I turned ten years old on July 3rd. Well, not really. I started my blog ten years ago. I don’t like numbers. Their restrictions go past high school algebra into the mindset of our culture. Numbers can make us feel falsely badass or tragically small. I guess that alone explains why July 3rd came…
The Elements of Style commands, “Omit needless words.” I struggle with this every day. Ron is the master. I’m not sure I have ever reblogged before but I could not pass this one up. It’s perfect in sentiment and craft. Enjoy. Write what you know, they say so he writes the first draft of the…
I used to always sit in the front of the room. The front was the power position. Where the talented people lived. New school year, new job, I boldly walked to the front. Convinced the world needed me and certain I needed recognition. My notes were works of art, everything dotted and crossed. If someone wanted…
A penny for your thoughts. My Uncle Jerry used to say that when I was a child, usually accompanied by a pinch on the cheek. He was a character that I didn’t appreciate as much as I would now if he were still in my life. Penny for your thoughts is an odd, older generation…
I need to manage my mind. It’s a bit like Grand Central Station up there these days and since I can’t keep things quiet, I tried gathering. Last week, I herded thoughts into similar groups and then willed them to line up single file. I figured if I could get all of it to hold…
I wonder if I’ll ever run out of things to say. If the time will come when I will wake up, pour a cup of tea, and just like when my fingers strain for the last few tiles in a Scrabble bag, I’ll start running out and eventually I’ll be done. Maybe a person is…
My manuscript is officially late. I had to send a sad little pleading email to my editor who is far too nice to me. She graciously gave me until Monday to finish. As of this morning, that was three extra days. Three full 24-hour cycles. So, naturally given this extra time I got right to work.…
I’m overwhelmed. Like hands full with too many things at the back of the grocery store and I didn’t get a cart, overwhelmed. There’s too much to do, it all needs to be done well and being one of those face painters at the Renaissance Fair is looking ideal. When am I going to learn? Things seem…
Show, don’t tell. It’s a common phrase among editors and high school English teachers love to write it in red pen on a student’s paper. In writing it means instead of telling the reader a story, let them feel the story, invite them in to sit with the characters through dialogue or setting. The first…