A Step in the Write Direction--April 27, 2015--Trademarks

A Step in the Write Direction

April 27, 2015

Update: What  do you answer when someone asks, “How are you doing?” after the passing of a spouse? I can say, “Fine, right now.” But then 10 minutes later I find myself in tears when: doing a laundry with no men’s clothes, seeing only 1 toothbrush in the holder, 1 pillowcase to wash, seeing his handwriting on a piece of paper, taking his name off legal documents, and—the hardest—the first time you have to check the “widow” box on a questionnaire. Also, when seeing people who haven’t heard the news and they ask you, “How’s your hubby?” …My friend Karen O'Connor (whose husband passed away a day before Gary) shared this verse with me: "No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever" (Psalms 16:9-11 nlt). Thanks, Karen! That’s a great promise!

Thought for Today: “I'm a dreamer and continue to dream of what can and will be. Expecting great things from God, Attempting great things for God” (William Carey, from Biography of William Carey).

Song for Today:

I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own

Through it all, through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.

            (“Through It All,” Andrae Crouch)

Laugh for Today: The rural reverend decided to try raising chickens. Each morning he would go out to see if the eggs he bought had hatched. Finally one morning there they all were: dozens of little fluffy chicks. “Ah,” he murmured thankfully. “My coop runneth over” (pennydell puzzles.com, Crostics, volume 176, Crostic 53).

Writers Tips:                          Part 1: Trademarks A–L

Following are some common words that are trademarks and should be capitalized. A complete list may be found at http://www.inta.org/tmcklst1.htm. Print out this list or bookmark it for handy reference, and check it whenever you have a question about a product. (Imagine how impressed your editor will be when he or she looks it up and discovers you are right!)

Ace elastic bandages

AstroTurf synthetic turf

Atari video games and computers

Baggies plastic bags

Band-Aid adhesive bandages

Beanie Babies plush toys

Big Gulp soft drinks

Big Wheel toy vehicles

Books In Print bibliographic reference work series

Books on Tape pre-recorded audio cassette tapes

BOTOX injections

Breathalyzer alcoholic content measuring apparatus

Bundt baking pans

Cabbage Patch Kids dolls

Candy Land board game

Caterpillar farm machinery

Chap Stick lip balm

Claymation animated motion picture services

Clearasil acne medication

Cliff Notes study guides

Coca-Cola soft drinks

Coke soft drinks

Cracker Jack candied popcorn (note: singular Jack)

Crock-Pot electric cooking appliance

C-SPAN entertainment services

Dacron polyester fiber

Day-Glo inks, paints, pencils

Day-Timer time planner

DeskJet printers

Dictaphone voice processing product

DieHard batteries

Dr Pepper soft drinks (no period after Dr)

Dumpster trash containers

Dunkin’ Donuts doughnuts, restaurants

Du Pont chemicals, fibers

Duracell batteries

Dustbuster portable vacuums

Easy-Bake toy oven

Etch A Sketch toy drawing screen

Eveready batteries

Federal Express (also FedEx) delivery services

Fiberglas yarns, fibers, insulation

Formica laminated plastic

Frigidaire appliances

Frisbee flying discs

Frito-Lay snacks (also Frito-Lay’s, Frito Lay)

Game Boy computer video game

Game of Life board game

GLAD plastic wrap

Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval certification

Grand Ole Opry country music program

Häagen-Dazs ice cream

Handi Wipes towelettes

Handy-Wrap plastic film

Happy Meal dinners

Harley-Davidson motorcycles (also Harley)

Heimlich Maneuver anti-choking technique

Hewlett-Packard computer programs

Hide-A-Bed sofa beds

Hula-Hoop plastic hoops

Humvee trucks

Igloo insulated water coolers

IKEA furniture

IMAX motion picture theaters

Instamatic cameras (must be used with Kodak; otherwise, it’s an instant-load camera)

Isotoner gloves

Jack in the Box fast food restaurant

Jacuzzi therapeutic whirlpool baths

Jaws of Life rescue tools

Jazzercise dance exercise services

Jeep all-terrain vehicle

Jell-O gelatin, pudding

Jet Ski personal watercraft

Kay-Bee toy stores

Kids “R” Us children’s clothing stores

Kitty Litter cat box filler

Kmart retail stores

Kool-Aid powdered drink mixes

Krazy Glue adhesives

Krispy Kreme doughnuts

LaserJet printers

Laundromat self-service laundries

La-Z-Boy recliners

LEGO plastic construction toys

Levi’s sportswear, jeans

LifeSavers (also Life Savers), candy

Liquid Paper correction fluid

(M-Z next week)

 Have a good week spreading the

gospel through the printed page.

