Okay moving on here..

This is for fun!


Plot

This well known actor plays as a successful writer, who is suffering from writer's block and has retreated to an isolated lakeside cabin in the face of a divorce from his wife. He then finds out that his wife is cheating on him and retreats alone in the woods living in a wood cabin. He is confronted one day by a mysterious man who accuses him of plagiarism. The mysterious man gives the writer a manuscript that he claims to have written. At first, the writer regards the man who accuses plagiarism as mentally ill and throws away the book. But his maid takes it out of the garbage believing it was his and instead of throwing it away again he cannot stop thinking about it, and finally reads it. It is almost exactly the same.

What is the name of the movie called?

I do. I have it now. I haven't found a magic bullet yet. I have to step back, clear my head and indoctrinate myself with new ideas and images before the creative juices flowing again.

Both. Sometimes I dive in without knowing what the next paragraph will reveal and sometimes, I set everything into place in advance.

I set up a skeleton and edit later, adding and subtracting scenes as I go.

Free time. No rules, as long as it's written.

Of course, the obvious one is Writer's digest, poets have www.thepoetsanctuary.com but I generally just use a search engine to find what I want.

Thank you for your input! Do you have any poems, short stories to share?

I hope you find a way to get back in rythm with writing. As you probably already know writer's block can be resolved!

It is something you will have to work on, but sometimes just simply writing helps. Even if it is 50 pages of crap! It may just spark a interest, idea, or even a way to continue your work!

Just getting the juices back into your fingertips and having the power of just typing words will help!

I know a few authors who just put aside their work also and let it marinade. A few months later they grab it and find a way to continue with their work.

When used correctly, metaphors are effective fiction writing tools. They are one way to vary language and liven up prose. Also, like shorthand, they can convey a picture or a meaning instantly, with few words. Of course, like most literary devices, metaphors bomb when used incorrectly, confusing the reader or drawing attention to the writer's lack of skill. The two most common traps to be aware of when using metaphors are the cliché and the mixed metaphor.

Clichés

Expressions like "the calm before the storm," "Mother Nature," or "he's a rat," have been used so often that they're now considered clichés. Unless they're important to the tone of your work, it's usually better to avoid clichés. If you can't come up with more original language, it's often better to forego the metaphor and opt for straightforward description.

Mixed Metaphors

Another common problem with regard to metaphors is the tendency to mix them or overwork them, usually from careless thinking or over thinking. The result brings together two images that simply don't make sense together. In "Examples of Metaphors", I give the example "Our keyboard will teach your mind's eye to play by ear." Here, the speaker has mixed two metaphors, leading to nonsense. A "mind's eye" can't play anything, and certainly not "by ear."

In Rules for Writers, Diana Hacker gives the example, "Crossing Utah's salt flats in his new Corvette, my father flew under a full head of steam." She explains that "flew" suggests an airplane while "full head of steam" suggests a train. A little thought and a small edit results in a clearer, more satisfying sentence: "Crossing Utah's salt flats in his new Corvette, my father flew at jet speed."

The book English Made Simple provides a particularly muddled example. Notice your own reaction as you attempt to read this paragraph:

The age of the atom has transfigured man, but the transfiguration has been from spirituality to materialism, exactly the reverse of the counsel of the ancient prophets. Today, man surges forward in his march of mind, but his soul is mired in an abyss of false yearnings. In splitting the atom, man has split his own being and lost the unity of his molecular whole.

It's hard to get through, isn't it? As the authors explain:

The writer begins with an interesting image -- transfiguration -- but shortly afterward loses it in an unrelated figure about a march of mind. Furthermore, he gets his metaphors tangled when he gets a soul mired in an abyss. Finally, he returns to the atom, but the original image of transfiguration has now entirely disappeared, and the reader wallows in the murky depths of molecular whole.

Notice how much easier it is to focus on this selection:
The atomic age has halted man's spiritual development. Intellectually, he has surged forward, but his ideals and his values have stood still. If man's moral being regresses, atom splitting may prove an illusory advance.

If you're ever in doubt as to whether or not you've pulled a metaphor off, it's better to nix it altogether. Used improperly, you'll wind up looking foolish and distract your reader. Remember, your overarching goal is to communicate. Sometimes this means putting aside your ego in favor of plain speaking.


I would like to know what your experiences are in using metaphors.

Thank you

Today is a great day to write! If you have a poem, short story, or perhaps some valuable information to share about writing then don't hesitate to post it in the Writer's Club.

Have a great day and alot of peace and happiness!

