tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77639860353998642962024-03-23T03:14:34.955-07:00"Hey, I'm Trying to Write Here"Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-71061746893380678342012-10-10T07:36:00.001-07:002012-10-10T07:42:52.887-07:00Writing tool #1 Roy Peter Clark, senior scholar at Poynter Institute <a href='http://web.archive.org/web/20060109200343/http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=62027'>HERE</a> <a href='http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AXDmLW/:12FWp!ALW:HZM$MPYp/www.dumblittleman.com/2007/07/50-tools-that-can-improve-your-writing.html/'>or HERE</A> writes a seriies of fifty tips aimed at improving your writing skills. I'm going post some highlights from his articles here. Refer to the above links for more.
<p>
<i>Writing Tip Number 1</i>
<p>
Begin sentences with subjects and verbs, letting subordinate elements branch to the right. Even a long, long sentence can be clear and powerful when the subject and verb make meaning early.
<p>
A reporter writes a lead sentence with subject and verb at the beginning, followed by other subordinate elements, creating what scholars call a "right-branching sentence."
<blockquote>Rebels seized control of Cap Haitien, Haiti's second largest city, on Sunday, meeting little resistance as hundreds of residents cheered, burned the police station, plundered food from port warehouses and looted the airport, which was quickly closed. Police officers and armed supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide fled.</blockquote>
<p>
That first sentence is 37 words long and rippling with action. The sentence is so full, in fact, that it threatens to fly apart like some overheated engine. But the writer keeps control by creating meaning in the first three words: "Rebels seized control..." Think of that main clause as the locomotive that pulls all the cars that follow.
Master writers can craft page after page of sentences written in this structure. Consider this passage by John Steinbeck from "Cannery Row," describing the routine of a marine scientist named Doc:
<p>
<blockquote>He didn't need a clock. He had been working in a tidal pattern so long that he could feel a tide change in his sleep. In the dawn he awakened, looked out through the windshield, and saw that the water was already retreating down the bouldery flat. He drank some hot coffee, ate three sandwiches, and had a quart of beer.</blockquote>
<p>
In each sentence, Steinbeck places subject and verb at or near the beginning. Clarity and narrative energy flow through the passage, as one sentence builds upon another. And he avoids monotonous structure by varying the length of his sentences.
Subject and verb often get separated in prose, usually because we want to tell the reader something about the subject before we get to the verb. When we do this, even for good reasons, we risk confusing the reader:
<p>
<blockquote>A bill that would exclude tax income from the assessed value of new homes from the state education funding formula could mean a loss of revenue for Chesapeake County schools.</blockquote>
<p>
Eighteen words separate the subject "bill" from its weak verb "could mean," a fatal flaw that turns what could be an important civic story into gibberish.
If the writer wants to create suspense, or build tension, or make the reader wait and wonder, or join a journey of discovery, or hold on for dear life, she can save the verb until the end.
<p>
I hope this helps a little. It gave me something to think about. Tomorrow, or soon, I will write more. If you want the whole fifty tips, click on the links above.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-57571912936816236022012-10-01T08:01:00.001-07:002012-10-01T08:03:54.224-07:00Excerpt This is an excerpt from <i>That Girl.</i> It's still a major work in progress.
<p>
<i>Drako</i>
<p>
We’d drifted apart after middle school, rather, she sank my boat when she sold her soul to the school elite and became the queen of King City High. Even now, years after I’d scampered away with my tail between my legs; Halle Winters will always be that girl for me. You know, the untouchable one little boys dream of and then grieve over for the rest of their lives.
<p>
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-30343266641885159902012-09-29T06:22:00.000-07:002012-09-29T06:22:43.502-07:00OopsRule number one: Check your own stuff before complaining about something.
<p>
In my previous post I was complaining about the word verification process you have to go through to post a comment on some of your blogs, the CAPTCHA. I'm a little embarrassed to say, I had it set up on my own blog. I don't remember doing it but I vaguely remember blogger sending me a message about security and spam. I may have ignorantly affirmed it without first checking it out. My bad. Suffice it to say, I have corrected the problem and hope my friends come back to me.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-1548542263808875292012-09-26T07:55:00.002-07:002012-09-26T08:11:41.468-07:00CAPTCHA-- the bane of my existence "Capture" and standing for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart," CAPTCHA.
<P>
Why oh why won't these things work for me. I'm not sure if it's some security things on my computer or if I'm really so stupid, I can never get these things to work for me. I've tried to comment of some of your posts, out there in blogsville, but am forced to give up after twenty or thirty tries. It's frustrating. So that's why I haven't been able to communicate with some of you.
<p>
Recently, I accidentally installed some security thing. I didn't realize it until it was too late and I didn't notice what it was called so I can go in and delete the program from Control Panel. Still working on locating it.
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So, that's my Wednesday complaint. I may coin Wednesdays "Whining Wednesday" from now on.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-42457110309226872432012-09-24T05:34:00.000-07:002012-09-24T05:34:04.165-07:00Word-painting
Good Monday to you all. I don't have to work. Those words are a gift I give myself every Monday morning. I've been retired for almost two months and Monday mornings are the best now. I hope your Mondays are as pleasant, even if you aren't retired. Here's my Monday morning thoughts.
