Happy Tuesday and Happy March 3, 2015. I know, it’s Wednesday, but today I choose to believe time is relative, and that will cover up the fact that I’m a day late in posting this. J
I would love to tell you that my novel is finished but alas, it is not. I re-wrote the first chapter…and now I’m tinkering again.
Why?
Because I believe in excellence, and I refuse to sell-out for instant gratification.
Today let’s talk about rabbit poop.
Bev and I worked in the garden this past weekend. We moved our herb garden to another section of the yard, and then we turned over the soil in our raised-vegetable beds and began the process of weeding. We were pleased to see that our labors during the winter paid off. All winter long we have added leaves, compost and rabbit feces to our gardens, and Sunday we were rewarded with black gold, the most beautiful soil you could ever wish to see. I immediately pulled out my soil-tester and I am happy to report that the soil is perfect and ready for planting.
And it’s all because I spread that poop, spread that compost, covered with leaves and trusted in the natural process.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.”
Confucius
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
I read an article the other day by a writer on HubPages. She was saying goodbye to that site. She had written twenty-two articles over a six month period and had not earned a payout yet, so she was taking her act somewhere else.
Six months and expecting a payout? Really?
I do not say this with unkindness in my heart, but it is important to say….she was not a good writer. There were grammatical errors in her articles. They were not particularly interesting….the rhythm was non-existent….she had a lot of work to do, but she either was unwilling to do it or unaware that it needed to be done. Instead she stated her dissatisfaction with the site and took her toys and left.
That’s like a gardener or farmer who does not work the soil.
Yesterday I received an email from someone, and she asked me how one becomes a good writer if they have no obvious talent at writing. I suspect she was talking about herself although I disagree with her because she does have talent.
The point is that on the one hand we have someone not willing to be realistic and put in the work, and on the other hand we have someone with her eyes wide open who is eager to work at her craft.
TIP OF THE DAY
Pay your dues.
No other words are necessary.
Pay your dues!
GRAMMAR TIP OF THE DAY
Go read your latest work and eliminate five adverbs from that work. Just five…no more…no less. Get in the habit of paring down your work, and break the habit of using adverbs for a crutch.
WRITER OF THE DAY
I love introducing new writers, so today let me give a shout out to Claudia. I think she’s got game. She is eager to learn, willing to comment and seems like a nice lady. Stop by and give her some support if you have a minute. Thank you!
I still remember the first person who commented on my first article….her comment meant a lot to me. I suspect the same will be true for Claudia.
SITE OF THE DAY
If you have a few minutes, go visit the Writer’s Café. You might just find it enjoyable, and without a doubt you’ll meet some interesting people, all of whom are writers like yourself. Follow this link.
CONTEST OF THE DAY
Are you interested in entering some writing contests that have no submission fee? Try this site and you might find one you are interested in.
AND THAT’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK
I hope your week is everything you wanted it to be. Keep working at your craft. Good things are right around the corner if you do.
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
Bill, I loved your analogy about the black soil and writing. I cannot believe some people do think they can write (and not very well I might add) for a short period of time and think that they are going to cash in big time. I am with you on this and even after 3 plus years, I have some success, but still working hard at it and will continue to until the last breath in my body, because I want only the best to shine through for myself if possible. Happy Wednesday, once again and thank you always for just being you! 😉
Janine, you just said it perfectly. You want only the best to shine. Good for you, my friend. I love your love of writing, and the respect you show it.
Today’s article is chock full of great tips and leads, Bill.
I think I read the article you’re talking about, although I couldn’t tell you who wrote it. I guess she made as much of an impression on me as she did you.
Writing isn’t easy. Well, let me clarify: GOOD writing isn’t easy. It takes practice, patience, feedback, and a willingness to learn and put constructive criticism to good use. I didn’t receive my first payout on HP until a year after I joined. HP isn’t about making money, anyway. At least not for me. Yeah, the passive income is icing on the cupcake, but it’ll never put food on the table. HP is much more than that. It’s a community of writers who give and receive support for other writers. It’s a venue to practice the craft of writing and have a byline to help build a portfolio. It’s a stepping stone and a place for the writer to touch on many topics and experiment with genres, styles, and a place to develop voice. It’s also a place to gain recognition. As with everything we learn in life, it takes time and diligence to master any craft. Writing is no exception.
Now I’m off to check out your links, then it’s back to work.
Oh – congrats on following Nature’s recipe for black gold. I’ll bet it smells great and put a huge smile on your face!
Sha, you stated it all perfectly. I will never understand that kind of thinking. I guess it’s called instant gratification, but I don’t think it can be found in writing. I think we all have to pay our dues and keep working hard at our craft…and writing is a craft.
Thank you! I love the smell of the garden this time of year. It is very rewarding.
Hello Billy,
One day late but all the better for being able to mature and I am not talking about the compost bin. Thanks for all the great tips and links today. I am off to go exploring them.
Have a wonderful day.
Sally
Good morning Sally. I hope you have fun exploring those links, and of course I appreciate you stopping by for a cup of tea this morning.
bill
Hi Bill–trusting the process and the poop–makes me chuckle-but I do think a certain amount of poop happens in writing before the gold comes out–Happy Wednesday to you!
Oh goodness, Audrey. My past three years are littered with poop. LOL Thank you and Happy Wednesday to you.
I liked the comparison between the poop and the writer’s proficiency 🙂
But, I totally agree. We have to learn at every published article since we have miles to go. I do go read my published stuff now and then, and sometimes I admire my thoughts, and most times I will find grammatical errors!
Live and learn , huh 🙂
Live and learn for sure, Ruchira. We all make mistakes. As long as we are willing to learn and improve then we are on the right track. Thank you.
It is interesting what a little bit of discouragement will do to a person! I think the reason I have stayed with Hub Pages, in spite of the low payout, is the feedback I have been able to get. For the first time in my life, I have people telling me what they think of my writing. Before, when I had shared it with others, they simply handed it back to me and said that they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. I didn’t get any opinions on the content or message.
I agree and understand completely, Denise. I feel the same way and I’ve found HP to be invaluable. It’s like going to school every day and getting feedback that helps me to improve. I’m glad I’m there and glad you are as well.
I love your grammar tip of the day, Bill. Adverbs are a crutch. I like to challenge myself to find a verb that is so perfect that no adverb is needed.Writing takes a lot of practice and it’s only after putting in the time and hard work that anyone can expect the benefits to begin flowing. (And even then it’s iffy.)