| mel
boring |
Join us this afternoon
in the AUDITORIUM-Scheduled Events Room for an "Open Forum" with Web
Editor Mel Boring. Mel has published some 25 magazine articles and
stories, as well as eight books for the young readers market. He
taught writing for 18 years, while being home husband and parent to
two of his four children, and doing his own writing. He welcomes
your questions on time management, getting started, writer's block,
marketing, writing rights, writing earnings, or anything else you'd
like to discuss. Bring your QUESTIONS to this open forum-in five
minutes.
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| mel
boring |
The Tuesday afternoon
"Open Forum" will begin promptly at 4 Atlantic/CANADA, 3 p.m.
Eastern, 2 p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Mountain, and noon Pacific. While
you wait for the "Open Forum" to start, feel free to use your ASK A
QUESTION button RIGHT BETWEEN THE YELLOW "MAP" AND THE RED QUESTION
MARK IN ICHAT to post some questions for the discussion group-two
minutes from now.
|
| mel
boring |
Good afternoon! Welcome
to this Tuesday afternoon's "Open Forum" session. I'm your
moderator, Mel Boring, and the Web Editor for this site. We're back
for an informal time of answering any questions you might like to
ask, on any subject. So feel free to ask what's on your mind--and
I'll tell you what's on mine! First, please read these
announcements, then we'll get started.
|
| mel
boring |
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS:
Send questions you'd like answered or discussed by using your "Ask a
Question" icon/button. (It looks like a thought bubble icon, RIGHT
NEXT TO THE RED QUESTION MARK.) The moderator (me, Mel Boring) will
post the questions one at a time in the chat room and do my best to
answer them. Also note: If you want to make it possible to ask the
longest question you can, first type "/ask" (without the quotation
marks), then leave one space after the end of "ask", then type as
many characters of your question as you can. If your question is not
complete, send the second part next, then if necessary the third,
etc.
|
| mel
boring |
WARNING: If you don't
post anything at all, SOME of you will be bounced off the system in
15 minutes. TO PREVENT THIS, type something (either a question to
the moderator or even a private message) every 15 minutes to stay
active and remain online.
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| mel
boring |
I want to say a word
about the weekly Writer's News first!...
|
| mel
boring |
As you know, it has
been waaaay late the past two weeks....
|
| mel
boring |
What happens is that I
send it out as always, them am notified on Monday or
Tuesday...
|
| mel
boring |
that it "didn't pass
the Spam Test."...
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| mel
boring |
What that means is that
before our servlist sends it out,...
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| mel
boring |
they APPLY a Spam Test,
which they know many of your ISPs will apply to
it....
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| mel
boring |
If it has certain words
or phrases or formatting in it, it is BOUNCED and never reaches
you....
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| mel
boring |
It has been VERY
frustrating, because it used to be so EASY to send
out....
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| mel
boring |
So Frank Ball, my good
friend and our Internet Guru are working on it....
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| mel
boring |
I hope to have the
situation solved soon....
|
| mel
boring |
Meanwhile, PLEASE know
that I always send it out on Friday--or Saturday morning at
latest....
|
| mel
boring |
and if it doesn't reach
you then, I'm working on it to make sure you DO get
it!....
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| mel
boring |
And I am so SORRY,
friends, for that disruption!
|
| mel
boring |
HERE comes some GOOD
NEWS--which I was REALLY READY for--what with all the newsletter
disruption!....
|
| mel
boring |
Linda George sent this
GOOD NEWS: The publication date has been set for December 5 for ASK
A SHADOW TO DANCE, my first hard-cover novel! SHADOW is set in
Memphis in 1885 and 1909 (time travel), and involves riverboats and
the historic Peabody Hotel.
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| mel
boring |
Linda George and her
husband became ICL Instuctors once...
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| mel
boring |
at a training session
when I used to help at the training sessions....
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| mel
boring |
So they are VERY
special friends. CONGRATULATIONS, Linda!!!...
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| mel
boring |
I know you've EAGERLY
anticipated this first hardcover novel for some time, and I'm
PLEASED to see it happening to a GOOD person and GOOD writer like
you!
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| mel
boring |
This GOOD NEWS just
came from Pam Kessler (red2): I learned Saturday night that my story
has been accepted for the book, SUMMER SHORTS, published by Blooming
Tree Press.
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| mel
boring |
Pam Kessler has
contributed MANY articles to our ICL Web Site,...
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| mel
boring |
some of which YOU will
remember! CONGRATULATIONS, Pam!!!...
