Member M. told us today how he uses AI to check his formatting. In one instance, he asked it to format a reference into MLA style for a paper he is submitting to a journal. The AI returned a different citation for the same author on the same subject, but more recent. Looking into it however, he discovered that the AI had invented the article. Though the journal and author were real, the article itself was not. This is not a new problem. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, infamously included fake citations in a major report on children’s chronic health issues. Similarly, the journals and scientists were real, but the articles themselves were not. Investigators from major news publications including the New York Times concluded they may have been invented by AI. To read more, see:

https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-officials-downplay-fake-citations-high-profile-report-children-s-health

In the Eldersburg Writing Group, we are happy to give feedback on your writing. Our response, however, tends to be of the friendly and gentle nature. One member recently hired a professional editor to exam his work. He noted some of the following benefits:

• They will read the piece thoroughly. Friends and family may sometimes skim your writing instead of giving it an in-depth analysis.
• Provide constructive criticism without holding back. They are being paid to give you constructive criticism, so they will do so thoroughly on matters of grammar, structure, etc. without worrying about hurting your feelings.
• They know writing. Friends or family may not know much about writing. They may say “I liked this part.” or “I didn’t like this part.” A professional knows what are good writing practices, and what aren’t, and will make suggestions based on that knowledge.

Member Ari shared two resources that can help you find that rhyme.

Rhymezone.com allows you to search for the words that rhyme with your chosen word, and provides results grouped by number of syllables. Not only that, it will also search for related words, near rhymes, same consonants, and more.

“Roget’s Thesaurus” is actually a book written in the early 19th century by Peter Mark Roget. If you are stuck on a difficult rhyme, using a synonym may help. This book is available as a free download from numerous sources, such as Project Gutenberg.

Have you considered subscribing to a magazine for writers? Writer’s Digest is popular choice. It covers a wide range of topics, including publishing advice, lists of resources, writing tips from authors, and interviews with authors. It is for any genre, though some articles may be tailored to suit the needs of, say, science fiction or biographies. For example, the May/June 2025 features include “Writer’s Digest 27th Annual 101 Best Websites for Writers” and “Research Hacks: The Writer’s Guide to Efficient Research.” Check it out at Writer’s Digest.com.

Suggested reading: Prometheus Bound, by Aeschylus, an ancient Greek play. https://classics.mit.edu/Aeschylus/prometheus.html

Loss is a part of life for all of us. At first, distraction may help us get through the shock and pain. Then, we can remember the good times and let them visit us in our dreams. We can honor their memory with our words and deeds. For a pet, we can be glad for the good life we gave them. When you are ready, writing about them may be cathartic. It could be simply short stories of your shared adventures, or a full biography.

Need help correcting your grammar? It can be hard to catch the mistakes yourself, and there are a few resources to help. First, the classic solution is an editor. If you can’t afford that, there is a web app called Grammarly with free and paid options. ChatGPT can also help, give it specific directions for the best help and be sure to double check its suggestions.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization – If you are writing for online publishing, search engine optimization (SEO) is important so your audience can find your work.

“Breaking the fourth wall” is a creative device used when a character addresses the audience or otherwise acknowledges that they are in a work of fiction. It has been used by many authors over time, from Sophocles to Shakespeare to the writers of Deadpool. In 1965, the Daffy Duck short “What’s the Big Idea” presented the famous character berating his animator for placing him in increasingly nonsensical and degrading scenes and costumes. Read more about breaking the fourth wall on the website linked below, or just enjoy a laugh at Daffy Duck’s expense.

https://www.thecollector.com/breaking-the-fourth-wall/

http://www.copyright.gov

Use this site to learn about what is a copyright, how do you register your copyright, and what rights a copyright gives you.

https://www.asundergrad.pitt.edu/study-lab/study-skills-tools-resources/pomodoro-technique

Book recommendation: 25 Sentences and How they Got That Way by Geraldine Woods

We shared our struggles with “getting stuck” in the writing process. For example, you don’t know where you story is going, or how it should get there. One member said, and we agreed, that “getting stuck” is part of the process. Some things that can help are simply taking a short break, like a walk, or a longer break to work on something else, then come back to the project. Exercising your writing muscle with some writing prompts is also a good idea. There are links to some writing prompt websites in our “writers resources” section.