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Mon, Aug 11, 2025

6:40am EDT

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Writing Blog Number 2

by S 🤦

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Aug 1, 2025 at 11:25pm
In response to "20250801 Writing Scandals 4: Filippo Bernardino"

Well, it could have been (and usually is) worse...

S 🤦

Aug 1, 2025 at 10:14pm
In response to "20250801 Writing Scandals 4: Filippo Bernardino"

Schnujo is failing 2 classes - I did some digging and the only place I found the "why" was that he felt "special" having these books that no-one else had. He had one of a kind books and they were his and his alone. Like the collectors who gather stuff and do not display them. (I know a guy who has the biggest collection of Australian wrestling memorabilia but unless you know him, you will never see it; it is the gathering and the owning that is the goal.)

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Aug 1, 2025 at 6:41am
In response to "20250801 Writing Scandals 4: Filippo Bernardino"

Wow! To me, the craziest part is that he didn't have nefarious intent. He just wanted to read them. That's a LOT of effort just to read unpublished manuscripts! He was a really hard-core reader book lover! Lol Too bad he didn't have the smarts to spin that like the Angry Penguin folks did and end up making money from his notoriety. Lol

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Jul 31, 2025 at 1:31am
In response to "20250730 Writing Scandals 3: Helen Demidenko/Darville"

Oh, yeah! I remember the case about the kid who identified as a cat and wanted a litter tray. I wonder what she's up to now. What's she doing for a job? Has she gotten used to the idea of using a toilet everywhere or did she find a job that accommodated her? Or is she on disability? Or perhaps she's still too young for us to know the outcome?

S 🤦

Jul 31, 2025 at 12:25am
In response to "20250730 Writing Scandals 3: Helen Demidenko/Darville"

Rachel Dolezal was a topic of some conversation amongst academics here. Can self-identification be enough? The case of a man who claims to self-identify as a woman but not be transgender could use this to their advantage. It is also because if you self-identify as Indigenous (Aboriginal) then people are not allowed to question you and you get extra money from the government. But because of this US case, the whole question of self-identity is still being debated here. In a school here recently a mother claimed her daughter self-identified as a cat and so needed a litter tray instead of a toilet. It went to court. She lost the case. Self identity is a matter of some concern. Why identify? Whatever happened to simple empathy? or is it something about "look at me" and $$$?

1 Like

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Jul 30, 2025 at 6:13pm
In response to "20250730 Writing Scandals 3: Helen Demidenko/Darville"

YIKES! On the one hand, I get not coming clean when you're caught. It's really hard to do. But on the other hand, just come clean when you're caught!

This actually reminds me of the incident about the white woman who somewhere along the line decided she was black and actually managed to be elected to the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). She later had to resign after her parents (I think) outed her as white when she started claiming a black man has her father. Craziness! If you google her, you'll find pics of her very white parents and pics of her as a very white child.

Here's her Wikipedia page. It's quite an interesting read! lol {link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal#:~:text=Dolezal%20was%20president%20of% 20the,controversy%20over%20her%20racial%20identity.}

1 Like

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Jul 25, 2025 at 7:48pm
In response to "20250725 Writing Scandals 2: George Eliot and the Brontës"

Side Note: I'm SHOCKED you aren't a big fan of Nicholas Sparks, S 🤦. Because, let's be honest, romance and horror have a LOT in common. Why do you think I'm still single? HAHAHAHA!!!!

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Jul 25, 2025 at 7:46pm
In response to "20250725 Writing Scandals 2: George Eliot and the Brontës"

I obviously have a different understanding of how backwards writing was back then. I'm not at all surprised they had to hide their identities. lol

And, even in the 1950's, a woman's place was in the home, so I can see why they weren't welcome in, especially "science" fiction. "Come on, ladies. You know science and math are just too hard for your pretty little brains. Now, go fix me a brandy." Yep, that was life for a lot of women back then. (And, depending on where you live and who you're with, may be for some women now, too.)

S 🤦

Jul 25, 2025 at 6:58pm
In response to "20250725 Writing Scandals 2: George Eliot and the Brontës"

Schnujo is failing 2 classes - The romance thing, I knew that was out there. When I had a short story published, I was literally the only one in the book with a masculine first name, though I know there were at least three other men in it.

And the only way I'd bring up Nicholas Sparks is by regurgitation reading his... "work."

Science fiction was the same in the 1950s, but the other way. Until Ursula K LeGuin pushed her way in, women were either forced to accept a co-writer tag or use a male pseudonym. Except in the pulps. They didn't care.

But the fact these four women, after Shelley was published, were forced to hide their identities is, even for the time, stupid.

Schnujo is failing 2 classes

Jul 25, 2025 at 9:44am
In response to "20250725 Writing Scandals 2: George Eliot and the Brontës"

In the other group I belong to where they are very focused on publishing, they actively tell you to pick a pen name that is appropriate for your genre and niche. If you are a man trying to write in contemporary romance (where the big money is these days), they tell you to choose a feminine 1st name for your pen name (though they recommend the last name be shorter so your pen name can be bigger on the cover, not too complex so readers can remember and spell it, and some other things -- IDK).