<p>
I've noticed lately that it's hard to know when too much word-painting is, well, too much. I'm working on a particularly emotional scene in my novel, <i>That Girl</i>. How much crying is too much? Where do you draw the line? Thinking over my own experiences, I can't say I've experienced any long term crying gigs. So where do you draw the line? I don't know. I guess my characters, at some point, pony up and get a grip, but when and how long will it take?
<p>
Crying isn't my only problem. What do my characters do with their extremities when they are distressed--cross their legs, fiddle with a pencil, bounce their leg in a nervous twitch. It's hard to come up with different ideas; I'm not exactly the most observant person in the world. Probably because I'm always thinking about my writing.
<p>
Do you have an inner voice that nags at you in subtle ways when something you've written seems not right? I do, God bless it, it's relentless. For example: You've worked so hard to get every word in a scene just the way you like it. You move on. The next time you read it, that little inner voice pulls your strings. No matter how you try and preserve the words you've slaved over, you finally have to admit defeat and cut the words out of the story. I give it three passes before I say, "Okay, okay already, I'll fix it." It's always better afterwords and I always wonder why I doubted and tried to second guess that little inner voice.
<p>
Any thoughts? Dose anyone else have that annoying inner voice?
<p>
Okay, take care and enjoy your Monday.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-34833927612355650002012-09-09T08:05:00.001-07:002012-09-09T08:05:46.047-07:00Procrastination and doubtHi again. It's good to be alive, isn't it? I've run across a website for cat lovers. I have had cats in my life and loved them, but when my last cat died, I said enough. It broke my heart. But I love looking at pictures of cats. They are so innovative and entertaining. Below is an example of what you can find on the site.
<p>
My husband and I have bought our retirement home. We actually bought it last December. Last month was the first time we'd spent any time enjoying it. We're not ready to move there full time yet. We have our old home to prepare for market. That's where we are now, half way across country from our new home. Confused yet?
<p>
That's not the subject of this post, it's the reason I've been procrastinating. I'm also crippled by doubt. We've all been through it. Some days you're flying with enthusiasm, the next, not so much. When this condition hits, It always amazes me how quickly I become distracted. Yesterday, however, I spent a half hour writing. Today I'm going to spend some time writing. Everyday I need to force myself to write. On those days I don't quite get there, I mustn't fall back into the habit of procrastination. That's my new mantra.
<p>
How do you guys fight doubt and procrastination? Any ideas?
<div style='padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px'><a href='http://pinterest.com/pin/137359857356175144/' target='_blank'><img src='http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/168040629817058988_N9fG514X_c.jpg' border='0' width='474' height ='600'/></a></div><div style='float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;'><p style='font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;'>Source: <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://xaxor.com/funny-pics/21348-funny-animals-part-277.html'>xaxor.com</a> via <a style='text-decoration: underline; font-size: 10px; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com/polarzwo/' target='_blank'>Pol</a> on <a style='text-decoration: underline; color: #76838b;' href='http://pinterest.com' target='_blank'>Pinterest</a></p></div>
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-44288299685869873252012-08-29T10:39:00.000-07:002012-08-29T10:41:19.816-07:00StickmanWhile cruising for inspiration, I came across a website that had me drawing a stick man. When I finished that little task, I hit the done key and the stick man went into action. He came upon a box with a lock. "Hmm," he says, "draw me a key." Let me summarize, he came across a curious box, the box became the goal, the key the solution. Problem solved. Except the box popped open and a dragon popped out. You might call the dragon an antagonist. Now we have a compelling situation. The stick man has a dragon to slay. Stick Man's priorities have changed for the moment.
<p>
Solution: Stick Man wants a sword. I draw him a sword and he fights the dragon, but the dragon fights back by breathing fire and setting everything aflame. Stick Man finally slays the dragon. Problem solved. Except the dragon dissipates and a box with a balloon attached replaces the dragon and floats away out of Stick Man's reach. Grrr. Before Stick Man can wrap his head around this new development, he must extinguish the fire. Stick Man wants a rain cloud. I draw him a rain cloud and, predictably, rain falls on the fire and puts it out. Problem solved. Except it keeps raining and floods.
<p>
Stick Man floats upward with the rising water, thinking he could now reach the airborne box. That's when the sharks show up and surrounded him, threatening to eat him. Stick Man implores me to draw a drain, which I do. The water drains, the sharks go away and the balloon breaks. The man lives happily ever after. The End.
<p>
That's a story. It's simple, compelling, full of drama. It got me to thinking. Stick Man is the hero, he has a goal, there's a problem, an obstacle (antagonist)and in the end, Stick Man will be a better person for it.
<p>
It's a bit simplistic, but it's got the framework for an interesting story. It would make a great child's story, don't you think. I was thinking it might be grounds for a basic outline. What do you think?
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-4010152213955933462012-08-24T09:39:00.001-07:002012-08-24T09:48:22.092-07:00In Transition, slathered with hopeYou may not remember because I've been absent from the blogging world for so long, that I was going to retire and relocate back to the Northwest to the home we bought way back last December. Wow, has it been nearly nine months? I could have had a baby by now. It's physically immpossible, however. Slowly, we are dismantling from one location and re-establishing in another. We're moved into our new home, but still need to put the other on the market. But, there's work to be done. We've been in the new house for a month and,sadly, will be leaving here next week to get busy and get the old house on the market. Pray that we get a quick and fruitful sale.
