writing – Page 26 – Jean's Writing

This is the way it was in 60’s

Published on November 11, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell12 Comments

Today we celebrate Veteran’s Day.

Not all memories are good for families that served. Some are sad, some are joyful, some are tales of survival.

I thought in honor of Veteran’s Day, I’d share my memories of…

A different time…

At 18, I landed my first summer job that didn’t involve aprons and menus. I needed the money to pay for my wedding and typing eight to ten hours in the new computer room at the carpet mill would get me closer to my goal. I wasn’t keen on working swing shifts, but it beat waiting tables and paid a heck of a lot more. The first mill in our parts to have a computer room gave me a little more respect around the house and about time too as far as I was concerned. At least something I’d taken in high school was useful in getting me out of our packed house.

It was a scary time. Buses arrived each week, friends climbed on board. Soon my love joined other young men bound for a world far from our one-light town. I cried and clutched his hand through the bus window. Our wedding now postponed by war.

Months passed like a turtle crossing a road. I planned and prayed. Planned for my wedding and a new life far from home.

But now, he was in uniform on the other side of the world in a bad place. His phone calls were not really phone calls so much as radio calls. Short wave radio operators all over the world hopscotched his rare calls to me, listening in so they would know when to hit relay switches. Awkward pauses, and empty minutes until I would hear his voice. Every word spoken was monitored and time limited. His letters, few and far between.

While he dodged bullets, I worked, planned, dreamed and waited for our new life to begin.

Home safe a year later, we were married in 1967. No dress blues, instead he wore a tux for the ceremony. Orders were to wear civilian clothes when on leave. Wearing his uniform was dangerous. Yes, even in the States.

Three weeks after the wedding, we loaded a small Uhaul trailer, and with ten dollars in our pockets, we arrived at our new home, at base a thousand miles from family.

We were fearless, and nothing seemed impossible, not after all he’d endured. It was 1968 and like so many of my generation, we started our family in a small apartment in a military town. My husband finished out his service without returning to harm’s way. We were a couple of the lucky ones. Not everyone was as lucky.

To all those who served, thank you.

vietnam-memorial-1436628_640 — Vietnam Memorial

Do you have memories of a different time?

A different war?

I’d love to hear from you, let me know how you’re doing! Leave a comment or click the “write me” tab or look for me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Sometimes the simple tips are the most useful

Published on September 7, 2016August 25, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell12 Comments

Don’t over complicate your writing process.

Sometimes I think I make writing harder than it needs to be. A recent post by Tiffany Sun at The Writing Cooperative reminded me of some simple tips.

Now don’t get me wrong, if writing were easy everyone would be on the NYT list. I don’t mean that but often I get frustrated trying to put something into words on this dang screen. That’s when I need to remember a few basics.

Tiffany lists twelve hacks that are just good common sense writing. I hope one of them speaks to you.

#11 is my favorite. Not sure I could type without seeing the words, however, this did give me ideas. Because perfection haunts me and often stops the flow. If that ever happens to you stop staring at that white screen, turn it off or at least dim it so that you can’t see every typo, every grammar mistake, and relax. thinking computer -1020137_640

Turn off those grammar correction tools until you’re ready to edit. And then just write!

Click the link and read her simple tips, maybe one will help next time you get stumped.

12 Writing Hacks You Need to Become a Great Writer

Which of her “hacks” give you food for thought?

Do you have a “tip or hack” that reminds you to keep it simple?

I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment!

Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Avoid costly mistakes and toss old rules

Published on August 22, 2016August 15, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell19 Comments

Out with the old and in with the new!

Although this may reveal more about my age than I would care to, please be polite and pretend not to notice.

Now that I’ve got this disclaimer out-of-the-way, I’ll continue.

Old rule, two spaces after a sentence end.
New rule. one space after a sentence.

Old rule, two lines after a paragraph.
New rule, one line after a paragraph.

When I first began the submission process I was rejected for formatting mistakes. Yes, sometimes your piece can be rejected not because of the grammar, spelling or plotting issues but because of formatting.

Years ago, I learned to type on a Selectric typewriter. Now this is where you politely pretend not to try to figure out how much time has passed. Anyway, I could type 90 words per minute, double space between sentences and enter a hard return between paragraphs without missing a beat. However, those rules went out the window when computers came in the door.

I know, I know sometimes when you’re typing fast you sometimes forget not to hit the space bar twice. Even after all these years.

But it can cost you! So please check the rules on formatting for each entry before you hit send and make sure your document is in the right century.

Need more info on formatting? Keep reading I’ve added some links for your reading pleasure at the bottom of this post.

Have you ever had an entry rejected because you failed to format properly?

Ever noticed different formats for different entries?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Six rules for manuscript formatting.

Writing Tip #36 (a.k.a. “Don’t Space Out”)

Manuscript preparation guide

It’s exciting to discover that you’re not alone

Published on August 18, 2016August 14, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

That’s how I felt after reading other writers also have trouble describing scenes.

purple balloon-303733_640 Read many of my posts? Then you know I struggle with descriptions. My writing will either be as stark and sterile as a surgical suite or purple as a five-year-old little girls birthday party. Purple prose everywhere!

My critique partner and sister is great at writing beautiful descriptions that put you right in the middle of a scene. (check out Sheila at Cow Pasture Chronicles.) But if I try to write like her, I sound like Eddie Haskell on Leave it to Beaver. Just too much.

Believe me, I’ve studied every self-help book on the market. And some have helped. My favorites are the ones by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. Like:

The Rural Setting Thesaurus, The Urban Setting Thesaurus, and The Emotion Thesaurus, plus there are several more. Be sure and check them out for really good tips on descriptions. Links at the bottom of this post.

Now back to the post that gave me hope! Click and Read!!!

by Phoebe Quinn

The world is pretty visual, but I’m not. Despite my insistence that, if I had to choose, I’d rather lose my hearing than my sight, I’ve never been able to work in a visual wa…

Source: 7 Ways to Write Visually (Without Describing Everything)

I do hope you hopped over and read Phoebe’s post and realized that we don’t have to describe every grain of sand or blade of grass to engage our readers. That often less is more!

Let me know what you think.