# Discussion: The benefits of a Major in English (to publish novels)



## Lisa (May 16, 2014)

Hi everyone! I'm brand new here. My name is Lisa. I'm a 33 year old mother of three, and the wife to a fabulous man (who sometimes makes it seem like mom to FOUR).  

I want to discuss the benefits of having a Major in English from university if you want to write and publish a novel (fiction or nonfiction). 

To make a long story short, I lost my dad this past November and it has turned my whole world upside down. He was 56 and died in his sleep. It made me realize there are no guarantees in life. Life is much too short and precious to waste doing something you aren't passionate about. 

Since I was five years old, I have dreamed about writing a novel and having it published. It was always my dream, but it was one of those dreams that I didn't think would ever come true. Real people don't write books. Authors write books. I somehow thought it was bigger than little old me. I'm not an author, after all.

I love the written word, but I have never studied it seriously. I do not know enough about language, grammar, structure and form to call myself more than an amateur, at best. And when it comes to publishing, I know less than nothing. However, I want to be a professional. I want to write, professionally, for the rest of my life. 

I'm perusing online course options and trying to weigh whether going to school for four years will help me pursue a career in writing. Or would spending the four years writing, while reading some of the greats and studying the technical aspects on the side, be more beneficial?


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## escorial (May 16, 2014)

There so many different styles of writing out there.. educate yourself is a fine thing indeed and use it well but be interesting to see a short piece now that your comfortable with and compare it down the line with another piece when you feel ready..go for it.


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## Bishop (May 16, 2014)

Well, I'm an English Major somewhat fresh out of a 4 year university, who is about to try publishing a book...

Getting published isn't so much like any other job. They do like to see your "resume" of works, what you've published, if you have experience writing, etc... but I think they look at the work a lot more than any education you have. Practice writing and reading. Getting an English degree would allow you to do this, given that most of my classes (depending on what the student picks in most 4 year universities) were writing enhanced and were literature courses, it'd be one way to go, but at the same time it's a big commitment of money and time. It's ultimately very rewarding, but only if what's important to you is more than just the writing, but also the reading and understanding literature as a whole. 

And to any high schoolers out there thinking about becoming an English major, just be aware: Short of getting jobs in the publishing industry or getting ultra lucky and becoming a published writer right out of college, there's very few jobs that look at English majors. It's kind of like playing a video game of life on the hard difficulty. 

The biggest thing with going for writing is to write. People might think that once you understand grammar and language you can just write and it'll be good if you have a good idea, but they're wrong. Writing is like ANY other skill... it takes thousands of hours before you're good. You can write pages upon pages and books on books before you'll ever be good enough to stand on your own, and while reading is an integral part of that, JUST reading is only half the battle. You must write, everyday, and practice writing with a vision to get better. You must be willing to accept criticism and understand where you need to make changes in your art, and you must... above all else... be patient.


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## Sam (May 16, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear of your loss, Lisa. Losing a family member is never easy. 

If you want my honest opinion, getting a major in English has also zero benefit to being an author. Creative writing is a world away from academic writing. Take it from someone who has a degree in English: if you're planning to major in it to improve your chances of writing or publishing a novel, you're doing it for the wrong reason. It is literally _years _of studying and exams. Do it because you want to major in it. Don't do it because you think it will help your writing. While it may, in a small way, the benefits gained will be overshadowed by how much effort you will have to put in to get a slip of paper that won't help you get published or help you write a novel. 

My advice (to all aspiring writers) would be to find some time to read. Reading is the most important tool to a writer. Once you get a feel for how other authors write a novel, it will give you all the direction you need to start your own.


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## Deleted member 49710 (May 16, 2014)

Hi Lisa, this depends somewhat on where you are, as university programs between the US, the UK and other English-speaking areas differ in many ways. However, I think it's fair to say that in general, English literature programs are dedicated to _reading_ literature. It is useful for a writer to have a solid grounding in both canonical and contemporary works, to know what's out there and how other writers have done things, how a novel is structured, etc; to get a feel for language, to read analytically and interpretively, and to generally expand the horizons. So that's far from useless, IMO.

However, courses in English literature do not _directly_ address the processes of writing a novel and barely touch the issues of publishing. If you're in the US, a BFA in Creative Writing might do that.


