Outtakes 151

The Best Gift

By Cait Collins

Writers have the responsibility to instill the love of reading in our children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and our children’s friends. Times may have changed with kids spending more time playing video games and watching television or movies, but reading will always be important.

Reading opens the doors of adventure for every reader. I have never been to England, Scotland or Ireland, but I’ve walked the moors, stood on the Dover Cliffs, and explored Westminster Abby. I have seen the lush green of Ireland’s hillsides and watched waves crash on the rocky coast. Does the Loch Ness Monster exist? I searched but never saw him. Thanks to my teachers and my parents, I’ve lived my adventures in books. Think how far your children will explore when they have a book in hand.

A reader can conquer the world. People who read have more employment opportunities. They advance faster in their careers. Children do better in school. They tend to want more education. They enjoy learning. If they can read, learn programming languages, and have a vivid imagination, they can create their own video games and movies.

So, why not turn off the TV, confiscate computers and cell phones. Gather the family on the sofa or in the middle of a bed, and spend a few minutes with a good book. Younger children still enjoy Little Golden Books. Let them pretend to be a puppy or a duck and hear the barks and quacks as the story unfolds. Middle Readers can learn about life during the westward expansion. Old Yeller is a great story. Little ladies become princesses. Trust me. They will begin to reach for a book instead of spending endless hours at the computer. In the end, they will thank you for those hours spent as a family reading a good book.

Outtakes 150

FNU LNU

By Cait Collins

One of the many things I love about my job is the opportunity to learn. I’ve picked up information that has helped me in my writing. Legal terms fascinate me. I mean who cannot be intrigued with a BLO, an APB John Doe warrants, No-Knock warrants, and UNSUBS. I recently added another term to my list, FNU LNU. Don’t laugh. It’s a real term. It means First Name Unknown, Last Name Unknown. It’s a very handy term for writers.

Have you ever had one of those characters that you just couldn’t name? No matter what you tried, the name just didn’t fit. And of course, the character wasn’t giving out any clues. You could have named him FNU LNU. This provides a good place holder, and when the person decides to reveal himself, a quick find/replace updates the manuscript.

We can take this a little further. I’ve seen writers obsess over the name of a town. They were so frustrated, they couldn’t continue with the story. Fret no more. Plug in CNU (City Name Unknown), TNU (Town/Township Name Unknown), or VNU (Village Name Unknown). Problem solved. Now write the story.

Of course we have CoNU (Country Name Unknown), ONU (Ocean Name Unknown), LNU (Lake Name Unknown), and the ever popular PNU (Parent Name Unknown). As you can see, overcoming the frustration of not knowing what to call a person, place or thing can be solved. Employing the FNU LNU technique frees writers to complete the story and deal with details in the editing process.

Okay, so this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but there are opportunities to create your personal place holders and get on with the story. Never let the UNSUB, unknown subject, become a roadblock to your writing dream.

Outtakes 149

Writing Heritage

By Cait Collins

I received a telephone call from my dad’s youngest brother on Monday to let me know my Uncle Bob had passed away. We talked for over an hour about the family and the good times we’d had over the years. Then he asked me how my writing was going. I told him about my projects, and he said, “I want to buy a copy of your book when it’s published.” I have no contract, but my uncle is confident my book will sell. He has no idea how much that confidence means to me.

Uncle Gene told me, “Your dad was a very talented writer. I often wondered how far he could go if he’d been able to get a college degree.” I agreed Dad had talent. I’ve read some of his writings. They are the beautiful words of a simple man. His short story about his father’s death and having to grow up and support his mother and youngest brother touched me deeply.

I do believe we received some writing genes from Dad. My Number 3 Sister is a talented poet and writer. She has taken ideas for special events and created fun poetry. She has also written memorials for friends and family that never fail to bring tears. Sister Number 6 would take her Bible stories and turn them into poetry. The kids loved them. Sister Number 5 writes professional presentations, and she can really help with that all important resume.

Dad never allowed us to just get by when writing. He read book reports and corrected our grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If we failed to properly represent the book, we had to rewrite the report. I guess you could say Dad was my first critique partner. He made me do my best.

As I am writing this Outtake, I realize the best way to honor my father’s gift is to share his legacy with others. And when I’m asked to judge a contest or critique a story, I will not allow the writer to slide by. My critiques will be honest, but professionally given.

And for my uncle who is so proud of his big brother, I’m going to make copies of some of Dad’s stories and send them to Uncle Gene. I know he will treasure the words.