Taking Grammar Lessons

If you've been following my blog, you'll know I study grammar books (even have software for practice - it's the Queen's English but I feel I'm still okay - hey, they win most of the Oscars) and I'm a dictionary.com fanatic. Now all of that doesn't mean I don't mess up, but I received my latest contest sheets and, yes, I have complaints. I understand judges are human too. Goodness, I'm one and I know I've made mistakes. But this is my blog and I can complain and in this case comment and besides I would never send a judge this info in a thank you note. I'm not wanting to shoot myself in my foot, but I feel I'm providing a service to judges and writers alike by pointing the errors out through my blog. You'll notice I never give contest names unless my entry is a finalist and how could I complain about that? LOL! Now for my two cents or more.

Hello, judge, the word accidentally and accidently means essentially the same thing. Both are adverbs and both mean "Occuring unexpectedly, unintentionally, or by chance." Look it up.

Like-minded and high-end (referring to expensive) have hyphens. Look it up.

"Sunrise" helps the reader to visualize the sun rising above the horizon. "First light" could be before the sun makes an appearance as you can see sun rays before you see the ball of fire itself.
"First light" can actually mean many things. You're only trying to change my word choice, not because I made an error, but you preferred "first light."

Saying I need to add the word "thoughts" into a sentence only distances the reader from the story. You're reading her thoughts without having to be told that as you're already subconciously aware of it. If you like to put the word "She thought" whatever, that's your voice and your choice.

If I turned her car "into" a UPS store, she would be driving thru the walls, etc. or the car would magically become a UPS store. You really need to read what you suggest. Actually in this case, I changed my "to" and made it "toward." So in that case it made me aware I could improve my word.

Why would I describe a hotel room anymore than the basics when they all look a like? I doubt many readers haven't been in a regular hotel room.

Okay. Out of forty or more suggestions from three judges, I took maybe five. Many were just their preferences and had nothing to do with improving the entry.