Some of the men balk at that idea of using a feminine pen name, always bringing up Nicholas Sparks, of course. But he has a big name publishing house throwing big money behind his masculine (and, no doubt, also made up pen) name and there's never another man's name in the Top 100 of romance, so if you're going to be using a pen name anyway, choose one that makes you fit with the genre.

Sure, there are odd-ball ones like right now, there's a last name Palphreyman in the Top 100 of romance. Arnold Schwarzenegger was told he'd never be famous without changing his name and he proved them wrong. But how many millions of other people have refused to change their name and never became famous? The pop group Ah-hah (or was it Wham?) was told they needed to change their name to that, but they thought it was a dumb name, so they didn't for the longest time and and couldn't get any traction. They did eventually change their name to Ah-hah (or Wham) and finally took off. Coincidence? No telling.

And as for that unusually long name currently in the Top 100, no telling how much advertising money they're throwing behind their books to be there, but based on the people I've met who have been open about their advertising numbers, a solid five figures is a very safe bet.

Thank you for this interesting series, S 🤦!

2 Like

August 11, 2025 at 1:07am

#1095068

20250811 Personal Editing Of Our Work

Editing and Personal Judgement Of Our Own Works

Beholden asked me what makes me judge some of my writing as “crappy.” I think that is a very fair question, so I shall look at the piece this comment was made in relation to and dissect what I wrote.

Excerpt:
The dreams were some of the worst he had had since they had first discovered the body of Father Peake in the school’s chapel (’in the school’s chapel’ is not needed; that was mentioned earlier, so it is just padding). Fire and death and blood and pain. (this sentence fragment would work better as a separate paragraph for emphasis)That was all he could remember, but he still woke up with the sheets curled into a ball between his legs and his fist thrust so deep into his mouth that he had drawn blood with his teeth. He stared at the alarm clock beside the bed; the green numbers flashed at him (comma needed here) ‘12:00’ over and over. He shook his head (why did he shake his head? Needs more emotional input)and fumbled for his watch. That also flashed with the ‘12:00’ at him. He shook his head (not needed for a second time, especially without associated emotion). Power failure and watch battery broken? (Feels too emotionless, like this coincidence just happened and doesn’t arouse even curiosity) He grunted to himself and pulled himself to his feet, dragging the sheets with him, as he made his way towards the kitchen where the battery operated wall clock – a gift from his mother when he had moved out of home – stood over the serving counter.
The second hand was not moving. That and both the other hands were all pointing directly upwards.
He felt a tingle run through the hairs of his spine and he shivered a little. (needs more physical response)
“Ah yes, time does indeed stand still,” came a voice from behind him.
He turned quickly and immediately moved backwards until the small of his back painfully hit the counter. (needs more mental input)
There was no-one there. (Still too subdued. Probably could also be a standalone paragraph) His eyes darted about his surroundings like a frightened a (this ‘a’ not needed) rabbit but he was quite definitely alone. But (‘And yet’ works better here) he was not alone. He could feel (weak word; sense plus modifiers would work better) that some-one else was here, and that that voice had not been the product of an over-active imagination.
“But for you (comma needed here) time will not.” That voice was coming from his bedroom (was it coming from there before? Clarification needed as to whether that was the case or it had moved). “You will live with your decisions forever.”
He walked carefully forwards (another weak word; of course he was walking forwards!), each step feeling as though he was moving through molasses. He so wanted to turn and run, to flee this place, but he also wanted to know what was going on (need more emotional depth here). After his conversation with Brother Nicholas the previous day and what he had seen in Michael’s house, he was not sure he knew what exactly was going on here… or even if he wanted to know.
But he did want to know… Of course he did… (The ellipses are probably not necessary; in fact, this feels too muted emotionally)
He paused at the door, slightly ajar (reads awkwardly, like it’s he who is slightly ajar), the last barrier between himself and whatever lay behind it. “Make the right decision. Our lives depend on it,” the voice said, now filled with emotion. (What emotion? This is tell, not show)
He pushed open the door (more description needed to up the tension)and stared (emotionless). Laying (Should be ‘Lying’) on the bed was a figure he recognised. Thinner, with less hair, a lined, drawn face and dull, lifeless eyes, but still recognisable.
And (‘And’ not needed here)if he did not know better, he would have sworn he was staring at himself twenty years older… (But he’s already recognised the person, not a “if he didn’t know better” situation; also, the ellipsis is not necessary)
And now (‘And now’ feels clunky and almost tense-hopping) he screamed, and he screamed and he could not stop screaming…(ellipsis not necessary)

So, that is how I read it now with the eyes of someone more than thirty years further into a writing journey. As an editor, this is the bare minimum I would do to this passage (and I normally do it in Word using the ‘notes’ function), and, remember, this is one of the better passages from this particular novel.
So, I hope that explains where I am coming from when I say that something needs work and is crappy. I am not precious about my own work – I know I still have a long way to go to be a good writer. No matter how much I have had traditionally published, there is always room for improvement.

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