Jim's Jottings

Business Branding.

2012-01-21T19:54:00.000-08:00

So You’re Thinking of Starting a Business

Let me get this straight. I’m not going to discourage you in the least. I strongly believe that new small businesses are what are going to save our economy. What I am going to do is encourage you to slow down, think it through, and make some wise decisions. Most small business failures occur before they even open the doors. Poor planning, or worse, no planning can cause a premature demise of your new baby. Here are some key points:

Start with a business plan. Utilize the SBA, SCORE or your local not for profit small business development center and pick their brains. They can be a wealth of information and usually it’s free. Here locally in Johnson County we have the Kansas Small Business Development Center. The service is free. Let them help you develop a sound business plan.

Make sure you’re plan includes branding. You need to think of branding right up front. How do you want the public, you’re potential customers, to see you. As a small business owner you are your brand. You are whom the customer will rely on for a good experience with your company. Branding is not just a well-designed logo, signs, or stationery. It’s how you perform customer service, how you train your staff, even how clean you keep the place. Think McDonald’s. They have branding down pat. When you put branding at the top of the list and make it a priority you also need to figure it in to the budget. Your brand must be in place before you even open the doors. Without it you will have no direction on how you plan on marketing your new enterprise.

Have a marketing plan. A marketing plan will be well thought out. You will know who your target market is, who your customer is. By knowing the nuts and bolts of whom you want as a customer you will then begin to know how to get you message to them. Do they read newspapers, watch TV, or sit in front of a computer a lot? Do they like informational advertising or humorous? These and many questions must be answered before you buy your first ad or place a commercial on TV. Long before you open your doors this homework must be well on its way to completion and the HOW of you marketing must be in place.

Make sure you are funded. Every new businessman thinks he can start a business on a shoestring. Truth is you don’t need millions but having enough money to keep the doors open until your profitable is a goal you should shoot for. Will it take 6 months, 12 months, or 2 years to become profitable? If so you will need operating expenses to get you through. Otherwise you may be tempted to not spend money on your brand and marketing. Without these you won’t last long.

Remember this one thing: Branding and Marketing aren’t expenses but investments. By investing in them you ensure your success over the long haul.

Michael Irvin.

Call of the Outback.

2012-01-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

Found on the Internet.

THE CALL OF THE OUTBACK

I wonder what it really is that draws me back each day,

is it the outback calling, urging me to head this way?

What looks like miles of nothingness may greet the untrained eye,

but somehow gets into your blood; it’s hard to reason why.

I leave it for a while at times, but never for too long,

for loneliness soon touches me, despite the city throng.

The bush has compensations bringing peacefulness of mind;

the country folk you meet there; fellow nomads of my kind.

And I can see such beauty where some others may see none,

and love the sound of silence, like old timers must have done.

So when I take a trip away, I know it’s not for long,

I’m fed up very quickly with the nightlife drink and song.

I live the life I want to live, not ruled by clock or phone,

the sun’s my only timepiece and the choice is mine alone.

There’s time to listen to the birds and view the scene at hand,

to pause and breathe the fresh air as it drifts across the land.

I pick a place to camp and stay a month or just a day,

depends on how I’m feeling, but I do it my own way.

I’ve tried to fit into the life that most Australians live,

down in the noisy cities; gave the best that I could give.

But soon was suffocating in a sea of stressed mankind,

trapped in a concrete forest where my life was too confined.

There’s hustle and there’s rushing with the constant tramp of feet,

and I was out there with them as they pound a city street.

My heart was never in it and my mind was miles away,

I missed the open spaces; grew more restless by the day.

I knew I had to leave that life, it wasn’t meant for me,

and urgings grew much stronger as the time approached to flee.

The wilderness was calling, quietly whispering to me,

and nights were full of distant dreams, of where I ought to be.

I felt a sense of freedom as I left that life behind,

my spirits were soon soaring; I again had peace of mind.

I took up where I left off in the gold fields of the west,

prospecting for a living; It’s the life that I love best.

You see the changing country as you’re always on the move,

you choose a road to follow, and there’s nothing more to prove.

I still go to the city for a visit once a year,

and I can see the reason why my heart belongs out here.

And people from the city feel the same about their town,

they hate the isolation of the outback dry and brown.

With numbers slowly dwindling, the future looks quite bleak,

my way of life is fading, disappearing as I speak.

***

“ Bloody beaut aint it.”

Rimeriter.

Sense in Selling.

2012-01-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

G'day, perhaps writers will find this interesting.

During my working life I was involved with industrial sales. Humour proved to be beneficial.

Therefore, to attract interest to our written words by using 'happiness' makes much sense.

Read anothers thoughts -

The Power of Humor in Blog Writing

Carolyn Cohn

Chief Editor

Butler, New Jersey

There are many different ways to separate yourself from the crowd when it comes to blog writing. One of the most effective ways is through humor. People love humor and generally react to it with interest.

Making use of humor in blog writing is in no way about selling directly. However, it is all about being engaged with your readers, enhancing your brand, and managing what you do in the most effective way possible. When you use humor in your blog writing, you don’t need to hit your readers over the head with it. You can be subtle as long as your content is interesting and attracts your readers. You can use any type of humor you like, provided that you confine it to your particular niche or industry.

The attraction of humor in writing

Humor is an excellent way to break up content that might otherwise be extremely dry. What tends to happen to writers who are tackling serious subjects is that they feel that they need to take themselves so seriously that they forget to make their writing interesting. That concept might be totally fine for the person doing the writing; however, it is not so fine for the person doing the reading. A good way to lighten up your writing approach is to smile as you are writing. Your writing will stand out if you use humor to captivate. An effective approach to your writing is not just to write about what you know well but strive to write about what you want to know better. That will make your writing a pleasure to read for others.

As you are writing, it is very important to try to put yourself in the shoes of the reader. You will want to give your readers the opportunity to get to know you on a human level. The more you allow them to know you, the more they will want to know you. One disadvantage that people who share online relationships have is that they generally can’t see or hear each other. Of course, it is very hard to understand emotions at times through written content.

Making your blog writing humorous

If you inject humor into your writing, you will most likely be attracting many more people than if you have not humor in your writing. There are many reasons to use humor, which will have very positive results.

Making your readers happy: Life is difficult enough for most people. The last thing that anyone wants is to read content that does not allow them any break from their everyday issues. Humor in your writing will provide them with that break and make them feel entertained.

Using humor to teach: One of the main goals of your blog writing is to provide material that is educational for others. There is a great likelihood that whichever points you want to get across and cause to stick, your readers will remember if you use humor.

Avoiding dryness: If you use humor in writing, there is no chance that your content will be boring to others.

Standing out in the crowd: Your readers will remember you and identify with you if you use humor in your writing.

Connecting on a human level: Humor allows your readers to identify with you on a human level. There are some experiences and feelings that all humans have in common.

Humor sells: There is nothing more attractive to readers than reading something that makes them smile and feel good. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Conclusion

Humor in blog writing is an excellent approach if you want to be remembered for what you think and say and if you want to foster relationships with your online connections that will last indefinitely. Human beings share all kinds of basic qualities and senses of humor are definitely at the top of the list. So, start writing in a creative, funny, and compelling way and you will draw people to your blog like bees to honey.

These are two from my personal archive -

'the night was dark and stormy

the billy goat was blind

he backed into a barbed wire fence

and hurt his

never mind'.

Blinky Bill

once said –

“I’m almost good, nearly everyday”.

You also must ENJOY your writings,

Jim.

Sucking the Seed.

2012-01-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

Naracoorte Nonsense.

Two tiny steam engines following along

both of them singing their sweet little song,

sucking up dust, spreading to air,

the farmer must feel downhearted despair.

But no !

He is just - clover seed harvesting.

Collecting seeds, expelling some dust,

think him a little deranged if you must.

Five bags to the acre, not measured in tonnes,

compared to other grains, then it’s bag up or bust.

Sixteen harvesters working all day

filling one silo wont bring in much pay.

©. Rimeriter 5/1/12.

Timothy Marshall – ABC Rural, published an item titled - Sucking the Seed.

On a quick glimpse as you speed pass the paddock it looks like someone is trailing home made steam engines behind a tractor. If you slow down to take a closer look, the sound makes it appear that someone is vacuuming dust from the paddock and then shooting it high into the air.

Though bewildering this thought might be, it isn't that far from the truth.