<p>
I haven't had a lot of quality writing time. I seem to get bogged down and my natural state of procrastination sets in and I get lazy. I prefer to think of it as getting busy. What keeps us from our love of writing? I know I'm not alone. Has anyone been able to figured out how we can love to write, yet sabotage what we love to do with excuses and avoidance? For me it usually happens when I'm in a difficult place in the story and doubt rears its ugly head. Mentally I know it only takes a day or so to work my way out of it, but I get this dread feeling and have to psych myself back to the keyboard.
<p>
Soon, I'll be able to get my priorities in line. Please don't give up on me.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-31718621256148073462012-08-23T11:11:00.000-07:002012-08-23T11:11:36.441-07:00Bum's Rush, The Novel, (An Excerpt)This is the time I've been looking forward to for years--being able to continue my blogging and promoting my books, not to mention writing them. It will be easier since I no longer have a job to take up most of my time with.
<p>
I'm going to post segments of <i>Bum's Rush</i> for your inspection in hopes of wetting your appetite to pop over to <a href='http://www.amazon.com/Bums-Rush-EA-McKenzie/dp/1469957566/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345744278&sr=8-2&keywords=bum%27s+rush'>Amazon.com</a> and check out the "Look Inside" option to read more excerpts.
<p>
I'll also be talking about my new novel, <i>That Girl</i>. I'll occasionally post some excerpts from that right here.
<p>
Here's the first excerpt from <i>Bum's Rush</i>. I hope you enjoy it.
<P>
<blockquote>Something slammed into Jack with the force of a jousting pole. He grunted and staggered as a million watts of electricity passed through his body. The phone skittered on the sidewalk, and he clutched his shoulder. Someone screamed, then someone else. He looked around at the commotion, but his vision had gone fuzzy; he felt lightheaded, and a shrill ringing in his ears deafened him.
<p>
Jack looked at his hand and saw blood. That’s strange. His heart spiked in his chest. He’d been shot, damn it; he was going to die.
</blockquote>
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-35369386192750599652012-05-13T08:49:00.000-07:002012-05-13T08:50:51.573-07:00Happy Mom's DayHappy Mother's Day to all you moms out there. I didn't realize it was mom's day until my husband wished me a happy Mother's Day. I'll hear from my kids today, but we don't exchange gifts. This is the second year I won't be making a call to my mom. Still, I'll always think of her every year on this day.
<p>
I just opened a new file for my WIP. I call it Draft 3000. It seems like I've written that many revisions. This will be the fourth. Listening to that inner voice that nags me, you all probably have one like it. It always knows when something just isn't right. I think I've figured it out this time. At this point in the game, I may have to shut that voice off or I'll never finish this book. I'm at the point where I need to stop doubting myself.
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I know the mistakes I made with my first book and I'm trying to avoid making the same blunders in this book. My problem is becoming word count. I'm in danger of cutting too much. My original goal was 60K. I made that goal, but find I've cut around 5K out. It's still okay, but I can't afford anymore cuts.
<p>
I need to find a beta reader, I think. There's still a lot of work to do before I get to the point where anyone else can read it. If there's any volunteers, I'd love to hear from you.
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The reason I've been so lax about my blog is we're getting ready to move. When I say move, I mean move cross country, back to Washington state. We bought a house out there already and plan to move most everything out in late June. I'm so excited. Lots of things going on right now. They say, the more new stuff you have to look forward to, time will slow a bit for you. What do they know.
I'll try and stay with you a little more. I'd say by August or September, I'll be blogging so much, you all will get sick of me.
Take care.