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## Lisa (May 16, 2014)

Thanks for the replies, they are much appreciated.  I don't know that I could afford the time away at university right now. I would love to go to school; to read, write and discuss literature would be heaven. Judging by what I'm reading here, it may not be the most practical use of my time, though. I think I'll start to work with writing every day and reading some of the classics. I read as often as I can anyway, so that's not a problem.  

I am located in Canada.


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## Bishop (May 16, 2014)

Lisa said:


> Thanks for the replies, they are much appreciated.  I don't know that I could afford the time away at university right now. I would love to go to school; to read, write and discuss literature would be heaven. Judging by what I'm reading here, it may not be the most practical use of my time, though. I think I'll start to work with writing every day and reading some of the classics. I read as often as I can anyway, so that's not a problem.
> 
> I am located in Canada.



Practice is what makes it. Write like you mean it, read like you want it, win.


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## InstituteMan (May 16, 2014)

College is great and all. I am near the front of the line when the formally over-educated queue up. But . . . Nothing has helped my writing as much as writing and taking serious critiques of my work, and then re-working and revising. Besides, today I can learn rather a lot from the Interwebs, and even more with a library card. The only thing college has that can't be replicated easily is the immersive interaction aspect, but I certainly know that I couldn't do that and raise kids (there are some who have done it or are doing it, and hats off to them).


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## garza (May 16, 2014)

I majored in both English and history, spent those years in school Sam talked about, and was all set to finish getting it Piled Higher and Deeper when I stood up, climbed out of the stacks in the sub-basement of the university library, hitch-hiked to New Orleans, worked my way on a tramp to Bangkok, and announced at every news bureau I could find in S.E. Asia that I was now a freelance journalist. 'Where are your credentials?' they asked. 'Here,' I said, and showed them my Leica, notebook, and two mechanical pencils. 'You're on,' they said. 'Write it, file it, and if New York likes it we'll pay you.'

In all the many years of writing and selling what I wrote, not one person ever asked me about my education. Not one. Could I write what wire service editors wanted? Yes I could. Did I become famous and fabulously wealthy? No, but I made a good living and had a hell of a good time doing it. 

That's not to say the years spent in school were wasted. The education I received was what allowed me to approach any situation, see the story, see the connections, understand the background, write it, and sell it. What was useless was the dried belly of a sheep my mother hung on the wall of my once-in-a-while-when-home bedroom. 

But as Sam says, know why you want to go to school and be certain your reason is sound. A degree in English is mostly good for getting a job teaching English. The knowledge gained in earning that degree, however, can be exactly what you need to help you write whatever you want to write.


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## Plasticweld (May 16, 2014)

There is some great advice given here.
 I can not speak about the advantages of an English degree but can share some of the sentiment that both Garza and Bishop had to offer. I ran a painting business for years we specialized in motorcycles. It was in the middle of all of the hype on TV with the reality shows featuring motorcycle builders and painters, we were at the time one of the largest in the country. I  had many people who applied to work here, some had been to college, some just wanted to be in the business, then there were the ones that just did and had projects of their own and could show me some of their work, their passion was always obvious.  For the people that had been to a tech school or college it meant that at best they possessed  the basics but were un able to do any work on their own. There were the people that thought this would be cool to do but had never made any attempt to learn or practice. For those that had tried and failed, had some minor success. could share a few horror stories about things that went wrong, these were the keepers and the ones that got the job. 

As Bishop said, "Just write" 
As Garza said go out and just announce your intentions.  

Your actions and your intentions will get you more attention than any degree from anywhere.


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## Riptide (May 16, 2014)

My teacher said it never helped him with anything but find a teaching job... and even then...


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## dvspec (May 16, 2014)

College education IMO is overrated.  The only thing it is good for is to put you up to your eyeballs in debt and get your resume past the automated system HR departments are using and even that is iffy.  

I started out as a journalism major and took every English and Lit class available to me.  I ended up with a degree in Public Relations as a result.  I could have had a degree in English, but like someone said, it would only be good for teaching and I don't like kids and never have.  

So far, reading and library resources are the best.  I found some online classes through my library that include in alphabetical order, Advanced Fiction Writing, Beginner's Guide to Getting Published, Publish and sell your E-book, Make Money with Your Writing. . .  You see where that is going.  

This online school charges about $100 US per class, but since I moved to an area that has a better library, I get them for free.  Screw college, go to your library and if you don't have time to read the classics, which IMO, generally suck, listen to the on free audio recordings over the internet.  It's the only way I made it through 'David Copperfield'.  