Welcome to the world of clover seed harvesting, where a good day's work is measured in bags not tonnes to the acre.

Humble Habitat.

2012-01-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

Prologue - Gum Tree Reserve, Guildford NSW.

An environmental activist, known hereabouts as

Banjo Hayes,

were it not for his intervention

this habitat,

would now be lost

in haze.

Humble Habitat.

This symbol in a city, a little west of Sydney Town,

in Guildford a small suburb, deserving just renown.

Gum Tree Reserve is extant. A piece of Heritage.

This piece of nature’s wonders must be written on a page,

of histories that have lasted long, through trouble and through strife.

A piece of nature’s wonders that have been granted longer life.

Turpentines stand stoutly. So does some Ironbark.

It’s trees now number forty, they have made their modern mark

for they are remnant regrowth, from a time when world was new.

They must - yes MUST - be protected, for you- and you- and you.

Come, see the natural grasses, climbers, herbs and shrubs as well.

A reserve for native creatures, where they can come to dwell.

This wellspring of hope eternal to be nurtured - kept alive.

To give some hope for human nature - becoming humble, to survive.

(c). Rimeriter.

19/3/05.

item no.13

Ezee Writer - December 2011

2011-12-14T21:52:00.000-08:00

Ten Top Tips For Photography.

I discovered this article.

Perhaps it's useful for you as well.

Jim.

Use this link

Ezee Writer - December 2011

Bookpal Team.

2011-12-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Another item of interest -

Hi Jim.,

I just returned from a trip to China and Taiwan, having done some consultancy work for a Frankfurt Stock Exchange Public listed investment company. For two weeks we evaluated many companies that approached us with products and ideas. Some of them had breakthrough technologies such as a hydrogen-powered generator that can generate clean energy for factories. We also met many other companies with ideas and passion, but sadly, with no market potential. Many of them tended to mask their deficiencies with a lot of talk but no concrete evidence to back up what they said.

So as a publisher, why am I telling you all this?

Firstly, I’m sharing this to emphasise the power of being a bestselling author. One of the reasons I was invited and paid to be on this panel was because I hit the bestseller list on Amazon and that placed me ahead of other candidates for this stint. So pardon me, if I’m sounding like a broken record here for re-emphasising the importance of hitting the bestseller list.

Secondly, investment firms and book buyers share many similarities. Business pitches that are long-winded and have no substance will lose the interest of the investment firm. Similarly, books that are not revised or concise will lose the interest of the reader. So remember, less is often better. For my book, “Your Book Your Profits” I actually revised it three times and used two editors to further help me sharpen it. I wouldn’t call it perfect but at least I believe it is not full of fluff, which is one of the reasons my book reached #83 on the bestseller list in a very competitive category.

Finally, evaluating a business and a book are similar in many ways...a unique business which addresses a real market need has a good chance of getting investment capital. A book that is written in a way that is appealing to the target audience will have a good chance of getting picked up by readers. Ask yourself: Is my book addressing their needs? Is it written in the correct lingo for my audience? Is it written in a way that will engage their interest and attention?

When I wrote my first book on marketing that was published by a large education publisher, we had to write the book using academic language as it was for university students.

My second book on self-publishing was written to suit the budding author, so I tried to make it an easy and informative read so it would not overwhelm the reader.

My third book was written for business owners and consultants, so I used a lot of examples and case studies so they could learn and apply lessons from real life scenarios.

As they say, horses for courses...remember that when you are writing your next book!

Terence

The Bookpal Team

Narrator AusWide.

2011-12-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

MORE good publishing news -

We are thrilled to announce that the winning entries from all Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands issues of Narrator Magazine have now been released in one free, online compilation, 'Best of the Best 2011'.

This issue, like all others, is available for free online viewing or downloading in PDF format at http://www.narratormagazine.com.au or in a print on demand version for $12.95 (including postage anywhere in Australia) from The MoshShop at http://www.themoshshop.com.au.

Free PDF downloads are also available at The MoshShop, or get a plain text version for your ereader from our Smashwords page at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/narratormagazine

Enjoy, congratulations once again to all our winners, but above all, a sincere thank you to our readers, contributors and advertisers alike for your continuing support of Narrator Magazine.

Regards

Jenny Mosher

Editor

CENTRAL TABLELANDS

Best of the Best 2011

A few words from the publisher ...

It‘s with an amazing amount of pride yet sadness that we bring you this first Narrator Magazine ‗Best of the Best‘ collection.

The journey to this point has been fun, exciting, scary, revealing, but above all, rewarding. More importantly than that, though, we hope that it‘s been rewarding for you, our readers and contributors.

What started as a little seed of thought on 10 July 2010 is now being developed into an Australia-wide competition between states, and that‘s where part of the sadness comes. We have grown to know and love our regular contributors, and never cease to be amazed at the different works some of our contributors manage to come up with.

But at the end of the day, this was never meant to be a magazine for regular contributors. It is meant to be a showcase for lots of people, to help as many people as possible get a start in getting their writing careers going, and to present the best that we can in creative writing in Australia. And the only way to do that is to throw the doors open to a wider audience.

As you may have realised, the original plan was to release regional issues of Narrator, but in developing the Central Tablelands issue, we were sad to learn that this brought all sorts of administrative issues that we hadn‘t anticipated, so by the time it was released, we had already started planning to ‗go national‘. I thank all Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands contributors for their support, encouragement and understanding regarding the changeover.

We are very proud of the writings contained within this best of the best issue and we hope that we will see some of these authors again in the ‗2012 Best of the Best NSW/ACT‘!

Jenny Mosher

December 2011

Free publishing - More essays

Date Released: 2011-12-01 Read Narrator offline - click here to download the PDF version! Read Narrator in hard copy - buy it from the MoshShop here.

Competition.

2011-12-05T22:55:00.000-08:00

Blog Viewers.

I have decided upon my own personal competition.

As you will notice, there soon will be the ONE HUNDREDTH American viewer of my postings.

Now, 'listen up' - whomever you may be, a surprise gift awaits.

You will have to immediately send an email to me to claim your gift.

Now do not be too over excited.

It isn't very expensive, but it is very valuable !!!!!

I await in anticipation.
Jim.

Psycus Pete.

2011-12-05T22:47:00.000-08:00

Psycus Pete.

Now Psycus Pete and his purple van

should be seen by every man,

of course by every woman too.

Be seen by me. Be seen by you.

What is that colour named aubergine ?

Perhaps auberguine should never be seen

except way out in the far, far west

where red dust rises and covers the rest,

would obscure the colour and bullet holes

while Psycus Pete performs and cajoles,

entertains as only he can

should be seen by every man,

of course by every woman too.

Be seen by me. Be seen by you.

So goodness sake seek the Pukka Truka,

before you run out of that thing called lucka,

head out you must to the Terratry

from wherever you happen to be

say

“G’day“

to Psycus Pete, before he spreads his wings

then finds those bigger and better things

"It's going to be sad to say goodbye"

to him and of course his purple van

which should be seen by every man,

of course by every woman too.

Be seen by me. Be seen by you.

Monday, 21 November 2011

Psycus Pete farewells his Pukka Trucka

By Caddie Brain - ABC Rural.

Note : an internet item specified above encouraged me to put these few words together.

Episode 1: Port Lincoln to Talia - ABC West Coast SA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

2011-12-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

Episode 1: Port Lincoln to Talia - ABC West Coast SA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Blog Viewers.

2011-11-28T17:53:00.001-08:00

I have decided upon my own personal competition.

As you will notice there shortly will be the ONE HUNDREDTH Aussie viewer of my postings.

Now, 'listen up' - whomever you may be, a surprise gift awaits.

You will have to immediately send an email to me to claim your gift.

Now do not be too over excited, it isn't very expensive, but it is very valuable !!!!!

I await in anticipation.
Jim.

Weatherforecast.

2011-11-19T15:49:00.001-08:00

Macca regularly requests details about the weather from his Sunday callers.

I decided to report in writing.

Weatherforecast-

DownUnder

Hurryin’ down the ol’ dirt track,

early morning - fine ‘n sunny.

Down behind the scribbly gum

toward our backyard dunny.

Wind is whistlin’ in the trees,

bees is makin’ honey.

Over from the scribbly gum

just near our backyard dunny.

Think a southerly storm is brewin’,

hear the rumblin’ thunder.

Lightnin’ flashin’ up on high

in the land

Down Under.

