English Updates. May 7, 2007. The Writer. June 07.

The following selections are summarized or quoted from The Writer, June 2007.

Writing.... Words and Pictures.... "Words are undervalued as a means of expression. Pictures tend to trivialize experience." Attributed to Arthur Miller. Wrt (Jun. 07), 9.

Writing.... Stories..... "There are various schools of thought on whether or not man is a gregarious creature by nature. Personally, I doubt it. Men live together because it is safer, more convenient and easier, but they have never become quite reconciled to the idea. Strife will crop up, rivalry will grow intense, and the struggle for the simple necessities of life can bring men to the breaking point. Jungle law, fortunately for the writer, still prevails even if it has been smoothed over and made less obvious. The old emotions are still there, stirring beneath the surface, and ever ready to explode." Louis L'Amour. Wrt (Jun. 42/07), p. 9.

Writing.... Advice..... Read, read, read, always with an idea of what makes a book tick. E Goudge. Wrt (Jun. 07), 13.

Reading..... Interest..... Teachers, read to students. Students, read to teachers. BS McClure. Wrt (Jun. 07), 14.

Writing..... Point of View..... Write from the "you" point of view. "You woke up and saw blood on the ceiling." A very unusual point of view from which to write a novel or a story. A Plotnik. Wrt (Jun. 07), 15.

Writing..... Mysteries..... "When I begin a mystery, I know the killer, the victim and the motive." E. George. Qtd. by K Pohl. Wrt (Jun. 07), 21.

Writing..... Role..... Writing is a job but it is not a chore. E George. Qtd. by K Pohl. Wrt (Jun. 07), 21.

Writing..... Writer's Block..... Elizabeth George does not suffer from writer's block because she does preliminary work. Resource material. Character analysis. Plot outline. Lists of scenes. If "you have a problem, ask, 'What is the question.'?" E George. Qtd. by K Pohl. Wrt (Jun. 07), 22.

Writing..... Journal..... Elizabeth George keeps a journal on her writing while writing. Helps to demystify the writing process. E. George Qtd. by K Pohl. Wrt (Jun. 07), 22.

Writing..... Process..... "Every writer has a distinctive trade mark." RA Papinchak. Wrt (Jun. 07), 26.

Writing..... Revision..... If something tells you it's not right, free write it! [I understand freewriting as beginning with a word or phrase and continuing to write without controlling the direction of the thought. It's sort of a controlled brainstorm. RayS.] A Couturier. Wrt (Jun. 07), 28-29.

Writing..... Editing..... "Misspellings, typos and grammatical errors blow your credibility...." C Gulotta. Wrt (Jun. 07), 31.

Writing.... Advice..... Writers are often told to write what you know. Bah! That's what research is for--to reach beyond your personal horizons. DJ Bear. Wrt (Jun. 07), 32.

Writing..... Publishing..... Instead of trying to break into major magazines, publish in smaller, lesser known magazines or journals. L. Tritten. Wrt (Jun. 07), 47-48.