As it turns out, I didn't dig any post-holes yesterday, which was just fine, being a damned-hot day. I instead did some more landscaping, this time around an in-ground fountain we have on the front patio. I had a small stack of the paver-stones I was using to build the walkway on same patio, so I used them to line the front of the fountain to give it a more interesting look. One of these days, I'll pry one of the cameras my family owns out of the bin and take pictures. But that day isn't today, dear readers.
During the Spring Semester at <a href="http://cochise.edu/">Cochise College</a>, I took English 101. There, I learned how to do a formal outline. For those who aren't sure about what I mean, a formal outline is a method of gathering ideas for a written work, such as the research papers I wrote for the class, and organizing them in a fashion that makes it easy for the author to take the ideas and  put them on the page. The formal outline method helped a lot, especially when I had to put off writing the paper until next-to-the-last-minute. Got an A in the class when all was said and done, so I can't knock it's effectiveness as a writing tool. To those interested in just how to use a formal outline, check out <a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/">OWL at Perdue</a> which has all the tips and tricks for college and above witting.</p>
<p>     That isn't to say I wasn't cursing the formal outline and it's heritage more than once. As useful a tool as it is, I became stuck on setting the outline up as often as not. It seemed to me that more of my time was taken up by writing the outline than performing research and writing the paper combined. Frustrating is probably the kindest word I could think of during those times.
<p>     In retrospect, though, I can understand why it took so long to set up the outline. You have an idea you want to expand upon, but are having a "helluva" time giving it form. I've lost count of the many ideas I had that I couldn't expand upon, mostly due to not knowing how to organize it into something coherent.
Being a technically-oriented person, spontaneous writing comes in slow, rare, spurts. It's not for lack of creativity, (at least I don't think so), but the fact my mind has been working a certain way for quite a long time. Add to the fact that I'm a pretty crappy typer means it takes me awhile to get whatever it was down on paper. I do believe using a formal outline, at least initially, will help me take those spurts of ideas and give it needed framework to expand upon. Who knows, I may finally finish a freaking story one of these days.
So with all the in mind, I'll be using that to set up a short story idea I've been toying around with. I may even post parts of it here for critiques. Don't when I will post them, but I will at least start posting the outlines as I write them.
Until then,
Josh (Sweeper) Brumley
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Entry #2 or "Outlines and the Writers that Love/Hate Them"
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Entry #1 or "Write, damn you, write!"
Hey all, my name's Josh Brumley, sometimes known as Sweeper in several places around the web and this is my Blog. It is interesting to note that this will be my 3rd, (and hopefully best), attempt at writing a blog. Life according to Jake may or may not still be out there and I'm not too inclined to go looking for it. I did an unbelievable amount of complaining on the blog. I also have a blog on the Hero Games discussion board, but I rarely use that these days. I may go back and start updating it again, so I may begin to link it here and vice versa.
I am currently living with family here in Willcox, AZ. Had to move in with them as I could find any good paying work. Unemployment for a year did a job on me, stress-wise. Make no mistake, unemployment sucked big time. Not enough to even pay the rent on time,causing late fee after late fee, further putting me in the red. Something had to be done. So I broke my lease and moved in with family to get out of that hole.
I am now a full time college student who finished up a mostly successful Spring Semester and am doing summer courses right now. I have an income courtesy of the Montgomery GI Bill and the Fantastic Pell Grants have been paying for tuition and books. So I have a positive cash flow for the first time in a long while. I pay the rent by helping around the house with cleaning and construction. Life is alright.
Wont say all of my problems were taken care of. Oh hell no. There are a lot of things that need doing around the house as it's going to be put up for sale soon. So my days have been long and exhausting. Yesterday, I came close to finishing up a stone walkway I designed and layed-out. Today, I expect to be repairing some fence posts that have been damaged by high winds. A lot of hot-sweaty-work to look forward to.
Now that I've briefly reviewed my recent life, I suppose I should get to the biggest reason why I started this blog. I listen to a podcast called I Should Be Writing by Mur Lafferty. She's a fiction author who shares her experiences through the podcast and one of the suggestions she gives for getting in the habit of writing is to start and regularly maintain a blog. I've always wanted to write, for fun if nothing else, so this is my attempt at it.
I'm not going to say I'm a good writer, heck I'm really not a good typist, but I do want to get into the habit of it. I may need a swift kick in the ass from time to time, so if I am blessed with folks who actually read my posts, I hope they'll give me that swift kick when it's needed.
Well, I've spent enough time with said ass sitting in front of the computer, I have post-holes to dig.
Until next time,
Josh (Sweeper) Brumley
I am currently living with family here in Willcox, AZ. Had to move in with them as I could find any good paying work. Unemployment for a year did a job on me, stress-wise. Make no mistake, unemployment sucked big time. Not enough to even pay the rent on time,causing late fee after late fee, further putting me in the red. Something had to be done. So I broke my lease and moved in with family to get out of that hole.
I am now a full time college student who finished up a mostly successful Spring Semester and am doing summer courses right now. I have an income courtesy of the Montgomery GI Bill and the Fantastic Pell Grants have been paying for tuition and books. So I have a positive cash flow for the first time in a long while. I pay the rent by helping around the house with cleaning and construction. Life is alright.
Wont say all of my problems were taken care of. Oh hell no. There are a lot of things that need doing around the house as it's going to be put up for sale soon. So my days have been long and exhausting. Yesterday, I came close to finishing up a stone walkway I designed and layed-out. Today, I expect to be repairing some fence posts that have been damaged by high winds. A lot of hot-sweaty-work to look forward to.
Now that I've briefly reviewed my recent life, I suppose I should get to the biggest reason why I started this blog. I listen to a podcast called I Should Be Writing by Mur Lafferty. She's a fiction author who shares her experiences through the podcast and one of the suggestions she gives for getting in the habit of writing is to start and regularly maintain a blog. I've always wanted to write, for fun if nothing else, so this is my attempt at it.
I'm not going to say I'm a good writer, heck I'm really not a good typist, but I do want to get into the habit of it. I may need a swift kick in the ass from time to time, so if I am blessed with folks who actually read my posts, I hope they'll give me that swift kick when it's needed.
Well, I've spent enough time with said ass sitting in front of the computer, I have post-holes to dig.
Until next time,
Josh (Sweeper) Brumley
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