What's the weather goin’ ter be

I sits ‘n waits in wonder.

Perched upon the wooden seat

in the land

Down Under.

Macca needs a forecast tried ‘n true

for his Sund’y plunder.

Ahhhhh!

I’ve done what I had to do

in the land

Down Under.

©. Rimeriter

12/11/11.

Freelance Writing.

2011-11-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

Very interesting details for those of us needing some encouragement.

First 3 Steps as a Freelance Writer

The Decision

The most important part in any career you may choose it’s definitely the decision itself of performing in a specific domain. It might seem the easy part but, trust me this is the hardest for most people except for those very rare who are discovered as natural talents and who follow their one and only way. For usual people like me and you things are different. We love to write but we are afraid to consider this as our destiny, we feel unsafe and doubtful but most of all, we are not lucky enough to be free. Being constrained by circumstances, we tend to let us chosen by the profession instead of choosing and this makes us society’s slaves. How many of us have wanted to become bank clerks, insurance agents or to work in a call center and how many have the courage to risk?

If you feel the need to write from time to time, if you feel a desperate necessity to tell about your experiences, if you have the ability to describe in details places and characters or to create stories, than you should definitely proceed in this career.

Even if you’ll remain at the blogger stage or you’ll get to write for online magazines, newspapers and websites, you will always have the freedom to choose, you will be the one who decides what topics should cover, what publications should contact, what prices should negotiate.

You can be a freelance writer in any possible field or you can choose more areas in the same time if you believe you master the subjects enough.

By freelancing you force a society that doesn’t need you or require you, to accept you and to respect your work.

The Beginning

Once you’ve decided to be a freelance writer, you have to begin by building a professional presence on the web, create a portfolio and of course you’ll need an office and your office will be the blog.

The blog will be your business card, your reference point, your portfolio so make it professional. Even if you write about anything that crosses your mind, even if you tell a story or write an article, don’t ever lose your personality, be yourself but always maintain a balance between originality and professionalism.

Be efficient or creative, funny and smart, entertaining or scheming in order to gain popularity. Be organized, write constantly and focus on quality!

There are many methods used for bringing traffic on a website but the most important in this situation are: Twitter, Google+, Linkedln, Facebook and an AboutMe page. The secret is to connect with people in your niche, not to waste your time for nothing. By doing that you’ll be surprised to find out how many persons are in your situation, you will hear so many useful things, you will learn from their mistakes and you will progress.

The internet is full of writing websites and some of them are quite amazing, reserve at least one day to select the best of them and to create some more accounts.

The most important thing in this profession is to be serious, conscientious and focused. Being a freelance writer requires discipline and time. Remember that you have to be a good manager for your work, an even better administrator for your time, your blog and other accounts and you have to write every post like it would be the last oneJ.

The jump

So you’ve already written several articles on your blog, you twitted them to your followers, you have a Facebook page and people who like you, you’re proud of your AboutMe profile and you have joined a few groups on Linkedln, then it’s time to jump!

You are in a situation in which you can start to contact online magazines and websites that might be interested in publishing your articles and even pay for your work.

From now on it will be up to you to gain their appreciation, to uphold good relations with your employers, to be serious and to make yourself irreplaceable.

There are 3 things you should consider when jumping:

1. You may fall but you have to get up!

2. You may fail but you have to reinvent yourself.

3. You may succeed but keep looking for better places to land.

http://mcarticles.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-3-steps-as-freelance-writer.html

Posted by Miruna 9/11/11.

ZineWest 11.

2011-10-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

Crikey, aren't we NWG members bloody fortunate to have people dedicated to producing, improving and publishing this marvellous - Zine.

It is marvellous to have been able to see the growth, from what was our original magazine, to the current issue which came to me recently.

Seventy two pages of dedicated endeavour, provided for us by thirty three individual writers, combined with a specialist article composed by Sue Crawford, our esteemed editor.

A fine time of interesting reading awaits -

Positive Comments.

2011-10-31T20:10:00.000-07:00

These are nice remarks, even more appreciated when received from people not known to me.

Our Island Continent + My Australia.

Jim,  beautiful poetry! Thank you for sharing.

The first one was so fascinating that I forgot I was reading a poem. 

Would love to hear more of your poerty if you don't mind please

Mariushka Ostrowski.

My Australia + Birthplace

Both of these poems are awesome, Jim!

I nearly cried with the tribute to Australia.

With talent like that, your name will live on forever, even if you don't have the fame and fortune to show for it.

Vincent Van Gogh and Emily Dickinson weren't hailed in their life times, either, yet they left impressions on the minds and hearts of millions. And hey, you're still young. :)

Plenty of time for the fame and fortune to find you after all.

Joanna Cook.

The Poddy Rider.

You may have heard our story on Country Hour about Ryan Fogarty, the 11-year-old from Anningie Station in the Northern Territory.He became the poddy ride champion at Harts Range rodeo about 200 kilometres north east of Alice Springs over the weekend. It inspired bush poet Jim Spain, also known as Rimeriter, to pick up his pen.

We had your poem read on the Country Hour just then and it sounded fantastic!

Caddie Brain ABC Radio.

Writers' Information.

2011-10-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

"Hopefully you will find this useful."

Selected from the Internet 12/10/11.

WAYSTO LAUNCH STRONG SCENES - Page 1of 6.

Anystory or novel is, in essence, a series of scenes strung together like beads ona wire, with narrative summary adding texture and color between. A work offiction will comprise many scenes, and each one of these individual scenes mustbe built with a structure most easily described as having a beginning, middleand end. The beginning of each scene is what we’ll address here.

Theword beginning is a bit misleading,since some scenes pick up in the middle of action or continue where others leftoff, so I prefer the term launch,which more clearly suggests the place where the reader’s attention is engagedanew.

Visually,in a manuscript a new scene is usually signified by the start of a chapter, bya break of four lines (called a soft hiatus)between the last paragraph of one scene and the first paragraph of the nextone, or sometimes by a symbol such as an asterisk, to let the reader know thattime has passed.

Eachnew scene still has a responsibility to the idea or plot you started with, andthat is to communicate your idea in a way that is vivifying for the reader andthat provides an experience, not a lecture. Scene launches, therefore, pave theway for all the robust consequences of the idea or plot to unfurl. Each scenelaunch is a reintroduction, capturing your reader’s attention all over again.Start each scene by asking yourself two key questions:

Where are my characters in the plot? Where did I leave them and what arethey doing now?

What is the most important piece of information that needs to berevealed in this scene?

Onlyyou and the course of your narrative can decide which kinds of launches willwork best for each scene, and choosing the right launch often takes someexperimentation. Here we’ll cover 10 key techniques for launching scenes inthree main ways: with action, narrative summary or setting.

ACTIONLAUNCHES The sooner you start the action in ascene, the more momentum it has to carry the reader forward. If you findyourself explaining an action, then you’re not demonstrating the action any longer; you’re floating in a distant star system knownas Nebulous Intellectulus—more commonly knownas your head—and so is the reader. Keep in mind the key elements of action:time and momentum. It takes time to plan a murder over late-night whispers; tocause an embarrassing scene by drunkenly dropping a jar at the grocery; toblackmail a betraying spouse; or to haul off and kick a wall in anger. Thesethings don’t happen spontaneously, they happen over a period of time. They aresometimes quick, sometimes slow, but once started, they unfold untilfinished. The key to creating strong momentum is to start an action withoutexplaining anything:

Albertleads them all into the dining room and everyone drifts around the large teaktable, studying the busily constructed salads at each place setting—salads,which, with their knobs of cheese, jutting chives and little folios of frisée,resemble small Easter hats.

“Dowe wear these or eat them?” asks Jack. In his mouth is a piece of gray chewinggum like a rat’s brain.

LorrieMoore plunges her reader into the above scene in the story “Beautiful Grade.”Although the action is quiet, there is physical movement and a sense of realtime. The lack of explanation for what is happening forces the reader to presson to learn more. The action gives clues to the reader: The characters are ledinto a room full of wildly decorated salads that one character is uncertainwhether he should eat or wear, which gives a sense of the environment—probablychic. We get a feeling for Jack—he’s got a good sense of humor. Clearlysomething more is going to happen in this environment, and judging from thetone of the paragraph, we can probably expect irony and humor.

