The Writer's Mailbag: Installment 271

Bill

Its not the kicking the gift horse in the mouth I would qorry about, but what if the horse kicks back?

Some good advice here. Like you I don't 'do' depressed, though I've found putting thougts down, even if they're never seen by another still helps lift the mood.

I think you are supposed to avoid looking at a gift horse in the mouth, not avoid kicking a gift horse in the mouth. Undertaking such a feat as kicking the poor gift horse in a place so high would require Bruce Lee like skills. I know you are a writing Ninja, but this type of physical capability is probably past both of us at this juncture.

All sarcasm aside, I love your mailbag, and I respect your positive outlook.

A fantastic mailbag! We don't have AC in the house either, it gets pretty hot even with fans, but I love it! haha! Copyright law can be tricky, so I appreciate your notes and I would be very interested in reading your memoirs. I hope the weather is cooling down up there in WA. :)

Hi Bill, it's been a long time since I heard from you. Thanks for this article. You still managed to write even though you were not up for it.

I have learned lots from your mailbags and won't get into freelancer jobs. I haven't lucky earning online. Especially on recent online payments.

Hi Bill, a late summer heat wave is upon us here on the island. I'm lucky to live at the beach where there's almost always a breeze, and an open window works fine to cool things down. But over on the west coast where I work is hotter, and the office has A/C. Not many homes have it though, and it can get pretty uncomfortable. I'm useless in the heat, but I try to push myself through it. It seems to me the summers have got hotter and hotter in the past 10 years. We're lucky we had some rain this summer, and forest fires are fewer. But look what's going on in Brazil! And now hurricane season on the east coast. Stay cool Bill. And keep writing.

Hi Bill. The heat, and especially the humidity, just suck the life out of me so I could not live without AC. Perhaps if I lived in the Pacific Northwest I could do without it, but here on the east coast it's a must for me.

I'm certain that your memoir will be a success and your reasoning makes perfect sense to me. Have a great week.

Happy Last Mailbag of August!

Re: Songs and Ideas. Song lyrics or anything based on them is such tricky territory. I ran across an author who was basing her entire book on the songs on a popular singer. Yikes! And she was hoping to get his endorsement. Double yikes! Fan fic is another area with similar issues. I would suggest seeing an intellectual property attorney for a consult. Every once in a while, we see the "they stole my idea" (even though ideas are not copyrightable) lawsuits.

Re: Memoirs. Remember memoirs are books based on events in a person's life, framed so that the reader derives meaning and insight. An autobiography is a historical, chronological account of a person's life, and it doesn't have to make sense. Even if you're non-famous, a memoir can provide value. An autobiography, not so much.

Re: Content Writing. Even though I offer editing services through Fiverr, I refuse to offer any writing services through sites like that. I don't feel those buyers understand what they're buying. I agree, work direct for creative output.

It's been beautiful in Chicago for once--70s with some breaks in humidity--and we're finally getting some rain. All good. Have a great last week of August!

No AC, I hadn't thought about that. On my two visits to Seattle, the hotel and convention center had AC, and it seems like all the stores and restaurants did, too. If you ever visit Arkansas, you will thank your lucky stars that we have it everywhere here because we would be boiled alive without it. Ever face 100% humidity on a 98 degree day? Even in an underground house, one night the electricity was off, and it was too hot outside to open a window. I worried that Larry, who has a pacemaker, wouldn't fare well that night. Our house was getting pretty warm when it finally came back on six hours later.

I'm glad I had two courses in journalism law, especially copyright law, in college. You gave William good advise. He'll be OK if he views the subject like a writer's challenge. Lots of people get the same basic idea at the same time, like there's somebody up there handing out ideas a few at a time. You know, kind of like we do on writing challenges on HP. Maybe there really is a big editor in the sky making writing assignments, who knows?

We kids used to say "the weather forecast here is like a menu, chile today, hot tamale." It was tamales today. Have a good week, my friend.

