HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Crawford_Kilian@mindlink.bc.ca (Crawford Kilian)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Work in Progress:Research
Date: 23 Aug 92 06:27:29 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

Redmagic is beginning to develop. I've now a small vocabulary of Gaelic words
that will supply me with place names, character names, and general ideas. A
smaller array of Nahuatl words for my pseudo-Aztec villains, but it's a start.
I plan to use the bloodthirsty Aztec gods and priests, contrasting their
physical beauty and intelligence with the horror they create.

The research is always fun...even a couple of hours in the reference room of a
smallish suburban library can give you countless ideas for deepening and
broadening your story. Some of it is serendipitous, stumbling across stuff you
didn't expect to find. In other cases you know exactly what you want--the word
for witch, say--and there you are with bana-bhuidseach or briosag. Some terms
will stay the same, but I like to assume sound shifts have moved the
characters' language in some direction or other.

Meanwhile the proposal for Redmagic and a third novel, Blackmagic, is in draft
form; by bringing in the third volume, I'm forcing myself to think beyond the
immediate project to its culmination. I know it will involve my hero's moving
among the worlds and confronting Mekhdeivush (proto-Indo-European for Great
God). But that's as far as I've gone...meaning another letter to myself will be
needed before I can complete the letter to my editor.
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: swkmorri@nuscc.nus.sg (Perry Morrison (Dr))
Subject: Re: "Wow, You're a Writer!"
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 02:52:31 GMT

jim@thinkage.on.ca (James Alan Gardner) writes:
: 
: There's also the tendency for many people to believe they too
: could be writers if they only sat down and did it.  They have
: "great ideas".  Some of them even offer to give you their ideas
: and all you have to do is write them up.  (Wow, such a deal.)

Even worse, I've encountered an attitude amongst publishers and
editors that runs: "Anyone can write--it's just that most of us
choose not to..."

With this kind of "respect", lousy pay, self-doubt, the trauma of
producing-on-time, isolation etc. they may be right. Or maybe it's
simply that "MORE people could write for a 'living' (than currently do)
---it's just that most of them are FORCED not to..."

perry morrison
From: jim@thinkage.on.ca (James Alan Gardner)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Charactor Titles
Date: 17 Aug 92 17:25:49 GMT
Organization: Thinkage Ltd.

In article <1992Aug14.150921.26090@nocusuhs.nnmc.navy.mil> perez@mgr.hjf.org (Charles Perez) writes:
>As a non-catholic, I would not address the Pope as "your holiness".
>I don't think he's holy. Similarly, calling a king "your majesty"
>would imply that I was one of his subjects, which would be
>unconstitutional given my citizenship.

President Bush explicitly referred to Queen Elizabeth II of
England as Her Majesty.  It's a term of respect for the office,
not an oath of devotion.  Choosing not to use the term is choosing
a deliberate insult to the office and the holder thereof.  If
that's not your intent, don't do it.

And by the way, I know a number of people with joint Canadian-
American citizenship.  Since Canadians are still nominally
British subjects, there can't be any inherent U.S. constitutional
conflict between being a U.S. citizen and being a subject of the
Queen.

		Jim Gardner, Thinkage Ltd.
From: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Quote or simile for "success?"
Date: 12 Aug 92 23:43:20 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory - Berkeley, CA, USA
Reply-To: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.254.198
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   

Two of the best bits of advice I've ever gotten (and passed along):

* Consider throwing away your first paragraph -- you've usually
  put a much stronger lede in the second.

* Write a snappy conclusion if it comes naturally, but if it doesn't,
  just write "30" after the last paragraph of the main body and hand
  it in.

In many cases those bits of advice for writing can be adapted to speeches.
There's an equally pithy and valuable bit of advice to speakers that can
also be adapted by writers: "Be forthright; be brief; be seated."

