Advice
Writing Excuses: I Suck at Writing
Author's preface: The below article is a satirical take on an article I read many years ago, and which I cannot currently find to link here (sorry). That article was titled Writing Excuses: I'm Too Tired to Write (or something close to that) and was a serious look at one writers struggle to motivate themselves to write. It took aim at one of the more common excuses people use to get out of doing anything, being too tired. I thought it would be funny to turn that idea on its head and into one of my favorite things to write about, how bad I suck at writing. lol!
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Writers
Writing from the Original Position Behind the Veil of Ignorance
I have been thinking and writing about writing a lot these days. Mostly it has been in response to other articles I have come across which suggest various ways you can become a more popular or successful writer. As is my usual m.o., I have taken some of these articles to task with satirical replies that attempt to illustrate with humor just how ridiculous such advice typically is. An example of one of the satirical pieces and one with a (slightly) more serious tone are linked below to give you a sense.
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Writers
A Personal Opinion on the Power of Redundancy to Lift Up Your Writing and Deliver a Better End Product
Author's preface: A few years back Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer published an article in which he suggested a list of redundant words which he said we should "delete" from our writing. I took that as a challenge and prepared a short essay using as many of these words as I could squeeze in. Below is the final result of that effort.
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Writers
There is a Price to Be Paid For “Dumbing Down” Your Writing to Appeal to the “Average” Reader
There seems to be some consensus, at least on across the blogosphere, that in order to appeal to the so called “average reader” and maximize readership it is necessary to “dumb down” one’s writings. In the past I have come down very hard against this idea. In particular I take issue with the idea of grade level writing, or trying to keep one’s style and grammar and vocabulary choices at or below a certain arbitrary grade level, sixth and eighth grade seem to be the most common options. The idea being that people are generally not all that smart, not that patient, and will quickly click away from anything that challenges their intellect or in which they encounter unusual words they are not familiar with. Basically anything that makes them to think too much or forces them to come to terms with their own ignorance. Recently a writing colleague on a different site responded to my insistence that I would never dumb down my writing by asking a very simple question, would it hurt to do so? She went on to explain that as a non native speaker of English it is even more difficult for her than for most to keep up with “higher level” writing and she lamented that it was very frustrating having to constantly “go up and get a dictionary” to look up words that she did not know. I will admit the non native speaker was not the stereotype of the person I had in my head when imagining these so called ordinary joe’s and jane’s, and her points had some validity. They certainly forced me to stop and think about my position, and ultimately caused me to write this piece. For that I am eminently thankful to her and her question.
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Writers
Eight Rules for Publishing Articles That No One Will Ever Notice
I get almost no views here on Vocal (and, until I got suspended for the second time, I got almost no views on my previous internet publishing home, Medium). On Vocal I have had just 74 reads in the past 30 days. I’ve been writing for close to seven years, one to three stories most days. It’s pretty exciting to think about how much time I have wasted.
By Everyday Junglist2 years ago in Writers
“The Enchanted Lighthouse”
Once upon a time, nestled on a remote stretch of coastline, there stood a lighthouse that held a secret. Aptly named "The Enchanted Lighthouse," its beacon not only guided ships safely through treacherous waters but also possessed a mystical power that few knew about.
By Mina Ayman2 years ago in Writers
"The Enchanted Forest: A Tale of Friendship and Adventure"
Once upon a time, in a land far away, there existed an enchanted forest, a place where dreams came alive and extraordinary adventures awaited. The forest was home to mystical creatures, shimmering waterfalls, and ancient secrets. Amidst this magical realm, two unlikely friends, Lily and Ethan, embarked on a journey that would change their lives forever.
By Mina Ayman2 years ago in Writers
Broken Beauty
Being a poet at an age as young as 11, some might say is impossible. When one thinks of poetry, it is thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, and how can an 11 year old possibly have enough worldly experience to write anything so meaningful and deep?
By Lizzy Rose2 years ago in Writers
Just One
Monday morning of week 12 of self-employment and working from home. Even though I have made great strides in completing my writing goals for Vocal, a media platform for writers, I have found I need to expand my world and become a better freelance writer. My mind has melted away as I have learned the ropes to the new road I am traveling. The past 12 weeks had been challenging yet rewarding.
By Sheila L. Chingwa2 years ago in Writers