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| mel
boring |
I LOVE that title
SUMMER SHORTS--what a SUMMER reading title for
kids!...
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| mel
boring |
I'll be looking for
your story in SHORT SHORTS, friend! Way to WRITE
RIGHT!
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| mel
boring |
Stephenie Hovland sent
this GOOD NEWS: I'm a full-time teacher and just finished up the
school year. Much to my delight, the day before school ended, I
received my author's copies of my first paid publishing credit -
HAPPY TIMES, a preschool magazine from Concordia Publishing House. I
did the whole issue (16 pages.) Then, just a couple of days later, I
showed up in the Minnesota SCBWI newsletter:
http://www.minnesotascbwi.org/Cygnet_Spring2005.pdf Another writer
interviewed me and some others. Her article (with my picture and
some information about me) is on the first and second
pages.
|
| mel
boring |
We are REALLY PLEASED
for you, Stephenie!!!...
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| mel
boring |
THANKS for sharing, and
I was a teacher when I received my first acceptance, so I know the
thrill!...
|
| mel
boring |
To have received your
AUTHOR'S COPIES is a thrill indeed!...
|
| mel
boring |
Concordia Publishing
House is a very prestigious publisher, and though it may not be good
grammar,...
|
| mel
boring |
YOU DONE
GOOD!
|
| mel
boring |
Susan Sundwall wrote
this Memorial Day poem:
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| mel
boring |
Susan Sundwall is an
OFTEN-contributor of articles to our ICL Web
Site....
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| mel
boring |
and a poet, as you can
see. THANK YOU, Sue, for this Memorial Day remembrance in the form
of a poem so WELL composed! And HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY (thought late) to
you all!
|
| mel
boring |
arnalda sent us this
DELIGHTFUL poetic answer to what a "misanthrope" was:
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| all
hope, |
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| folk, |
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| all, |
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| let me
fall." |
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| wide, |
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| hide, |
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| to
cope, |
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| mel
boring |
Last week's Word of the
Forum was "misanthrope," and I wasn't able to post arnalda's
response at that time....
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| mel
boring |
But we have MANY poets
among us--which is DELIGHTSOME to see!!! THANK YOU for sending it,
arnalda!...
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| mel
boring |
Now for today's Word of
the Forum, before I forget:...
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| mel
boring |
neologism
(nee-OWL-oh-jizm), that's the word and the
pronouncer....
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| mel
boring |
Anyone know what
"neologism" means?
|
| stephenie |
today's chat. It's
great!
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU, stephenie, I
agree! There is a special chemistry here today, I
believe!
|
| casey |
The other day the
newspaper had an article about birds breaking car mirrors. Can I use
the article itself as a sidebar?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, by all means,
casey....
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| mel
boring |
I would suggest
shortening it as much as possible,...
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| mel
boring |
but it makes a great
sidebar....
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| mel
boring |
It was apparently
woodpeckers, was it? And were they being territorial and chasing
"the other woodpecker" out?...
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| mel
boring |
That would make a good
sidebar for an article about woodpeckers, or ANY bird, casey! Write
for it!
|
| dm1usa |
/ask Mel, you mentioned
"Short Shorts" - is that a publisher
|
| mel
boring |
Actually, I was
misteaken--mastaken--mistaken!...
|
| mel
boring |
The title of the book
was SUMMER SHORTS, and the publisher was Blooming Tree Press, which
you can prolly find on the Internet....
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| mel
boring |
I'm going to look for
it too, to get a copy of Pam's story in SUMMER
SHORTS!
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| mel
boring |
THANKS for clarifying
that, dm1usa!
|
| mel
boring |
Another good answer to
the bilingual manuscript question from Dawn Jeffers at Raven Tree
Press (for lisalisa and others):
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| and one that we
are often asked. |
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| responsible for
the translation. Raven |
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| in the language
it was initially written in. |
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| appropriate
translator and editor for both languages. |
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| first language
and then have only the edited version |
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| challenges and
the markets that we know |
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| select
translations that fit our market. The author |
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| prefer seeing it
in the initial language only, and my |
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| feel the
same. |
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| mel
boring |
You may remember that
lisalisa asked this question a LONG time ago, and I was a LONG time
finding an answer....
|
| mel
boring |
NOW, I was emming Raven
Tree Press about other things, and discovered their specialty is
bilingual books....
|
| mel
boring |
ANd it's a different
answer than we got from the other publisher....
|
| mel
boring |
But I thought you'd
like to see it, and I THINK this answer really "supercedes" the
first answer,...
|
| mel
boring |
which said they wanted
the AUTHOR to do provide the translation. But Raven Tree Press
doesn't want that, and that sounds more
logical/reasonable.
|
| presleylennon |
Mel I was considering
doing an article on a subject that I am so in tune with that I would
never have to pick up a book. I can recall names, places and dates
without ever referencing a book. That won't fly for a publisher will
it?