Knock 'em dead,
--Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: earp@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James K Earp)
Subject: Re: writing insecurities
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 22:33:10 GMT

In article <92225.154641U52892@uicvm.uic.edu> <U52892@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>Have you ever felt like this?
>
>
>Yesterday, I submitted an article to my boss. She told me the
>article was good but needed revisions. At that point, I started
>to have self-doubts on whether I am just not a good writer. I know
>I'm a good reporter but not a good writer. My articles are often
>well-researched and substantial but structure is weak and awkward.
>How will I become a good writer?
>
>
>Sheila

As trite as it may sound, Sheila, the best way to become a good writer
is to write.  Write anything and everything, all you can, and invite
criticism.  It takes courage, but it works.  I've written fiction for
twenty years, but I never liked any of it enough to submit to a pub-
lisher.  Then I started letting friends and relatives (whose intelli-
gence and opinions I respected) read my stuff.  They made many valid
points.  After a little practice and their help I am now very proud 
of my work and will be submitting a novel to a publisher for the first
time this month!  I will continue to get feedback from any source I 
can, because I'm satisfied of its value.  

My advice: Take your boss's advice, learn from her experience, soak it
up like a sponge.  If you got the job (and keep it) your work is good.
Use that as a strong foundation, add the advice and experience you can
get from your boss and others around you, and you will very likely end
up as a respected and very able writer.  Good luck to you.  I think 
you're on the right track.


Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: aardvark@dragon (Pam Williams)
Subject: Re: "Wow! You're a writer?"
Organization: University of Lowell Computer Science, Lowell MA
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:52:37 GMT

I know what you mean. I've had to gradually become used to the fact that
no one is going to drag one of my wonderfully written painstakingly researched
Reference Manuals home with them to read under the covers at night and that 
about the only fame and notice i'm ever gonna get is from STC (if I ever join
or submit things to their competitions). I must say that I've never had
anyone blame me for another tech writer's bad documentation. I usually end up
commiserating with people about the STILL generally-low quality of end-user
documentation that major sw/hw companies not only put up with but encourage by
paying these people for their efforts.

At least when I submit articles or reviews to small and very obscure magazines
I've gotten some positive feedback from the editors and readers. Plus I get to experience that nice warm glow inside when I see my work in print. During a short stint as an editor of a small study group newsletter I actually got praised
for my writing and layout work from one of my colleagues who is a tech writer.
Now THAT'S high praise!

*** Just a few thoughts from P.S. Williams: a person who is limping along with a keyboard with a broken comma key and a text editor without a word wrap feature.
-- 
Pamela S. Williams                         85 Gershom Ave. #3
a.k.a. Wonder Aardvark                     Lowell, Ma 01854
aardvark@dragon.cpe.ulowell.edu            (508)453-1753
WWIVNet: St. Zolfo the Redeemed for Valuable Cash Prizes (64@5806)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: bf455@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bonita Kale)
Subject: Re: National Writers Union
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 10:40:04 GMT




In a previous article, suzanne@mailhub.scf.lmsc.lockheed.com (Suzanne Barrett) says:

>In article <mtan-180892140046@maureen.cen.uiuc.edu> mtan@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Maureen Tan) writes:
>
>>I just received another solicitation from the National Writers
>>Union. From their literature, they seem a bit militant--are horror
>>stories the way *all* unions encourage membership?-- and
>>dues seem steep.


>  I also received a packet from NWU at the suggestion of a friend.  Since 
>it is a union, affiliated with the UAW, I question if this might not be 
>waving a red flag at prospective editors/publishers.  I as much as anyone 
>would like to see advances and royalties fall within equitable boundaries (
>i.e. provide the writer with an above-poverty-level lifestyle), and I'd 
>also like the benefit of insurance coverage when I quit my "real" job <VBG>,
> but this scares me.
>  I enjoy my membership in RWA and find the benefits more than 
>offset the annual dues ($45.)  Their magazine is quite good, and 
>improving with each issue.



Well, I too am leery of unions, but only because they seem to screw their
members whenever possible.  I'm now in a situation where I have to pay
what's called a "fair share" of union dues, whether or not I belong.  Let
me tell you, this does not make me feel friendly towards unions in general. 

BUT, it does not seem to me a proper part of a citizen of the US to refrain
from joining any group lest someone should find out and blackball him/her.


Bonita Kale

Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: saslpo@stevens.unx.sas.com (Len Olszewski)
Subject: Re: "Wow! You're a writer?"
Originator: saslpo@stevens.unx.sas.com
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 14:28:09 GMT
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.


