We love books!
The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man, nothing else that he builds ever lasts, monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men’s hearts, of the hearts of men centuries dead.
–Clarence Day
Write on, WordsmithSix friends, write on!
Outtakes 183
From Memory
By Cait Collins
I never thought I would write a memoir, but I have to admit it’s a real kick. I have enjoyed every minute of the time I’ve spent working on this project. It all began when I started sorting through the paperwork associated with my father’s military career. My mother kept every scrap of paper accumulated from his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the late 1930’s until Dad’s retirement in 1969.
Sorting through the boxes of documents brought back memories. I found shipping instructions, in triplicate, DD2-14’s, transfer orders, pay stubs, and old income tax filings. There were orders for inoculations. I found my dog tags and my sister’s dog tags. My father was a highly praised Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). The boxes were full of plaques, citations, medals and ribbons. For some reason, the Bill of Sale for that blue Nash Rambler station wagon struck a chord in me. I had vivid memories of that car, and learning Dad sold it for $50.00 in 1957 hurt. Surely the car was worth more than that. I began writing stories of the road trip we took in the Nash from San Antonio, Texas to Halifax, Nova Scotia. I never thought these snippets of military life would be well received. They were just stories of my memories of those wonderful days when I was a kid.
The stories of growing up a military brat in the 50’s and 60’s are part of a memoir with the working title Tables. In those days, a great part of our lives centered around the dining room table. Some are funny; others nostalgic; some painful. But they are a picture of our lives in an era of discovery, invention, and social change.
Why write about it? Think of all the kids out there who never played marbles or jacks. Children who eat dinner in front of a TV set or computer screen instead of meeting family over dinner have missed developing strong family ties. What about family reunions or your first two-wheeler? Think about playing outside after school and staying out until dinner time. The simple stories of our lives give insight into the history of a time period. They provide glimpse of who we were and the values we held dear. They note the accomplishments of the time and how these baby steps led to the exploding technology of today.
“But they are just my memories,” you might say. “No one will care about my life.” Maybe that’s true from a broad view, but the stories you tell might mean something to your children and your grandchildren. In my mother’s hoarded paperwork, I found some of my dad’s writings. He was an Air Force NCO, but he was also a story teller. In one notebook, I read the story of losing his father. I can picture a young man walking across the fields and checking the crops knowing if he failed as a farmer, his family would face difficult times. I learned so much about my dad in those pages, and I’m thankful my mom saved them. That little notebook means more to me than a financial windfall because I was able to know my father from an adult view point. Don’t you think your children would treasure finding you in the pages of your work?
For Example
By Rory C. Keel
To keep you from being confused, here are some abbreviations and their usages.
e.g.
This is an abbreviation for Latin words meaning “For example.”
It is usually followed by a comma and should not be confused with “i.e.”
Example: “The magazine article covered many topics, e.g., getting started, completing the work and submitting the piece to editors.”
i.e.
This is an abbreviation for the Latin words meaning “that is.”
Most often followed by a comma and is not to be confused with “e.g.”
Example: “At that hour, Mr. Jones was usually indisposed i.e., taking his afternoon nap.”
I hope this helps.
Cliché
By Natalie Bright
A worn-out and overused expression to convey a popular thought or idea.
I’ve blogged about cliché phrases before but I just love using them in new and interesting ways. It’s a fun exercise in word usage and can give your brain a real work out.
The cliché I wanted to use in my picture book manuscript was this:
If you love something, set it free; if it comes back, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.
The sentence I used in my story about a sister who gives something of great value to her little brother became this:
Now and then you might find something and keep it, or you can let somebody else love it more.
Types of Cliché
More Examples
The ball is in your court.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
Think outside the box.
It’s raining cats and dogs.
This is the first day of the rest of your life.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
Bad to the bone.
He’s one in a million.
Like a duck out of water.
The general rule is to avoid cliché phrases like the plague, but as a creative writer you can turn those old, worn out sayings into something fresh and unique. Make it your own and add some color to your stories. Have fun!
The People Surrounding You
Rory C. Keel
For a writing exercise, take a few moments and make a list of your closest friends, relatives, your boss and co-workers.
Choose the person you like the most and the least; the person who has had the most positive and most negative influence on you; the person who has changed the most and the least since you’ve known them; and then write a write a brief paragraph on each of them explaining why you feel this way.
Notice any quirks they may exhibit such as, do they constantly jerk their head back to flip their the hair out of their eyes, or do they run their hand throughout their hair?
Do they chew their food quietly, or smack their lips loudly?
These are the kind of details that add life to your story characters.
Today’s Ponder:
what writers can accomplish is pretty amazing!
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew, upon a thought produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions think.
–Lord Byron
Happy writing and thanks for following WordsmithSix!
POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE
These Times Are Changing
By Nandy Ekle
One of my all time favorite books was written in 1975, or there abouts. I love reading this book and have read it many times. Besides reveling in the infinite layers of this story, it never ceases to amaze me how things have changed. The main character drives into town to use a payphone. He only has a ten-dollar bill, so he buys a magazine, two candy bars, and a bottle of aspirin, then has three of his left over dollars converted to quarters to feed the telephone.
The main character then moves his family to an isolated hotel for the winter. Driving up the mountain they have no stereo in their car, and it’s a standard shift transmission. Once they get moved in, the only connection they have with the outside world is a CB radio. When they talk on the radio, every sentence ends with “over.” And they were dependent on the local television stations for whatever show was being broadcast.
The first time I read this book, it all seemed so normal and familiar to me. I grew up during this period and I knew about having a phone on the wall with a rotary dial. I knew about not having music in the car, and I learned to drive a standard before I learned an automatic. The CB radio was a new fad, and we had to wait a whole year for the local television station to play run our favorite movies. And a ten-dollar bill went way farther than it does these days.
However, we now live in a world where we have phones in our pockets at all times, and they play tunes for our ringer, or they ring like an “old phone,” or they don’t ring at all, only vibrate. Not only that, but they are much more than phones. They are also our cameras, our music players, our mail receivers, our encyclopedias, our televisions, our game consoles, and our books.
The point is, we should remember these things when we are writing. Think of your characters’ ages and what they know and understand about the world they live in. If they’re older and can remember when life was not so convenient, then the lack of all our easy-living instantly gratifying life-style is not so unusual. In fact, that could be a component in your story, pitting an old-schooler with an up-and-comer.
But if your characters are young and hip, they should understand and use all the modern amenities. In fact, it would be very distracting to your readers who sit reading the adventures and thinking, “Why don’t you just dial 9-1-1?”
Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.
Outtakes 182
Publishing Lull
By Cait Collins
I love to read, so the new release slow down from November to February is definitely not my favorite time of the year. Some would say I should get a Kindle or a Nook and download new stories and E-Books. Sorry, but I prefer holding a book in my hands as I read. After eight hours in front of a computer screen, an E-reader has no appeal. So what does one do when there’s nothing new from favorite authors? Why not try a new author or a new genre?
One of my recent purchases was Killing Patton by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The writing was well paced and the maps, photographs, and footnotes were welcome additions to the read. I also appreciated the Afterword detailing unanswered questions regarding the automobile accident that resulted in Patton’s death. Although I’m not one for conspiracy theories, the book did pose some interesting questions. The Postscript portion of the volume, brought closure for the key players among the Allied and Axis ranks. I do recommend the book to all students of history, World War II buffs, and young people who want to learn more about the heroes of WWII.
There are a couple of books on my bedside table begging to be read. One is Texas Mail Order Bride by Texas Panhandle author, Linda Broday. Nothing makes a better story than the vast beauty of Texas, a Texas cowboy with a past, his two brothers, and an unexpected woman to complicate his life.
God, Guns, Grits and Gravy by Mike Huckabee promises to be a great read. Only a good old boy could understand and accurately portray the unique places, people, and promises of the Heartland. Having read some of his earlier releases, I look forward to yet another look at America as it was; is; and what it could be.
These titles are not among my normal reading list. My favorite authors write romantic suspense, women’s fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and mysteries. Barry Eisler, Craig Johnson, and Rick Riordan have a home on my book shelves. I also have a section devoted to animation, comic strips, travel, and science. My shelves are full and over-flowing, but there’s always room for additions to my favorites.
Functions of Dynamic Pairs
PROTAGONIST <—> ANTAGONIST
GUARDIAN <–> CONTAGONIST
REASON <–> EMOTION
SIDEKICK <–> SKEPTIC
Archetypal pairs represent a broad analogy to a human mind dealing with a problem. The Protagonist represents the desire to work at resolving the problem. Its Dynamic Pair, the Antagonist represents the desire to let the problem grow. As with the Archetypal Characters, we all face an internal battle between making decisions based upon Reason or upon Emotion. Like the functions of the Sidekick and Skeptic, will contain a struggle between Faith and Disbelief. And finally in an Archetypal sense, the Mind will be torn between the Contagonist’s temptation for immediate gratification and the Guardian’s counsel to consider the consequences.
Dramatica, A New Theory of Story — Copyright (c) 1993 – 2001
Plotting a Story
Once upon a time there was: _____________________________________.
Every day, _________________________. (regular world)
One day, ___________________________. (normal world changes)
Because of that, ______________________. (conflict)
Hero/heroine reacts how, ________________________.
Because of that, ______________________. (conflict)
Finally, he/she ___________________________. (resolution)
What does your character want more than anything in the world?
You, as the writer, must do everything you can to prevent them from getting it.
Happy ending or not? You decide.
Happy writing in 2015!
Natalie Bright
Wordsmith Six 