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<p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-73451377758926649122012-03-29T10:03:00.001-07:002012-03-29T10:06:18.468-07:00Is every word important?Not only that, every sentence and every paragraph. The first few draft of a project, we write like we talk. For some, that might suffice, some people's talk is meaningful and compact. One of the joys of writing is tightening what you've already written. It amazes me how many different ways a sentence can be phrased. The challenge is keeping it real. Every paragraph has a sentence, and every sentence has words, so how important is every word you write? I suspect, pretty important. If three words change to one without sacrificing ambiguity or continuity, your story sounds polished. That's what is meant by tightening a paragraph. How to do that? Find an amazing thesaurus. You might want to check my favorite one <a href='http://www.onelook.com/'>here</a> <br />
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Short but sweet. God bless. Until next time.<br />
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<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-13747878803220621962012-03-17T10:39:00.000-07:002012-03-17T10:39:05.027-07:00On the Home StretchGood news, I'm almost done with my second draft of "That Girl." I've had a little time off work and I've worked hard to get so much done. So it's proud of myself, I am. The third draft will be the one where I work on the presentation, so to speak. For that, I'm going to do a lot of reading. <br />
<p>Does anyone else get stuck when trying to describe what actions and mannerisms a person uses while talking? Some authors seem able to divers away from the norm. I find when I read a lot, I get a better sense of people's idiosyncrasies. You can only scratch your head, purse your lips, furrow your brows so many times before it becomes obvious to readers that you have no imagination. Hands on hips, clenched fists, lame humor can become boring in time. Tears, really how often does a person tear up. In real life people's feelings get hurt and their reactions are internal. Their hearts harden, their pulse quickens, they even feel the sting of tears behind their eyes. It becomes a dilemma for authors. It's easy to get in a rut. I don't think I'm alone in this. If you read the same author over and over again, it becomes obvious. I guess you could call it that author's style of writing and I think that would be true, but we know a lot of times there are no words. So you have to go and find them, whether through observing or experimenting. <br />
<p>These are just my thoughts on things. I'm by no means an expert, if I were, I'd be a best selling author. I just know what I know. <br />
<p>To all who read, God bless and happy reading.<br />
<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-16270933156647258642012-03-05T14:51:00.000-08:002012-03-05T14:51:58.141-08:00Reading not on the best seller's list and censoringI've come to enjoy free ebooks. What did we do without them. Free is always good and made better because it's, well, free. Something about a free book just makes it a good read, no matter how labor intensive it is to get through. I wish I could read all the free ebook, but I've already got bunches I haven't gotten to yet. <br />
<p>Hey, what about Pay Pal censoring what they deem to be immoral books? They are a private company and I guess it's okay if they censor, though it seems un-American to me. We have to be very careful about censoring. It starts out small and grows like a malignancy. Pretty soon they are censoring books with questionable language, then religious themes, then violence, and next love. Seems like it's possible they might try and censor emotions as well. <br />
<p><br />
That's all the wisdom I have today. Maybe tomorrow I'll be bestowed with more. God bless.<br />
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<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-629557812468098642012-03-04T10:52:00.000-08:002012-03-04T10:52:00.896-08:00More complaining about second draftsI feel like I've written four or five books, instead of three, though only one of them is published. Consider first drafts, for instance. I'm sure there are a lot of people who write first drafts and then don't turn around and totally rewrite the second. For me, the first draft is one to just get down on paper as quick as possible so as to get 'er done, as Larry the Cable Guy would say. The second draft is where I start the weeding process. I prune it and prune it until there's hardly anything left except a few of the strongest scenes, then I watch them flower. This is where I start getting really excited, but this, of course, is not the end of the rewrite, even when I'm done with the second draft. What do you think, another draft? Well, yes. This one will undergo more tightening and weeding, but it's also the start of some serious proofing. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but a stitch in time, saves nine. Let me tell you something about proofing. It's never done. Even the proofers of the best writers of the best novels don't get all the mistakes. It seems to me that errors seem to stand out more in ebooks, doesn't it? A lot of that, I think, is due to ebook glitches, but I still more proofing errors in my Kindle that when I'm just reading a paperback.<br />
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So, until next time, take care and God bless.<br />
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<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-17072115105360035422012-02-19T10:17:00.000-08:002012-02-19T10:21:42.138-08:00Finding the right wordsAs we age, changes start to happen. When you're young, you think you can beat the odds. I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but you can only beat them for awhile. Having said that, I'll go on record by saying, attending to your health can prolong the aging process immensely. Eat a lot of Omega3 and Omega6 product, pop a bunch of pills like fish oil and flax seed to fight off the free radicals in your brain. I do the flaxseed because the fish oil comes back at me (eew) even the burpless ones. Get lots of exercise and rest, and stay away from smoking and alcohol. The smoking is easy, the alcohol, not so much. In everything, moderation is the key.<br />
<p>Sorry for the lecture. Everything you want to know is but an internet search away. What I've noticed and no amount of meds and food seem to matter, I have a harder time grasping just the right words, sometimes. I know what word I want, but it won't come. I use a thesaurus a lot, but that takes time. So, on top of all the other roadblocks we writers experience, here's another one to hurdle. For you younger writers, it's never too early to start a healthy regiment that includes brain food.<br />
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I hope this helps, Until next time, good bye and God bless.<br />
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Still, <br />
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<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-68763624275306142692012-02-08T09:57:00.000-08:002012-02-08T10:01:46.109-08:00Dates and ConsistencyIt's important to write and write and write. Word count is key to writing, but so is consistency, specifically dates and times. As your WIP progresses and evolves, it's easy to forget those tiny details. It can be frustrating to keep track of if you don't develop a method. There are several ways to manage this. You can keep a calender of events, plot an Excel work sheet, use your word processor's document map or spreadsheet, use a writing software package like yWriter, which is free, or Randy Engermanson's Snowflake Method, but manage it, you must. The worse thing you can do is to try and figure it all out after the fact. True as that may be, that's exactly where I'm at, now.<br />
<p>Personally, I enjoy using Microsoft Word's Document Map and Microsoft Excel for details. It's all right there in one, easy to use (not so easy for beginners) program. My WIP has an event that takes place at a specific date. The events that lead up to it must be plotted into the story. Easy, you might say. Well, you'd be right if nothing ever changed or something never got mixed up or moved around. Since I never do those things, it's a piece of cake. Ha, I am the worse offender of rearrangement that ever breathed. I exaggerate, but you get my drift, I hope. So happy writing, my friends and until next time, God Bless.<br />
<p><a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <p><a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> <p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-23503356682021217002012-02-02T11:43:00.000-08:002012-02-02T11:43:43.917-08:00Rewrites and Second Drafts, Is there a difference?Well, of course there's a difference between rewrites and second drafts. Not for me. I haven't written a book yet that the original first draft resembles the finished product. I write, at least, three books per story. But what if the first draft was the best one? On one of my books, one I haven't published yet, I could change the title and characters and make two books, they are so different. I might just do that.
