Look At A Writer's Work

Have a question? Agree, disagree,
with me? Leave me your opinion.

A Writer's Power
Writing is my power, and every
other writer's power too. Some
call it gift, talent, career
and life. Simply, it's writing.

I'm going to give you a glimpse
at a writer's work.

Osama Bin Laden's Fake Death
Photo Goes Viral

A photo of Osama Bin Laden's
bloodied face went viral on the
Internet and was reproduced on
the front page of newspapers
around the world, but it's a
fake.

The Guardian newspaper in Britain
reported that the photo is a
combination of two photographs.
A bloodied corpse and a real
image of Bin Laden that was
taken in 1998, used by the
Reuters news agency.

The fake photo splashed onto
the Internet hours after Bin
Laden's death and was picked
up by news groups near and far,
in places like Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Senegal and Iraq.

U.S. officials are still deciding
whether to release an actual
image of Bin Laden's corpse.

"I'll be candid that there are
sensitivities here in terms of
the appropriateness of releasing
photographs of Osama Bin Laden in
the aftermath of this firefight,"
White House Press Secretary Jay
Carney explained to reporters
Tuesday. "We're making an
evaluation about the need to do
that."

Source: http://newsblaze.com/story/20110504122344writ.nb/topstory.html

===============================================================

Sony Hired Investigators To Catch
Hackers Behind Security Breach

Sony hired investigators to catch
the hackers behind a security
breach that exposed the personal
data of more than 100 million
video game users.

Sony, the Japanese electronics giant,
retained a team from Data Forte,
which is led by a former special
agent with the U.S. Naval
Criminal Investigative Service,
to work alongside agents from the
F.B.I., who are also looking into
the matter.

The situation became worse after Sony
admitted that hackers stole into its
servers on the 16th and 17th of
April 2011.

Hackers may have stolen personal user
data. This time, hackers targeted the
accounts of Sony Online Entertainment
(SOE) users per Sony. It includes
personal data from approximately 24.6
million SOE accounts, as well as some
of the data from an outdated database
from 2007.

This database includes about "12,700
non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers
and expiration dates, not credit card
security codes, and about 10,700 direct
debit records of certain customers in
Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain."

The newly discovered attacks are being
investigated. SOE has shut down all
servers related to SOE services.

Sony has apologized to its customers
for any inconvenience and promised to
send emails to all customers whose
data may have been stolen.

Source: http://newsblaze.com/story/20110504155538writ.nb/topstory.html

======================================================================

How To Edit

Editing is a necessary part of
writing. It's how the editor's
eye is developed, and your
writing becomes publishing ready.

Get comfortable. Bring everything
you'll need to finish a session of
editing. Place your coffee/tea in
its spot. A piece of toast, apple,
chewing gum and any other snack is
positioned in your writing place.
Keep what you'll want near-by, and
have no excuse to stop your editing
session early.

1. Read your article, chapter, poem
or project.

2. Put it down to have a snack.

3. Read it again, out-loud.

4. Check for typos, syntax errors,
grammatical mistakes and incorrect
writing.

5. Make sure strong verbs dominate.

6. Adjectives are used if there's no
other choice.

7. The editing process is complete
when every word has been turned upside
down. Or, when you feel it's time to
show-case it.


Source: http://critiqueandwrite.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-edit.html

================================================================

From The CelebrityCafe

Lohan angered by jail sentence

Lindsay Lohan, 24, was “blindsided” after
being sentenced to jail, while many
speculated that if her charges were
reduced from felony theft to misdemeanor
charges, she'd be able to escape any
time behind bars.

TMZ reports that didn't happen, and she
was slammed with three months of hard
time, plus 480 hours of community service.

Lohan was in custody about five hours
after her hearing. She then posted
bail and is expected to appeal the
judge’s decision on jail time.

It all started on January 22 when she
allegedly left Kamofie & Company, a
Venice, California jewelry store,
with a $2,500 necklace. Lohan was
caught on surveillance tape trying
on the necklace and departing the
store with a group of friends

She is “angry” about how things ended
up “because she has been working so
hard on turning her life around --
She didn’t do what they said she did.
She didn’t steal that necklace,” said
producer Nathan Folks, a friend of
Lohan.

Lohan made a statement on Twitter:

“With my family and thinking of my
grandfather whos birthday was yesterday
and unfortunately passed away a few
years ago… i am just grateful for the
life i have, i cannot explain how excited
i am to begin working on films again, on
top of that- i better get one of my two
favorite scripts that i am in love with.
my friends know what they both are….. all
my love- LL god bless and g’night :)”

Lohan asserts that she's not guilty of the
felony grand theft charges.

========================================================================

An excerpt of my novel follows.

