I love writing

greenygrey website

2008-01-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

Please join me at www.greenygrey.co.uk

brangled boondogglers!

2007-12-17T04:01:00.000-08:00

As you know, I recently brought the new word, brangle, into the world.

Then in a recent Early to Rise, which I just read, the feature word was Boondoggle, which I think is a great word, and is explained as 'an unnecessary or wasteful project or activity.'

Then I thought back to passing the local canal yesterday, and taking photos of booze containers left by passers by over the weekend, and thought that they must have been brangled boondogglers! What do you think?

Word to the Wise: Boondoggle

2007-12-17T03:40:00.001-08:00

Word to the Wise: Boondoggle
A "boondoggle" (BOON-dah-gul) is an unnecessary or wasteful project or activity. The word was coined by a scoutmaster, Robert H. Link. Link’s boondoggle was a braided leather cord - a simple item still made by young Boy Scouts and campers. The word was later contemptuously applied to any "make-work" project.
Example (as used by Susann Cokal in a New York Times review of Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon): "In Michael Chabon’s gleeful new novel, a pair of 10th-century soldiers of fortune scramble up and down the trails and gorges of the Caucasus, engaging in a brawl or a boondoggle as regularly as they pause for a meal."

from www.earlytorise.com

December beauty

2007-12-07T04:20:00.000-08:00

With the green leaves of summer turned orange, brown and departed, nature does not usually provide as much consistent beauty in the UK over the winter.

But every now and again we get a bit of snow, or a beautiful sunset, which excites everybody, and gets them appreciating nature again.

There's been no snow to speak of so far, but a few gorgeous sunsets, one of which occurred this week, and a photo of which appears above.

How I won the Writelink blogging comp

2007-12-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

January 08:

How I won the Writelink (www.writelink.co.uk) blogging comp

How did I do it?

Starting late, I had little choice but to incorporate tortoise tactics rather than hare. Keeping a low profile, and using self-fulfilling prophecy strategy, I submitted a blog declaring how I won the comp.

This entered the unconscious of the other bloggers, and they found themselves subscribing to my blog without realising it.

I therefore sneaked past the early front-runners, and by Christmas had zillions of subscribers without anybody realising.

I spent Christmas skiing in Whistler on my winnings, but after breaking my leg I have now returned to face the music.

Do you have to be mad to write full-time, or does it make you mad?

2007-11-29T04:15:00.000-08:00

As I try and write full-time I find myself having to go into myself more, shut myself off from normality and retreat into my own world. Although I kind of want to do that, I also worry about it, and wonder if its 'normal'. Should I be wanting to do this, or do I just know I need to, I have to, if I'm going to be able to write, because its hard enough to sit down and write even as it is, with loads of time to do it.

But then other people fit it into their daily routines, with families and jobs and everything.

Would I be able to do that, fit in some time for writing within a busy schedule?

Don't think so.

Guess I'll just have to risk madness!

Remember when the unconscious helps you?

2007-11-28T04:19:00.000-08:00

Do you get those moments when you do things without thinking, and then wish you hadn't?

Yes, I think we all have them don't we!

But do you also get those times when you do things without thinking, and they work out great?

Hmm, can't remember those, I thought not.

Yeh, I used to put them down to genius or something, being ahead of myself, while blaming the dotty stuff on God or someone, but now I thank my unconscious as much when it does good, as I scold it for doing bad.

This was a message from my conscious...I think!!

Blogging advice

2007-11-27T05:44:00.000-08:00

Some blogging advice that first appeared in Early to Rise:

FEATURE ARTICLE

Ten Ways to Write Great Blog Posts That Get Attention
by Courtland Bovee

Millions of blogs fight for readership online (over 75 million bysome counts), with thousands more being created every day. Makingyours stand above the rest may seem like a daunting task, but hereare ten suggestions for making your blog posts stand out from thecrowd.