Actionlaunches tend to energize the reader’s physical senses. To create an actionlaunch:

1.GET STRAIGHT TO THE ACTION. Don’t drag your feethere. “Jimmy jumped off the cliff” rather than “Jimmy stared at the water,imagining how cold it would feel when he jumped.”

2.HOOK THE READER WITH BIG OR SURPRISING ACTIONS.An outburst, car crash, violent heart attack or public fight at the launch of ascene allows for more possibilities within it.

3.BE SURE THAT THE ACTION IS TRUE TO YOUR CHARACTER.Don’t have a shy character choose to become suddenly uninhibited at the launchof a scene. Do have a bossy character belittle another character in a way thatcreates conflict.

4.ACT FIRST, THINK LATER. If a character isgoing to think in your action opening, let the action come first, as in, “Elizabethslapped the Prince. When his face turned pink, horror filled her. What have Idone? she thought.”

NARRATIVELAUNCHES Writers often try to include narrativesummary, such as descriptions of the history of a place or the backstory ofcharacters, right at the launch of a scene, believing that the reader will notbe patient enough to allow actions and dialogue to tell the story. In largedoses, narrative summaries are to scenes what voice-overs are tomovies—distractions and interruptions.

Yeta scene launch is actually one of the easier places to use a judicious amountof narrative summary, so long as you don’t keep the reader captive too long.Take the opening of this scene in Amanda Eyre Ward’s novel How to Be Lost:

Theafternoon before, I planned how I would tell her. I would begin with my age andmaturity, allude to a new lover, and finish with a bouquet of promises:grandchildren, handwritten letters, boxes from Tiffany sent in time to beat therush. I sat in my apartment drinking Scotch and planning the words.

Theabove bit is almost entirely narrative summary, and the only action—drinkingScotch—is described, not demonstrated. There is no real setting, and the onlyvisual cues the reader has are vague and abstract. However, the narrativesummary does demonstrate the nature of the character, Caroline—she feels shemust butter her mother up, bribe her even, in order to ask for something sheneeds, which turns out to be a relatively small thing. It reflects Caroline’stendency to live in her head, and shows us she’s the kind of person who mustprepare herself mentally for difficult things—a theme that recurs throughoutthe book. It’s also useful because Caroline spends a lot of time by herself,cutting herself off from her relationships, and, therefore, it is very true toher personality. In just one short paragraph of narrative summary, the readerlearns a lot about Caroline, and Ward gets to action in the next paragraph:

Georgettestretched lazily on the balcony. Below, an ambulance wailed. A man with ashopping cart stood underneath my apartment building, eating chicken wings andwhistling.

Ifthe entire scene had continued in narrative summary, it would have had asedative effect on the reader, and the scene’s momentum would have been lost.

Anarrative approach is best used with the following launch strategies:

5.SAVE TIME BY BEGINNING WITH SUMMARY.Sometimes actions will simply take up more time and space in the scene than youwould like. A scene beginning needs to move fairly quickly and, on occasion,summary will get the reader there faster.

6.COMMUNICATE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO THE READER BEFORE THE ACTION KICKS IN. Sometimes information needs to be imparted simply in order to setaction in motion later in the scene. Opening sentences such as, “My mother wasdead before I arrived,” “The war had begun” and, “The storm left half of thecity underwater,” could easily lead to action.

7.REVEAL A CHARACTER’S THOUGHTS OR INTENTIONS THAT CANNOT BE SHOWN THROUGHACTION. Coma victims, elderly characters, smallchildren and other characters sometimes cannot speak or act for physical,mental or emotional reasons; therefore the scene may need to launch withnarration to let the reader know what they think and feel.

SETTINGLAUNCHES Sometimes setting details—like a jungleon fire, or moonlight sparkling on a lake—are so important to plot or characterdevelopment that it’s appropriate to include visual setting at the launch of ascene. This is often the case in books set in unusual, exotic or challenginglocations such as snowy Himalayan mountains, lush islands or brutal desertclimates. If the setting is going to bear dramatically on the characters andthe plot, then there is every reason to let it lead into the scene that willfollow.

JohnFowles’ novel The Magus is set mostly on aGreek island that leaves an indelible imprint on the main character, Nicholas.He becomes involved with an eccentric man whose isolated villa in the Greekcountryside becomes the stage upon which the major drama of the novel unfolds.Therefore, it makes sense for him to launch a scene in this manner:

Itwas a Sunday in late May, blue as a bird’s wing. I climbed up the goat-paths tothe island’s ridge-back, from where the green froth of the pine-tops rolled twomiles down to the coast. The sea stretched like a silk carpet across to theshadowy wall of mountains on the mainland to the west. … It was an azure world,stupendously pure, and as always when I stood on the central ridge of theisland and saw it before me, I forgot most of my troubles.

Thereader needs to be able to see in detail the empty Greek countryside in whichNicholas becomes so isolated. It sets the scene for something beautiful andstrange to happen, and Fowles does not disappoint. These final three methodscan create an effective scenic launch:

8.ENGAGE WITH SPECIFIC VISUAL DETAILS.If your character is deserted on an island, the reader needs to know the lay ofthe land. Any fruit trees in sight? What color sand? Are there rocks, shelteror wild, roaming beasts?

9.USE SCENERY TO SET THE TONE OF THE SCENE.Say your scene opens in a jungle where your character is going to face danger;you can describe the scenery in language that conveys darkness, fear andmystery.

10.REFLECT A CHARACTER’S FEELINGS THROUGH SETTING.Say you have a sad character walking through a residential neighborhood. Thedescriptions of the homes can reflect that sadness—houses can be in disrepair,with rotting wood and untended yards. You can use weather in the same way. Abright, powerfully sunny day can reflect a mood of great cheer in a character.

Scenelaunches happen so quickly and are so soon forgotten that it’s easy to rushthrough them, figuring it doesn’t really matter how you get it started. Don’tfall prey to that thinking. Take your time with each scene launch. Craft it ascarefully and strategically as you would any other aspect of your scene.Remember that a scene launch is an invitationto the reader, beckoning him to come further along with you. Make your invitationas alluring as possible.

This article was written byJordan E. Rosenfeld.

Jim's Jottings Publications.

2011-10-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Jim's Jottings: New Publications.

Jim’sJottings Aussie Booklettes is acollection in four series.

My Australia

Bootin’ About

Roamin’ round

Amblin’ Australia

Various collections of rhymed verse havebeen in process since 1997,

more than ten years in gestation.

Booklettes in Bifold are available withlimited internal pages.

Booklettes in Bifold with stapled bindingare now available.

Books in professional bindings areavailable to order.

All suitable for Gift Giving.

Covers can bepersonalised - Pre Orders are necessary.

Contact

Rimeriter.

mailto:rimeriter@gmail.com subject: Jim's Jottings Aussie Book Series.

Ol'Mick.

2011-10-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Ol' Mick.

When I was a boy a dog old and true

lived by the creek with us, and as I grew

became very much loved as my only play friend,

so in memory he does - until my end.

His master, my brother away ploughing hard ground,

just me and my mother aware of each sound,

the times were Depression, each shilling hard won.

My brother, Mick's master - the eldest son.

My father just missing while chasing good work.

My sisters their schooling were not able to shirk

until coming of age for courtship and marriage,

no silvery slippers or a golden carriage.

So Mick was our guardian as well as a friend

should there be a danger ol'Mick would soon send

a message by barking and snarling real loud

whether rain was upon us or nary a cloud.

This day as so happened, no cloud in the sky,

a Goanna came seeking feathered chicken pie,

ol' Mick was defending our wired coop and run

by dashing and snapping - it was his day in the sun.

My mother soon joined him, I stood at her side

throwing sticks and stones while glowing with pride

at Mick and his anger at Goanna stealing eggs

until this daylight robber ran off on short legs.

He got to the main road not feeling much pain,

sidled over the edge down into storm drain,

safe and secure when then in the night

made off into the bush to recover from fright.

(c). Rimeriter. 14/12/06.

2011-10-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

Murrumbidgee River in NSW - this is where Margaret and Barry stopped over on their journey to the Great Ocean Road.

Might enter this in the Blackened Billy Comp, but it is not true Bush Verse !!

Any comments please ??

On the Banks –

On the banks - of the ‘bidgee, with blue water - flowing by

was “Hiya Barry”, and his lady, underneath - a cloudless sky.

They are travellin’ - this fair country, with a taste - for far and wide.

Now is time, to be doin’ it, while the pace - is on their side.

