The Writer's Mailbag: Installment 279

We do not suffer the long dark days as you do up in your part of the country, but we have hot and sizzling summers that can suck the life out of you if you are not prepared. Very few places are perfect, but where you live in the Pacific Northwest is so gorgeous!

As to writing, when the weather is bad outside, and there is more reason to stay inside, that is an excellent time to write.

Bill

Am I a 'winter writer' or summer one?

Probably both, and neither!

The reality for me is if I go even a coulle of days without working on a story I get rt withdrawal symptoms!

Grumpy and frustrated, writing the stories is my release valve, and I have to keep it in good working order.

I'm not too sure about the seperate paragraphs within one speech (dialogue). Technically it might be correct, but wouldn't it be 'clunky'?

Best to break it up and add some conflict or argument, just to make it read better, what do you think?

Thanks, Bill. You are right on both counts...growing older with each passing day ( I'm a little in denial with this) :) and I need to pull up my big girl pants and fight winter with the warmth of more pages for my book!

love,

audrey

I thrive in the warmth of the sun! On gloomy days, I bake chocolate chip cookies and whip up a pot of chili inspired by my mama...and that's how I make it through winter.

As far as the videos go I simply replace them and move on. Readers get frustrated with broken links to both videos and photos and I want to keep my readers.

Thanks for all your help.

Love,

Audrey

Here's my fifth attempt at this (previous notes kept disappearing when I pressed the submit button).

Hope this cold time of shadows holds some inspiration for you, Bill. The Winter in New England is a good season for me to make lots of progress with writing projects.

Other than maybe shedding light on setting and other historical factors that may influence the meaning of a poem, I agree that poetry is meant to hold unique meaning for the person hearing it, and therein lies some of its beauty.

Another amazing mailbag with some interesting questions and answers. For me, every season has it’s own importance but winter is precisely good time to write more.

Sun is still shining here in London but some days are getting more colder and darker as we enter in November.

‘The Big Dark’ is perfect word for it.

Blessings my friend!

My routine is to get up hours before dawn and work on a creative writing project for 2 hours and then focus on other aspects of the writing life—critiquing, commenting, marketing, etc.—for 1 hour by a countdown app, with brief pauses to make coffee or herbal tea, shave, or whatever. My bedroom roof doesn't leak and before dawn my window curtains are closed, so I am indifferent to whether the night is fair or rainy. When after writing time I start my day and eventually venture outside in the daylight, I accept that Bainbridge Island has a long rainy and chilly season—fall, winter, and spring. If the rain is more than a light drizzle, I put on a rain parka. Rain or no, I appreciate the lush greenery.

It's been a busy week, Bill. I'm late checking in, but I did make it. There were a lot of good questions this week, and of course, I always learn from your answers. I'm glad to hear I've been doing quotation marks correctly. At least, I got something right - lol.

I just wanted to say the sun is shining brightly and a comfy 64 degrees in PA. Why don'[t you catch a flight over?

Correct! You win the round.

Now that you mention it, it wasn't very good. I'm not even sure what it was about. A take on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers maybe?

Bill, I'm back after reading the comments on the poetry interpretations. Maybe my teachers were old-fashioned, but they taught that the reader was free to interpret the poetry. That brings up a little fit of anger I remember having over poetry. When I was taking one of those "__AT" tests required to get into graduate school, I got a score back on one of them that wasn't too hot. They explained why I missed every answer that I missed, including my interpretation of a poem they required. My interpretation was far off the track from theirs, and they told me that I WAS WRONG. Wrong, my hind leg...I just live in a different world from their snot-nosed academia, and perhaps I saw a different beauty or ugliness, whatever, from their viewpoint. But downright wrong? The poet himself had not left behind his own interpretation of the work. I think attitudes like that are what soured me on writing poetry.

Well done, Bill. Two points for you. And now for the bonus question: What TV show used this song in their opening?

After multiple days of rain, we got some sun today, which was nice. I don't mind rain, but I don't like it when it lasts for too long. I hope we get more sun here in the near future and that you do, too.

Here in San Diego I have no choice but to be a sunshine and warmth kind of writer. Yes we have our June Gloom and May Gray, but I view those cloudy skies as a built in umbrella for me as I make my daily rounds. Besides, it usually burns off in the afternoon.

Heres to muddling through the Big Dark. Great stuff as usual.

We are back to the Big Dark. Cottage closed. Summer fun over. It's raining out making one feel gloomy but as you remind us constantly, do everything with love. Dream of the blue skies.

The Big Dark. I love this. It would make a great title for a story. (not hinting, just saying lol)

So many references here. The Big Sleep, a cool movie with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore. And the bluest skies? Is this a sly reference? I believe it is. Can you remember where that lyric comes from? I can.

As for the SAD thing, you are preaching to the choir. I can feel myself starting to slip so I'm trying to distract myself with busy work and such to take my mind off it. Not too hard with the holidays coming up so there's lot's to plan and do. The hard part is going to be after the holidays are over and the gloom is well and truly stuck in.

Oh well, it is what it is and I'll deal with it like I always do.

Take care, Bill. Enjoy your writing and your walks with Maggie and Toby. (I wish I had a dog.)