That is one book that should have been burned.  Good luck.


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## aj47 (May 16, 2014)

Not every writer has a degree, period, much less one in English or Literature or the combination.  I don't know where you are, geographically, but there are no doubt writers' groups in your area who gather to hone their skills.  And even if you can't find one out there, join us here, we don't seem quite as "real" but behind every keyboard is a writer of some caliber or another and you can learn from us all. Except me, I'm just a poet and not exceedingly brilliant at that.


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## InstituteMan (May 16, 2014)

dvspec said:


> College education IMO is overrated.  The only thing it is good for is to put you up to your eyeballs in debt and get your resume past the automated system HR departments are using and even that is iffy.



Precisely, even from my point of view as someone who loved college and did get a lot out of it. 

I went to college before the cost skyrocketed. I graduated with more debt than I wanted, but even adjusting for inflation I owed very little compared to college students today (at least in the US). On the other hand, I went to college before there was another way to learn most academic subjects. Now there is EdX and tons of other online course programs, journals and articles online, and the ability to meet like minded individuals online. Heck, finding a local writers' group is even easier now, since many will have some Internet presence. 

There are still many reasons to go to college, but there are now other routes to knowledge and wisdom. College no longer has a near monopoly on academic learning.


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## garza (May 17, 2014)

The value of a college education is not over-rated. The value of the degree is over-rated. Those are two, often unrelated, issues. 

From three months short of my 16th birthday to a few days before my 21st birthday I sat in university lecture halls or in the university library 11 and a half months of the year. The education I received has been and continues to be of infinite value. I could never, working on my own in an unstructured environment, have gained the understanding of subject material the same as I did with the guidance of university faculty. When I walked out that last day and told the world 'Here I am' I was equipped with the knowledge I needed to succeed at what I had decided I wanted to do.  

As I've said, no one has ever asked what kind of degree I have. Once I proved I could do what was needed to be done I had no problem. Had I not been able immediately to satisfy wire service editors that I could do the job I would have had to find another tramp and work my way back to New Orleans. 

A book such as _David Copperfield_, written from the perspective of someone who has lived life on rough terms and made a success of himself, can be seen as a survival manual that teaches how the real world works. That understanding of the book may not, without some guidance, be apparent to the casual reader in an age removed from the age in which the novel was composed.


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## codylf95 (May 17, 2014)

People have a lot of judgementalness to them, in general, and little prospect. Judgements can be decisive and defining. For examply, college degrees. To be a plumber, you used to not need any degree or trainning. Then you needed an apprentiship. Now you need a degree. I know a master-carpenter. He makes over 100k a year. He has 30 years expierence. He's worked on multimillion dollar contracts. Yet, when he goes to work on a project, often times his company chooses the guy with a degree, one year out of college. This guy, the one I know, IS FAR MORE qualified than the other, but he doesen't have the degree, so he is automatically incompetent to them. The major boosts status and gains respect, I would go for it.


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## Bard_Daniel (May 17, 2014)

I'm interested in this as well, as I intend to pursue a Bachelors Degree, but in World Literature (if possible). If not then a general degree and move into further education later in life.

Good idea? Bad idea? Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?


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## garza (May 17, 2014)

There are good reasons why some crafts now are dominated by people who are college trained. My son is a contractor. He looks for trained electricians, plumbers, and cement workers. Technical requirements to meet code standards have become tough and people who do not have at least two years of college or technical school are not qualified on paper and in fact may not be qualified at all. Their experience is often no substitute because of the rapid pace of technological development, tougher laws, and, especially in the U.S., the readiness of people to sue with the least excuse. A builder is taking a chance if he hires a person who does not have the qualifications on paper to prove his competence. My son does not take chances.

It may not be fair, but it's the way the world is. I have three degrees I've never needed, but I have needed, and continue to need, the education that was required to get those degrees.


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## codylf95 (May 17, 2014)

garza said:


> There are good reasons why some crafts now are dominated by people who are college trained. My son is a contractor. He looks for trained electricians, plumbers, and cement workers. Technical requirements to meet code standards have become tough and people who do not have at least two years of college or technical school are not qualified on paper and in fact may not be qualified at all. Their experience is often no substitute because of the rapid pace of technological development, tougher laws, and, especially in the U.S., the readiness of people to sue with the least excuse. A builder is taking a chance if he hires a person who does not have the qualifications on paper to prove his competence. My son does not take chances.
> 
> It may not be fair, but it's the way the world is. I have three degrees I've never needed, but I have needed, and continue to need, the education that was required to get those degrees.



