My desk during editing. If you write by the seat of your pants, you’re a pantster, as opposed to those who write a story from a structured plan; they’re plotters. Both methods have upsides and downsides, and both have devotees, some of whom can be unnecessarily scathing of those in the opposite camp. I’ve been …
Continue reading Perils of the Pantster.
I read this short story by the famous playwright in the hope it would prove a better read than his ‘The Birthday of the Infanta’. My hope was based on ‘The Sphinx Without a Secret’ and ‘The Selfish Giant’, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, this moral tale is similar to the ‘Infanta’, in …
Continue reading The Fisherman and His Soul, by Oscar Wilde: #BookReview.
Some of the books on the list. Each week since October 2019 I’ve been posting ‘reviews’ of books on my shelves that deal with the English language, its use, and the opportunities to find and employ different words to express yourself in speech and/or writing. The complete list of books is listed below with link …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? Last in the Series.
Very definitely a story of its time. It’s intended for children, but I seriously doubt many modern kids would read this. There are moral lessons buried here, but they are largely lost in the unnecessarily detailed descriptions of the riches of the royal family featured. Some of these are effectively lists of luxury items and …
Continue reading The Birthday of the Infanta, by Oscar Wilde: #BookReview.
Completing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 38: Usage and Abusage Paperback, 380 pages. Published in 1947 by Hamish Hamilton and reprinted many times. I own the 1978 Penguin edition, which I bought for the princely sum of £1.10. There’s a …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 38: Usage and Abusage
304 Pages Children’s Books (8-12) This book came to me as a ‘jokey’ present from my daughter, who lives in Australia. Whilst it’s clearly a book written for children, I suspect a lot of adults will find it informative, illuminating, and entertaining, as I did. I’d love to see it used by both UK and …
On the 1st of the month I remind followers here that the creative writing contest table has been updated. (I update it several times each month and I’ll be adding more details in the next few days, but this reminder is posted just once!) If you’d like to be reminded by email, please click the …
Continue reading Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated
Continuing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 37: The Synonym Finder Hardback, 1355 pages. Published in 1979 by Rodale Press, which is the edition I own. I don’t recall what I paid for it, as it was part of a collection …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 37: The Synonym Finder
Continuing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 36: The Slang Thesaurus Hardback, 280 pages. Published in 1986 by Elm Tree Books/Hamish Hamilton Ltd, which is the edition I own. I can’t now recall what it cost me. The 1985 edition is …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 36: The Slang Thesaurus
629 pages Editing Reference/Writing Reference. Subtitled ‘Body Parts, Actions, and Expressions’ this book was written by the author in response to requests from followers of her blog, where she features articles about language use and its improvement of the skillsets available to writers. Under the introductive ‘Read This First’ section, she explains how chapters are …
Continue reading The Writer’s Body Lexicon, by Kathy Steinemann: #BookReview.
Follow that trail! Trying to brighten the day for those people isolated indoors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Another grey day, though not so dull as yesterday, and with some brief moments of brightness. We had a good 3-mile walk before lunch, and the forecast rain has just started as I post this. The humidity is …
Continue reading Today’s Pictures: 12 June 20
Continuing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 35: The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary Paperback, 530 pages. Published in 1985 by Viking and, in the same year, by Penguin Books, and reprinted in 1986, which is the edition I own. It cost me …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 35: The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary
A family enjoying a picnic on the forested slopes on the way to the Stresa Mottorone station in the mountains behind the town. The station where the cable cars arrive can be seen on top of the hill to the left of the central pine tree. We had walked down from that point to reach …
Continue reading Today’s Pictures: 11 June 20
We frequently walk under this old railway bridge, following the ancient cart track that once served the quarries and mines but now serves as a quiet trail. The railway line is now a flat and easy walkway. The bridge is Victorian engineering, probably built around 1850/60. Trying to brighten the day for those people isolated …
Continue reading Today’s Pictures: 9 June 20
Where does that path lead? Trying to brighten the day for those people isolated indoors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rhossili Bay with the tide out. Taken September 2019. If you get pleasure from this, please share it, so others can enjoy it, too. Thank you.
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Antidote to the Novel
Stuart Aken 