Makin’ for, the southern ocean, to see Apostles - standin’ there,

slowly, slowly, disappearin’- move on quickly - for your share.

On the banks - of the ‘bidgee, campin’ down - for just awhile

for serenity, for the beauty, restin’ quietly - with a smile.

©. Rimeriter. 1 June 2010.

Blackened Billy Competition.

2011-10-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

These are the basic details,google the remainder should you decide to enter -

Blackened Billy Verse Competition

2012

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. Poetry entries to be bush verse on one side only of A4 sized paper and must be entrant’s own work.

2. Name, address and telephone number of entrant must be placed on a separate page (not on entry).

3. Entries shall not have previously won a 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in any poetry competition.

4. Entries shall not have been previously published for the monetary gain of the author.

5. Entries close 30th November 2011 and the Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be

entered into.

6. Winning entries will be announced and prizes presented prior to the Friday Heats of the 2012

Tamworth Bush Poetry Competition, on 27th January 2012 at Wests League Club, West Tamworth.

7. Entries will not be returned.

8. Entry fee of $5 per entry, or 5 entries for $20.

9. There is no limit to the number of entries.

10. There is no limit to the length of entries.

11. Copyright is retained by the author.

12. Winners will be notified by mail. All entrants who wish to receive a copy of the results, please enclose a

business sized stamped, self addressed envelope. For a judge’s critique, also enclose $10 with your SSAE.

organised by

The Tamworth Poetry Reading Group

supported by

A.M. Printing Services

This entry form may be copied, or extra copies obtained by sending a business sized stamped,

self addressed envelope to the above address.

Cut along dotted line. (Retain top part of ............................................................................................................. .t.h..i.s.. .f.o..r.m... .f.o..r. .y..o..u..r. .r..e..c.o..r..d..s.).. ............................................

Name: (Print) ...........................................................................................................................

Address: ................................................................................................................................

................................................................. Postcode: .........................................

Telephone: ( .............) ............................................................................

Email: ...............................................................................................................................

No. of Entries: ......................................... Entry Fee Enclosed: .........................................

(Please make cheques payable to Tamworth Poetry Reading Group)

Authors retain copyright, but Tamworth Poetry Reading Group reserves the right to arrange publication of

the winning poem, without payment, in the Newsletter of the Australian Bush Poets Association,

The Northern Daily Leader, and Capital News.

I agree to the conditions of the competition.

Signature: ................................................................ Date: .....................................................

Linguistics.

2011-10-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

An Extraction.

In the June issue of Writers Voice,

the quarterly magazine of the

NSW Fellowship of Australian Writers,

the Poetry Editor, David Berger, wrote the following:

“A good poem should show something and not tell it.

Ballads were fine for earlier cultures,

but a modern poem is a reaction to an emotion

which is then linguistically encrypted and transmitted through time.

When this poem is unpacked,

the reader should be able to feel that original emotion: the anger, the fear, the joy.”

***

Well, David -

linguistic encrytion is code for making it impossible to understand without a code breaker, then it has to be unpacked.

Blimey, far too much work for we average readers.

To ‘see’ the images.

To ‘feel’ the emotion.

To ‘enjoy’ the easily written, easily understood writers work,

is far superior to having to decode it.

Understandably, linguistic encrytion is vital to an item which is to be a limited publication, then cloistered in the bowls of academia,

rarely if ever to see the light of day.

Writers will earn a much more handsome income, writing to suit a larger, wider, understanding and appreciative audience.

***

Jim Spain – the Rimeriter.

A Writer of Rhyme.

A backward poet who writes inverse.

Thought Provoking ?

2011-09-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

Another interesting piece by Brian Klems and this is only the intro. -

PERFECT YOUR WRITING “TONE”

September 27, 2011 | Brian A. Klems |

Do you obsess about the tone of your writing as you revise? You should. Tone is one of the most overlooked elements of writing. It can create interest, or kill it.

It’s no wonder that so many of the countless conversations I’ve had with writing students and colleagues have been about problems related to tone. A friend submitting a novel says the editors “don’t like the main character.” A nonfiction book on balancing a family and a career skirts the edge of whining. An agent turns down a query because she feels “too much distance from the heart of the story.” I scan the latest work of a journalist friend who’s coming to dinner and find it meticulously sourced and well written, but grim in outlook.

And of course any publication you want to write for will have its own tone, which it would be smart for you to try to match. Notice how quietly all New Yorker profile pieces begin, while Utne Reader favors unconventional and unexpected viewpoints that challenge the status quo.

What exactly do I mean by tone? That’s a good question, as there are many terms—mood, style, voice, cadence, inflection—used to mean much the same thing. For now let’s agree that tone is the author’s attitude toward his subject: grave, amused, scientific, intimate, aggrieved, authoritative, whatever.

If you were a photographer, tone would be the way you light your subject. For dramatic shadows, lit from the side. For a scary effect, from above. For romance, lit with candles. In a movie, tone is often conveyed with music—think of the ominous score accompanying the girl swimming in shark-infested waters in Jaws.

A writer doesn’t have a soundtrack or a strobe light to build the effect she wants. She has conflict, surprise, imagery, details, the words she chooses, and the way she arranges them in sentences. Like the tone you use when you talk to somebody, tone in writing determines how a reader responds. If the piece sounds angry, he gets nervous. If it’s wry and knowing, he settles in for an enjoyable read. If it’s dull, he leaves it on the train, half read.

Thus, the wrong tone can derail an otherwise good piece. I’m surprised how seldom writing students note this during our workshop discussions, as if it’s impolite to admit that they’re made uncomfortable by how much the narrator seems to hate her mother, or to say that their thoughts drifted elsewhere by the second page of the overly abstract piece about mindfulness in the workplace.

You can detect tone problems in your own work simply by noting where your attention wanders as you reread it. Or, better, by reading it aloud. When you’re ready to revise a piece, try reading it to someone else, or asking someone to read it to you. You won’t have to search for awkward or boring or whiny parts—you’ll hear them.

Some problems with tone are small and can be easily fixed during revision. Others might require a new approach to the piece as a whole. Let’s look at a few of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the tone of your writing.

Need more, contact me - rimeriter@gmail.com

"ooroo" Jim.

Memories.

2011-09-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

Birthplace, a memoir.

prologue :

My birth paper says, young Jim is a male, apparently I was - hearty and hale.

Very soon after, my family drifted away - to another town, for just a short stay.

Life in the depression: my ensuing years, were a very long session.

Now, Jim is a contraction of a much bigger name.

Perhaps, the two my folks chose they thought would bring fame.

Well, it never happened. I don’t really care.

They’ve all served me well, no need for despair.

memories :

Time came for needing to visit this town

where I was born during a depressions frown –

so I,

wandered ‘round Woodstock a few years in the past,

it didn’t bring memories, but it sure was a blast.

You see, I was too young to remember those days,

some are just figments, most are a - recounted haze.

A small Private Hospital in the town of Woodstock.

I stood quiet on the footpath after walking the block,

up from the station, yes there once was a train.

Maybe it moaned as they both took the strain.

The train does not run now. It’s probably lost and forlorn

in some rusty ol’ rail shed, it’s whistle long gorn,

but the footpath’s still dusty and perhaps in a fleet

- of a moment -

I saw the impressions of

my parents feet.

memoir 3/9/11.

Writers' Warning.

2011-09-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Extracted from the Internet 16/9/11.

New Authors Beware!  

It has come to our attention that there are a lot of new authors getting burnt out there by self-publishing houses and vanity publishers.

So this article is to help you be aware of a few pitfalls out there.  

There are two general rules to keep in mind when it comes to choosing how to publish your book:  

1. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!  

2. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.  

On point #1, you probably have submitted your manuscript to a ‘publishing house’ in the USA. You receive a response from them. You’re accepted! They’ll flatter you and tell you how good your book is and how they believe it will be a success in the marketplace.  

Wow! A publishing house wants to publish your book. But wait. You have to pay $9,000 to get your book published. But of course that is to cover costs for the publisher and to print some books. In your elation, you pay the $9,000. 

 Later on, you read the contract carefully, you realise not only lost your copyright, you are getting paid a mere 10% royalty. Common sense starts entering your head and you Google them on the internet.

You realise that there are hundreds of other people who are in the same boat and lost their savings!

These are called vanity publishers. They are not real publishers!

