Scribblings on Whatever

We'll Be Back!

11/29/2023

Well, we’re in the season of shopping, eating, worshipping, opening presents, and trying to finish off everything on our list for this year before we’re forced to think about next year. For Greta and me, our gift to ourselves this year is to take time off for the whole month of December.

For those of you who know us, you’re aware that we have a lot in common. Of course, we are both writers. Otherwise, having five blogs on our website together would be rather ridiculous! Besides this, we both have a passion for making a difference in the world in some way. We were both caregivers for our spouses and lost them within two months of each other in 2020.

Although I had only known Greta on Facebook, I felt drawn to call her in the summer of that year to see if she wanted to work together. The three and a half years since have been a journey for us that has been a blessing as we each worked our way through grief. We haven’t hesitated to switch gears in finding a vehicle that allows us to express ourselves. We have worked diligently with hope and expectations on our journey. However, the one thing we haven’t done is allow time for ourselves, putting work aside.

So, for the month of December, we are pausing posts on www.SassyScribblers.com and all its blogs. I am in the process of moving out of state, and Greta has begun the search for her perfect place. We both trust that everything is in Divine Order. We are looking forward to the new year and moving into Act 3 of our lives with gusto! See you in January, 2024!

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A Curiosity Question for Readers

11/22/2023

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This is just a curiosity question for readers. I was listening to a person on the radio the other week who was saying that people just don’t read books with high word counts anymore. His reasoning was that people are used to the digital age, and it has become obvious over the last couple of decades that lengthy online articles do not enjoy the popularity of short ones. He contended that people’s attention spans are much shorter these days.

What do you think? Is this just an online phenomenon, or does it apply to eBooks and paperbacks as well? We would love for you to comment and let us know your preference and/or your thoughts.

We noted that for adult commercial and literary fiction, Writer’s Digest considers below 70K too short, but they consider 80-90K “totally cool.” Anything from 100–110K might be too long, and over 110K is considered too long. They stress that a writer should strive to follow the rules rather than pray to be the exception. Of course, this has more to do with traditional publishers, who have stricter budgetary concerns than those who publish independently.

Our question is not about publishing budgets, however. It is about the willingness of readers to dive into books of different lengths. So, based on the word count divisions below, we would love to know to which you are most drawn and why.

Short story: under 7,500
Novelette: between 7,500 and 17,500
Novella: between 17,500 and 40,000
Novel: between 40,000 and 70,000
Novel: between 70,000 and 100,000
Novel: between 100,000 and 130,000

Even though I am presenting the question, I would have a hard time answering it. Why? Because I would want to insist it depends on the story. However, once again, I would be distracting myself from the actual question: Does the word count of a fiction story have an influence on whether I buy/read it? Has the digital age spoiled us with its brief summaries attached to headlines so we don’t have to read further? Are we too anxious to get to the point, the climax, of a story that we can’t relax into the journey?

As writers we are interested in your take on this, of course, but as avid readers, we are curious as well. Looking forward to your thoughts.

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Invisible Shadows

11/15/2023

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Articles from the Heart

11/8/2023

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Have you ever considered writing what are often called "articles from the heart"? It can be a learning experience. It requires little research in the traditional sense. It does require you to dig deeply into your feelings and to be willing to expose those emotions to others while using them to enrich your creative efforts.

Do you think you can do this? Let's consider some of the attributes of a writer of articles from the heart.

1) Do you have strong ideas about the world, ideas about how to make things better? Are you anxious to express your opinions in whatever venue you find yourself?

2) Is giving considered advice easy for you? Are people always coming to you with their problems? When they do, does it feel like your mind moves into a special place where ideas and answers seem to flow freely?

3) Are you able to see the big picture? In other words, you recognize the negative, but you also see the upside possible if you don't allow yourself to drown in the negativity. However, you are not blindly optimistic; you are a blend of emotion and logic, making informed choices.

4) Are you willing to share individual experiences to create a bond with your reader? This can be difficult if your ego tells you that you'll be mocked or discounted. Only the individual circumstances differ from one person to another while the emotions link us all. The lessons to be learned from these experiences are common. If you share your journey, the choices you made along the way, and the results, you are offering your unique perspective to the reader, but the commonality will resonate.