John

I found a really nice writer's course.

http://www.writesf.com/00_Course_Outline.html

I haven't explored the whole site yet, but I've already gotten a lot of good information here. It's looks like a nice course that can answer a lot of questions. The entire course outline is laid out on a single page making it easy to find the answers to specific questions about writing.

It looks like it might help me to get on track rather quickly.

Thank you for sharing this. I will look into it. I could use the practice myself!!

I am sure others who come in here could look into the link and find answers also.

well hello everyone, just caught up on my reading. john i like you little story shall i call it. it was wonderful. wow im glad i missed the drama. abra dont let people tell you what your doing is wrong. posting something in the writers forum doesnt mean the people reading have any idea of whats going on. keep your chin up guy, i still really liked your first chapter.

oooh im sure i will post another poem soon.

peace n hugs to all of you.
blue

Nice to see you back in the Writer's Club. We anticipate your next poem! If you also find a link on how to learn to write poems please give the link to us.

thanks John

Today is a great day to write! If you have a poem, short story, or perhaps some valuable information to share about writing then don't hesitate to post it in the Writer's Club.

Have a great day and alot of peace and happiness!

John

i step on broken glass to feel the blood ooze between my toes i wonder what i would do with out bandaids and tylenol. ive always pondered why i have an overwelming since of sorrow behind my eyes. i think i know now that it was you i feel sorrow for you. in the course of trying to find a ship to sail you back to me i realized that i no longer care to have you beside me on this rock so far from home. it saddens me that you have forsaken the truth for another day. i wonder if out there you are happy like you say or if it is just the quart of rum in your stomach bringing on such maddness. they say dont burn your bridges but i already turned mine to ash by the flip of a coin. i no longer need it to get to were i need to be.

6-17-08

Thank you! It was interesting. I am getting some tylenol and a bottle of rum!

Thank you for sharing this! If you have a poem, short story, or further knowledge about writing then please share with us.

If you want to use your imagination and creative writing skills then don't hesitate to visit the Green Dragon's Inn.

It is in a fantasy and medieval times setting. You can choose a race and profession and just act like the character you created. A good way to get you back in the game of writing!

Here is the link

http://www.justsayhi.com/topic/show/137337

To help keep the writer's club interesting I will have a word of the day posted on here each day.

Today's Word of The Day: Wednesday, June 25

Pragmatic [prag·mat·ic] adj. More concerned with practical results than with theories and principles [the CEO used a pragmatic approach to making his business a success].

Information for poets!

Marketing Poetry:

One of the best things to do if you are serious about becoming published is to get a copy of the current Poets Market. Poets&Writers magazine is an excellent resource also. Poets&Writers also has an online resource.

Please stay away from Poetry.com or any place that offers to print your poetry in an anthology they will sell you for $49.95 or more. These people do not value poetry, only money.

Therefore they print anything, and the fact that they printed your poem becomes meaningless. There are some incredibly lousy poems published as "prize winners" at Poetry.com.

There have also been excellent poems published at Poetry.com, which is heartbreaking, because those poems could have been published anywhere else in better company. Being printed at Poetry.com is not something you want to list in your publication credits. No reputable publisher respects it, and it will count against you.

There are a growing number of high-quality ezines publishing poetry on the web. Some of these are:

CrossConnect
Eclectica
Recursive Angel
15 Credibility Street
Melic Review
Alsop Review
Web de Sol
Agnieszka's Dowry
Zero City

Web de Sol has "Contributor's Recommendations" -- poetry sites recommended by the featured poets from previous issues.

You can find 350 more listed at http://www.meer.net/~johnl/e-zine-list/keywords/poetry.html

Some other excellent places online for posting and discussing poetry are:

Alien Flower Poetry Workshop
The Scroll

You can find another list of online and print poetry journals at Kalliope workshop.

I hope that's enough to get you started. One psychological tip that's worked in our local workshop: set yourself a goal of 10 rejection slips. Getting rejection slips means that you are doing the work of writing and submitting your poetry. Going after rejection slips will encourage you to be persistent, and persistence is what will finally get you published.

Good to know, thanks for the advise...I've had a few published on there, but never bought any of the books...too much money

Essence of Self

gentle petals
folding back
to reveal the beauty
of a woman's soul
sounds of passion
drifting through the hall
the essence of existance
unveils it's self
in the heat of the night

I have a compilation of about 25 of my "better" poems...does anyone know of a publishing house around the NE Ohio area who I could use to try and get it published? Or could someone tell me the right way about going about it

Thanks...Dan