The big dark, never heard it but it fits to a T. I was out driving in torrential rains from the KP to GH to go to urgent care this evening. It was almost dark on my way there and very dangerous. When they checked my BP is was 169/95. They were thinking it was whatever bug I got. I said no, it was driving in dark, rainy, dangerous conditions. It was even worse on the way home. I just don't see well at night, especially in the rain, even though I have my cataract surgeries behind me. As you know, this area is not well lit. As I left the medical building parking lot it was flooded at the end, probably two of more feet of standing water and I couldn't see it, even with the lights. Ah, well made it home. I don't mind the dark, or the rain, but I hate hard long-lasting rain like today.

Your answer to Jesse was a good one. If a dialogue can't be real, it shouldn't be written. People use slang, pronounce words sloppily, it's just how we are. Why have a homeless guy annunciate like a British monarch? Why have a teenager speak like a an English professor? Or an average person speak like an attorney at law. To perfect common English in dialogue lacks authenticity. Love this as always.

Sister Mary Catherine is probably running in the daisies in the great field in the sky, having discovered she wasted so much time on punctuation. Pree should not explain their poetry. Who cares if it’s abstract.

Hi Bill. I actually don’t mind cloudy days, but I can certainly understand how SAD can bring people down. What I really don’t like is the biting, cold wind that we get in winter. Another great version of the mailbag. Have a great week.

Bill it is nice that the mailbag keeps attracting new followers. I love the darker rain days probably because they are few and far between in this part the word. I find I tend to be far more productive with my writing then too.

I know there was a glitch with YouTube videos in hubs recently and an error saying “you have opted out of YouTube and must enable cookies” but that seems to be fixed. However, from time to time a broken link will appear on an article where the video has been removed from YouTube or an article you linked to no longer works. A little black triangle appears. When I notice one I always go through and check the video or link and remove it if it is no longer working.

I feel for Sarah, that has happened to me. I have one returning customer who always asks for rewrites and usually after he deadline has expired. I decided that if they ask me for further work I am increasing my price due to the extra hours they ask of me. All my gigs do state how many rewrites will be provided, however, so it is clear at the start and they pay more for the number of rewrites they want.

On Pree’s question about explaining abstract poetry. That’s up to you. I only write abstract poetry when I deliberately want to confuse and puzzle my reader, so enjoy reading their interpretations. If I want my poetry understood and have a message, it will be clear. Another poet here, Li-Jen Hew always provides an explanation of her poems.

Sorry for the long comment. Have a wonderful week.

Maybe I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive, but I always fix broken links by linking a new video or a new photo, assuming the old one has been removed, deleted, or updated. I just like having all my links working. Thanks for the grammar rules. It's always good to be aware.

Blessings,

Denise

Great mailbag today, Bill. I love the question from Brie about punctuating dialog. I don't recall ever seeing a diatribe long enough to need paragraphs unless the speaker was interrupted by another speaker. Questions from Pree and Brie, how neat! Loved the video on punctuating dialog.

I really love the darkness of rain, but neither rain nor shine affects my mood for writing. Heavy storms last night. I'm glad they blew out in Texas and Oklahoma before they reached our tornado alley. Today is a beautiful sunny and 70. Have a good week, my friend.

The Big Dark sounds so ominous. I'm not sure I'd do well in places like that or in Alaska where it stays dark for so long. On one hand, I'm a night owl anyway and I tend to be more productive at night. On the other hand, I love the natural sunlight and allowing it to light the room I'm in. Maybe Alaska is a good fit, after all, LOL.....best of both worlds. Except that it's too dang cold there in the wintertime!!

Thanks, bill. It has been a bit like that - no rush and a little sunshine.

Check it out Bill, I was sentenced to 180 days of no sun. Really. A bad year in Vermont. What a trip. I picked up extra cash painting inside houses.And the moldy dank smell made me crazy. (probably crazier) Do not tell anyone but I love the down and dark, I feel like Poe!

If I was living in the big dark I would write or find something else to do indoors. As to Rodric's question, I have never had videos vanish without a notice from Hubpages. Occasionally, they will make changes they deem appropriate (which I don't always agree with) but I get an email telling me they are editing my article. It hasn't happened recently. LOL Have a good week Bill!

Happy Monday Bill! We've got the pouring rain here today also, so I'm familiar with the gloom...SAD is a real disorder that affects a lot of people...but, I do have to admit I kind of like the stormy weather while writing. No sun, but that chorus of rain and wind sings to me.

Hope you have great and productive week!

Happy Monday, Bill! Here in Ohio we're enjoying a beautiful (supposed to be 75 degrees, but currently, at the time of writing this comment, it's only 69) day. But it won't last. The weather there definitely sounds perfect for writing, though. I tend to get into things in the evening. There's something about the darkness that brings out the creativity. Excellent mailbag this week! I'm with you on abstract poetry. Mostly because that's what I write. I don't follow the grammar, line, or sound rules when it comes to that. I've never been a big fan of dissecting a piece, whether a poem or story, in class. It ruins the experience for me. Now that my son is in school, I have to get over it to try to help him. haha! Have a wonderful week!

