May from Juliana - Good Writing - a few rules

 

Juliana went with rubber stamps in May. My rubber stamps have been calling to me. Also borders catch my eye - I see them everywhere. Even the OG borders that were used on airmail letters are still around. And who doesn't love little animals posing as letters. Adorable. I have a whole collection of alphabets that are based on animals, including humans, who are posing as letters.

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Well, the next train that pulled up to the platform is going to the library. Remember how I checked out that book called Good Writing, by Anne Lamott and her husband Neal Allen? I've been too consumed with pulling weeds to read it and it's due today.

The book has 36 Rules that Neal collected over the years and he uses his list in his teaching. I scanned through the list of rules and there are several that seem very self explanatory. Rule 7: Sound Natural. That's the one I probably don't need because all of my writing is conversational. Rule 22: Short Sells. That's my main thing when I edit - is finding every opportunity to use fewer words. 

Then we get to Rule 34: Break the Rules -and- Rule 35: Finish the Damn Thing. I don't think I need to read those. I'm good at breaking rules - I'll check the book out again and read it - and see if the book says to be careful about how many rules you break - breaking too many at the same time is a very bad idea. 

I don't need to read anything about finishing - because I have managed to finish a daily post Every Damn Day for 16 years. I think that's amazing. Just the part where I didn't miss a day - but - the writing still needs help. The writing is full of issues - but, I never claimed to be a writer.

Someone has the book on hold - so I will return it and put another hold on it - and hopefully next time I'll have time to actually read it.