From the internet… “This Dean is implying that students are not capable of good writing!” This Dean is implying that students are not capable of good writing well! Sorry. I just couldn’t let that slide. Had the subject been something other than writing… maybe.
Originally published on January 28, 2020. One year ago. It is a debate that has torn the nation in two, ripped friends and family apart, and entrenched deep and uncrossable lines throughout the land. Should the Royal Mint have used an Oxford comma on its Brexit 50p piece? Three million coins bearing the slogan “Peace, prosperity
I spent the day learning how to write synopses. Note. The main character and the protagonist do not have to be the same character. Good to know. I may need to get some crappy old books out and explore this.
I had to look something up and figured that infallible source would do just fine. Joyce first encountered the figure of Odysseus/Ulysses in Charles Lamb‘s Adventures of Ulysses, an adaptation of the Odyssey for children, which seems to have established the Latin name in Joyce’s mind. At school he wrote an essay on the character, titled “My Favourite Hero”.[6][7] Joyce told Frank Budgen that
An actual semi-formatted page. Thoughts? I’m guessing after it sells one million copies and the plush animal sales take off I’ll be able to hire someone to do the formatting professionally. Meanwhile… . I went with 5.5″ x 8.5″ trim size + the extra for bleed which puts the page at 5.625″ x 8.75″ or
This is something Gilbert says in Chapter Twelve of Miss Missy’s School. Gilbert is quite fond of saying, “As someone once said,” but in the story he never tells us who said what. That’s one of the purposes of The Companion Book to Miss Missy’s School— to fill in the gaps. I am working on
So. Miss Missy’s School is done. Not done & done as in published– that’s whole ‘nuther can of worms. But in good enough shape to be read. Mr. Big Food and I read it aloud in three chunks Tuesday and made edits in blue pencil. Wednesday I made the corrections and worked on The Companion
I typed those words. I’m not happy with the very end of the ending, but the words are there, now filed under “edit,” which is way better than words filed under “in my head.” Near as I can tell I started in late 2017, worked on it into 2018, then abandoned Miss Missy’s School until
I am THIS far from being done with Miss Missy’s School. Not done as in done & done, just done. In my researches the last few days I have come across a number of notable … things I thought I’d share. “If you’re THIS close, shouldn’t you be writing, not blogging?” you ask. “Well, yes.
That is a lot of words, if I do say so myself. I fixed Christmas. Nine days until school starts. I think I see my way forward to THE END. Speaking of THE END, last evening Mr. Big Food and I were reading the last couple of chapters aloud and he asked how/when it ended
I was looking for something yesterday– and as it turns out it was right under my nose (would that The Essential Thomas Paine be found there, too)– and not only did I find something for which I wasn’t looking (looking for, whatever), I found this as well. Context: A couple of years ago I took
Today we turn the page. We ought to regard books as we do sweetmeats, not wholly to aim at the pleasantness, but chiefly to respect the wholesomest; not forbidding either, but approving the latter most. Plutarch (ca. 46-120) “Sweetmeats” is an odd word. It means candy, confections, candied fruit bonbons. From Middle English, swete (sweet)
A follow-up to the four-part saga of Missy’s Epic Novel writing posts. Originally posted June 2019. Pt. 1: Missy Begins in the Middle; Pt. 2: Missy’s Epic Novel (so called); Pt. 3: “Have I missed something?”; Pt. 4: It’s Epic! “Marica?” Missy asked as she looked up at Marica who was having breakfast at her desk. “Yes, Missy?”
Originally posted December 2018, with more to come. “Pardon me, Marica,” Missy began, “Do you have a moment?” “Why certainly, girl,” Marica replied, “What’s up?” “Ruff?” Rocky asked. “What are your thoughts on in me-dI-us rez?” “Ruff?!?” Rocky scoffed. “What?” “Me-dI-us rez. Surely you know that term, Marica,” Missy answered. “It’s a literary devise meaning
Those of a certain age will remember James J. Kilpatrick (1920-2010), a true political pundit (“learned man”) before the term came into popular use. He and Shana Alexandra were sparing partners on 60 Minutes, and that’s how he’s remembered. For years, though he wrote a syndicated column on English and English usage. I remember reading
[FYI: That random “iv” is a link to a reference.] Check out the comments. The articles have generated quite a bit of discussion. Turns out I’m not the only one who likes crappy old books. Final part tomorrow.
… to the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy during a campaign stop… No. It does not matter that I *know* what the author of that sentence *meant.* That someone can write that– let alone (presumably) re-read it– and not be aware that it is f*cked is almost beyond belief. But I live in
A period of unfavorable weather set in. He showed satisfaction as he took possession of his well-earned reward. It rained every day for a week. He grinned as he pocketed the coin. The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr., With Revisions, an Introduction, and New Chapter on Writing by E.B. White (1959)
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects
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