Heads bobbed and turned, some people
cried. They knew the horror awaiting
him. A few drifted to their places of
security while the homeless intruder
wobbled into Grave Street House. They
reacted with clear warning to stay out.
He slowed down, fear filled his eyes.

Why would this son, husband, brother or
father allow the House to seal his fate.
It disliked anyone that entered.

He disappeared into the House. His
footfalls echoed throughout. Cries
for help blasted from within. The
assistance he needed was from an
ambulance or coroner. The House that
stole souls claimed another unwilling
victim. Something or someone evil
lived in the bowels of that structure.

Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Look-At-A-Writers-Work

Writing Ideas From Life

Have a question? Agree, disagree,
with me? Leave me your opinion.

In high school, an English teacher
noticed my flair for word creations.


"You have a way with words."


"Uh huh." I nodded, didn't mean
much to me.
.
I continued my education, and
began to appreciate my writing
ability.


Still, I pushed away the idea of
taking it seriously.

The degree and I found a job,
planned to retire from it.


The unthinkable happened. I was,
unjustly, fired.

Devastated covered only one of
the emotions I felt.

"Why?" you asked


My former manager and
co-workers weren't happy
with taking away my
livelihood.

They took it to the street.

My neighbors began being
rude, to put it lightly. Now,
I spoke to them, but they
weren't friends.

Strangers bumped into me
as they passed on the
street.

I was forced to call the
Philadelphia Police.

They were the first on
the scene to take me
seriously. They came
to my aid. I was a person
with no money, and no
connections. Yet, they
found my complaint had
substance.

The tears dried up.

I turned to writing a detailed
account of what happened at
my former job, but fictionalized
it.

Besides, I was unable to
get a job. I sent out over
one-hundred resumes.

All kinds of doubts
invaded my thoughts
about my novel.

Can I do it? Would anyone
buy it? Publisher? Maybe,
an agent?

I shoved those writing-stoppers
away.


I wrote the novel, not sure where
to go with it.

I found someone to critique it, but
her rates were too expensive.

"I'm cheap compared to others."
She assured.

"It's just that my funds are limited.
My elderly mother shares her food
with me."

"Good luck."

I trashed paragraphs, and improved
the plot. From time to time, peppered
it with more suspense.

I crossed paths with an agent, sent
him the manuscript. He returned it
with a scribbled note that read,
"Work on it."

I did. A telephone call or two from
him showed me my book was
not on his submit to a publisher
list. I moved on.

Next, I enrolled in a writing, mail-
order, course. The instructor
had the option of recommending
a student's work for publication
with the school.

Of course, my manuscript failed
to get picked.

I tried a second attempt at taking
the course, and my manuscript
was tossed back into my hands.

It was time to read on my own.
The goal was to get a better
understanding of plot, suspense,
and breaking into the writing
world.

Surprisingly, no one explained
the reason(s) my manuscript
wasn't acceptable.

So, it was up to me.

When I critique someone's work,
I explain my comments. I tell
people why their work will be
rejected. It's the humane thing
to do.

After studying on my own, I
managed to pin-point, correct,
errors.


Meanwhile, my search for a
publisher went on.

My efforts paid-off.


Life gave me the writing idea,
and I had the courage to use
it.

My novel, Grave Street House, was
published.


At any given moment, life will
throw dirt at me, you. I'll write
about it. What will you do?

In closing, life gives us many writing
ideas. Some are funny, and easily
written about. Others take effort to
write about.
*******************************************
An excerpt from my novel, Grave Street
House.

"Amanda, few of us are goin' to the club.
Come with?"
"No, I have to get home, because my
mother wasn't..."
"Not gonna last long 'round here with
that attitude."
"I'll go another time."
"Has to be now."
"Why didn't you let me know before the
last minute?"
"That's why they say stuck-up using ya're
name." She rolled her eyes.
The trust I had for them added up to
zero. The thought of going out with them made
me uneasy. A trick? The way they talked
openly, loud in the work area. It showed they
were capable of doing anything. I preferred
not to be in their company.
On the other hand, if I joined them at the
club, how bad could it be with others around?
Plus, if I go now, never again.
"All right, I'll go out with you one time."

