Tools of the Trade

Or rather, tricks.

Every profession and hobby has little secret ways to do something, a shortcut unknown to the amateur. We on the inside like to keeps these tricks to ourselves- it makes us feel like we're in on the 'know' while others aren't, and it's a big help that we hope gives us an edge.

When I was a house painter (a very short career), I worked with my mom and stepdad in his business. He had all these little tricks that the average homeowner didn't know that helped him be a better painter than they were, which is good for business. Nothing a lay person does looks as perfect as when the pro does it.

One of those tricks was to tint the primer as close as possible to the paint color. Back then, primers and paints were separate- first the primer, then 2 coats of paint were required for a perfect finish. But tinting the primer usually meant you could skip the second coat of paint.

One of my tricks that I'm going to share with you is how to stop in the middle of a writing run, and be able to pick right up when you get back. You've been there; you're writing up a storm, the muse is dictating faster than you can type and you don't want to lose the momentum.

But life intercedes.... Gotta make dinner. Have to go to work. Must take care of kids/parents/pets etc. Some say stop in the middle of a sentence. Sorry, but that just doesn't make sense. How are you to know where you were going in that sentence? It might be obvious if you're in a situation like where the lookout on the Titanic spots the iceberg, or your characters are in the middle of a love scene. Or, if the previous sentence was something like, 'She pulled the gun and aimed right between his eyes.' All these examples pretty much set you up for when you return. However, unexpected breaks in writing sometimes leave you in unexpected places and you won't remember where the plot was marching.

Trick of the trade: First, finish that sentence. (I don't know too many authors who can stop in mid-sentence anyway.) Second, jot down a few sentences about where you're heading on that page. (Sometimes sticky notes get lost or pushed off, so put these notes on the page where you'll pick up.) I think 3 or 4 are good, and you can write them in shorthand like: she shoots, misses. they grapple over gun. gun goes off, him dead. Twelve words, and it feels like at least one chapter. No more guess work, or trying to wrack your brain (what was I thinking here? where was I going?). This is especially helpful during NaNoWriMo when you're attempting to write a whole book in 30 days and you have to get words down whenever you can to stay on track. If you get interrupted numerous times, it's hard to get back in the zone and that's why a few notations on where you're going can be a life/story saver.

Photo courtesy of Start Up Stock Photos by Pexels

Back to revisions... Now where was I....

Something Writers MUST DO....

It's summer, but I'm still working on books and revisions. But it's the time for vacations, relaxing, doing fun things too.

So I'm chilling a bit. Working, but at a much slower pace and with frequent breaks to the pool and hammock. Writers need to step away at times to recharge not only their bodies, but their creativity. Constant creation, like constant running, working, or even writing, is draining. I need, and deserve, some time for recharging, refilling, and plain ignoring 'chores' for 'me' time.

I recommend you do the same. Summer, beautiful days, and easier schedules don't last forever...

Char

You, You, YOU BLOG TROLL!

It's not nice to call people names, but sometimes insulting someone is better than wishing evil things on them.

I'm talking specifically about Blog Trolls. You know these types of people; they leave comments to get free advertising. When I did a post about finding the right chair to work at my desk, I got a number of 'comments' thanking me for my post- and then listing their business which happens to be selling chairs. Of course I delete them. Sorry, if you don't buy my book or give me free advertising, you can't ride my blog coattails for your stuff.

But the worst are those trolls from other countries. When they respond in poor English, followed by a message in a foreign language, I get the feeling they are up to no good. Between all the phishing scams, hackers, and just crazy people out there, I'm taking no chances and blocking you.

And yet, they still keep trying to post.

A recent spate concern me; they are written in Arabic and with the world situation, last thing I need is the FBI or CIA or Homeland Security showing up at my door demanding to take my laptop. I'm already on their radar (or I was) when I did research for my Blonde OPS novel about guns, the First Lady, the Secret Service, Italy, and poisons (well poisons were for another novel). So you can see why I might be of interest to them. (And especially since I had my browser shut down more times than I could count.)

You can call me paranoid, and maybe you might call me racist, but if a reader responds- multiple times- in a foreign language, I'm taking the extreme precaution of deleting and blocking them. So whoever you are, you might as well STOP TROLLING ME. Stop wasting my time and pissing me off, or I will ask karma to find you and set your computer on fire (better yet, I wish for YOU to get hacked and have it held hostage so you have to send gift cards to get control back).

(Photo courtesy Pexels, Pixaby)

Internet trolls are uglier than gargoyles. 

And, nobody likes you. (If your mother knew what you were doing, she'd pull your ears.) So leave me alone, go to your room, and find more constructive ways to live your life. 

Rant over. 

Char

It's National Clerihew Day!

What the heck is a clerihew?

Wikipedia describes it as: 

A clerihew is a whimsical, four-line biographical poem invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley. The first line is the name of the poem's subject, usually a famous person put in an absurd light, or revealing something unknown or spurious about them. The rhyme scheme is AABB, and the rhymes are often forced. 

So here's one I wrote about me:

Charlotte Bennardo
Doesn't know what to do.
She keeps on writing
So why aren't editors biting? 

Be clever and write your own- it's a lot of fun! (Just don't be mean, 'k?)


Char 

A Clean Slate...

I missed my Monday post because frankly, I was exhausted. I cleared out my attic and my basement. I needed to bask in the joy of EMPTY space....

This room was PACKED, stuffed up 5 feet with twin bedroom sets, tables, books, etc. Now just these two couches plus the foosball table so my son and his friends can chill. The other half of the basement has empty plastic bins which I'm going to use when I go through all my Christmas stuff, which will then be neatly stacked on shelves. Then my attic will be truly empty.

Why am I telling you this? Because the clutter was a constant nuisance. Repairmen had a hard time getting around to service the furnace, A/C, read the water/gas meters, etc. I couldn't focus on writing and revising because every time I went in the basement for supplies, or a vase, or whatever, I had to navigate the maze of STUFF.

There are times when distractions, even seemingly minor ones like too much stuff, make you realize you need to do something. Obviously if it bugs you, like the clutter bugged me, you can't ignore it. So that means do something about it.

I cleaned out. Then with the 4th and parties and BBQs, and cleaning up from them, I'm exhausted. This weekend I'll chill, enjoy the pool, read a book (!) and not even think about my writing. (Right now I'm thinking about a nap in the hammock....) But come Monday, when the boys and hubs are at work, it's right back to the laptop and the revisions.

Now it's time to clear the clutter of unfinished writing projects.... And that will be my summer.

Stay cool, stay focused, and stay in touch

Char