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| mel
boring |
No, not for nonfiction,
presleylennon....
|
| mel
boring |
It's a bit like telling
someone you're the weight-lifting champion of the
world,...
|
| mel
boring |
and not having the
GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS to back it up....
|
| mel
boring |
So DO get the
references, even if you never have to read them,...
|
| mel
boring |
to list in your
bibliography. Publishers will be looking for that,
friend!
|
| caq |
I want to use a show from
Animal Planet for a source. This is the info I have, Name of the
show on Animal Planet – Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom; Episode
Title – Natural Born Winners, Aired on May 28, 2005, Executive
Producers – William Morgan and Jason Williams, Producer – Dora
Padwo-Audick. Narrator – Simon Barritt. Produced by JWM Productions
for Animal Planet. MMV, Discover Communications Inc. What of this do
I need for the bibliography and how would it be set
up?
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| mel
boring |
I would use it all
EXCEPT narrator, caq....
|
| mel
boring |
And I would start the
biblio entry with, let's see...
|
| mel
boring |
the title: "Natural
Born Winners."...
|
| mel
boring |
then follow that with
Animal Planet...
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| mel
boring |
then with Mutual of
Omaha's Wild Kingdom,...
|
| mel
boring |
then the producers,
then the production company (JWM), and finally the MMV, Discover
Communications, Inc....
|
| mel
boring |
Now, I HAVE to say,
that you WON'T find TWO publishers who will list it in the biblio in
the SAME order, caq....
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| mel
boring |
but list it as I
suggested, and they will rearrange at their own convenience when
it's published....
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| mel
boring |
The MAIN thing is to
give them ALL the info, and let them pick and choose and arrange. I
hope this helps you, friend.
|
| mel
boring |
A number of people have
asked about word-processing programs, such as Microsoft Word. Today
I thought a good time to talk about my own experience with several
word-processing programs, and ask you for YOUR input to the
answering as well. Here goes:
|
| mel
boring |
Chime in with
suggestions YOU have, but I will start with the fact that I use
MICROSOFT WORD....
|
| mel
boring |
It isn't perfect, but
for me it seems the BEST I can get....
|
| mel
boring |
I used Word97--an OLD
version, for a LONG time....
|
| mel
boring |
and only RECENTLY did I
convert to WORD2003....
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| mel
boring |
The improvements in
Word2003 are GOOD ones, especially for the editing I have to do to
post articles and pictures on the Internet.....
|
| mel
boring |
I have also used
WordPerfect in the past, friends....
|
| mel
boring |
It's a GOOD program.
But the reason I changed is that WordPerfect has so MANY "bells and
whistles" that I never used....
|
| mel
boring |
such as E-Mailing
integrators and lists galore, and so on....
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| mel
boring |
I DON'T use ALL off
Microsoft Office2000!...
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| mel
boring |
I use ONLY the
word-processing part, Word2000....
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| mel
boring |
Excuse me,
Word2003!!!....
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| mel
boring |
I like to use ONLY the
word processor part because the rest of Office2003 has
so...
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| mel
boring |
many "bells and
whistles," and I like to "KISS"...
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| mel
boring |
Keep It Super
Simple!!!...
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| mel
boring |
I have also used many
other programs, such as HOMEWORD when I first started out on
computer in 1983....
|
| mel
boring |
But I am SOLD on
Word2003, EVEN THOUGH Microsoft makes you "jump through hoops" to
use their software. Now, anyone else want to add their nickel's
worth?
|
| caq |
A few of the magazines I
wish to submit to request my Social Security Number before even
being accepted. I am not comfortable with this. Unless I am accepted
they don’t need it. If I just don’t put it on, will that cause them
to just push the manuscript aside? Would saying, “SSN will be
furnished upon acceptance” work? Reality is, acceptances are few and
far between.
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| mel
boring |
DON'T give them your
Social Security Number BEFORE acceptance, caq...
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| mel
boring |
They don't need it. NO,
it WON'T make them say that just because you didn't give your SSN,
they won't look at the manuscript!...
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| mel
boring |
The PROFESSIONAL way is
to simply get it when they NEED it....
