All Things Writing

The Craft of Writing


Leave a comment

Why I Write

It’s nearly time for a series of guest posts about why writers write. I’m looking forward to reading what my guests have to say! I’ll go first.

Pink Mug_l
I write because when I don’t write, I’m miserable. I feel like I’m out of touch with something important. Sometimes I can get by, by reading a lot, but not for long. I write nonfiction because I love learning something new and turning it into material another person will want to read. I write about science and health because they are topics with unlimited possibility. There is always something new being discovered, developed, or imagined.

I write about physics because it turns out that the topics that are of greatest interest to me are physics-related. From the aerodynamics of a baseball in flight to the use of models to predict the performance of full-scale vessels, physics is fundamental to the things that make me wonder.

So… I write because it’s a necessity–in a good way. I write nonfiction because there is a discipline and craft to turning facts into readable narrative that I find compelling. I write about science because there is so much I want to know.

Why do you write?


Leave a comment

Squinting Modifier Anyone?

It’s been hectic around here. I’m completing a book about Quantum Mechanics, being a mom, and completing the courses for the AMWA Essential Skills Certification. The newest? A squinting modifier. I kid you not. By the way, this is not to be confused with a misplaced or dangling modifier. To liven things up a bit in my already lively life, I’m including a poll for our entertainment:


Leave a comment

Google Ngram

Click on any word to link to a post about Google Ngram from the blog of my friend and fellow writer, Joyce Moyer Hostetter:

My work-in-progress takes place in 1917 so I want to write authentically for the time period. Which means I don’t want to use words that weren’t in use then.

Like, you know – Facebook. Ha! Okay so that’s an easy one. But there are other words that I really do have questions about.

And oh thank heaven for Google’s Ngram. Until 2 days ago I didn’t know such a thing existed but now, thanks to Facebook and my friend Eileen Heyes, I’m all over it! Ngram is a site where I can look up a word, give a time period, and search for this word in books. When I do, I’ll get a graph showing the results. 


Leave a comment

Just Saying

It seems toast is the next big thing. Who knew? I have, of course, been a trendsetter once again. I have toast on a fairly regular basis. I even make my toast with artisanal bread. What can I say except that I am finally a hipster. Go me. I’d honestly thought that ship had sailed.

SO here’s the thing. If toast is currently selling for about $7 a pop — no pun intended but I am ROFL — why are we draying (beating) ourselves for $.20/word? Why are we trying desperately to get crowd funding for our latest journalistic effort? Why don’t we just buy some artisanal bread, plug our toaster into the oh-so-passé-and-politically-incorrect cigarette lighter port in our cars – are they passé in Colorado – and sell toast from our minivans?

Just sayin’


Leave a comment

Tracking Freelance Work

AssignmintI’m determined to be ultra-organized this year. I re-did my office over winter break so that I have clearly defined areas for each type of work. I also did a thorough search for some sort of database for tracking queries, book proposals, and contracted work for magazines and books. I was ready to create a database in FileMaker, but really didn’t want to add that to my To Do list.

The tracking program I discovered is Assignmint. Happily, this Web-based application is doing what I need, far better than what I would have created.   Continue reading


4 Comments

QuickBooks Questions

Certified-QuickBooks-Online-ProAdvisorI’ve noticed a lot of recent activity on my QuickBooks posts. Rather than write a new post that may or may not meet your needs, how about if you feel free to ask me your five most pressing QuickBooks questions? I’ll create posts that answer those questions. While I’m at it, I’ll create a FAQ.

Why ask me? I’m QuickBooks Pro Certified. I also teach a QuickBooks online class at the local woman’s business center, have an MBA in Finance, and have taught business courses at the local community college. I’m  a writer who has used QuickBooks for my own writing business for years.

Why am I suggesting this?   Continue reading


2 Comments

Favorite Childhood Games

Musical ChairsIt’s occurred to me that the games we loved or hated as kids actually tell us a lot about ourselves as adults. I know. It’s the kind of thing you think about when listening to your child conjugate verbs before a quiz, but sometimes that’s all the time you’ve got…

I hated musical chairs. I hated the anxiety of waiting for the music to end. I hated the physical confrontation with the kid who was trying to push me off the chair we both needed. In short – I was a musical chair weenie who did not feel the Fun with Dick and Jane magic of the moment.

loved kick the can. Racing up to send that can soaring and running on to hide again – I was born for that. Same for kickball. The ball was so big and soft, it wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Plus, you were aiming for the legs. All you needed to do was kick your hardest and run like crazy.   Continue reading


Leave a comment

Happy New Year

WhyWeWrite

More to come!!!!


2 Comments

2014 Organized or Bust

orderchaos_xlI’m determined to be more organized in 2014. I know, everyone says things at the start of a new year that they mean but don’t achieve. I think this year it is a matter of do it or give it up entirely. So here goes.

I. I broke the things requiring my attention into categories. I figure my span of control is about five categories – there’s that MBA piping in again. So far I’ve used four and they are, in no particular order:

  1. Speculative projects – Queries, Blogging, Platform, Freelance
  2. Contracted projects – Client1, Client2, Client3, Client4
  3. Continuing education – Certifications, Conferences, Reading
  4. Family/Household – Kids, Household


II. I have one marble notebook that has all the ToDos. I’ve been using it since August and it is working better than any ToDo scheme ever. Continue reading


2 Comments

Crossword Anniversary

Crossword

Unknown

The 100th anniversary of the first crossword by Arthur Wynne.

PS Who remembers the NY Times crosswords by my man, Eugene Maleska.