Donna Clark Goodrich

dgood648@aol.com

www.thewritersfriend.net

http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com

·          100-Plus Motivational Moments for Writers and Speakers – half-price $5, $2.69 s&h (This is free if you purchase 5 other books.)

·          A Step in the Write Direction—the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers (with assignments throughout coming soon); original copies now on sale for half-price--$12.50, $3.17 s&h)

·          The Freedom of Letting Go (with discussion questions coming soon; can be used in S.S. class or small group); original copies without questions on sale for half-price--$7.50, $2.69 s&h)

·          Healing in God’s Time (story of Dave Clark, composer of 25 songs that have gone to #1 on the charts); was $15; now $10, $2.69 s&h)

·          The Little Book of Big Laughs—105 purse/pocket-size book of clean jokes--$5; up to 4 for same s&h—$2.69

·          Preparing Your Heart for Christmas (31 Advent Devotions) half-price—$5

·          Michigan and Ohio Cookbooks; half-price $5 each, plus s&h (depending on number ordered)

A Step in the Write Direction--April 20, 2015--Descriptive Writing

A Step in the Write Direction

April 20, 2015

Update: Good thought I read recently on www.sermons@clergy.net. “Bring together a group of five-year-olds and ask how many of them sing. Every hand will go up. Bring the same group together when they're twelve, and ask how many of them sing. One hand will go up, the young "professional" singer and performer. What happens between five years of age and twelve that our children lose their song, the one-of-a-kind, unrepeatable, irreplaceable song God made them to be?...” Our pastor said one Sunday, “I’ve buried a lot of people with the song still in them.” What song, story, article, poem, book has God called you to write? Are you doing it?

Thought for Today: “It seems to me shallow and arrogant for any man in these times to claim he is completely self-made, that he owes all his success to his own unaided efforts. Many hands and hearts and minds generally contribute to anyone’s notable achievements” (Crostics, Volume 175, Crostic 4).

Song for Today

Give of your best to the Master;

Give Him first place in your heart;

Give Him first place in your service;

Consecrate ev’ry part.

            Howard B. Grose, “Give of Your Best to the Master”

Laugh for Today: The embarrassed hostess said to her company, "I'm sorry, I thought I told you to come over after dinner.  "You did," the guests replied.  "And that's what we came after."

Writer’s Tips:             More Samples of Descriptive Writing

*          p. 14, “Mick felt like a water pitcher that had been drained of the last drop.”

*          p. 99, “But somehow love had sneaked in the back door and locked itself around her.”

*          p. 142, “Taylor was a man who had locked his heart away in a treasure chest and buried it deep in the garden of his soul—so deep that no woman alive could ever touch it.”

*          p. 284, “A joyous sob spilled from her inner being like the fragrance of a rosebud that has awakened from a dark night to erupt into full bloom with the splendid dawn of liberty.”

            (The Awakening by Debra White Smith, Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2000.)

Instead of “Sally was so sad and depressed”:

 “Suddenly she realized the sound in the room was her own sobbing. She felt tears on her cheeks. She raised a hand and it trembled before her eyes. I could end it all, she thought without warning.” (Jack M. Bickham, “Getting Started in Writing,” p. 47, under subheading “Revealing Characters).

The Bible

“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:8-13).

 Have a good week spreading the

gospel through the printed page.

Donna Clark Goodrich

dgood648@aol.com

www.thewritersfriend.net

http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com

·          100-Plus Motivational Moments for Writers and Speakers – half-price $5, $2.69 s&h (This is free if you purchase 5 other books.)

·          Anthologies: only have Celebrating Christmas with…Memories, Poetry, and Good Food  left. On sale for $10, $3.17 s&h)

·           A Step in the Write Direction—the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers (with assignments throughout); original copies now on sale for half-price--$12.50, $3.17 s&h)

·          The Freedom of Letting Go (with discussion questions; can be used in S.S. class or small group); original copies without questions now on sale for half-price--$7.50, $2.69 s&h)

·          Healing in God’s Time (story of Dave Clark, composer of 25 songs that have gone to #1 on the charts); was $15; now $10, $2.69 s&h)

·          The Little Book of Big Laughs--105 purse/pocket-size book of clean jokes--$5; up to 4 for same s&h—$2.69

·          Preparing Your Heart for Christmas (31 Advent Devotions) half-price—$5

·          Michigan and Ohio Cookbooks; half-price $5 each, plus s&h (depending on number ordered)

A Step in the Write Direction--April 13, 2015--Show, Don't Tell, and Peace in the Storm

A Step in the Write Direction

April 13, 2015

Update: Although it may sound like a paradox, I’ve found one way to combat grief is thankfulness. This week I’ve thanked God for giving me a husband I miss, rather than one I’m glad to have gone. I’m thankful for 54 wonderful years together and all the memories. I’m thankful that he is now free from the pain he suffered for so many years with 12 major health problems—and seldom complained. I’m thankful for three wonderful children, a great son-in-law, two precious granddaughters, and other family members who have supported both of us all these years. I’m thankful for Tuesday’s Children, my weekly critique group, who have watched Gary bounce back time and time again when the doctors didn’t think he would make it and who, many times, have sent cards, flowers, and “care” packages. I’m thankful for those I’ve never met but still count as friends—through Facebook and this blog. And I’m especially thankful—and almost amazed, although I shouldn’t be—at the peace God has given me this last month.

Thought for the Day: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 tlb).

Song for the Day:

Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight

Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;

In celestial strains it unceasingly falls

O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

Peace, peace, wonderful peace,

Coming down from the Father above!Sweep over my spirit forever, I prayIn fathomless billows of love!

            Warren D. Cornell, “Wonderful Peace”

Laugh for the Day:

Wife:  "There's trouble with the car. It has water in the carburetor." Husband:  "Water in the carburetor? That's ridiculous." Wife:  "I tell you the car has water in the carburetor." Husband:  "You don't even know what a carburetor is. I'll check it out. Where's the car?" Wife:  "In the pool."        (Gospel Greats newsletter, March 24, 2015)

Writer’s Tips:                       Last of “Show, Don’t Tell”

Don’t Overuse Adjectives

Pick out the strongest.  Instead of "a pleasant and friendly sounding voice", "pleasant" is enough. Instead of “A small jar,” use “A two-ounce jar.” Instead of “a short, nine-inch board” use “a board the size of Timmy’s arm.”

Remember, An adjective is an opinion, while a verb is a fact.

Okay:   "A big, ferocious, mean dog was in the yard."

Better:            "A hungry-looking dog lunged at me and ripped my pant leg to shreds."  (Robert J. Hastings, How I Write. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1973.)

Samples of Descriptive Writing

The Heart Remembers, June Masters Bacher, Harvest House.

            "She had made a soft landing into the real world of today."

            "My mouth's so dry I could spit enough cotton to knit a sweater."

            "It's a ten-hanky crying jag."

            "One eye that, like his tie, always drifted to the left."

            "We're all different.  Did you think God made a paper-doll pattern from Adam and Eve?"

Because of Love, Susan Talbot (unpublished manuscript)

            "If spirituality could be inherited, I'd been born in full Ephesian armor.  My family tree blossoms with Moody graduates and missionaries."

            "Love posts a 'No Trespassing' sign for tragedy and grief, doesn't it?"

            "The anesthesiologist strapped an oxygen mask over my face.  'Good-bye, Baby,' I whispered.  'Say "Hi" to Jesus for me.'"

            "Maybe there is no God.  Yes, that's it.  I played the odds and lost, simple as that."

            "My faith teetered precariously on the pinpoint of pain."

            "An abortion would result in a lifetime of pain.  An abortion would say God had made a mistake."

            "Seven doctors, two nurses and a photographer tensed around the operating table.  Taunt faces, moist palms, shallow breaths.  Professional veneers stripped bare by the intrusion into the unknown."

 Have a good week spreading the

gospel through the printed page.

Donna Clark Goodrich

dgood648@aol.com

www.thewritersfriend.net

http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com

·          100-Plus Motivational Moments for Writers and Speakers – half-price $5, $2.69 s&h (This is free if you purchase 5 other books.)

·          Anthologies: only have Celebrating Christmas with…Memories, Poetry, and Good Food  left. On sale for $10, $3.17 s&h

·          A Step in the Write Direction—the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers (with assignments throughout); original copies now on sale for half-price--$12.50, $3.17 s&h)