In article <s0067284.713623707@ursa>, s0067284@ursa.calvin.edu (Jeffrey Veen) writes:
|> casey@well.sf.ca.us (Kathleen Creighton) writes:
|>
|> >  The rewards are rarely
|> >financial.  This doesn't bother me particularly, though, since I have no
|> >desire to support myself full-time with my writing, at which point it would
|> >just become a "hustle" for me.
|> >--
|> >Kathleen Creighton
|>
|> What exactly doe you mean by "hustle?"  Are you implying that the only writing
|> worth bothering with is that done mearly for pleasure?  Is writing for money
|> therefore become "evil" because your motives are commercial?
|>
|> Jeff
|> s0067284@calvin.edu
|>

Gee, I hope not. Speaking as someone who writes *primarily* for the 
money, I would feel hurt if people thought what I did was evil. It's 
not, but sometimes my syntax gets out of hand a little. 8*) 

On the other hand, when I tell people I'm a writer, and elaborate by 
explaining that I write manuals for computer software, nobody ever tells 
me they liked what I've written. In fact, very few people have ever read 
what I've written, and they still get mad at *me* for bad computer 
manuals that OTHER people have written. Many of them begin to berate me, 
though I never let that go very far before responding in my own defense.

Any other technical writers out there suffer through THAT scenario 
before?
<-------------------------------^------------------------------------->
|  Len Olszewski                |  "Just because some of us can read  |
|  Technical Writer             |   and write and do a little math,   |
|  saslpo@unx.sas.com           |   that doesn't mean we deserve to   |
| "Have cursor, will curse."    |   conquer the universe."            |
|                               |    - Kurt Vonnegut                  |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Opinions this ludicrous are mine. Reasonable opinions will cost you.|
<-------------------------------v------------------------------------->
From: Crawford_Kilian@mindlink.bc.ca (Crawford Kilian)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Work in progress
Date: 18 Aug 92 23:49:16 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

About a week ago, my editor at Del Rey told me they had turned down a proposal
I'd sent them for a science-fiction novel, but they would be interest in a
possible sequel to my last novel, a fantasy called Greenmagic.

Various vague thoughts about a sequel had been floating through my head for
some time, but this unwelcome news certainly focused my ideas. So I began to
consider not just a sequel, but a trilogy. The second volume, I decided, should
be Redmagic; Blackmagic would be the final segment of the tale.

When I find myself in this early stage of the novel-writing process, the first
thing I do is write myself a letter. I find that forcing myself to deal with
the story in coherent, grammatical sentences and paragraphs does wonders for
clarifying the components that ought to go into it.

I won't tire you with the details, but I know the story begins on the shortest
day of the year, with a mother and her daughter launching the husband-father's
bones on a "Candleboat" onto the waters of a large bay--just as a contingent of
very nasty magician-warriors arrive to slaughter the bay people. I know (now
that I've written my first letter) that the daughter escapes and in the process
reveals herself as a very powerful but untutored witch. Both the invaders and
my hero (a very accomplished magician who's in the neighborhood) are
immediately aware of this, and much of the story will involve competing demands
on this girl's talents.

In the process of clarifying the details, I've taught myself a great deal about
the culture of the witch (semi-Irish) and the invaders (semi-Aztec); I also
understand what the "redmagic" of the invaders is about--and it's highly
unpleasant indeed.

These letters to myself have continued to reveal more about the story, and I
expect within a week or so to have enough to send a query letter to Del Rey,
setting out the plotline of Redmagic and at least a rough idea of the issues
that Blackmagic will resolve. This kind of self-editing has enabled me,
dwelling as I do in the B.C. rainforests, to produce ten novels since the
mid-1970s.

I don't want to trot out the storyline, but I will be happy to deal with any
questions people may have about the early stages of novel development.
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: nilesd@foxx.ucr.edu (niles rowland)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Quote or simile for "success?"
Summary: VP Dan Quayle says...
Date: 13 Aug 92 20:32:50 GMT
Organization: University of California, Riverside

In article <1992Aug12.202613.4251@igor.tamri.com> viviana@igor.tamri.com (Vivian Aldridge) writes:
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>I'm having trouble writing the closing remarks to a speech
>I'm giving at work next Thursday. I'd like this speech to
>end with a bang, but somehow it falls short.
>
[...]
>
>I need a quote or maybe a simile. I haven't found one that
>fits however. Can you help?
>
I don't know if this'll fit but I like the quote.

