from blue ash

At times I fear I have lost my mind. Perhaps eighty hours a week isn't enough; I keep picking up as many hours as I can. I'm almost never home, which isn't the worst thing, since my attic apartment doesn't have A.C. Thanks to my little sister who lets me crash at her place when the heat gets too intense.

I'm in Blue Ash and am waiting for dinner to cook in the oven.

I make a pretty mean chicken casserole. A recent discovery.

Usually I pour the chicken casserole over rice.

I'm just too lazy to even make rice today. 

And if you know how easy it is to make rice, you can imagine how lazy I'm being.

This blog has taken quite the downturn. Original posts have become a rarity. It isn't so much that I'm disinterested in this whole ordeal (though, at times, I am). It's a combination of (a) being too busy to actually formulate intelligent posts, and (b) being too busy to care to formulate intelligent posts. 

Ben starts softball in two weeks.

Today we went to Coleraine to pick up his schedule.

I'm looking forward to watching him play softball.

I'll sit in the bleachers, throw back some sodas, and eat sunflower seeds.

I'll have to guard my seeds, though: Jason has a tendency to throw them away.

(He thinks they're only for birds and doesn't like me eating them)

On Saturday I started and finished Stephen King's On Writing. Just reading about writing makes me itch to write a story (as if I really have time for that). Here are some of his "tips for writers" that I found spot-on:

     Mix short and long sentences.

     If a word isn't needed, cut it.

     Fluff doesn't make for good writing.

     Brevity is Beautiful.

     Use the active voice.

     Don't be lazy and use passive voice.

     Avoid adverbs: they're a cheap way to describe something.

     Adverbs: the equivalent of a parlor trick.

     

     In dialogue, "said" is the best word to use.

     It doesn't interrupt the story.

     Think of it as an invisible marker.

     Always tell the truth in dialogue.

     Don't worry about what people will think.

     If your dialogue isn't realistic, your story flounders.

     If you're doing backstory, make sure it's interesting.

     Also make sure it's relevant to the story.

     Don't write big paragraphs if you don't have to.

     White space is divine.

     Too much description is worse than too little description.

     Straight description and figurative language, both are great.

     Don't dare use cliches. It's lazy.

     Embrace fresh images and simple vocabulary.

     The cardinal rule of fiction: SHOW, DON'T TELL.

     And actually do it.

     When revising, clarify phrases and delete adverbs.

     Ask: "Is the story coherent?"

     Ask: "What is this story about? How can I make its 'meaning' clearer?"

     Ask: "Is there any symbolism? How do I enhance any symbolism?"

     When you've finished your second draft, have some select people review it.

     Their thoughts are subjective but worthwhile.

     If criticisms disagree, it's a wash, and you're the tie. Do what you will.

     If there's a consistent critique, acknowledge it and fix it.

     Don't make your story puffy.

     The second draft should be ninety percent of the first draft.

     Cut, cut, CUT. 

     Cut what isn't interesting.

     Cut what isn't relevant.

     Is something unnecessary? Cut it, because it'll bog down the story.