I have never had air conditioning in my home. It has never seemed to be worth the expense, even on a hot day.

You've given a good reason for writing a memoir, Bill. I hope the process goes well for you.

Oh my goodness, Pete, you had me laughing so hard. Bill, I am with you on the memoir. I have one in the works and if for any other reason, my family and maybe some friends will enjoy it.

I know a tiny bit of your story through reading your work and you have a lot to share. When you publish it I am willing to be people who read it will pass it on to someone who needs to hear about your experience strength and hope. God bless you and Pete both.

The question about depression resonated with me because I have a mood disorder. Strangely for me, I can write prolifically during both the depression and the manic. You can definitely tell the difference in my subject matter. Everyone is different. I believe journaling is a useful tool for some people when depressed. Get those feelings down on paper and see if something in there can trigger an idea for a story, poem, or article. I've done it a gazillion times. I am so happy you don't deal with it, Bill. Bless your heart.

Hello! I'm so glad to be here for a minute! Another great mailbag, Bill. When I heard you were writing a memoir I thought, "Memoir Part One anyway" for a writer who regularly forges brilliant hubs out of a single photo or a passing thought or his weekly emails for goodness sake. I applaud your tenacity for writing in this weather. Speaking of which, I'm happy to hear Olympia has cooled a bit for the moment. S. Florida is still the devil's pizza oven. The next breeze that stirs is likely going to be that big hurricane brewing out in the Atlantic. Yesterday and today comprised my best window for prepping for that upcoming event. Of course my husband who literally preps for grins is taking care of family stuff in Toronto for about another week. That's okay though, he helpfully has been calling me every half hour to add new things to the bottom of my to-do list. Just let me hide here with you and fan myself for another moment. Then I'll get right back to all the heavy, stupid, hard, sweaty jobs still awaiting me in that big hot cloud of mosquitoes we call our back yard. All day long I've been trying to convince my mind that I'm really in an ice bath singing along with Billie Holiday. Am determined to make that a reality some time before midnight.

I wrote a partial memoir, and published it on here. I did it because I was really being bothered by things and wanted to get them out. It was a very cathartic experience. I always wanted my husband to, but he didn't. He had a very interesting life, and did a lot of things. Too late now. I wrote about some of his stories, but I know I did not do justice to him.

Bill I sympathise with your heat issues. In the UK few have AC on the basis that we have so few days requiring it, but we have a heatwave again. I have made do with opening the window and door to create a through current of air. But I confess to thinking about setting a fan up in the office. In a day or two we'll be back to normal, complaining about the rain and cool temperatures.

You give good advice about copyright. Somehow putting stuff out there on the internet makes the whole copyright thing seem more threatening.

I don't think age is a barrier to creativity and imagination in writing. Sometimes the younger we are the more creative our imagination can be before it is held back by maturity and the cares of the world. But I take your point about experiences infusing writing.

I have read your comments about memoirs with interest. I am involved in editing two at the moment. Neither of the two are high profile celebrities, but each has written about life experiences to hand down to the next generation. I like to think that everyone's life could tell a story. We have so much to learn from reading memoirs. Why bother with celebrities whose lives are pushed in front of us constantly. Let's hear it for the ordinary people. Let's hear their stories. I'm sure yours will be fascinating, Bill.

I laughed at the photo you put for content writing companies. Very appropriate.

I really appreciate hearing about your attitude to life. You certainly have a lot to write about in your memoir.

Happy Monday Bill! Ok, I did not know that AC was not considered a necessity in your neck of the woods...I live in a much colder climate most months of the year, but we have some pretty consistent hot months with high humidity. It would be miserable around here for those summer months without AC! August is usually a scorcher, but lucky for us it has been in the pleasant 70s most of the month. Still can't believe that we are heading toward fall already...

Have a great and productive week!

I enjoy reading the Mailbag each week, and yes, we all have secrets to hide. Your openness is cleansing. Thank you.

