Trevor's Writing

Top 5 Writing Hints

4 Comments »8th May, 2007; Category: The Writer's Life, Writing Hints

Darren Rowse on his ProBlogger site has challenged his readers yet again with his Top 5 Group Writing Project. This time around there is a single prize of $1001 to some lucky contributor to the project. This writing project has inspired me to write this article on what I consider to be five top writing hints. This post will NOT be entered in Darren’s writing project; my entry on a totally different topic has been posted on my Birding Blog here.

Top Five Writing Hints:

Read every day: writers are readers. This is a vital part of your apprenticeship. Read my articles called “Lurking with books” and “The importance of books.”
Write every day: writers write. Even if you only write a few paragraphs a day, every sentence will go towards improving your skills. Read my articles called “Practice every day” and “Write every day.”
Rewrite what you write: very rarely will that first, rough draft be your best work. Rewrite, rewrite rewrite until you get it just right.
Edit your writing: no matter how careful you are, errors will creep in. Edit your working meticulously. Then get someone else to check your work with fresh eyes. Read my articles called “Proof Reading” and “The importance of Proofreading.”
Set realistic goals: remember to set goals that are achievable and measurable. Read my article “Aiming for the stars.”

Idiom #18: An Early Bird

1 Comment »7th May, 2007; Category: Idioms

It has been a long time since my last article about idioms. It is time to get back on track, to let the cat out of the bag and to turn over a new leaf before my readers think I’ve abandoned them with egg on their faces and that I’ve cooked my own goose.

In earlier examples of idioms (click here) I concentrated mainly on idioms relating to birds. This is because birding is one of my passions and the focus of another blog I write (see Trevor’s Birding here).

This week’s idiom: An early bird.

Meaning:

If someone is “an early bird” they get up early in the morning, or they are very early for an appointment.

Origins:

I cannot find any references as to the exact origins of this phrase. It quite likely comes from the proverb “The early bird catcheth the worm” quoted in John Ray’s A Collection of English Proverbs published in 1670. This proverb seems a logical statement due to the habit of many birds to rise early, to be very active even well before dawn and thus anyone who is an early riser is said to be “an early bird.”

Example:

“In order to be the first in line, you will have to be an early bird.”

Links:

Idioms – a series of articles about idioms from my archives.

Australian Magpie

Australian Magpies often begin their beautiful carolling well before sunrise. They certainly are one of “the early birds” in Australia.

Movies about writers: Casablanca

No Comments »5th May, 2007; Category: Movies

I guess millions of words have been written about the wonderful classic movie Casablanca over the years since its release. It is not my intention to add too many more words to what has been already written. I want to take a different tack to most writers on the subject.

It has been quite a few years since I last saw the movie. I recently bought a copy on DVD and we had a film night last night. Not having seen it for so many years it was almost like coming to a movie for the first time. It was a memorable experience.

This article is in my series called Movies About Writers. At first glance this movie is NOT about a writer, nor is it about writing. Think again. Writing as a mechanical act does feature on a few brief occasions through the movie but that is not what I would like to focus on.

One short piece of writing given a very prominent place in the movie is a letter. The letter written by Ilsa Lund (played by Ingrid Bergman) is delivered to Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) as he is about to leave Paris. This was during a flash back to when they had first met some time earlier. The letter is short, simple and extremely poignant. It is a turning point of the movie and upon this letter revolves the whole tension between the two main characters.

Simple words. Yet so devastating in their effect upon Rick. We feel the intense disappointment of Rick as he screws up the letter and tosses it from the train as it moves off. The pain of that moment floods back as Ilsa enters his bar in Casablanca and the passion of their love is reignited. Just a few simple words, but their devastating effect is so far reaching.

Writers everywhere should take note; a few, simple words can leave a lifelong legacy. Encouraging words can turn a life around for good but words of rejection can destroy a life.

Such is the power of the written word.

Movies about writers: The Notebook

No Comments »4th May, 2007; Category: Movies, Reviews, The Writer's Life

Last night I saw the movie called “The Notebook” for the first time. I found it a very enjoyable yet thought provoking story. With the enduring nature of true love as its main theme, the story seems lighthearted enough but with many poignant moments, especially the ending.

While the movie only mentions writing and poetry in passing, the whole story revolves around the reading of what is a journal like notebook. The story it relates is both joyful and deeply touching, especially in its sadder moments. To me it illustrated the importance of the written word in holding on to treasured memories and joyful moments.

Getting back into writing

No Comments »3rd May, 2007; Category: The Writer's Life

As I explained last week I needed to take a break from writing for a little while. Life does this from time to time by interrupting our normal routines. Things seem to be getting back on track now but I realise that I’ve lost a little momentum with my blogging.

Routines are well and good, even essential if you want to be a productive writer or blogger. Any interruption can throw the balance off centre for a while. Just like a locomotive that is hard to get started so can getting back to writing again after an enforced break. Everything seems a struggle, all seems too hard. The words do not flow as easily, the thoughts are random and not focussed.

But once a locomotive is under way and it gains some momentum, the task of keeping it moving forward steadily is nowhere near as great. I used the break to do some reading and to write extensively in my journal. The pace was slow and thoughtful as I reflected on a few recent events. Steadily I have picked up momentum once again concentrating first on my other two blogs (see the links) and now turning back to this blog with some new perspectives and ideas.

The train has left the station.

It is steadily picking up speed.

Cockle Train, Goolwa, South Australia