In the end, that person or company screwed themselves over. If that guy hired the guy fresh out of college, and not the guy with 30 years experience, they made the wrong decision, and they're only hurting themselves. Let them damage themselves with their own stupdidity.


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## aj47 (May 17, 2014)

I'm in school for two reasons: a) I learn better in a classroom than on my own and b) because a degree will get me an interview.

If you just need the knowledge, there are plenty of free and low-cost online options, some of which provide certificates of completion.  If you need the degree, then either an online university or traditional college or university would be appropriate.  I'm attending a community college and getting a 2-year degree.  It's not a BS but it should get my foot into some doors and I only need one job.


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## garza (May 17, 2014)

What is stupid is hiring a person with many years experience but who is not qualified on paper according to the law or according to prevailing custom. He has nothing to show that his many years of experience have taught him all that he needs to know to be a competent worker today. Maybe he spent all those years doing it wrong. Maybe he spent all those years laughing at building codes. Maybe on the next job he'll cause an accident and cause the company to go broke because they hired someone not qualified for the job. 

If the guy fresh out of college screws up despite having all the proper qualifications according to law, the company has some protection.

Many craftsmen, such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and cement workers, are capable of doing great damage through ignorance. Faulty wiring, faulty plumbing, bad framing, beach sand in the cement, can bring down a building and, with it, the company that hired the person responsible. Years of experience do not automatically translate into competence. A certificate, diploma, or degree are not guarantees of competence, but they can protect the company is something goes wrong.

My son has spent over 20 years building up his business and he does not intend seeing it destroyed by a long-experienced but incompetent worker.

Without my university education I could not have practised my craft in as competent as manner as I did, and over the years I could not have taken advantage of many different kinds of writing opportunities that have offered themselves.


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## Morkonan (May 17, 2014)

Lisa said:


> ....I'm perusing online course options and trying to weigh whether going to school for four years will help me pursue a career in writing. Or would spending the four years writing, while reading some of the greats and studying the technical aspects on the side, be more beneficial?



Go to the bookstore, buy some grammar books. Buy some English Grammar workbooks, so you can test yourself.  Then, spend those years writing and studying grammar, as you can.

"English" as a major is usually meant as what I prefer to call an "Amway Degree." That means you get it so you can teach it to others, so they can become English majors and teach it to others, ad nauseum. However, it can also be a "Gateway Degree", required for graduate degrees or jobs that have secondary focii, like journalism, etc.. Advanced English degrees generally have specializations, including those of the creative sort, like an MFA.

But, you don't need any of that in order to be a great writer. Study English on your own, as necessary, and start learning the basics of writing. You'll do fine. In fact, if you start writing, right now, and just read up on English Grammar and Punctuation as necessary, you'll likely be better served than if you had spent that time in some boring and fairly useless online course. (Note: I am not generally a fan of undergraduate online courses, feeling that the quality when compared to traditional studies is vastly inferior. Certain professional and graduate degrees, however, can be fairly dealt with, strangely enough. In that light, don't pay for some sort of online class to "teach" you basic English language skills. You can do that on your own.)

It's worth reminding you that your "job qualifications" as a writer when applying for publishing are entirely included in your presented manuscript.  In standard fiction, your professional or educational experience is of little merit when compared to the copy you're able to produce. That is, unless you're well-known in your field or the general audience. Even so, some well-known professional figures produce really crappy written work. Thank goodness for ghostwriters...


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## Blade (May 17, 2014)

danielstj said:


> I'm interested in this as well, as I intend to pursue a Bachelors Degree, but in World Literature (if possible). If not then a general degree and move into further education later in life.
> 
> Good idea? Bad idea? Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?



I am not sure what you mean by 'World Literature' but if you have no clear idea of where you want to go you are better off taking a general programme that will allow you to specialize should the inspiration strike. I think that getting committed to a false course of action too early would be rather difficult to pull out of or re-organize.

My only experience of post secondary English courses was first year in a Science so I have little to say about that. I would think though that an English course would expose you to a wide range of written material and provide both time and opportunity to work with it. There would be much more in time alone than there would be if you were employed somewhere.