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The problem I'm having with my current WIP is finding what I want in and what I don't. I mean, physically finding it. My index finger is wearing out from scrolling with the mouse. I've been moving paragraphs and scenes so long, it's confusing me. Time to put it down for today. I'm proud of myself, though. I've spent the whole morning writing. I have more time to write now that I'm working part time, and I'm rekindling the joy I once got from writing once I get to it.
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Does anyone else rewrite instead of revising and editing?
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<a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-14070384378802647442012-01-29T08:04:00.000-08:002012-01-29T19:35:03.121-08:00Trying it againIt's so easy to break a good habit and so hard to break a bad one. For me, the good habit was keeping up my blog posts, the bad one was staying away. I don't know why it happened. I love my blog, I've worked very hard at it, but in the last, say, six months or so, I've dreaded the thought of posting. Don't know why, depression, I suppose. So I'm setting up a schedule, starting next Thursday morning, Once a week, I will determine to post on this blog. As I get back in the habit, I'll get my enthusiasm back and post more often. Now, if I can remember that long, it'll be a deal.
Next week, I'll talk about rewrites and 2nd drafts. Is there a difference?
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<a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencilwinebg2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencilwinebg2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-64028031740512729272011-11-21T14:07:00.001-08:002011-11-21T14:13:21.665-08:0010 Laws of Productivity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
These laws are as true for writing as they are everything else. Enjoy.
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Here are 10 laws of productivity we’ve consistently observed among serial idea executors:
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1. Break the seal of hesitation.
A bias toward action is the most common trait we’ve found across the hundreds of creative professionals and entrepreneurs we’ve interviewed. While preparing properly as you start a new project is certainly valuable, it’s also easy to lose yourself in planning (and dreaming) indefinitely. We must challenge ourselves to take action sooner rather than later. The minute that you start acting (e.g. building a physical prototype, sharing a nascent concept with your community), you start getting valuable feedback that will help refine your original idea – and move forward with a more informed perspective.
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2. Start small.
When our ideas are still in our head, we tend to think big, blue sky concepts. The downside is that such thinking makes the barrier to entry – and action – quite high. To avoid “blue sky paralysis,” pare your idea down to a small, immediately executable concept. Can you trial the idea of a multi-day festival with a smaller performance series? Take an idea for a skyscraper and model it in miniature? Work out the flow of an iPhone app by sketching on paper? Once you’ve road-tested your idea on a small scale, you’ll have loads more insight on how to take it to the next level.
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3. Protoype, prototype, prototype.
Trial and error is an essential part of any creative’s life. As Ze Frank says, usually when we execute an idea for the first time, it kinda sucks. The important thing is to synthesize the knowledge gained during the process to refine the idea, and create a new-and-improved version. Serial idea-makers like Jack Dorsey, Ben Kaufman, and Studio 7.5 all attest: Prototyping and iteration is key to transforming a so-so idea into a game-changing product. Rather than being discouraged by your “failures,” <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2YMMRL/the99percent.com/tips/6585/10-laws-of-productivity"> Continue article here</a>
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<a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view&current=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-36060239506259301432011-11-19T14:04:00.001-08:002011-11-19T14:28:23.001-08:00Just wanted to say, ThanksYou know what I love? It's you guys. I've been going through a rough spot in, it seems, everything. My life is changing in so many small ways. There seem to be more things to conquer, more things to achieve, and less time to do it all.
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This is how naive I am--was. Up until around five years ago. I believed the older you got the easier life got. I'm not talking health wise, at least I know better than that, I mean in general. Things would become easier, I'd mellow out and let things be, well, easy. I used to believe nothing would change in the world and it would skip along like always. I never expected to have to face things like, unemployment, the stock market crippling along so I may not be able to completely retire(Thank you Mr. Obama). Grocery prices and gas prices skyrocketing (ditto above) and strange and unusual things, like the occupy everything gang that won't go away, keep happening. Yep, thought it would all be roses and cream.
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Loud buzzer. It didn't happen. I let things get to me and all the sudden I'm crippled with worry and guess what suffers--my writing, my health, my well-being. I hate to keep harping on this. Ya'll must be getting tired of my whining by now, but you put up with it, because in spite of the above paragraph, you guys make things easier. I just wanted to thank you for that. For your support and encouragement. I know it's not just words. Just saying this lifts a huge burden off my chest. Funny how just saying "Thanks" can make a person feel better.
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That's all for this week. Take care, everyone.
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-31235777217720616952011-11-10T09:09:00.000-08:002011-11-10T09:09:57.589-08:00Still loving you guysWe've been updating our home. What a process. It's been a lot of fun and the funnest part is doing it with my husband. It's kind of like re-bonding. I told him before we even started not to get impatient and snappish. He didn't; he was wonderful. What's that got to do with writing? Will, it gives me a great procrastination excuse, though weak.