Writer's Block-Er-Cise

"What does that mean?" You asked.
It means to stop writer's block before it takes
hold, never have it, leave it at your neighbor's
house, or forget what the two words mean.
"That's impossible." You stared at the copy.
Let's start the process of eliminating writer's
block from your space.
Type, write down the first word your eyes see, or
the memory of a situation.
Ginger is my word. Think of five other G words.
Your list should have six G words to begin with.
My six are: ginger, goose, George, gone, gobble,
and grind.
The six can melt into poems, fiction, or non-
fiction.
The poem derived from my list, off the top of my
head.
Play
George and Ginger went out to play
They chased a big turkey
Ginger gobbled
George toppled
Slid on grinds
They were home
When their mom came lookin'.
The following can enhance a fiction paragraph,
beginning, or any story-line.
George and Ginger jumped in puddle after puddle,
twirled around in the rain storm.
"Mommie isn't gonna like that we played in the
rain."
"C'mere, I stepped on somethin'." George ignored
Ginger's comment.
"Let's go home." Ginger turned to leave.
"It's big."
"You look, George."
They stood there, debating as lightening startled them.
Ginger rushed over to George, grabbed a black box,
and ran home.
After George and Ginger were tucked in for the night,
Ginger reached under her bed for the black box.
With box in hand, she tipped to George's bedroom.
It fell. She searched quietly for it. Up and down
the hall, she crawled around the floor.
"Be quiet." George opened his bedroom door, joined
her.
"I dropped the box."
A corner of the hallway glowed. The black box slowly
opened...
My excerpt can be changed to fit an existing work or
plot. The only limit is my, your, imagination.
"How can six words help write non-fiction?" You
questioned.
Pick one or more of your words as a jumping-off-point
for writing.
I picked Ginger as a possible essay.
Ginger is a flavor wake-up, agent, spice for food.
It's pickled, candied...
Lastly, how a situation is turned into writing
material.
I was, unjustly, fired from a job. I detailed some
of the events in my novel, Grave Street House.
Try my technique. It will cure you of writer's
block. Let me know how you were able to benefit
from Writer's-Block-Er-Cise. Or, advise me if it
didn't work for you. Believe in yourself.

They Said I Couldn't Write

"They say I can't write a novel." Someone explained to me. "Keep gettin' rejection slips."
In our society, people want to see it happen now, not tomorrow. Likewise, success is wanted this second. It takes time to get from writing to finished novel. It is rare for anyone to create a story, and the piece is publication ready.
The process of finding the right publisher is a challenge. Many will not accept manuscripts unless from an agent.
The question, you must address is, should I get an agent?
I suggest doing research on it before making a decision. As with anything else, there are good ones, and bad agents.
Rejection slips takes a spot on every writer's desk, sooner or later. The key is to continue to write. Figure out why. Did you send your work to the wrong publisher? Grammatical errors? You tie-up all the loose ends in the novel? Does the story flow smoothly? Make sure you have a beginning, middle, and a satisfying ending.
I mean do not cheat the reader. It must be reasonable, and in accordance with your creation.
I sent work out, many times, and received rejection slips.
Once, I snail-mailed a short story to a publication. They forwarded me materials for stuffing envelopes. Yes, I felt bad, but it gave me the incentive to keep trying. It signaled do better, learn more.
I threw the items in the wastebasket, their rightful place.
Deep inside, I had what it took to flourish through non-fiction, fiction, and poems. The stumble served to strengthen my resolve.
After all, I wrote, entertained using all three. However, my work had to meet industry standards. The only way for that to happen was practice.
The area I live tend to be noisy. So, I shut-out that buzz, concentrated on my work. It took time. More importantly, I dared to believe.
Yes, you must take yourself seriously. All kinds of people will come along to remind you of the rejection slips.
"Maybe, you should just give-up writing." Someone will say. "Get a real job."
It is nothing wrong with getting a job. Find a time to write, day or night. Continue to build on your writings. Take a writing course. Read the work of authors you like, or write in same genre as you.
Take note of how the plot unfolds, use of sentence structure, dialogue, and the technique used to tell a tale. Put it under a microscope. How would you spell-out the plot? Use a different main character? Have more than one plot? How different could your characters be from the original?
Jot down notes. When finished analyzing, start writing your own novel. Take it step by step. The very first paragraph must grab the reader's attention.
Know your characters. How? Make a profile of each. How does the main character look? What quirk(s)? Put in as much information as you want. You determine when or how it is sectioned to the story-line.
Dialogue mimics speech.
"Whatcha doin'?"
"Save it. Talk to the hand."
Some people drop letters in words like doing. Instead of saying what are you, whatcha takes the place of three words.
Simply, use different vocal patterns for characters. It gives a realistic flavor to the novel.
Toss in suspense, obstacles. Allow a story person to escape an issue, and then have him/her bombarded with another problem. It keeps happening, stops when he/she figures out a solution. Remember, the struggle goes on three or more times.
Look at how I handled characters, dialogue, etc. Read my novel Grave Street House. The website link is: http://www.thedigitalword.com
I would like to hear from you. Contact me at writer.feedback@gmail.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcella_Glenn