Monday Muse: Lay vs Lie

Is it just me or does anyone else ever get a little nervous when having to write the word lay vs lie? I usually don't think twice when I'm on the computer because of word check that picks up the grammar mistakes for me. It's when I'm writing for others, like the daily notes I send home to families about their children's day, that I kinda get nervous. The first thing I do is try to remember the rules, is it lay or lie. Is it laid or lie or lay .... and you get my point. I often just reword it so that I don't have to use that verb.

*Sigh*

Well, folks, I'm done. I am going to get this if it is the last thing I do! You know what they say, practice makes perfect! But until then, here is a simple chart with the two verbs in their different forms. :)

Look into My Eyes

I am happy that my writing group has started up again. I missed the last session and probably would have missed this week's session had it not been for technology (Go Skype!) I was able to attend via skype. Our writing exercise this week was to write about a part of the body. I chose the eye. Below is what I did for the exercise.  Let's just say it was an 'eye-opener' for me!

Pic from here (labeled for reuse)

Look into My Eyes

They say that 'the eye is the window to your soul.'

But can you really know my secrets 

by looking into my eyes?

What do my eyes tell you

when they are filled with tears?

Is it sadness you see,

pent up frustrations, or fears?

What do my eyes tell you

when they rage with fire?

Is it anger you see,

my strong will, passions or desire?

What do my eyes tell you

when they are filled with light?

Is it happiness you see,

or a faith that leads to a path that's right?

My eyes may say many things 

but unless you have the key,

my soul remains locked

for only God and me. 

Copyright © 2012 SN Taylor, All Rights Reserved 

Now, it is your turn. Choose a part of the body and write. :)

Tweet Nuggets

Check out these tweet nuggets I found.

J.C. Martin ‏@JCMartin_author

Updates & Publicity Opportunity for YA Authors http://goo.gl/LARnJ 

Beth Stilborn ‏@BethStilborn

Just blogged: From the archives — The Fine Art of Reading Aloud, 3b, Picture Books for Emerging ... http://tinyurl.com/9l6bz8c 

MaloneEditorial ‏@MaloneEditorial

“The Beauty of Small Publishers” http://goo.gl/nH7wr 

Jon Winokur ‏@AdviceToWriters

Torture Your Protagonist: http://www.advicetowriters.com/home/2012/10/14/torture-your-protagonist.html … #fiction #writing #writetip

In the News: IWA IF Stories Contest

I am seriously considering submitting this year. I have been really busy the last few times this contest was offered but this just may push me to actually SIT down and WRITE :D

Anyone up for a serious challenge? :D

Hashtag Alert: Picture Book #bedtimepicks

Hey everyone, here is a fantastic resource for parents out there who are looking for great bedtime books to read with their children and to also share their great picks with others. This fabtabulous idea comes from Tara Lazar who has been using the hashtag #bedtimepicks to share the books she reads with her children at night.

So, what great #bedtimepicks are YOU reading tonight?

Tips from the Pros: 10 ways to improve your writing.....

........ by self-editing

Pic from here. 

As you all know, editing is not one of my strong points. So, I am always on the look out for books and articles on editing, anything that will help me become a better writer and editor of my own work. I friend passed on this link to an article written by Susan Harkins at Tech Republic. 10+ ways to improve your writing by self-editing. There are about thirteen tips which are quite simple to start me off on my journey to improvement.

The first step I have done: Putting time between me and my work. It has been a few weeks since I typed up my mss on the computer. Putting time between me and my work will allow me to see the work with fresher eyes and therefore able to spot the big and little mistakes.

The second step I am still working on: Read like a reader not and editor. Really? But isn't that what the second + drafts are for? But reading on, I guess I get it. Reading like a reader will first allow me to see if my points in the story were made. If my plot is clear and defined. Story line and arc flows. I get it now. While I will see some errors, it is not so important to put a lot of labor into them at this stage of the editing process.

The third step which is where I am at right now: Simple/Limited Editing. I am going through looking for spelling and grammar mistakes. I am slow with rhymes (my story is in rhyme) so I know this will be something I have to work on in a big way. I may even have to rewrite it in prose to see if it works better. But taking the advice of Susan Harkins, I will stick to limiting my edits until step four. I have made some notes though about changes that I'd like to make :D

to be continued......