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| mel
boring |
And MOST publishers are
aware of the dangers of putting your SSN over the cyberwaves
nowadays. So just say you'll send it when needed.
|
| debram |
Good news! Received the
first copy of my 4th book Thursday!
|
| mel
boring |
GOOD NEWS, indeed,
debram!!! CONGRATULATIONS, and MANY HAPPY RETURNS,
friend!...
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS for sharing with
us!
|
| mel
boring |
Now, here's more from
casey about the bird-mirror incident:...
|
| casey |
Yes, it was woodpeckers.
And they only hit one street in our city. People have watched them
do it.
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU for that
info, casey! In your OWN neighborhood, that IS a sidebar made JUST
FOR YOU SPECIAL, FRIEND!
|
| mel
boring |
OK, now for the Word of
the Forum: "neologism":...
|
| writersblock |
ask/ the study of Nee
Owls? hee hee hee
|
| mel
boring |
I LOVE that,
writersblock!!! THANK YOU!!...
|
| mel
boring |
I believe humor is the
best medicine you can take--and you've added to our health today,
friend!...
|
| chippy |
neologism - new word or
expression
|
| stephenie |
I believe it's a made up
word or phrase.
|
| tkat_2 |
neologism means a new
word or expression, or a new meaning for an existing
word.
|
| chippy |
neologism - new word or
word-coining
|
| mel
boring |
You are ALL so RIGHT,
friends! THANK YOU!...
|
| mel
boring |
Now, if a neologism is
a made-up word, what does the neologism "snirt"
mean?
|
| mel
boring |
Meanwhile, here's more
about SUMMER SHORTS....
|
| casey |
Mel, a number of our
"family" have already been accepted for the Summer Shorts
book.
|
| casey |
Mel, I just checked out
Blooming Tree and I think they are no longer looking for summer
shorts stories. But they are now looking for bedtime
stories.
|
| mel
boring |
THANK YOU, casey, for
that up-to-date writing tip!
|
| mel
boring |
Here're your responses
about word processors--and THANK YOU!...
|
| tkat_2 |
I used to use MS Word 97,
but they don't sell that any more. It had a very good editing
program Word Perfect 10 doesn't have this feature, but it does work
with some of my Word 97 documents from the old
computer.
|
| mel
boring |
Here is a suggestion,
tkat_2: You MIGHT be able to find MS Word 97 on EBay. Use that
search word to find it....
|
| tkat_2 |
I had a file converter
for my MS Word documents.
|
| mel
boring |
A converter is an
EXCELLENT idea, tkat_2....
|
| mel
boring |
What that does is
convert any format's file to any other format,...
|
| mel
boring |
such as converting a
WordPerfect file to Word97, or other format.
|
| caq |
Mel, I have used Word for
years. Tried WordPerfect and couldn't stand it so attended a night
course to maybe learn more, had to teach the teaacher because she
couldn't get it either and she is the school's business teacher! I
wish there was a slimmed down version of word.
|
| mel
boring |
caq: Do you use ONLY
the word-processing part of Word?...
|
| mel
boring |
that DOES trim it down
if you're using, say, Microsoft Office2003....
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, I agree,
WordPerfect is MORE difficult to understand....
|
| mel
boring |
About 15 years ago, I
used the ORIGINAL WordPerfect,...
|
| mel
boring |
which was produced by
an outfit in Utah...
|
| mel
boring |
and it was WONDERFUL,
JUST the word-processing, SO simple....
|
| mel
boring |
But then WordPerfect
was sold to another BIGGER outfit, and they UPSIZED and OUTSIZED
it--too much for me, and most writers, I believe,
caq....
|
| wee willie
winkie |
I Use Words2000, Is there
much difference?
|
| mel
boring |
No, not much
difference, WWW!...
|
| mel
boring |
The reason I "skipped"
Word2000 is that I LOVED and was satisfied with
Word97....
|
| mel
boring |
Then when I got a new
Sony VAIO computer a year ago,...
|
| mel
boring |
Word2003 was "sampled"
on it. I tried it, LIKED it, and bought it....
|
| mel
boring |
OK, here's more about
"snirt" people:...
|
| stephenie |
Snirt = snow dirt; dirty
snow?
|
| mel
boring |
That's IT, stephenie!
"Snirt" is dirty snow--see how it was coined?...
|
| chippy |
snirt - summer nights in
relative tranquility
|
| mel
boring |
Hey, an
ACRONYM--THANKS, chippy, Summer Nights In Relative
Tranquility--SNIRT! LOVE it!...
|
| crabby
j |
Mel - it's the stuff kids
have coming out their noses
|
| crabby
j |
after a day at the
playground (dirt snot = snirt)
|
| mel
boring |
I LOVE that too! We are
really getting with neologisms, and what they
are!...
|
| mel
boring |
Here is a NEWLY-COINED
neologism:...
|
| stephenie |
I hope you have a wonday!