A good mailbag, this week. Ample questions though some are weird! You tackled them perfectly.

Freelancing, I have done it for 2 years at two dollars per 300-word article. 15 to 20 articles in a month, some of them re-written. That's it. It sucks. If you need money, you have to do it. So, I never tried it the year 2015 afterward.

Regarding the big dark, it is the same here also. Dim light during days with white clouds all over the sky. But, it is a good season for better work as well as enjoyment. So, wish you a good Halloween and the ensuing holidays.

Where I live it's always sunny and warm and I find there are too many things other than writing that need tending too.

Regarding the video problem, I contact HP because I was receiving a message saying I needed to update my cookie settings on YouTube. HP are aware there is a problem and are working to solve it.

As always, great questions and advice. Have a wonderful week.

Bill, I'm not certain that this Big Dark makes me change my activities; I just feel less guilty working at my desk rather than outside pulling weeds. Like you, I know people who have serious problems with the drear and gloom, but I revel in the increased productivity.

Good questions about writing. I was always disappointed when our English teacher would explain a poem. (Kinda like if you have to explain a joke it ceases being funny.) I wondered if the poet really had all of those thoughts in mind or was this merely an English teacher justifying his/her profession?

The rule that you explained about quotation marks is exactly the way that I do it . . . therefore, it might be correct LOL.

By the way, I'm full of happy these days. I have a king-size quilt to make between now and next July. I've never tackled anything that large, my head is spinning, and I'm in a sweat to get it done, but it's for a VERY beautiful couple who are planning their wedding--my younger daughter is engaged!!!!!

Happy Mailbag Monday... and it's jam packed I see!

Re: The Big Dark (aka The Most Wonderful Time of the Year). Honestly, I have difficulty writing and concentrating when it's sunny out. Not because I want to "play outside." More that I find the sunny days visually distracting. Maybe I should move out your way. :)

Re: Broken or Disappearing Links. About a week ago, I noticed that all my YouTube videos in my HP posts were replaced with a red bar that said something to the effect that I needed to add permissions to view. What? Anyway, I reached out to the HP tech team. They said they're aware and working on it. It seems to be pretty much resolved.

Re: Is It Worth It? When I freelance, I keep a time log documenting every minute I spend on each project. When I saw that my hourly rate was heading south due to the amount of work it was taking, I upped my rates for future projects. The higher rate filtered out the annoying and cheap clients.

Re: What Is It About? This is my biggest complaint about most poetry. It usually requires some explanation to provide context. So yes, if someone couldn't figure out what your poem is all about, explain it. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of the piece? And doesn't that negate any personal interpretation the reader would have? Poets, get out of your head if you want to be understood! Have someone read your poem cold and see how they interpret it. You'll be super shocked I guarantee.

Re: Grammar in Dialogue. Grammar be damned when it comes to dialogue! How someone uses language is so indicative of who the person is that to sanitize it to meet grammatical rules ruins the work. Case in point, read The Sound and The Fury by Faulkner.

Re: Quotations in Dialogue. You are correct! Also, I've seen some recent works that put dialogue in italics without quote marks to indicate that someone is speaking. Visually, I think that's a cool way to do it, even though it might not be acceptable in some circles.

Okay, gotta get this week started. Thanks for the Mailbag, as always, and have a great week!

I dislike the gloomy weather with a passion, and my muse ( Shane ) hides somewhere, only comes out again when the sun shines. I learned about the proper use of quotation marks. Thank you..

I'm a great fan of the sunshine, it cheers me up no end, but I like storms too as they are wild and make you think of all sorts of wild and scary things. Not keen on high winds though! I like our weather because we still have the seasons, even though they have changed a little in duration and are never predictable. Without them I would feel lost.

My writing depends on the weather and I think the sun spurs me on more. However, it's the mood that changes and we all need to write in different moods. I like the challenge.

I find that grammatically correct dialogue is not 'real'. I know few people who speak grammatically all the time and there is less expression in such speech. It also depends a lot on the subject and on the character in question. From a grammar geek that's quite an admission!

I think that explanations for poetry should be limited to the inspiration for it or the background to it. As you say, the rest is subjective to the reader.

Great mailbag! And they just keep on coming! I'm trying my best to find you a really difficult question, bill, but I can't; not giving up yet though.

Enjoy a mellow Monday!

Ann

You put a positive spin on the shorter cooler days.

I have noticed forum posts on the subject of missing links or links that no longer work. From your comments, I am guessing that you ignore the HP advice to regularly review your articles.

I feel for Sarah. Your rewrite clause advice is good. I guess we all learn from experience the hard way.

I guess that just because an explanation is offered with abstract poetry, not everyone has to read it, but it gives the option for those who want to.

I reflected on your attitude towards grammatical correctness recently when I was editing a book. It was a great help and encouraged me to relax a little.

Thanks for another collection of great tips. Have a good week, Bill.

Freelance jobs are a waste of time to me. I have been there and done that as well. It did not pay me to write a 1000 word article per $10. Informative and you answered questions to help others in similar situations.

Hello Bill - Just stopping by to say hello this morning. Wishing you blue skies also.