By Elaine Carlson

 First Day

It was three or four days ago when I set my mind on writing a novel. I admit it isn't a new idea but now I have to get going.

The first thing I did was set up a Writing Journal. Word Usage will be a big part – mainly the words (or word usage) I want to keep out of my writing.

I set up a list of Forbidden Words: propitious; plethora; splendiferous; eventuate; and transpire. I want to avoid such clunky words. But then I guess the obvious exception is for words used in conversations. A reader will learn a lot about a character who uses the word "splendiferous" especially as a guest commenting on the food served in a meal.

For me an absolute no no is to say a person gifts an item to someone. Gift is a noun and give is a verb. And that is not a language rule that needs to be sent to the dump. And I don't even want my characters to use that word that way.

I forget where I read it but someone said using gift as a verb has the advantage of only meaning that the item being given is a present. I know a police officer can give a person a ticket and a professional can give a client a bill for services. But the reader can tell what is being given by the context. And if that is not the case than the text needs to be rewritten.

Second Day

I am also putting in (or cluttering up?) my Writing Journal with my ideas of what I should put in and what my book should be about.

I am thinking of telling the story of a young defense attorney representing an unsavory character who has been accused of killing a security guard while robbing a bank. How she gets tangled up in her client's problems and attempts to figure out what happened will provide the action in the story.

I am a bit torn because there is another story I want to tell. Just after World War II ends, a sophomore in college meets the man she will marry. He is returning from the war and wants to study Russian. She goes on to medical school and becomes a pediatrician. The plot involves her experiences with her husband and the mix-ups in their lives. So far I am not sure if they will have five or seven children,

Third Day.

I am thinking of naming my young attorney Mercedes or April. And the investigator she has working for her will be called Cliff. But I am having difficulties thinking of the names for the characters in my other novel idea.

I could get inspiration from Edward Albee. In his play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf he names one of his couples after our country's first president and his wife. And the names of the other couple are Nick and Honey. I wonder if he at least thought about naming them Abraham and Mary.

I don't want to name my Post World War II couple George and Martha and I also want to pass on Joe and Jill as well as Richard and Pat. And I certainly don't want to name them Woodrow and Edith. But I think it might be a good idea to look at wealthy people for some ideas. Maybe Melinda and Bill would be good names for a doctor and her husband.

Fourth Day

Yesterday two books I ordered came in the mail --- Richard Skinner, "Writing a Novel," Faber & Faber 2018 and Howard Middlemark and Sandra Newman, "How Not To Write A Novel," Harper Collins 2008.

In "Writing A Novel" at the end Skinner put in "39 Steps" and told his readers to '''Over the years I've found that most novels comprise around thirty key scenes. Use the slips overleaf to summarize your story. Then play with the order to find the most effective plot."

With that rearranging the order using a word processor seems more logical than using "the slips in the overleaf" but anyway I will do as he suggests. I will also check out Middlemark and Newman's book to see what I need to avoid doing while while writing.

Fifth Day

When I was checking my email I saw I got the message from Justin Cox, "You Need A Vacation." He went on to say, "This Week in Writing, we talk about the importance of pausing because you can't write all the time."

This is an article I don't need to read.

Lets say I agree wholeheartedly that writers (like all workers) need to take vacations. I don't deny that people can benefit from getting away from work once in a while.

I am almost always easy going (or lackadaisical?). So I am always putting pressure on myself to do more work. And the last thing I need is to read someone encouraging me to take a vacation.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.