(Wonderful day)
|
| mel
boring |
WONDAY--that is
TERRIFIC, stephanie!...
|
| mel
boring |
More about word
processors now, thank you!...
|
| mel
boring |
caq followed up her
word about WordPerfect versus Word with:...
|
| caq |
That is the only thing I
use now. I don't do business work anymore from home so no merging or
anything like that.
|
| caq |
I do envelopes and can
format outlines and resumes but mostly just plain
manuscripts.
|
| mel
boring |
THANKS, caq. I think I
see the concensus of opinion is that we writers don't NEED all the
bells and whistles that are available....
|
| mewf |
I used Word 97 and now
have MSword XP Home Prof. It is
|
| mewf |
easier than Word 97 I
couldn't beleive it.
|
| mel
boring |
I am going to have to
check out MSword XP Home Prof., mewf--THANKS for that tip. I'd never
heard of it before you! I'm going to try it!...
|
| dm1usa |
The old WPs were awful,
but the recent ones were easy to use: even a bit easier than Word
2003, IMO
|
| mel
boring |
I sure AGREE,
dm1usa!...
|
| mel
boring |
Word processors, when
they FIRST came out,...
|
| mel
boring |
were cumbersome and
clunky!....
|
| mel
boring |
Here's one SPECIFIC
feature I like on Word2003 OVER Wordo97:...
|
| mel
boring |
When you copy and paste
a text from one document to another,...
|
| mel
boring |
it will ask you if you
want to keep the same formatting it has or change to the formatting
of the document you're moving it to....
|
| mel
boring |
I LOVE that, because in
Word97, it ALWAYS seemed to need reformatting--screwed it up when
you moved it!...
|
| nkk |
Hi mel, I am reading Lyn
Truss's "Eats, shoots
|
| nkk |
...is this a British
rule? Thanks!
|
| mel
boring |
I am reading that book,
too, nkk! It is SO funny!...
|
| mel
boring |
and it teaches
punctuation PAINLESSLY, doesn't it?...
|
| mel
boring |
If I understand what
you mean, NO, the rules Truss gives are NOT just for British
English,...
|
| mel
boring |
they're for "American
English" as well....
|
| mel
boring |
The ONE mistake I'm
finding most often now is the use of the apostrophe, put in by MANY
people just because it MIGHT be needed, and they don't want to be
wrong....
|
| mel
boring |
I HIGHLY recommend
Truss's book!
|
| lisalisa |
Is it OK to use a known
movie title for a story if you
|
| lisalisa |
change some words? Like,
"Invasion of the Puppy Snatchers,"
|
| lisalisa |
or "Gone with the
Windows?"
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, and even if you
DON'T change the title, lisalisa....
|
| mel
boring |
You can use "Gone with
the Wind," without infringement....
|
| mel
boring |
But it's also fun to
make them up, and I LOVE your "Gone with the
Windows!"
|
| crabby
j |
Hi Mel. Does getting a
letter to the editor (newspaper)
|
| crabby
j |
count as a publishing
credit?
|
| mel
boring |
Yes, crabby j, it DOES
count as a publishing credit....
|
| mel
boring |
Here's something to
look at: In a paper like the New York Times,...
|
| mel
boring |
the letters to the
editor are VERY professionally written....
|
| mel
boring |
as compared with
small-town papers' letters to the editor....
|
| mel
boring |
But BOTH count as a
publishing credit!
|
| mel
boring |
I must quit, and I'll
save your unanswered questions to use in the Q&As of future
announcements--THANK YOU for them!...
|
| mel
boring |
And THANK YOU for
coming this day-after-Memorial Day!...
|
| mel
boring |
I'll see you next
Tuesday here, I hope!...
|
| mel
boring |
Be kind to each other
when there's no reason to!
|
| mel
boring |
One more word about
"SNIRT":...
|
| mel
boring |
This definition for
"snirt" from Cgo: I'm unable to join you at 2:00 on Tuesdays because
I'm playing taxi at that time, but I thought I would like to try The
Word of the Forum just to do the research and say that I
participated. Here is what I
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| A word that has
been made up such as, "muggle," coined by J.K.
Rowling.) |
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| of our pristine
little town in late February... : |
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| mel
boring |
THANKS,
Cgo!
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