<br><br>
I'm in a slump. Can anyone give me a reason to continue with my work in progress, or more importantly, promote my novel that has been on the market for about a year. I reread some of my WIP the other day. You know they tell you to walk away from your book after the first draft. I've never been able to do that before, but I kind of did it this time because of my "Slump." I found some rough spots that need to be revised or rewritten, but for the most part, I really liked it. Now I ask you; why is that? Is it because it's really good or is it because I'm in love with my writing? Wouldn't it be better if I disliked it a little bit?
<br><br>
Here's my resolution. I feel like I've let you all down lately with my sporadic posting, so I pledge to blog at least once a week. There, I feel much better.
<br><br>
So, I'm going to be dropping in on you from time to time so you know I still love you and haven't forgotten about you. Until then take care and God bless.
<br><br>
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-57878674171715308942011-10-23T07:50:00.000-07:002011-10-23T07:50:05.593-07:00Ever just don't feel like it?I love that I have a blog, and I love that I have so many peeps. I am pleasured to be semi-starting a new phase in my life--semi retirement. Once I get over the guilt of working part-time It's going to be a blast. But sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything. I've been lazy and loving it. Finally got motivated, though. I'm not sure exactly when, but our next huge step will be to sell our house. That's after we get our travel trailer and my husband retires from his job. Dosen't matter, the motivation is all that matters. I'm excited about pulling up the carpets and restoring the hardwood floor beneath. I can't wait to see what they look like. I know it's going to be a dirty mess and we'll have a lot of work moving the furniture, rolling up the carpet and pad, and restoring, but it's going to be a rush, and it should get me out of my dull-drums. <br />
<br />
On a similar, yet different note, decluttering the house is exciting. We've taken bags and bags of stuff to Goodwill, and there is so much more to do. We've lived here for fifteen years. Still, I have to make myself do it. Starting out slow, but getting a lot done.<br />
<br />
As for my writing, it's come to a complete stop. Something I intend to remedy. Life never stops changing, it just stalls for awhile. <br />
<br />
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-81105483949415050182011-09-15T14:26:00.000-07:002011-09-15T14:26:19.410-07:00Blog ProblemsHi everyone, did you miss me. I'd like to blame my absence on Google because they blocked my blog, but I don't know when that happened. I've been avoiding it is the real truth. Why, because I've been avoiding everything, my writing included. I think I was suffering a little depression. <br />
<br />
Good news, I am going into partial retirement, finally. Heck, I'll still be at home as much as I'm at work, but I'm looking forward to getting our house ready to sell. We've been in it for fifteen years and it needs some major overhaul. We got some hail damage, so at least the roofs of all our buildings will be replaced. I wish I could talk them into replacing the siding, too. <br />
<br />
Will, that's all the time I have for today. Thanks to everyone who stayed in touch while I was gone. It means a lot.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-15790635790482333072011-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:002011-08-10T09:29:32.269-07:00Are these really glaringly incorrect?Here's a few tips that most people know, but sometimes forget. Enjoy:<br />
<br />
Here are seven simple grammatical errors that I see consistently in emails, cover letters and resumes.<br />
<br />
Tip: Make yourself a little card cheat sheet and keep it in your wallet for easy reference.<br />
<br />
You're / Your<br />
<br />
The apostrophe means it's a contraction of two words; "you're" is the short version of "you are" (the "a" is dropped), so if your sentence makes sense if you say "you are," then you're good to use you're. "Your" means it belongs to you, it's yours.<br />
<br />
You're = if you mean "you are" then use the apostrophe<br />
Your = belonging to you<br />
You're going to love your new job!<br />
<br />
It's / Its<br />
<br />
This one is confusing, because generally, in addition to being used in contractions, an apostrophe indicates ownership, as in "Dad's new car." But, "it's" is actually the short version of "it is" or "it has." "Its" with no apostrophe means belonging to it.<br />
<br />
It's = it is<br />
Its = belonging to it<br />
It's important to remember to bring your telephone and its extra battery.<br />
<br />
They're / Their / There<br />
<br />
"They're" is a contraction of "they are." "Their" means belonging to them. "There" refers to a place (notice that the word "here" is part of it, which is also a place – so if it says here and there, it's a place). There = a place<br />
<br />
They're = they are<br />
Their = belonging to them<br />
They're going to miss their teachers when they leave there.<br />
<br />
Loose / Lose<br />
<br />
These spellings really don't make much sense, so you just have to remember them. "Loose" is the opposite of tight, and rhymes with goose. "Lose" is the opposite of win, and rhymes with booze. (To show how unpredictable English is, compare another pair of words, "choose" and "chose," which are spelled the same except the initial sound, but pronounced differently. No wonder so many people get it wrong!)<br />
<br />
Loose = it's not tight, it's loosey goosey<br />
Lose= "don't lose the hose for the rose" is a way to remember the same spelling but a different pronunciation<br />
I never thought I could lose so much weight; now my pants are all loose!<br />
<br />
Lead / Led<br />
<br />
Another common but glaring error. "Lead" means you're doing it in the present, and rhymes with deed. "Led" is the past tense of lead, and rhymes with sled. So you can "lead" your current organization, but you "led" the people in your previous job.<br />
<br />
Lead = present tense, rhymes with deed<br />
Led = past tense, rhymes with sled<br />
My goal is to lead this team to success, just as I led my past teams into winning award after award.<br />
<br />
A lot / Alot / Allot<br />
<br />
