Quirks and Tips

I think we all have some quirks that plague us and require tips (gimmicks) to help get things right.
I have a problem with the use of “affect” and “effect”. No matter how often I look up the definition, I can’t seem to get it right unless I check. Any tips?
My wife has a problem with “Left” and “Right”. When giving directions, she will point to the right and say, “Turn left.” You can imagine how often I made a wrong turn when I didn’t see the hand signal.

What about you?

Affect and effect are difficult. The effect things have affect you; that's the easy bit -- effect as a noun and affect as a verb.

The difficulty most writers have is with effect as a verb eg to effect a change (bring about a change), and affect as a noun, which is seldom used but is often misused when preceded by a preposition eg. to do something for effect -- to do something to affect someone else, which causes the confusion between the noun and the verb: to have an effect on and to be affected by. The writer's mind thinks of the doing word (affect) and mistakenly writes: he paused for a moment for affect. Yes, he was pausing to affect the listener but he did it to bring about an effect.

The affect of your problem has had an effect on me.

I always go by the verb/noun thing. The simplest way to say it is one I use during tutoring: "Affect," a verb, is something you do, while "effect," a noun, is something that is.

Let me comment on the easier of your two conundrums.

Get your wife to hold up both hands index fingers pointing up and the two thumbs pointing towards each other. The hand on which the index finger and thumb form the letter L is the left one.

I feel for your wife, Abe. I have been in the dental field for over thirty years--where R and L are switched constantly when we refer to a patient facing us.

No one wants to take directions from me. Hah!

Good to know I'm not the only one that is affected by the problem of effect. (Was that right?)
Thanks to all of you.
Mike, I'll try that out on my wife.
Rhett. I can see that as a problem for the patient. "Oops. I meant to pull out the tooth on the left side."

The affect/effect puzzle becomes more twisted than simply verb/noun because in psychological usage "affect" is a noun referring to one's demeanor in relation to his or her emotions.

e.g.: His affect was calm, almost distant.

Malcolm

The more I think about how to write, the harder it gets.

You are an excellent writer, Abe. Relax.

Ann

Thanks Ann.

Abe F. March wrote:

The more I think about how to write, the harder it gets.

I think that's the point of all the rules and style guides, Abe. Only the truly gifted can break the rules and become literary giants. The rest have to learn how to craft their writing to please an acquisitions editor or agent. Those who are unwilling to follow the rules will moan and groan about the rejections and how unfair the whole business of publishing is, while others work long hours after midnight editing and polishing to meet an agent's guidelines.

Truth in what you say Shelagh and a guide to writing is fine. Anyone trying to follow all the tips about writing published on the Internet will wind up in a state of confusion. I’ve been reading manuscripts for publication “worthiness” on behalf of a publisher. Writing styles differ greatly. It doesn’t take much reading to ascertain if the writer is good. If the story doesn’t grab the reader in the first few pages, or at least in the first chapter, further reading becomes a bore. I think that’s where the Query letter and First Chapters are extremely important. If that creates an interest, then a complete manuscript is requested. I have yet to read a manuscript that is identical in style with another. Editing a good story is not a problem for the publisher unless it is excessive. Suggestions for improvement are an editor’s job, but that happens only after it is deemed good enough to be published.