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## stormageddon (May 18, 2014)

I should say to begin with that I have no idea how universities work outside of the UK, so bear that in mind if it seems I'm not making sense 

It really depends what sort of English course you're looking to do. English lit, not so much, though it might help you to view your own work more critically (should point out, you can learn that for free right here on this forum  ).

I'm planning to do "Creative and Professional Writing" at uni. At the place I hope to do it, they teach you all about publishing, both in terms of working in the industry, and approaching publishers with a manuscript. I'd imagine that, on top of what they teach about writing itself, it would give one an edge at the very least. Still, I wouldn't go to uni solely for the purpose of improving my writing/chances of being published unless I was absolutely loaded - if you aren't, I don't think it's worth the debt.

Having a degree is by no means a prerequisite to or even a guarantee of good writing, so would you want to spend several years of your life working towards one when you could spend them writing that bestseller?

To summarize my ramble: how relevant is the course to writing, and is what you'd get out of it worth the time and financial expense? Also, are you considering uni as a means to an end, or because you think you'd really enjoy it?

Personally, I think you'd be better doing what you suggested in your final sentence, but that's only what _I'd_ do in your situation, with the information provided.

Good luck, and sorry for your loss.


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## Bard_Daniel (May 18, 2014)

+1


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## Ariel (May 19, 2014)

lasm said:


> Hi Lisa, this depends somewhat on where you are, as university programs between the US, the UK and other English-speaking areas differ in many ways. However, I think it's fair to say that in general, English literature programs are dedicated to _reading_ literature. It is useful for a writer to have a solid grounding in both canonical and contemporary works, to know what's out there and how other writers have done things, how a novel is structured, etc; to get a feel for language, to read analytically and interpretively, and to generally expand the horizons. So that's far from useless, IMO.
> 
> However, courses in English literature do not _directly_ address the processes of writing a novel and barely touch the issues of publishing. If you're in the US, a BFA in Creative Writing might do that.



I have a BFA in English--Creative Writing.  There is _nothing_ about becoming published in _any_ of the courses I took.  Mostly you'll learn how to take criticism, how to deconstruct a piece to look at how it's written, and how to edit.  They'll also push you towards going for a _Master's_.  

To graduate with your Master's in creative writing you'll have to be published but you'll also have to teach.  It's a long road and, honestly, many people become published who don't have degrees.


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## Greimour (May 19, 2014)

I am inclined to agree with Sam.

Having a degree is nothing to scoff at but it is not an essential. What matters is your ability to read and write. Writing in itself is easier to learn by doing after reading. For example, read some short stories and then write your own. Get feedback on the short stories. Once you nail your short story prose, up your game and go for something a little heavier. Move on to Novella's and eventually Novels. Progress naturally through practicing the art of actually writing.

If you aren't convinced, let me ask this:

Have you ever heard of _Fahrenheit 451_? Written by *Ray Bradbury*. Never even finished High School.

How about Samuel L. Clemens - better known as *Mark Twain*. Dropped out of school at 12 and taught himself the rest in libraries whenever he could.

*H. G. Wells, *author of _War of the Worlds; The Invisible Man _and The Time Machine (as well as others). Dropped out of school to start working when his dad suffered a leg injury that ended his fathers (Joseph Wells) professional cricket career. Herbert went on to teach himself when he could and however he could until he became a Journalist... but the point is, he never had any school qualifications, only what he taught himself. *His written word was proof enough of his abilities.* (it's the work that matters, not the qualifications you have)

*Charles Dickens* - spent most of his childhood working in poor factory conditions. Education was sporadic and he too went on to be a journalist I believe (his work was proof enough of his ability to write - and write well)

I could keep naming more, including Will Faulkner, Truman Capote (_Breakfast at Tiffanys_) and others... but the simple matter is. To become published, you have to have three things.

*1*. A story worth telling (sometimes you won't know if it's worth it until you've attempted to write/tell it)
*2*. The ability to tell it and the work ethics to accomplish the telling of it. (this includes brushing up your prose so that your words 'sing' and publishers go gaga for your stuff)
*3*. A market for that story to be sold in. (Unless you want to be an unknown self published author with a total of seven readers worldwide who forget your name in a few weeks)

Meet those three things and you are underway to be the next best seller... no matter what qualifications you have (or don't have)


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## Lisa (May 19, 2014)

I have an Oxford dictionary and a thesaurus (though I use online versions often), but what other books should I have at my side?