Writer Beware, http://accrispin.blogspot.com/, an industry watchdog gives two big "thumbs down" .

Note: use the link above.

Bush Burden.

2011-09-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Our country compatriots have been doin' it tough, some still are, a few have found it too much and given in -

Across the Paddick.

Just over the fence or through the gate,

by the sliprail – it’s getting’ late –

makin’ for that furthest hill.

Some green grass but most is brown,

the sheep are movin’ bit further down

past the tree to the nearby rill.

Water in dam but we need more rain

to ease the sufferin’, ease the pain

cos the bank wont pay the feedin’ bill.

Night is nearin’ with mist on the rise,

light grey cloud is coverin’ the skies,

I should keep goin’

but I’ve

lost

the

will.

©.Rimeriter. 14/7/11.

Interesting Info. For Writers.

2011-09-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I found this via the internet.

It makes interesting reading for writers -

HOW TO RAISE YOUR CHARACTERS ABOVE THE STATUS QUO Page 1 of 7.

Categories: By Writing Genre, Improve My Writing, What's New, Writing for Beginners Tags: characters/viewpoint, craft/technique.

August 30, 2011 | Brian A. Klems |

You’ve sweated over your manuscript, crafted your characters, honed your story line, and rooted your novel in a location organic to and inseparable from your plot. Now, as you begin tweaking and revising your story, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the depth and dimensionality of your characters.

One of the most effective ways of doing this is one most writers have never even heard of: managing status.

I first learned about status years ago while studying physical comedy, mime and improvisation. I remember listening to acting instructor Keith Johnstone (author of IMPRO and Impro for Storytellers) explain how dominance and submission affect actors on stage and how stillness raises status. As he spoke, I kept thinking of how essential it is for writers to capture the same characterizations on the page.Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for ways to fine-tune the status of my characters. Here are four essential principles I’ve discovered.

1. VARIABLE STATUS IS THE KEY TO DIMENSIONALITY. So what exactly is status?

Simply put, in every social interaction, one person has (or attempts to have) more of a dominant role. Those in authority or those who want to exert authority use a collection of verbal and nonverbal cues to gain and maintain higher status. But it’s not just authority figures who do this. In daily life all of us are constantly adjusting and negotiating the amount of status we portray as we face different situations and interact with different people. Novelists have the daunting task of showing this dynamic of shifting submission and dominance through dialogue, posture, pauses, communication patterns, body language, action and inner dialogue. To do so, you’ll need to recognize some basic status cues:

Dominant individuals exude confidence through a relaxed demeanor and loose gestures and gait; submissive people constrict their stride, voice, posture, gestures.

Looking down, crossing your legs, biting your lip and holding your hands in front of your face are all ways of hiding. Concealment lowers status.

Eye contact is a powerful way of maintaining dominance. Cultures differ, but North Americans prolong eye contact to intimidate, control, threaten or seduce.

Stillness is power. Dominant people delay before replying to questions not because they can’t think of anything to say, but to control the conversation. They blink less frequently than submissive people and keep their heads still as they speak. The more fidgety, bedraggled or frazzled a person is, the less status he has.

Submissive people apologize and agree more than dominant ones. They try to please and are easily intimidated. To act as if you need something lowers your status; telling someone they can be helpful to you raises it.

Effective negotiators mirror the status of the people with whom they’re doing business. This way they neither appear too aggressive (intimidatingly high status) or too willing to compromise (unimpressively low status).

Status varies with respect to three things: relationship (a father has higher relational status than his 8-year-old), position (a boss has higher positional status than her employees) and situation (if you’re attacked by a team of ninjas and you’ve never studied martial arts, you’d have significantly lower situational status than your assailants).

Although the level of relational, positional and situational status might be out of our hands, our response to it is not. The daughter might manipulate her father, the employee might quit, and you might summon up enough moxie to frighten off those ninjas. So, in determining status, choices matter more than circumstances.When readers complain that a character is one-dimensional, flat or “cardboard,” they may not realize it, but they’re actually noting that the character—regardless of the social context in which she appears—always has the same degree of status.

She might always be angry or ruthless or heroic, but the more uniformly she responds to everyone and everything, the less interesting she’ll be.

People in real life are complex. Fictional characters need to be, as well.

So what’s the key to a well-rounded character? Simple: She doesn’t have the same status in every situation. Each supporting cast member is in the story to bring out different traits of the main characters. Dimensionality, depth and complexity are all brought out by showing subtle shifts in your character’s status as he interacts with the other players.

In my novels featuring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers, I’m careful not to let him appear weak or cowardly: I want readers to respect and admire him. Whenever he’s at a crime scene or standing up to a bad guy, he has the highest status. He’ll never back down, never give in, never give up.

But to have dimensionality he also needs relationships in which he has low status. So, as a single dad he struggles with knowing how to handle his sharp-witted and surly teenage daughter, and, lacking some social graces, he fumbles for the right things to say to women he’s attracted to. Without his daughter or a love interest to reveal those low status aspects of his characterization, he’d be one-dimensional, and certainly not engaging enough to build a series around.

If you want readers to invest in your protagonist, you’ll need to find areas where he has a weakness, low status or something to overcome. Remember, even Indiana Jones is afraid of snakes, and Superman is vulnerable to Kryptonite.

2. WORD CHOICE DETERMINES CHARACTERIZATION. In theater the phrase “stealing the scene” refers to instances in which another person upstages the star. Actually, it’s just another way of saying that the star (or protagonist) no longer has the highest status.

When this happens on stage, it will annoy the star. When it happens in your novel, it’ll turn off your readers.And you can shatter hundreds of pages of careful characterization with one poorly chosen word.

A person with high status might shout, holler, call or yell, but if she screams, screeches, bawls or squeals, her status is lowered. Similarly, a character who quivers, trembles, whines or pleads has lower status than one who tries to control the pain. For example:

1. Adrian drew the blade across Sylvia’s arm. She shrieked and begged him to stop.

2. Adrian drew the blade across Sylvia’s arm. She clenched her teeth, refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

In the first example, Sylvia’s uncontrolled reaction lowers her status beneath that of her assailant. In the second, however, her resolve raises her status above that of Adrian, who has evidently failed to intimidate her.

Rather than appearing victimized, she has become heroic.

Your protagonist must never act in a way that lowers her status below that of the antagonist.

Take a moment to let that sink in.

You might find it helpful to imagine high-status movie stars playing your protagonist. I’m not sure about you, but I have a hard time imagining Liam Neeson, Jason Statham or Bruce Willis pleading for mercy or screaming for help.

Remember, choices determine status. So, while revising, continually ask yourself what you want readers to feel about each character. Do you want them to be on this character’s side? To cheer for him? Fear, despise or discount him? Every action, every word of dialogue, every gesture—even every speaker attribution—communicates a certain status, so be sure the words you choose support the impression you’re trying to make. If Betty stomps across the floor (showing lack of self-control) or struts across it (implying the need for attention) she’ll have lower status than someone who strides across it (showing composure and confidence). Even punctuation affects status:

1. “I know you heard me! Move away from Anna! If you lay a hand on her, I guarantee you will regret it!”

2. “I know you heard me. Move away from Anna. If you lay a hand on her, I guarantee you will regret it.” In the first example, the exclamation points cause the speaker to come across as frantic or desperate. In the second, the periods show him to be controlled, measured, authoritative. That’s how a hero responds.

A wimpy protagonist isn’t interesting.

A wimpy antagonist isn’t frightening.

In marketable fiction, both heroes and villains need high status. When villains aren’t frightening or heroes aren’t inspiring, it’s usually because the author let them act in a way that undermines their status. Don’t make that mistake.

3. PROTAGONISTS NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HEROIC. When I was writing my novel The Rook, one section gave me a particularly difficult time. Agent Bowers is at the scene of a suicide when Detective Dunn, a street-smart local homicide cop, shows up. Dunn is tough. He’s used to calling the shots, to having the highest status. In this scene, he makes an aggressive, high-status move by getting in Bowers’ face and then taunting him. I struggled with showing that as bold and brash as Dunn is, my hero still has higher status. After hashing through numerous drafts, here’s how the encounter finally played out (from Bowers’ point of view):

[Dunn] stepped close enough for me to smell his garlicky breath.

“This is my city. The next time you and your pencil-pushing lawyer buddies from Quantico decide to stick your nose into an ongoing investigation, at least have the courtesy to go through the proper channels.”