First the bad news: there is no such word as "alot." "A lot" refers to quantity, and "allot" means to distribute or parcel out.<br />
<br />
There is a lot of confusion about this one, so I'm going to allot ten minutes to review these rules of grammar.<br />
<br />
Between you and I<br />
<br />
This one is widely misused, even by TV news anchors who should know better.<br />
<br />
In English, we use a different pronoun depending on whether it's the subject or the object of the sentence: I/me, she/her, he/him, they/them. This becomes second nature for us and we rarely make mistakes with the glaring exception of when we have to choose between "you and I" or "you and me."<br />
<br />
Grammar Girl does a far better job of explaining this than I, but suffice to say that "between you and I" is never correct, and although it is becoming more common, it's kind of like saying "him did a great job." It is glaringly incorrect.<br />
<br />
The easy rule of thumb is to replace the "you and I" or "you and me" with either "we" or "us" and you'll quickly see which form is right. If "us" works, then use "you and me" and if "we" works, then use "you and I."<br />
<br />
Between you and me (us), here are the secrets to how you and I (we) can learn to write better.<br />
<br />
Master these common errors and you'll remove some of the mistakes and red flags that make you look like you have no idea how to speak.<br />
<br />
<a href='http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1BwrZ7/work.lifegoesstrong.com/7-spelling-and-grammar-errors-make-you-look-dumb'>Source Reference</a><br />
<br />
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7763986035399864296.post-19763400536279141022011-07-26T09:11:00.000-07:002011-07-26T09:11:43.604-07:00Writers are human, tooThis article is from a blogger, writer, Ali Luke at Aliventures <a href='http://www.aliventures.com/8-writing-secrets/'>Here</a> I hope you enjoy it. It's proof that writers are human, too.<br />
<br />
A few years ago, I’d look at published writers and think that they were somehow different from me. After all, their books were gripping and fluent – unlike my stumbling attempts at first drafts. Their blogs had hundreds or thousands of readers.<br />
<br />
They were real writers. And, deep down, I was afraid that I could never really become one of them.<br />
<br />
But as I’ve taken more and more steps into the writing world, I’ve realised that my perception just doesn’t match up to the reality. Writers – at all levels – have just the same struggles as you and me.<br />
<br />
I’m going to go through eight secrets. Eight things which all writers know – but which you might never hear them admit. <br />
<br />
<br />
Secret #1: Writing is Hard<br />
<br />
Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead. (Gene Fowler)<br />
<br />
There’s a myth – not just in the writing world – that if you’re good at something, it’ll be easy. And established writers, me included, do have writing sessions where the words flow smoothly.<br />
<br />
The truth is, though, that writing is hard. Some types of writing are tougher than others – I’ve written before about Why Fiction is So Hard to Write. But almost any type of writing will cause some sort of resistance – getting started is never easy. And very few writers, however experienced, can turn out a great draft first time.<br />
<br />
Use It: Getting started is nearly always tough. There’s nothing wrong with you if you find it hard to sit down and write. But like exercise, once you get going, it gets easier.<br />
<br />
Secret #2: We All Struggle With Procrastination<br />
<br />
There’s only one person who needs a glass of water oftener than a small child tucked in for the night, and that’s a writer sitting down to write. (Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic’s Notebook)<br />
<br />
I’ve seen a few writers talk about this, often in a jokey way: we procrastinate. This isn’t just the case for beginners. Writing Magazine columnist Jane Wenham-Jones, for instance, writes quite openly about her struggles to just get on with writing. (And she’s had several novels and non-fiction books published – plus many short stories and articles.)<br />
<br />
Procrastination can come in a couple of different forms:<br />
<br />
You do the dishes, weed the garden, tidy your desk, sharpen your pencils … anything but sit down and put words on a page.<br />
You write, regularly – perhaps blog posts or journal entries – but you never get round to starting that novel or memoir or other big, meaningful project.<br />
This form is, I think, fairly harmless; it’s easy to spot yourself doing it, and there are easy tricks for “just getting on with it”. The second type is more insidious – it’s easy to kid yourself that you’re just not ready to tackle something longer or more complex, even when you’ve been putting off that project for years.<br />
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Use It: Take a good hard look at your own writing. Are you procrastinating on something? What would it take for you to get moving on it?<br />
<br />
Secret #3: We Put Ourselves Into Our Work<br />
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Every author in some way portrays himself in his works, even if it be against his will. (Goethe)<br />
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Anything and everything you write says something about you as a person, whether you want it to or not. Even your choice of what to write about – the decision that something is worth putting down in words – is significant.<br />
<br />
It doesn’t end there. Writers (particularly good ones) deliberately draw on their own lives. If you know enough about a novelist, you can almost always spot some autobiographical element in their work. If you knew someone closely enough, you’d see that they pour in their childhood memories (the good and the bad), life experiences, hurts and dreams.<br />
<br />
Use It: Dig incidences out of your past – they can be tiny things, so long as they have emotional power. Put them into your writing. There’s a truth in these which can bring your work to life.<br />
<br />
Secret #4: First Drafts are Always Crap<br />
<br />
The only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts. The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later. (Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird – you can read an extract from this section here)<br />
