Writing Daze – Writing Tips - 7 Reasons to Say No to “Going Green”

The term Going Green seems to be everywhere and it means to re-cycle, re-use and return to a simpler way of life. As a busy writer time is money and every minute that is spent not writing is a minute lost that you will never regain. If you’re experimenting with cheaper economical ways to save money or the environment it might be wise to think about ways to make more money with your writing. So, when the Going Green bug catches you, here are seven reasons to say no to “going green.”

1. When your child decides to color your walls with a green crayon

2. When the kids whine to you that the cheese and the bread have green spots.

3. Driving all over town to save money on your groceries – the cost of the gas and your time spent would be put to better use writing.

4. Turn on the air-conditioner – You have just written about a rain storm in your story and you wonder where that thought came from and then you realize it’s the sweat running down your face and dropping onto the paper.

5. Hanging your clothes outside – It might be economical, give the clothes a nice clean smell and save you a few pennies, but how much time are you going to spend hanging up the clothes, taking them down and ironing out all the wrinkles. I don’t know about where you live, but in the city your clothes don’t get that clean fresh smell, more than likely they end up smelling like car exhaust.

6. Fill it the brim – fill your car’s gas tank completely full and don’t think that by filling it only half-way you can hope that the gas prices will come down in a few days. This thinking will require you to fill the tank sooner and it will happen when you are running late to some writing event.

7. Living off the Land – Do you have grandiose Ideas about planting from seeds and having fresh vegetables for your children to eat? The time invested to dig up a garden, fertilize, spray for bugs and maintain for at least 50 days till the first planting is ready to eat is too much for any writer to endure. In the eyes of your child a can of ravioli’s already has a complete serving of vegetables.

As writers we all need to find ways to be economical because in our line of work the checks never arrive when expected. So, instead of squandering time from your writing to save money take a look at how much time you really spend in saving money and send out another query letter.

Comments

Frank Nash: the Most Inspirational English Teacher I Ever Did Know! By Vincent Zandri author of The Remains

I never set out to be a writer. Back in 1979, when I entered the Second Form in a 200 year old, all boys, military school called, The Albany Academy, I simply wanted to become a rock n’ roll star. Like Ringo or Keith Moon, I wanted to play drums in a huge rock band, make a ton of money doing it, get lots of girls, and see the world. While most of the uniformed boys sat attentively in math class, taking copious notes, I drew illustrations of huge drums sets and stared out the window. All that changed when for the first time, I was introduced to Frank Nash in my second term English lit and writing course. First thing that caught my attention was the classroom itself. The Academy was an old building even back then, having been built in the 1920s. Made of stone and strong woods, with real blackboards instead of chalk boards, the place seemed like a kind of time warp. A school caught perpetually in the 19th century instead of one that would see the 21st century in only two more decades. But

Thirteen Things About The Bedtime of the Sky and Other Sleepy-Bye Stories

The Bedtime of The Sky and Other Sleepy Bye Stories is an illustrated Children's book of five of my original bedtime stories in verse. This book was actually written long ago for my nieces and nephew, John, Catherine and Elizabeth, when they were very young children. Although they are now in college, actually two have graduated, I do have a new little reader to write for, my four year old niece Jillian! I love writing poetry and fantasy stories and to mix magic with ordinary experiences. These bedtime stories in verse reflect my idea that there is magic in everyday events. For instance, I just know that there is a Dragon in the sock drawer that eats socks so we cannot find them, or that Dolls have a secret longing to help us clean up our room late at night! A little about myself, I was born in England and although my parents moved us all back to America about a year after I was born, I truly believe that the stories and British classics that I grew up with, have had a huge impact i

Seven Things About Dangerous Impulses

Today, I we have author F.M. Meredith visiting with us. I have had the pleasure of meeting Marilyn at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival a number of years ago. Join me as she shares seven things about her book. 1. Dangerous Impulses is # 9 in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. Though every mystery is complete, every crime solved and the book written as a stand-alone, things happen to the continuing characters: the police officers and their families. Rocky Bluff is a small Southern California Beach community, located between Ventura and Santa Barbara, and mostly overlooked by tourists. 2. In every RBPD mystery/crime novel there are ongoing characters. One of the most popular with readers is Officer Gordon Butler. Nothing ever seems to go easy for him. Though he is not the “star” in Dangerous Impulses like he was in No Bells , I think his fans will be happy with what he ends up doing near the end of the book. Other characters are: Detective Milligan and his wi

First Draft to Published

Search This Blog