inspiration for writers – Page 3

Goodwill words: Sending hope to a mom facing changes and challenges

Goodwill words: Another note for Love for Our Elders

Goodwill words: Checking in with a long-time friend

Goodwill words: A little boost for a very responsible 20-year-old

Goodwill words: Sending hope to a college grad

Goodwill words for a couple with faith and fortitude

Curation Corner: Can/should writers multitask? A verdict.

Today’s forward nudge** for writers

Curation Corner: Make your writing fit and trim.

Curation Corner: Are you a writer who’s stuck? Try freewalking.

A reminder to me: It’s always nice to see that, by sending in a request to More Love Letters, someone is leading the charge to help these letters’ recipients.

Another lesson: There is always a quote available to kickstart any note or letter I’m writing. Yet another: I have fun trying to lighten things up a bit. One of my daily calendars usually comes through…

A few other notes from recent months…1. 2. 3.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived in legible and at least semi-comprehensible condition.

And a reminder…these notes are just to serve as a nudge forward for those inclined to do something similar to the Goodwill Words Project.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

It’s sometimes a challenge to come up with something different and/or tailored to an unnamed recipient. Love for Our Elders handles the distribution.

So I try to use different sparks or starting points for my messages. Daily calendar pages such as this one are a big help.

And a little plug for Love for Our Elders. Tagline: We’re fighting loneliness with love, one letter at a time.

Am hoping the card spurs a little interest and action.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived safely.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

A reminder from this latest foray: Aaaah, the power of imperfectionism. On clear display here. “It’s the thought that counts” could never be more applicable.

But this friend had recently lost her partner of 50+ years and I wanted to follow up our phone visit with something in the mail. Plus, she–an SPCA volunteer and greyhound rescuer–loves dogs. Not sure what she thinks of left-handers, however…

Another reminder: Dog images just plain work for me. And our pets have to earn their keep somehow, right?

Yet another reminder…4 x 6 photos double as postcards quite nicely. [though I’m generally too lazy to dig for a postcard stamp, so I end up slapping on a first-class and get it sent!]

Am hoping the card spurs a little interest and action.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived safely.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

Lesson from this latest letter: There are plenty of folks out there needing support who may not show any signs of struggling.

Another lesson: Red paper and blue ink…not a great contrast for reading off a screen.

Note: Explanation for the amateurish patches of approximated color…

I try to omit the recipient’s name in these posts, even though the More Love Letters website includes them in the Letter Requests section.

Hoping the words count for something.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived safely.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

Note: Explanation for the amateurish patches of approximated color…

I try to omit the recipient’s name in these posts, even though the More Love Letters website includes them in the Letter Requests section.

Hoping the words count for something.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived safely.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

This recipient and her husband are recovering from a serious auto accident and boy do I feel like a heel when I’m yammering away about some minor inconvenience.

Note: Explanation for the amateurish patches of approximated color…

I try to omit the recipient’s name in these posts, even though the More Love Letters website includes them in the Letter Requests section.

Hoping the words count for something.

Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate the folks who press the ‘Like’ button to let me know the post arrived safely.

I am always happy to steer you to letter-writing destinations and resources on the Web. Just let me know what you need.

Sadie Chelsea of thehonestwriter.org breaks down the issue for us here.

One thought: Sadie’s post claims “Multitasking can even impair cognitive ability…” For me, that’s assuming I have any left.

Another thought: There are some mindless tasks that can be accomplished while, say, exerbiking or with the TV on. Granted, it may well erode that cognitive ability discussed above.

A third thought: I’ve run out of cognitive ability for the moment. Time to click ‘publish’.

Otherwise known as a ‘kick in the butt’. ;-|

I ran across this post from vappingo.com (a valuable new find) that’s all about ridding your work of ‘flabby words and expressions’.

Exact Title: 164 PHRASES AND WORDS YOU SHOULD NEVER USE IN AN ESSAY—AND THE POWERFUL ALTERNATIVES YOU SHOULD

I like the ‘powerful alternatives’ part…

A few examples:

— Use ‘will differ’ instead of ‘will be different’.

— Use ’emphasize’ instead of ‘point out’.

–Use ‘Start by’ instead of ‘The first step is to…’

While I don’t write essays, a quick scan of the list awakened me to lazy expressions I’ve used in my posts and letters.

Note: After reviewing the post, I’m now paranoid about every word I’m writing. Probably a good idea to NOT check out this post…

before your first drafts.

There are 17 more pages of Vappingo posts here.

Hey, it works for Jessica Lourey!

I’ve enjoyed seven of her Mira James Mysteries (set in Battle Lake, Minnesota–population 927) books, so I looked up Jessica Lourey on Amazon and voilà!

Some excerpts:

“Every time I finish these emotionally honest books, I free a piece of Little Jessie…” (herself)

“The Pretender will be my twenty-first novel, so you’d think I’d have things figured out by now, and I do when it comes to the mechanics of it. My experience, though, has been that writing’s always hard, and my fears grow to fit the space I give them.”

“So when I say I have something that works despite, know that I’m not just blowing smoke. I’m coming at you from the trenches.Here it is, my miracle cure for don’t-writis: freewalking.”

Here also is Jess’s TedX Rapid City talk: Use Fiction to Rewrite Your Life

Hope you enjoy and learn a little something!

And a little plug for Love for Our Elders.
Tagline: We’re fighting loneliness with love, one letter at a time.

“So when I say I have something that works despite, know that I’m not just blowing smoke. I’m coming at you from the trenches.
Here it is, my miracle cure for don’t-writis: freewalking.”