1. Write each post title so it grabs the reader's attention. It isthe first thing someone reads, and it should get your reader'sattention right away. Your title should both pique the reader'sinterest and be informative. Do not write "Business WritingAdvice"; instead, say "The Best-Kept Secret to Reducing YourBusiness Writing Worries." Longer titles have the advantage ofdescribing in detail what your post is about; 8-12 words are a goodrange.
2. Keep sentences short and clear. A little goes a long way.Readers are busy people and they will not spend hours detanglingcomplex syntax or sifting through blocks of text. Also, use stronglanguage. Start a new paragraph every few sentences, and limit eachpost to 250 words, if possible. If you cannot write it in under 250words, split it into two entries.
3. Break up the text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, andsubheadings to make your posts easy to scan. Lots of white space onthe page is a good thing-it allows your reader to take mentalbreaks and let the knowledge soak in. In addition, with theinevitable clutter of banner ads and side text, this technique putssome distance between your writing and all those distractions.
4. Keep current. No one wants to read old news. Your job is to stayup-to-date so your readers do not have to themselves. Readnewspapers. Scour the web for references. For example, if you writea blog about business communication, subscribe to Google NewsAlerts using keywords related to the field, such as blogs,podcasting, instant messaging, business letters, memos, andbusiness reports, so you will always be well informed. Postingitems from last month or last year will lose your reader's interestfaster than you can say "Enron."
5. Be bold. Timidity is an easy path to anonymity. Do not be afraidto create and state your opinions. Of course, there are somesituations in which objectivity rules-but you have to give people areason to read this blog by you and not by the person next door.
6. Be accurate. If you make a statement, be prepared to back it up.Know what your sources are and quote them accurately.Misinformation spreads like wildfire online; do not be the sparkthat sets it off or the wind that fans it.
7. Contribute to the conversation. Links are great-but then what?Do not just post links to the same tired sites, offer your readersomething new. Contribute to the conversation. Your goal is to bethe site to which everyone else is linking-so you had better havesomething worth writing about.
8. Stay focused. Once you have defined the theme of your blog,stick to it. A blog about piggy banks has no business posting aboutthe latest innovation in alternative energy. Such a deviance willonly confuse your reader and chip away at your virtual authority.
9. Use key words liberally. Keywords are, well, key. Harness yourblog's search engine potential by dousing your title and post witheffective keywords that will help interested parties find your pagein the vast, muddled blogosphere. This is one of the most importantelements of getting your blog read-go at it with gusto.
10. Be consistent. Keep a schedule and stick to it. Postfrequently-at least several times per week if you want to increaseyour potential of attracting new readers. Let your blog languishfor weeks without updates and your audience will move on to fresherground.
Maintaining an informative blog that people want to read takes hardwork and good writing skills. Find what makes your writingunique-and flaunt it for all it is worth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Courtland L. Bovee, one of America's leading instructors in clearand effective communication, co-authors several leadingcollege-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communicationsconsultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ofGlobal Communication Strategies. Their website, BusinessCommunication Headline News, the #1 business communication site onthe web, is at http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com

Blogging is worthwhile even on difficult days

2007-11-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Blogging is sometimes hard to do, difficult to think of new topics all the time, but even when there's nothing much to write its still a good exercise for the mind. Having to think about what to write, even that it is that there is nothing much to write about, gets the mind thinking, and the hands in motion to creation. And who knows, along the way you might type something you like, even without knowing or thinking about it, and when you return to read it later in life you will wonder where those thoughts came from.

Add brangle or your word to help children communicate

2007-11-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

I just added brangle to Openreach's wall of words at: http://www.wallofwords.co.uk/index.aspx

The explain the cause on the site:

On 1st March 2007, Openreach challenged the nation to build a mile of words to unlock their £50,000 donation to I CAN, the charity that helps children communicate.We did it! Now we need your help to go the 'extra mile' for children who struggle to communicate.Help to build a brighter future for children. Visit www.wallofwords.co.uk

It seems quite fun and painless, so please add your word if you have time.

spoonerisms

2007-11-24T03:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, writing and words can indeed be fun, and one of the best examples of this is spoonerisms, where you accidentally, or purposefully, mix up the first letter of different words to create a new and amusing phrase.

http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/index.php have offered the following examples of how sentences can take on a different meaning with these changes:

fighting a liar
lighting a fire

you hissed my mystery lecture
you missed my history lecture

searched every crook and nanny
searched every nook and cranny

Yes, isn't that fun. Talking of combining words, I've got one for you which seems very relevant for a Saturday: brangle. It is a combination of brain and tangle, and refers to those times when you can't think straight, often because of drink or tiredness. So, I hope you don't get brangled tonight! Cheers

Writing is cathartic and fun

2007-11-23T02:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to this new blog, where I will discuss my hobby, and hopefully future profession, writing, and my progress in the field.

Today, I'd like to introduce you to a couple of websites I get regular newsletters from which have helped my writing:

www.phrases.org.uk/a-phrase-a-week/add.html provides theories on where popular phrases originated.

Meanwhile, www.earlytorise.com provides a definition of a word a day, as well as other useful advice on blogging, websites and nutrition. The word a day often clarifies the meaning of common words, or brings to attention words not often seen in the mainstream.