<br />
Short, straightforward pieces may come out just-about-right the first time round. Most authors, though, will have first drafts which look vastly different from the finished product. I remember reading J.K. Rowling’s description of how she cut a whole character, plus a bunch of associated scenes, from one of the Harry Potter books.<br />
<br />
As a reader, you only get to see the finished product. You don’t have access to the fumbling, faltering first draft, which every author has to go through in order to get to the polished finished piece. But those drafts exist – buried or even burnt, their clumsy sentences and over-indulgent passages concealed from the world.<br />
<br />
Use It: Don’t ever worry if a first draft doesn’t seem very good – especially if you’re writing fiction. If you can, take a look at a published author’s first draft and compare it with the finished work. Here’s an example, bravely posted by Diane Chamberlain: Finished! (And a First and Fifth Draft Comparison)<br />
<br />
Secret #5: Each Piece Exists in a State of Flux – and it’s Never “Finished”<br />
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Art is never finished, only abandoned. (Leonardo da Vinci)<br />
<br />
When you read a book or article or blog post, it feels fixed. You can’t really imagine it being any other way.<br />
<br />
That’s not any writer’s experience of their work, though. Chances are, the piece began as a patchwork of ideas. Whole chunks – chapters, scenes, paragraphs – will have been moved around, cut, added, expanded. There’ll have been plenty of times when the writer had a coin-toss decision between taking one direction and another.<br />
<br />
Because of this, the work never feels finished to its own author: there’s always the potential for some more tweaking. At some point, though, every writer has to let their work go.<br />
<br />
Use It: Aim for completion, rather than perfection. You’re never going to feel like a piece of writing is quite as finished as it could be. Send it out into the world – it will only truly be complete once it has readers.<br />
<br />
Secret #6: We Do it Because We’re Obsessed<br />
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An incurable itch for scribbling takes possession of many, and grows inveterate in their insane breasts. (Juvenal, Satires, around 100 AD)<br />
<br />
Normal people aren’t writers. Most people (much to my horror) dislike writing. They might only read one or two books every year. They certainly don’t see any reason to put their thoughts down in writing, whether that’s as a blog, a journal or a story.<br />
<br />
If you’re writing, you’ve got a certain obsession. Some writers talk about their need to write – and even believe that they couldn’t live without it. I certainly find it very hard to imagine a life where I didn’t write at all.<br />
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Use It: Accept that you’re a bit weird – and revel in it! Make time for your writing – sure, the rest of the world might not understand, but they’re not writers.<br />
<br />
Secret #7: Money does matter<br />
<br />
Nobody but a blockhead ever wrote except for money. (Samuel Johnson)<br />
<br />
While many writers carry on because they’re a bit obsessed, there are very few who don’t have some ideas about making money from it. After all, if you can make a living from your writing, you get to spend your work day with words – not just your evenings and weekends.<br />
<br />
Writers don’t necessarily love or even agree with everything they write. I’ve written on topics like Australian college football, not because I had any particular interest in it, but because I was being paid.<br />
<br />
There’s no shame in making money from creative work – whatever the beret-wearing, garrett-dwelling types would have you believe.<br />
<br />
Use It: If you want to make money as a writer, start paying attention to the market. Some sorts of writing (e.g. web copy, specialised non-fiction) are a lot more lucrative than other types (e.g. poetry). Don’t be afraid to try something new: you might enjoy it more than you think, and it might be the first step to turning your writing into an actual career.<br />
<br />
Secret #8: We All Struggle With Self-Doubt<br />
<br />
This is what I’ve been thinking lately: I’m getting worse. My writing just isn’t as good as it used to be. With every new story I write I believe I’ve lost something—the spark, the raw energy, the ability to see the scene, to tell the truth, to imagine. I look at my stories and feel like they could be so much better. (Jessie Morrison, MFA Confidential blog for Writer’s Digest)<br />
<br />
You’ll come across the occasional supremely confident writer. In my experience, those people tend not to be very successful. Good writers are often riddled with self-doubt – and as they get better and better, they’re also more and more able to spot the flaws in their own work.<br />
<br />
Self-doubt can be very destructive, and can cripple your ability to write. It’s something to stand firm against – but it’s important to remember that you’re not the only writer who goes through it. There’s nothing wrong with you if you have a little voice in your head saying “Who’d want to read THAT?”<br />
<br />
Use It: Next time you doubt yourself, keep going anyway. Put doubts about your work aside when you’re drafting – save them for when you need to edit.<br />
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If you liked this post, I’d be thrilled if you’d share it with any friends who might find it useful. You can tweet it by clicking the green button below, or you can share it on Facebook or by email by copying this link: http://www.aliventures.com/8-writing-secrets<br />
<a onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" alt="Bookmark and Share" width="125" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" height="16"/></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <a href="http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/?action=view¤t=pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll6/roger29_bucket/pencil2-1-1-1-1-1-1.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://noveliststhoughts.blogspot.com/</div>Elizabeth McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769477449767726442noreply@blogger.com13