"If we do not succeed, than we run the risk of failure."
		-- Vice President Dan Quayle to the Pheonix
		   Republican Forum, March 1990

Hope that helps...

niles
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: HAITI: FILM ON PBS SEPT. 29
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 23:02:01 GMT

/** reg.carib: 312.0 **/
** Topic: HAITI: FILM ON PBS SEPT 29 **
** Written  3:55 pm  Aug 16, 1992 by worth in cdp:reg.carib **
HAITI: FILM ON PBS SEPT. 29

The film "Haiti: Killing the Dream" has been officially accepted by PBS to air
at 9:00 pm on September 29, to the hour the anniversary of the coup's
beginning.  IMPORTANT: Call your local PBS programming department to make
sure they've signed on to air the film.  If not, calls from local consumers,
advocacy and church groups, etc. may encourage them to pick up the film.  If
it's already on the program, ask their community outreach person about 
coordinating publicity for the film through your local Haiti groups.

The film, which premiered in New York in March, was produced by Jonathan Demme,
Rudi Stern, et al and is well worth watching.
** End of text from cdp:reg.carib **

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: "Earning Interest on Your Principles": WORKING ASSETS (autopost)
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 08:30:04 GMT

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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: ACTIVISTS SENTENCED FOR TIMOR PROTEST
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 08:23:08 GMT

The ACTivist July/August 92

The ACTivist is published monthly (one issue during July and August)
by the ACT for Disarmament Coalition, 736 Bathurst St., Toronto, 
Ontario, Canada, M5S 2R4, phone 416-531-6154, fax 416-531-5850,
e-mail web:act.

Reprint freely, but please credit us (and send us a copy!)

/** gen.newsletter: 121.2 **/
** Written 11:14 pm  Aug 11, 1992 by web:act in cdp:gen.newsletter **
ACTIVISTS SENTENCED FOR TIMOR PROTEST

Two Toronto women were found guilty of mischief on July31, for 
throwing blood on the Indonesian Consulate last February. The two 
threw the blood as part of a protest against continuing atrocities 
committed by the Indonesian army in East Timor.

Sixty-five year old peace activist Joanne Young was sentenced to 
three days in jail after she refused to pay a $400 fine imposed by 
the court. Maggie Helwig was sentenced to one year's probation 
and 100 hours of community service. 

Though admitting that the situation in East Timor is "a legitimate 
cause for concern," and that the blood was thrown "to express 
feeling of revulsion" after the Santa Cruz massacre, Judge H. Foster
 nevertheless felt that it was necessary to deter protestors from 
"going too far" in their efforts to raise public awareness and prompt 
the Canadian government to take action.

"As a Christian, I believe it is incumbent on me to bear witness 
to the killings in East Timor," Ms Helwig told the court, adding "I 
am willing to abide by the sentence of the court -- I realize that if I 
was Timorese, I would probably be dead by now."

"When I look at the crimes that go on every day, I believe that 
perhaps the authorities have got the wrong people this time," Ms 
Young said. 

The demonstration at the Indonesian consulate on University 
Avenue last February 24 was held during the visit of Indonesian 
Foreign Minister Ali Alatas to Canada. Protesters erected a wooden 
cross in front of the building, laid flowers in front of it, and 
distributed information about Indonesia's brutal occupation of East 
Timor. Young and Helwig then threw the blood on the doors of the 
building as a symbol of the blood that has been shed in East Timor 
since Indonesia annexed the country. 

The damage to the building was described as "minor and 
transitory."

"The real criminals here are not the people who threw their 
own blood on the Indonesian consulate, but the governments of 
Indonesia and Canada," said David Webster of the East Timor Alert 
Network's Toronto local group. "The Indonesian government is 
responsible for the deaths of thousands, and the Canadian government 
has helped to give them the money and weapons that has made the 
East Timor tragedy possible."



** End of text from cdp:gen.newsletter **

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive