After the frantic word count goal of November, for those of us who participated in National Novel Writing Month, December is a strangely quiet month. No longer are we racing home after work to write those elusive 1667 words for the day's total, and hoping to exceed...
Exacerbate - definition : 1. to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of something (e.g. a disease, ill feeling, etc.) : aggravate; 2. to embitter the feelings of person; irritate; exasperate Hands up who feels this during National Novel Writing Month towards...
Flagitious - definition: 1. shamefully wicked, as persons, actions, or times; 2. heinous or flagrant, as a crime For those of us embarking on the great National Novel Writing Month, we are going to be shamefully wicked towards our nearest and dearest for thirty days....
Quandary - definition: a state of confusion, perplexity, or uncertainty, especially as to what to do : dilemma Many of us are in a quandary over whether to participate in National Novel Writing Month this year or not. It may be a first dip into these frantic 30 days...
Vigilant - definition: watchful to detect danger; awake and alert Have you noticed that your mind fills in 'missing' words or 'skips' extra words when you are editing? What is this phenomenon called? Alas, even though I searched quite extensively, I could not find...
Importune - definition: to plead or beg persistently When we submit our work, whether to a publishing house or a magazine, our natural instinct is to silently plead that it is accepted. We make bargains that if we are successful we will do x,y, or z. Then we wait; the...
Puny - definition: slight or inferior in power, size, or importance : weak As writers we all have our literary heroes. These people inspire but also intimidate us. Why? Because we feel puny compared to their expertise, their skill at the craft of writing and in the...
My desk diary's word for today is Warble - definition: to express or sing with trills. It got me thinking on how, as writers, we celebrate our accomplishments. I'm not just talking about getting a novel published here but the smaller victories such as defining a...
Photo by kawwsu29 taken in Martin & Osa Johnson Safari Museum I hereby confirm my participation in the National Novel Writing Competition 2012 Buddies welcome - MandyB, Edmonton Come & join in the fun...! Words linking the world for a whole month.