Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?

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Monday, July 16, 2018

GETTING READY

While the Write Your Own Story (WYOS) class is on hiatus, I’ve been skimming and at times copying clips I’ve taken from the 2014-2017 issues of Writer’s Digest. I’ve been playing with the idea of adapting these tips and tools to include in the WYOS weekly handouts. Writing your story is not easy.... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

SORTING AND PITCHING

They’re not all in a row yet, but the ducks are beginning to sort themselves out. I finished winnowing the good articles from old issues of Writer’s Digest and organizing them in a notebook; that’s 2013-2017 more or less sorted by theme. Characterization, setting a scene, story arcs, red herrings,... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

FOUND DURING YESTERDAY'S SORT & PITCH SESSION

Sent your way today to offer a bit of relief from the hottest July in memory: FORETOLD BY FAT BLACK CATERPILLARS Snow...silent, drifting deep over frozen earth muffles sound, blurs outlines. Wind – chill and unrelenting carries cold from northern glaciers; freezes the Father of Waters, the Great... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, July 13, 2018

ONE WOMAN’S WEED

Carrie Anne noticed the next door neighbor’s son moving deliberately up and down their shared driveway with a gallon of Roundup, spraying the weeds that had sprung up through the gravel. He didn’t look up as she stood for a moment at the kitchen sink. Days later all the weeds on the old woman’s side... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

JACK

Jack was Margie Baker’s dog, a super-sized part wolf, part Alsatian, with brindle–black fur and a way of sidling up to someone without their being aware of it. On summer evenings after supper the kids in the neighborhood often gathered at the Baker’s to play games, Kick The Can, Hide ‘n Seek, or... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

AND THEN,

After Charles and Ilse got back together, he apologized to me one afternoon. He said he realized it was rude that he hadn’t even told me he was no longer available and he hoped I didn’t take it too hard that our budding romance hadn’t bloomed. I thought it was polite of him to reach out, but the... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

ARE YOU DATEABLE?

Charles asked me that question out of the blue one afternoon while I was tucking things away and clearing my desk to go home. It was half an hour after the official quitting time, after the phone had quit ringing, the others had left for the day. I needed that quiet interlude of uninterrupted focus.... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, July 9, 2018

FIGHTING MY EVIL TWIN and RESCUING THE SOCCER TEAM

It's been a lifelong battle between the good angel perched on one shoulder, and the bad angel whispering in my opposite ear. I know the sarcastic comeback is neither politically correct nor socially acceptable, but sometimes it's funny. Sometimes it's impossible to resist a put-down comment to take... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

STORY COULD HAVE BEEN A SAD COUNTRY SONG...

In my senior year at MHS, our football team was the last to be scored upon in the state of Washington that fall season, and the team didn’t lose a single game that year, often winning by 40 or 50 points. This was even more remarkable if you consider there were only eleven boys in the senior class,... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, July 7, 2018

FIGHTING THE PACKRAT URGE

WINNOWING I’ve been a subscriber to “Writer’s Digest” for well over ten years, scarfing up the how-to bits on great beginnings, moving the plot with dialogue, characterization, setting the scene, avoiding too much narration, etc. What’s more, I’ve hung on to them. As a result it’s been necessary to... Sign in to see full entry.

About this Blog

Sometimes you have to write it down in order to learn what you really think about life, what it means, how to do what's best. Sometimes you need feedback from someone else to put things in perspective.

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