Comments on: “A small sheik escaped” and other editing exercises to energize your writing http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/ The blog of writer J.C. Hewitt Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:21:17 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Leigh http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-196158 Leigh Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:43:14 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-196158 I'll do my best! Meanwhile, thank you again for allowing me the honor of communicating with your audience through my article and reading and responding to all the others' articles. I had a blast and hope you'll do it again. And, finally, here's hoping you got a lot of writing done on your vacation! I’ll do my best! Meanwhile, thank you again for allowing me the honor of communicating with your audience through my article and reading and responding to all the others’ articles. I had a blast and hope you’ll do it again. And, finally, here’s hoping you got a lot of writing done on your vacation!

]]> By: John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-196137 John Hewitt Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:34:56 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-196137 L.A., Thank you for contributing your article to the blog this month. I wish you the best of luck keeping that small sheik in line. L.A.,

Thank you for contributing your article to the blog this month. I wish you the best of luck keeping that small sheik in line.

]]> By: Leigh http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-194058 Leigh Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:52:04 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-194058 Hi, Hana, and thanks for your comment. I'm sometimes afraid that I'm unconsciously duplicating something other writers have done, but reading other authors is necessary, as you suggest, to achieve any success as a writer. I can't remember who it was--poet Ezra Pound, maybe--who said simply "make it new"! Hi, Hana, and thanks for your comment. I’m sometimes afraid that I’m unconsciously duplicating something other writers have done, but reading other authors is necessary, as you suggest, to achieve any success as a writer. I can’t remember who it was–poet Ezra Pound, maybe–who said simply “make it new”!

]]> By: hana http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-193873 hana Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:34:28 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-193873 This is a great post! I love this piece of advice: "devour words!" I'm really shocked when I meet aspiring writers who say "Oh, I don't have time to read." Excuse me? It doesn't matter if you're reading a magazine or comic book. You should make time to read something. Not just for inspiration but to expand your knowledge base. This is a great post! I love this piece of advice: “devour words!”

I’m really shocked when I meet aspiring writers who say “Oh, I don’t have time to read.” Excuse me? It doesn’t matter if you’re reading a magazine or comic book. You should make time to read something. Not just for inspiration but to expand your knowledge base.

]]> By: Meryl.net » Links: 2008-06-13 http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-193162 Meryl.net » Links: 2008-06-13 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:35:52 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-193162 [...] “A Small Sheik Escaped” and other Editing Exercises to Energize Your Writing [...] [...] “A Small Sheik Escaped” and other Editing Exercises to Energize Your Writing [...]

]]> By: Smitty http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-192226 Smitty Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:03:33 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-192226 I've kept up with your blog on Zofolit and am glad to see you getting posted on other sites as well. I enjoy your Erma Bombeck style of humor and hope to read more of work soon. I’ve kept up with your blog on Zofolit and am glad to see you getting posted on other sites as well. I enjoy your Erma Bombeck style of humor and hope to read more of work soon.

]]> By: Jeanne Dininni http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-192038 Jeanne Dininni Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:11:21 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-192038 Leigh, Your "small sheik" is definitely a classic! About your editing pet peeve--here's the paradox: The very inability to abide such errors as "lightening" for "lightning" is precisely what makes a good editor! Yet, at the same time, it is so, so true that <i>without</i> such errors, the editing profession would soon become extinct. I agree with you that it truly <i>is</i> an honor to join such a talented group of professionals in contributing to this project! Regards, Jeanne Leigh,

Your “small sheik” is definitely a classic!

About your editing pet peeve–here’s the paradox: The very inability to abide such errors as “lightening” for “lightning” is precisely what makes a good editor! Yet, at the same time, it is so, so true that without such errors, the editing profession would soon become extinct.

I agree with you that it truly is an honor to join such a talented group of professionals in contributing to this project!

Regards,
Jeanne

]]> By: Leigh http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-191904 Leigh Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:03:22 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-191904 Thank you all--ABB, Mary, and Jeanne--for your additional comments. Seldom does a typo present itself as visually as does "a small sheik," so I knew I had to do something with it (in my own writing) when I first saw it. Plus, it's just plain hilarious to me. I, too, see a 1-cm tall robed figure scurrying across the page or screen. For some reason, in the fiction editing I do, I see a lot of confusion of "lightening" with "lightning." Sometimes, I start to get a bee in my editor's bonnet about such things, but then I catch myself and think, "hey, if no one ever made a mistake in writing that spell-check didn't catch, I wouldn't have a job!" : ) And, beyond that, no one is perfect, so it's always good to have at least one more pair of eyes on any given manuscript. Again, it's been such an honor to be featured on Poe War alongside such excellent and experienced writers (not to mention so many other editors). I can't wait for the next article/essay/posting! Leighs last blog post..<a href="http://zofolit.blogspot.com/2008/06/music-of-words-and-other-matters.html" rel="nofollow">The Music of Words and Other Matters</a> Thank you all–ABB, Mary, and Jeanne–for your additional comments. Seldom does a typo present itself as visually as does “a small sheik,” so I knew I had to do something with it (in my own writing) when I first saw it. Plus, it’s just plain hilarious to me. I, too, see a 1-cm tall robed figure scurrying across the page or screen.

For some reason, in the fiction editing I do, I see a lot of confusion of “lightening” with “lightning.” Sometimes, I start to get a bee in my editor’s bonnet about such things, but then I catch myself and think, “hey, if no one ever made a mistake in writing that spell-check didn’t catch, I wouldn’t have a job!” : ) And, beyond that, no one is perfect, so it’s always good to have at least one more pair of eyes on any given manuscript.

Again, it’s been such an honor to be featured on Poe War alongside such excellent and experienced writers (not to mention so many other editors). I can’t wait for the next article/essay/posting!

Leighs last blog post..The Music of Words and Other Matters

]]> By: Mary Turner http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-191752 Mary Turner Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:40:43 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-191752 Leigh, Kudos to one of a select group of people who display consummate talent in both editing and writing. Your command of the English language and love for the art of expression continue to inspire those of us who appreciate good writing but fail to undertake any creative endeavors of our own. Mary Leigh,

Kudos to one of a select group of people who display consummate talent in both editing and writing. Your command of the English language and love for the art of expression continue to inspire those of us who appreciate good writing but fail to undertake any creative endeavors of our own.

Mary

]]> By: ABB http://www.poewar.com/a-small-sheik-escaped-and-other-editing-exercises-to-energize-your-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-191696 ABB Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:33:22 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=4226#comment-191696 I loved reading this. I now have visions of a small, and I mean mini, less than 1cm, tall robed figure running across my manuscript saying, "There's one! Form not From." Scamper, scamper, "Here's another! Loose, not lose." Hilarious. This has set me up for my 'big edit' I have planned for the Fall, when I need to go back to a stalled 40,000 manuscript and hack it down, before I get re-writing to get it finished - I am inspired. Go sheik, go! ABBs last blog post..<a href="http://amateurbookblogger.blogspot.com/2008/06/road-home-and-inglorious-take-orange.html" rel="nofollow">The Road Home and Inglorious take the Orange</a> I loved reading this. I now have visions of a small, and I mean mini, less than 1cm, tall robed figure running across my manuscript saying, “There’s one! Form not From.” Scamper, scamper, “Here’s another! Loose, not lose.” Hilarious. This has set me up for my ‘big edit’ I have planned for the Fall, when I need to go back to a stalled 40,000 manuscript and hack it down, before I get re-writing to get it finished – I am inspired. Go sheik, go!

ABBs last blog post..The Road Home and Inglorious take the Orange

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