‘Hope’ Quote from Lin Yutang
Tag: Advice
Four Hugs a Day for Survival…
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Coffee Shop Wisdom
Platitudes, rather hippy dippy and old hat, short sugar-coated sentences designed to bolster the ‘feels’ of a younger generation. Look again. Each line creates an emotion, a memory jog, that tingle of happiness to the down-surge of sadness. Regret is there, the wince for things done wrong, then the smile for laughing out loud when you get it right. Basic universal rules for living.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Proof-reading Style Errors
The style guide reads: Below are errors in style due to inappropriate or poor choices of language which can lead to boring, imprecise and inaccurate writing. In some situations, they may be relevant and suitable, but they are usually best avoided––
- Clichés, over-used phrases, e.g. bed of roses, pretty as a picture.
- Vogue words and trendy expressions, e.g. proactive, meaningful dialogue.
- Colloquialisms in formal writing.
- Parochialism in documents intended for a wide audience.
- Jargon in documents intended for a general audience.
- Euphemisms, e.g. pass away, upwardly mobile.
- Overstatements, e.g. fabulous, incredible, fantastic, amazing.
- Archaic words, e.g. herewith, thereby, hereinafter.
- Sexist terms, e.g. man-made, nurseryman, waitress.
- Tautologies, e.g. totally unique, completely empty.
- Ambiguity, e.g. maybe I would if I could.
- Unnecessary use of foreign words and phrases.
This information was retrieved from my older Word.doc files with no acknowledgements attached. As a touch of humour, I wrote the short profile of Aunt Belinda. I can only suppose such formal advice is for non-fiction writers.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
First of the Month
When I was a kid we used to say “Pinch and punch for the first of the month” and I don’t know why. A lot of our practical jokes involved physical actions which resulted in the receiver going “Ow, ouch” and glaring fiercely while rubbing their arm.
This beautiful calendar art was created by Sue Zipkin, produced by Hopper Studios, and I will be sad to see it go. However, its final words are encouraging “Embrace Change”. How many of us will actually do that next year?
“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Responsive
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader (1869-1948) said “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems” and “Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it” because who knows what is around the next bend…
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Writer’s Self-Help
Over the years I have read a handful of self-help books aimed at emerging authors, including the iconic Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and famous memoir On Writing by Stephen King, but recently I came across these two quite diverse publications which really gave me a nudge in the right direction.
“Use Your Words” by Catherine Deveny 2016 published by Black Inc.
“See Me Jump” by Jen Storer 2016 published by Girl And Duck.
Catherine Deveny’s book is written in plain straight forward language, and she gets right to the heart of the matter. There’s no place to hide once the momentum starts rolling. Be warned, this book is for adults. Catherine uses impolite language and bad manners to push you forward, sometimes against your will. Then you see that glowing light at the end of the tunnel, er, book. Well worth reading this boot-camp style book.
Jen Storer’s book is slim yet informative with small sketches dotted through the pages. Her style is easy, encouraging, friendly and humorous. It’s a book for adults but those with a yearning to write good books for children. Note the chapter 4 heading “Don’t let adults fix your character’s problem” which is a must for kids literature. Many of Jen’s sentences make memorable quotes, my favourite “Be brave. Don’t wait to create.”
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Simmering Manuscripts
My documentation is office-organised but my writing approach is organic. I will have four or five manuscripts simmering away then one will bubble to the top. That’s The One. I pursue it to the end. Sometimes those left simmering, sink to the bottom. Other times a new thought will be added and not even stirred into the mix, it will shine immediately and have my full attention.
You gotta love what you’re working on, right!
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Fire burn and cauldron bubble”
Thoughts Become Words 