Opening Lines
I've edited one of my short stories down from 8k words to 2k -- so that I may enter it in a contest this month. It's quite an exercise!
When you tell people you're a writer, and maybe some of you have experienced this yourself, they often say, "Oh! You should write childrens books." I think they think that would be just as easy as pie...when really, it's so very hard. You have to compact a story, and make it interesting and lively, in very few words. Writing less is always more difficult than writing more.
Let me clarify: my short story is not for children. It's based upon a family story, and is about a young woman working on a farm near the turn of the century. I finished shaving the story down to its bare bones, while retaining its "song" if you will, yesterday. Now I'm obsessing over those all important, opening lines. I want to do my best.
While I'm mulling it over, I have some thrift store finds to show you!
I cannot tell you how much I like this plate. It is marked "Adam Antiques for Steubenville" and was made as a commemorative plate for a Bird Society, in 1962.
Just look at that detailing!
And this little cherub vase or planter is something I picked up, put down, picked up, put down...you know how it is.
I've been operating under the rule when I thrift, for a while now, that I must love it even if I'm buying it to sell, because as all we resellers know, we may just end up keeping it!
Um, I just don't think I'm going to part with this one!
This Harkerware just jumped into my cart...I don't know what it is about that stuff that I love so much lately!
I had to buy this covered jar because I have the jar without the cover already in the same size, and want it as a set. I was thinking I could use this one for Qtips and cotton balls, and the one without the lid for toothbrushes, in the bathroom.
Yep, that's me: always thinking. It really does keep you in line when you have a USE for what you buy before you buy it! I wish I could show you how much I left behind in the thrift store on this trip!
I'm into measuring stuff these days, don't know why. This glass cup is precious, isn't it? You just never see those around here. I bought the wooden ruler because the name engraved on it, Falcon, is the name of my town. I bought the curved ruler (not trick photography -- it really is curved) because...it was different. I don't know what it's used for. Do you?
One can never have too many funky 1960's/1970's recipe boxes -- especially not in this color! This one was made by Ohio Arts. Fab!
When you tell people you're a writer, and maybe some of you have experienced this yourself, they often say, "Oh! You should write childrens books." I think they think that would be just as easy as pie...when really, it's so very hard. You have to compact a story, and make it interesting and lively, in very few words. Writing less is always more difficult than writing more.
Let me clarify: my short story is not for children. It's based upon a family story, and is about a young woman working on a farm near the turn of the century. I finished shaving the story down to its bare bones, while retaining its "song" if you will, yesterday. Now I'm obsessing over those all important, opening lines. I want to do my best.
While I'm mulling it over, I have some thrift store finds to show you!
I cannot tell you how much I like this plate. It is marked "Adam Antiques for Steubenville" and was made as a commemorative plate for a Bird Society, in 1962.
Just look at that detailing!
And this little cherub vase or planter is something I picked up, put down, picked up, put down...you know how it is.
I've been operating under the rule when I thrift, for a while now, that I must love it even if I'm buying it to sell, because as all we resellers know, we may just end up keeping it!
Um, I just don't think I'm going to part with this one!
This Harkerware just jumped into my cart...I don't know what it is about that stuff that I love so much lately!
I had to buy this covered jar because I have the jar without the cover already in the same size, and want it as a set. I was thinking I could use this one for Qtips and cotton balls, and the one without the lid for toothbrushes, in the bathroom.Yep, that's me: always thinking. It really does keep you in line when you have a USE for what you buy before you buy it! I wish I could show you how much I left behind in the thrift store on this trip!
I'm into measuring stuff these days, don't know why. This glass cup is precious, isn't it? You just never see those around here. I bought the wooden ruler because the name engraved on it, Falcon, is the name of my town. I bought the curved ruler (not trick photography -- it really is curved) because...it was different. I don't know what it's used for. Do you?
One can never have too many funky 1960's/1970's recipe boxes -- especially not in this color! This one was made by Ohio Arts. Fab!
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