Thank you all so much for your comments. I think this is a great discussion, with valid points on both sides.


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## Greimour (May 19, 2014)

Lisa said:


> What books do you recommend to understand how to properly construct a sentence? I know basic high school grammar and I can construct a basic sentence fairly well. I find that I slip between tenses often and I struggle with how to construct the sentence/paragraph sometimes. I don't know what to look for, though. I have an Oxford dictionary and a thesaurus (though I use online versions often), but what else should I have at my side?.



Slipping tenses is something you tend to work through. Trial and error - the art of actually writing and getting used to not doing it. That's my opinion anyway. Different strokes for different folks though.

For books, it depends how you gather your information. If you think studying the work of others is easy (highlighting easily readable sentences and breaking them down to an understanding) then it comes down to whose style you like. Personally, I like how Derek Landy and Joe Abercrombie write - as well as Phillip Pullman. *But* ... if you want good prose, people swear by Hemingway. Short, concise and precise. (I don't favour his style)

I have a thread somewhere which I had begun in attempts to deconstruct a "proper" sentence in order to explain in layman terms "how to construct a sentence" but it was a flop. Seems there is only really two things. 
1: Know how. 
2: Employ knowledge of how.

With those two things follows 'Show vs Tell' 
"Jack was a tall man."
vs
"Jack stood a full head and shoulders above everyone else in the room."

I am sure you get the idea. 

Then there is "back story fillers" 
- If you feel you need to write the entire history of a character I suggest this:

Write the full story of the character prior to entering your _*W*ork *I*n *P*rogress_ and continue as if everything is fine. When your fingers need a rest. Go back and highlight all of it - copy it to a new document and then delete the back story from your WIP - leaving only the story from when the character entered. Read the story without the history of the character and you will almost always find that the history is in fact not necessary - and probably saved you a few hundred/thousand words.

Everyone has their own opinions on show vs tell and backdrop story... but the 'considered majority' (which may not be the actual majority) often say that it is a hassle and a pain to read. 
ie: 
*** A Sci-Fi, spending two pages reading about the landscape (bad)
*** A fiction piece where the Main Character throughout chapter 1 dies at the end of chapter one (a false beginning that is really setting up the murder investigation or mystery etc..) - also bad
*** Reading three pages of story only to have the character wake up. - very bad.
** *Prologues being a lazy authors way of giving a back story. - Personally, I like these. It gives the reader a choice "A) Begin the story- or B) Read a backdrop prior to the story" - readers choice instead of authors enforcement.

On top of all that is yet more outside opinions.
1) Readers
2) Fellow Writers
3) Agents
4) Publishers
5) Published Authors
6) Teachers
.. the list goes on.

***

For those seriously interested to the point of clutching at straws or swearing by methods as though Gospel - there are plenty of exercises to get you started.

"The NORTAV Method for Writers" is supposed to be great. (I haven't yet read it so can't give personal opinion.)
NORTAV Part 1 online

I did my research primarily by reading and mimicry. Understanding came later... I learned how to "understand sentences" based on 'definitions' and broke them down based on 'fragmented sentences' - Learning all the fragments, why they are fragments, what is allowed and what isn't - which fragments are limited to dialogue and which can be used outside of Dialogue - etc... finally, I asked others to give me their opinions on my writing and started to enjoy it again. Even became quite happy with pointless pieces that were created without objective.

So my three parts:
1 - Read and Emulate
2 - Read Definitions and search definitions of definitions
3 - Get feedback on what I produce to gauge my progress.

in total it took a lifetime, but in reality - once I started getting feedback - my writing got better per attempt instead of per 'lesson' (my view is, you can learn more in a month of writing with feedback than a year of schooling)

It's all effort. That's the long and short of it. The more you put in, the more you pull out. Everything is 'opinions' though and you have to either *find *your path/niche- or else _create one_. 


- Many will have opinions for books that can be beneficial to you, I am sure, but remember -* it all depends on you!
*How you work - how you learn - how you research... what helps them may not help you. What helped me may not help you. The information is there to be found - but sometimes all it takes is just actually writing. I swear by feedback above all else.

As I said: Different strokes for different folks.


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