“I’d suggest you back away,” I said. “Now.”

He backed up slowly.

Bowers refuses to be baited and isn’t intimidated by Dunn’s aggressive posturing. If he were, readers would lose faith in him and side with Dunn. Instead, Bowers remains calm and, by exhibiting poise and self-control, induces Dunn’s submission. (Also, by adding the speaker attribution “I said,” I inserted a slight pause in Bowers’ response, subtly adding to his status even more. To see the difference, read the sentence aloud with and without the pause.)

At the end of the scene when Dunn steps back, there’s no doubt in the mind of the reader who is in charge. Readers will not empathize with a weak protagonist. They expect protagonists who have strength of conviction, moral courage and noble aspirations. It’s true, of course, that during the story the protagonist might be struggling to grow in these areas, but readers need to see her as someone worth cheering for along the way.

If you can spot weaknesses in your protagonist and are grappling with how to strengthen her, try one of these ways:

Have your protagonist sacrifice for the good of others. The sacrifice might be physical (stepping in front of a bullet), financial (anonymously paying another’s debt), material (volunteering for the Peace Corps) or emotional (forgiving someone for a deep offense).

Have her stand up for the oppressed. I’ve seen all too many authors try to show how “tough” their protagonist is by portraying her as cold or unfeeling—especially at a crime scene. Bad idea. Readers want the hero (or heroine) to be compassionate and life-affirming. Let’s say your female medical examiner is at a crime scene and one of the other cops gestures toward the corpse and quips, “They stab ’em; you slab ’em.” Your protagonist needs to uphold the dignity and value of human life. She might reproach the cop, or remind him of the victim’s grieving family. If you let her make light of something as precious as life itself, you’ll end up devastating her status.

Have her turn the other cheek. If someone slaps your protagonist and she looks the guy in the eye and refuses to fight back, her self-control raises her status above that of the attacker.

Strength isn’t shown only by what a person can do, but by what she could do but refrains from doing. Self-restraint always raises status.

4. STATUS CRYSTALLIZES AS THE STORY ESCALATES. As your story builds toward its climax, the status of both your hero and your villain will also rise. The bad guy will become more and more coldhearted or unstoppable, and the good guy will need to summon unprecedented strength or courage to save the day.

Status has more to do with actions than motives, so even though the hero and villain have completely different agendas, you can raise the status of either one by giving him more 1) self-control, 2) courage and/or 3) resolve.

Remember, stillness is power, so if you decide you need to make a villain more imposing, try slowing him down. Show readers that he’s in no hurry to commit his evil deed—he has such high status that he can walk slowly and still catch the person fleeing frantically through the woods.

Villains become less frightening when they’re self-congratulatory or cocky. You actually lower a villain’s status by giving him the need to prove himself. Sadistic, chortling, hand-wringing villains aren’t nearly as unnerving as calm, relentless ones who are simply indifferent to the suffering of others.

If your story calls for multiple villains, try staggering their status levels so that the top-tier bad guy has the highest status and is therefore the most threatening and dangerous person for your protagonist to encounter at the story’s climax.

Let your protagonist enter the final showdown at a disadvantage—weaponless, injured, poisoned or exhausted from fighting his way past all the antagonist’s henchmen. An underdog who overcomes impossible odds is a hero we can believe in.

And one we will want to read about again.

end

Hopefully, it was useful reading.

Jim.

WooHoo

2011-08-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Some mighty words of encouragement to their members from a 'sister' Writing Group, just over the mountains -

' WooHoo!

Rousing cheers and applause goes to local illustrator Freya Blackwood for her win today in the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards for Early Childhood Book of the Year!

Freya won for her illustrations in the book Maudie and Bear written by Jan Ormerod.

The two honour books in the Early Childhood section were The Tall Man and Twelve Babies by Tom Niland Champion and Kilmeny Niland with illustrations by Deborah Niland; and Look See, Look at Me by Leonie Norrington and illustrated by Dee Huxley.

We have the shortlisted books on display at Orange City Library and you can also check out book reviews by the Library team who have enjoyed reading the shortlisted books over the past month.

Way to go Freya! '

UK Publisher.

2011-08-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Lucky me, my poem - Tibooburra, when it's hot - has been selected for inclusion in Everflowing Ink, a special edition soft back scheduled for publication 31st October this year.

The following is an excerpt from the website -
' Forward Poetry's ethos has always been to act as a bridge to publication rather than a barrier.
This, along with our passion for poetry and creative writing, has seen a humble family business evolve into the biggest publisher of new poetry in the world.
We understand that poetry is subjective, that everyone writes in a different style and that what one person can love, another can hate!
Our collections showcase a variety of themes, writing styles and poets from all walks of life.
They are carefully edited and compiled to celebrate and complement the craft that all of our contributors enjoy poetry.'

Should members need to investigate potential publication, use these details -

Email: inbox@forwardpoetry.co.uk. Office hours: 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday Remus House, Coltsfoot Drive, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 9BF ...
www.forwardpoetry.co.uk

"Happy Hunting"
Jim.

Poddy Rider.

2011-08-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

He'd set his sights on victory. Nothing was going to hold him back.

11-year old Ryan Fogarty from Anningie station went to the Harts Range rodeo (out around the Alice) over the weekend determined to become the 2011 poddy ride champion.

Say G'day to Ryan -

Poddy Rider.

Anningie Station.

Now - young Ryan Fogarty is only eleven years old,

he sure has joined, the brave and the bold

by riding a calf, alone and not held,

his poddy riding prowess into history - will meld.

His style is just classical - and is sure smiled upon,

‘put left in the rope, right hand up, slope forward - hold on’

then cling like the devil to the poddy calfs back

for a second or more – of courage - no lack.

First prize is a buckle, which young Ryan has won,

riding a small bucking beast on a day in the sun.

The sun shines on champions, that’s fact and it’s true,

he stuck to his task like sitting in glue,

squeezing his legs, listening to Dad,

prepared to be led

‘hold him real hard son, and follow his head’.

Ryan intends to buy a big belt

for wearing his

Prize Buckle

here, there,

- everywhere -

so his friends and neighbours

- everyone -

will stop, stand and just stare.

So will

Cameron Smith,

that famous bull rider,

maybe one day

Ryan

will be his offsider.

©.Rimeriter. 2/8/11.

NB: sent by ABC Inmail.

Irish Pub.

2011-07-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

Donnybrook Hotel.

They’d meet by flickering firelight in an Irishmans hotel

enjoy some finest whisky and very fine food as well

but often tempers rise up, as they would dance and play

just saying “good evenin” could cause an all in one affray.

A frenzied fracas might ensue if the tone was quiet and wry

especially if a stranger caught a keen young colleens eye

took her to the parlour where he’d steal a fervent kiss

to a wild and riotous Irishman this was definitely amiss.

Fey leprechauns and fireflies would in the dark, appear

to keep an unfriendly stranger from coming much to near

they’d dance upon the toadstools and the velvet black of night

and not go to the garden, there to steal a fervent kiss

from a wild young Irish colleen that could fill his life with bliss.

But then the total stranger did eagerly declare -

I have no need for colleens. I only need your fare.

I must drink and dine with kinship that take me to their breast.

I must full enjoy companionship, before I travel further west.

My heart is, with the green of Ireland and in its stoney shores,

it dwells in old Killarney where my soul it still implores.

But Nay! they would have none of it, the leprechauns agreed.

They led him to the front step and wished him all good speed

whilst fireflies lit the pathway, to guide his wavering feet

that stumbled slowly down the path, albeit not too fleet.

Because he’d spied that Irish colleen, with fiery blood red hair,

waiting in the shadows with just enough time to spare,

for only one more fleeting kiss and a touch of derring-dare.

©.Rimeriter.

31/3/04.

This ol' Pub exists near Lithgow in NSW.

The Portland Poet would know it well.

Masters Hand.

2011-07-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile.

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,

"Who'll start the bidding for me?"

"A dollar, a dollar;" then, "Two!" "Only two?

Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"

"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three…" But no,

From the room, far back, a grey-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loosened strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet,

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"

And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?

Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,

And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

"We do not quite understand.

What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:

"The touch of the master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd

Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,

A game — and he travels on.

He is "going" once, and "going" twice,

He's "going" and almost "gone."

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought

By the touch of the Master's hand.

- Myra Brooks Welch

Would that one could write this well. Ah me !!

