I Should Be Writing

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Writing Leave a reply

It’s November, NaNoWriMo month.  A number of my friends are twenty or thirty thousand words into their novels, and I think that’s amazing.  Personally, I’m not that interested in writing a novel, but every year, November reminds me that I should be writing something.  Writers write; poseurs talk about writing.  Currently, I am more poseur than writer.  I pile so much on my plate that I don’t have time to write, a convenient excuse leaving me drained, depressed, feeling fake.

Soon, middle age will crash in upon me.  I fear that I will find no creative solace in the rubble.

Leonard “Red” Bird

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Friends, Writing Leave a reply

Born:  June 3, 1936

Died:  October 22, 2010

Survived by wife Jane, daughter Maria, and son David.

Also survived by hundreds of creative writing students.

I’m proud to be one.

I leave you with my favorite verse from one of Red’s poems, “Walter Mitty.”  It illustrates how profoundly he respected the craft of writing, as well as how important was love in his life.

But in the glare of morning light
I sweat to write one crooked line
Sip my cup of sugared tea
And stretch to touch your hand.

– Leonard Bird, “Walter Mitty”, River of Lost Souls, 1977.

Leonard “Red” Bird

By lytspeed Posted in Friends, General, Writing 1 Reply

Born:  June 3, 1936

Died:  October 22, 2010

Survived by his wife Jane, daughter Maria, and son David.

Also survived by hundreds of creative writing students.

I’m proud to be one.

I leave you with my favorite verse from one of Red’s poems, “Walter Mitty.”  It illustrates how profoundly he respected the craft of writing, as well as how important was love in his life.

 

But in the glare of morning light
I sweat to write one crooked line
Sip my cup of sugared tea
And stretch to touch your hand.

— Leonard Bird, “Walter Mitty”, River of Lost Souls, Tooth of Time Press, 1977.

 

 

Only One Space?

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Writing Leave a reply

I was always taught that two spaces follow a period. When I got into web design, I was disturbed that HTML only acknowledges one space, but I was able to get past it because it’s a programming language. Two spaces can be ambiguous in code.

Now, a writer friend tells me that the Chicago Manual of Style recommends using only one space after a period. I like to think of myself as an open-minded, transformational grammarian, but some changes–like this one–really stick in my craw.

I wrote this entire post using single spaces, and it almost hurt to do it.

Back to the Roots

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Writing Leave a reply

Until recently, there was a giant tree next door to my house that was diseased and had to be removed.  All that’s left is a large, flat stump perched upon a gnarled root system spanning at least thirty feet.

Part of that root system extends into my yard.  Since there is no longer a tree for it to feed, fast-growing shoots are popping up from the roots right next to my driveway.

I keep waffling between sadness for the tree that was removed, enthusiasm for the shoots trying to come back, and annoyance at having to keep cutting them back.