There are a variety of categories for which you can write articles from your heart.

• Dying to tell others HOW TO do something? It can range from How To Write A Resume to How To Plant A Perennial Garden.

• In today's world with the political arena attempting to manipulate people's lives, there are a myriad of CONTROVERSIAL topics upon which you can offer your heartfelt thoughts.

• Are you full of stories passed down from one generation to the next? Has your own life been chocked full of ADVENTURE? Ready to spin your tale?

• Do you ever look at the world around you as you go about your day and OBSERVE things that are being taken for granted? Can you express the beauty or the sadness or the simplicity that defines them?

• Do you have wistful memories of another time? Are they still vivid in your mind? Share your NOSTALGIA, giving the stories size, shape, and color so that others can live there for a while with you.

• HUMOR is appreciated by everyone at some point. It is rare to find someone who can find humor in the simplest moments. Someone I have appreciated since meeting her on Facebook is Vickie DeCoster. The best humor isn't forced.

• The articles that have grown out of my passion are INSPIRATIONAL. Mine are in the field of Spiritual Psychology, but inspiration can cover many areas. These are about being able to motivate others, especially in a field about which you are enthusiastic.

Interested in writing articles from the heart? Give it a shot. It may be what stokes your passion.

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Giving is as Much Fun as Receiving

11/1/2023

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The holiday season has arrived. You either love it or not. The Canadians are smart and celebrate Thanksgiving in October giving them a little breathing room before Christmas. Here in the U.S., the holidays can become overwhelming, especially if you are the family's chief organizer, cook, decorator, and shopper.

When I was a kid, it didn't seem so hectic. Of course, there were no such things as Black Friday, multi-story malls, online shopping, and all the electronic gizmos that get so much attention now. My go-to shopping centered around the Sears catalog, the five-and-dime store, and the toy department at the local department store. And that didn't start until after we'd finished the turkey and dressing.

Concentrating on one holiday at a time was much simpler, easier, and less stressful. I know this is an old-fashioned mindset, but seeing aisles of twinkling lights, ornaments, and giant Santas competing with Halloween candy clashes with my memories of excitement and anticipation waiting for my folks to finally bring out the boxes of Christmas decorations.

Nonetheless, Christmas will always be special. It was never about being on the run, going to events and such, but spending time with my parents, grandparents, and uncle. Being the only kids, my brother and I grabbed the spotlight on Christmas Eve when we exchanged presents. However, something else stands out in my recollections – tagging along with my mom and dad when they went "visiting."

I recall the absolute joy on the faces of the old folks when we gave them a plate of food and a little inexpensive gift. For some of them, we were their only guests during the holiday season. They were so thrilled. Their joy was contagious; I felt so good! I learned that giving is just as rewarding as receiving, and that's what Christmas is really about.

That lesson has stayed with me and never lost its appeal. I still get the warm fuzzies when I can spread some sunshine in someone else's life.

That was in the back of my mind when I wrote a Christmas book for Patchy and Calico. In Christmas with Patchy and Calico, the lovable dog and cat discover the true spirit of the holiday season.

The two friends find a wealth of chestnuts and receive lots of treats from their human mommy. They share their goodies with all the dogs, cats, squirrels, raccoons, possums, and deer they can find and learn that giving and sharing are just as much fun as receiving presents.

Patchy and Calico's acts of kindness also helped the four-legged detectives track down the mysterious gift snatcher who had stolen all the gifts from under everyone's Christmas trees. The trail leads them to an underground lair where they confront the thief and uncover the bully's secret.

Download the ebook or purchase the print edition to uncover what drove the gift snatcher to do his dastardly deeds. You don't have to be a kid to enjoy reading these humorous stories. I'm sure it will make you smile.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!!

Christmas with Patchy and Calico

Available at Amazon

Print - https://amzn.to/3C3Fu7y

Kindle - https://amzn.to/3qqXvKU
Free on Kindle Unlimited

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We'll Be Back!

A Curiosity Question for Readers

Invisible Shadows

Articles from the Heart

Giving is as Much Fun as Receiving

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