lot you need to know! When you're ready for more --after you take a break or two-- then either comment with your questions, or head to this site below:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Thanks for reading!