Bill, I think the person who would have the audacity to kick a gift horse in the mouth would be the some one who bites the hand that feeds him! Ha ha. I hope you're picking yourself up out of the doldrums, my friend.

There are many good questions this time also. It's an ample mailbag, not too small, in my opinion with at least 3 great questions and great answers. I agree with your points regarding memoirs.

Regarding temperatures, I don't know about your Fahrenheit methods. It is Centigrade for us here and presently, the maximum temperatures daily are around 30 to 32 degrees and the minimum is 22 or 23 in our city. It is comfortable and cool in the nights.

Thanks for taking my question, Bill. I'm on with the story. The weather is beautiful here in PA. Feel free to visit any time. The door is always open for you.

I was just wondering - how famous does one need to be to affect a life? Certainly many hundreds of lives have been changed because of you. Keep being human.

Bill I was just asking myself if we were having fun yet. I gave up not having fun about when you kicked the sauce. We are two lucky guys.

It will only be about 102 here today, but AC is just so wrong for our birds and bees. So we did the bay yesterday and could not believe our wrinkled fingers after 2 hours of playing in the water. Whahoo!!!

I got depressed in the heat friday. My doc says get to a "cool" zone. We have those.

Now let me ask you a very serious writing double question. Do you have to turn off your computer in extreme heat and do have to wipe your hands off on a towel so as not to sweat into your keyboard?

I will be back in a serious mode.

I’m sure there’s research on mood and product but I’m too depressed to look it up lol. Have a great week.

There is so much here to think about. Your advice are spot on. Don't sweat the small stuff but I know it's a constant temptation to doubt one's self, one's capacity, one's writing. Each one of us truly has a message to share.

Hi Bill, Coming on back to HP after ages. A random research on HP and that reminded me of you and you again got me hooked. And Petes inquiry gave me a good laugh too. It kinda triggered - Who the hell is Bill? But there again I loved your reasons for it. And yes writing does help get rid of the ghosts that consume us and buy us great solace in return and that is my prime reason for writing. Famous or not famous,if given a choice I would anyday choose a mentor like you over all the other "so called" famous ones. You have a style which is not only warm and engaging but also lifelike and that is what brought me back to you after aeons of time. If someday you start a mentoring group then I would be first who would want to be your mentee ( provided I could afford it). BTW the mailbag is a great community initiative you have started and surely does help writers a great deal. An idea haunts me the past few days, if you could compile all the mailbags and condense them in a book form. Just an idea that haunts me and I wanted to pass it onto the original owner so that the ghost can prey on you ☺️ Stay there Bill, the writing fraternity needs you for all the sanity that you have to offer.

Some quite interesting questions this time. The 19 year old's earnest desire to be a writer and the sincere questions she put forth...and the hilarious memoir one! Loved this mailbag.

Sweating is not fun!

Good morning Bill and happy that it's cooler in the mornings now. That a 19 year old would ask such a question makes me think that that person is already wise beyond their years. Maybe writing is like musical composition--another Mozart in the works? Have a great week my friend.

First, I like your T-shirt as it has a great message. I thought the variey of questions made your article very interesting. It sounds like your memoir is kind of a 5th step, which is not a bad thing at all.

I am seldom depressed, but if I wouldn't write. I think it is easier to write when you are in a positive frame of mind, but I may be wrong as it may be therapeutic for some. Each to his own - another old saying but maybe applicable for this topic.

Have a great week, Bill.

Hi Bill,

Thanks for answering my question. Keeping drama at bay, seems key for a happy and stable life.

I thought perhaps as John mentioned, it could help purge any negativity.

Have a great week.

Well, Bill, you warned us that this may be a short mailbag and that you may not fully engage. It seems to have turned out the opposite. I found the questions and answers excellent and helpful. I admit to feeling depressed sometimes and I find writing the best form of therapy. it helps me get over whatever was troubling me and I think some of my best writing has resulted. Glad the weather has cooled a little. Enjoy it.