Paraprosdokian 2 :

2011-07-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

"She got her good looks from her father,

he's a plastic surgeon".

A Paraprosdokian:

2011-07-08T23:15:00.000-07:00

????? Blimey, a new word to me.

Apparently this is an example -

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism;

To steal from many is research.

***

Does anyone have other examples ?

Maggin' with Macca.

2011-06-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

Just had me first bite of toast this morning while listenin' to Macca,
(You know, Australia all Over, ABC Radio every Sunday morning),
when suddenly he says -
'here's a little poem written by Jim Spain - then he read it.

Lucky I was up in time because the programme starts real early and it was around seven thirty then.

It's just a simple little piece, but topical to Maccas interests -

Tanami Trek.

Trekin’ across the Tanami, hundreds of kilometres to go,

trundle ‘n along in me wheelchair,

crikey the time passes slow.

Hardly stirrin’ the red dust, tyre tracks left far behind,

can’t see sign of a next bend, watchin’ the scenery unwind.

Amblin’ along towards Alice, that dusty desert town,

starin’ into the sunset sets me face in a frown

Spinifex keepin’ me company all alongside the track,

but lookin’ ahead to the horizon

makes me stop lookin’ back.

©. Rimeriter.

4/6/11.

Blimey, I've got a real big head now and a puffed out chest.

Posting Conflict.

2011-06-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

I realised earlier today that I had been posting to Blogger of late, not to my Blogspot.

Can someone advise me of a simple way to either transfer or duplicate from one to the other??

Jim's Jottings: 2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards

2011-05-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Jim's Jottings: 2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards

2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards

2011-05-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Are you on the list ? Did you enter ?

No, and neither did I. Start preparing for next year !!

*****

Shortlists announced

Arts Minister Simon Crean has announced the 20 great Australian titles that have made it onto the 2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards shortlists.

Minister Crean said being shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards is a great achievement for authors that will bring further public recognition of their writing.

The judging panels were enormously impressed by the breadth of talent displayed in this year's entries, and applauded the inventiveness, artistry and flair for which Australian creators and publishers are justly renowned.

Non-fiction shortlist

Sydney, Delia Falconer

How To Make Gravy, Paul Kelly

The Party, Richard McGregor

The Hard Light of Day, Rod Moss

Claude Levi-Strauss: The Poet in the Laboratory, Patrick Wilcken

Fiction shortlist

Traitor, Stephen Daisley

Notorious, Roberta Lowing

When Colts Ran, Roger McDonald

Glissando, David Musgrave

That Deadman Dance, Kim Scott

Young adult fiction shortlist

Good Oil, Laura Buzo

Graffiti Moon, Cath Crowley

The Three Loves of Persimmon, Cassandra Gold

About a Girl, Joanne Horniman

The Piper's Son, Melina Marchetta

Children's fiction shortlist

Why I Love Australia, Bronwyn Bancroft

Flyaway, Lucy Christopher

Now, Morris Gleitzman

April Underhill, Tooth Fairy, Bob Graham

Shake a Leg, Boori Monty Pryor and Jan Ormerod

More information about the shortlists is available from

www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards/shortlists.

Writing Australia.

2011-05-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

This item may be of interest to many -

A new national writing organisation has been launched and it's aptly called -

Writing Australia.

Writing Australia is based in Canberra and aims to bring together the current five state funded writers' centres to deliver services for all writers on a national level.

Hear all about it on the Book Show:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2011/3202112.htm

the writers circle

the retreat

wiki based discussion spot

website coming

Jim's Jottings: New Publications.

2011-05-01T00:09:00.000-07:00

Jim's Jottings: New Publications.

Simple Sonnet.

2011-04-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

"Crikey",
I learned about a 'sonnet competition' which closes 30/4. The subject is topical, it is the forthcoming royal wedding. I have decided to 'give it a go'
A sonnet structure is as follows -

The Petrarchan sonnet, also known as the Italian sonnet, originated in Italy in the 13th Century and was associated with the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch.

In its basic definition, a sonnet is a rhyming poem of fourteen lines with ten syllables per line, generally written in iambic pentameter meaning there is the rhythm ti-tum; ti-tum; ti-tum. Although there are many different varieties, the two most common variations of sonnets are; the English sonnet- popularised by William Shakespeare, and the Italian sonnet - or the Petrarchan sonnet as it’s commonly known as due to the first major practitioner Francesco Petrarch. In this workshop we focus on the Petrarchan sonnet (the Shakesperean Sonnet is featured separately).

It is a sonnet in its classic form and tends to split into two sections, known as octave (eight-lined stanza) and sestet (six-lined stanza). The octave has two quatrains, rhyming a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a; the first quatrain presents the theme, the second develops it. The sestet is built on two or three different rhymes, arranged either c-d-e-c-d-e or c-d-c-d-c-d or c-d-e-d-c-e; the first three lines reflect on the theme and the last three lines bring the whole poem to a close.

"Blimey", Composing a sonnet is not all that easy,(ti-tum; ti-tum; ti-tum) but after three revisions, following feed back from one of our esteemed NWG members, maybe I will have an entry ready in time !!!

Should YOU want to have a go, email me for the details.

Jim's Jottings: Simple Sonnet.

2011-04-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Jim's Jottings: Simple Sonnet.

Metverse Muse.

2011-03-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

Earlier I mentioned that this piece, Flash Flood, had been selected for inclusion in Dr Tulsi's current issue.
At that time I was unable to locate a copy.
However, stored within my Verbatim archive is an original written in WriteNow. -

Flash Flood.

Through a pearling, blackening sky

can be seen far overhead,

dark and stormy clouds on high.

A storm is dwelling, gaining strength.

thunder rumbles gaining force.

Soon, rain drops falling in the North.

Clouds are bulging, rolling over

causing concern for the drover,

as he drives those mindless sheep

toward the pens in which to keep,

them from straying, getting lost.

Must be saved at any cost.

Thunder crashes. Lightning flashes.

Across the paddocks drover dashes,

through the gate, across the river-

beware the bridge is not a sliver.

Liquid silver spewing forth

caused by rainstorm in the North.

Flash floods happen frequently.

Thunder-heads are seen on high.

Lightning causes lambs to fly

to their mothers for protection,

they do not know in which direction.

Those that can’t go helter-skelter.

One drover has the task alone,

red kelpie dog is not a drone.

She circles out around the sides,

rounds ‘em up and brings ‘em in

to the flock that’s now not thin,

bolstered by the stragglers few,

the mob moves on without ado.

In the pen and on high ground,

brought in safe by man with hound,

due to storms so early warning

in the omni-present sky.

Upon natures signals he’ll rely

to help him guard his treasured prize.

(c). Rimeriter.

revised - 6/6/03.

It probably seemed appropriate, considering our recent rain events.

Metverse Muse.

2011-03-04T23:16:00.000-08:00

"G'day",
I may have mentioned elsewhere recently that my latest issue of this marvellous compilation arrived.
It is published in India by Dr H. Tulsi Ph.D.
This issue contains 750 poems in structured verse, by over 700 World Poets and is circulated to 63 countries. There are 42 Aussies included.

I have been contributing for some years now and regularly succeed in having an item or two published.
This time it is -

Flash Flood

Through a pearling blackening sky

can be seen far overhead

dark and stormy clouds on high.

A storm is dwelling, gaining strength.

Thunder rumbles with mighty force.

Soon, rain drops falling in the North.

This is the first of six stanzas.

I cannot find my electronic copy to repeat it in its entirety at this time.

As and when, the remainder will be added.

It is fortunate my piece appears alongside Ellis Campbell's - Account of Mortgagee.

Ellis is another Aussie. He is widely published and well respected in our Aussie genre.

I am in esteemed company.

"ooroo for now"

Jim.

VALE - Jack Bourke.

2011-02-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

The "bloody ol' bugger" recently died or as he would express it -

"fell of 'is perch".

I attended the cremation -

“G’day”.

Because I am not a family member, I am very pleased to have been invited to be here today to celebrate Jack Bourke, who is also known to me as ‘Outback Jack the Tall Tale Teller’.

NOW -

In earlier times those men that wandered the bush were known as – ‘Drifters’.

A writer unknown to me, once described them this way –

‘ This is a portrait of one of those characters you

can still meet when traveling through the Australian outback –

self imposed exiles from the cities who drift from town to town,

never settling in one place for very long, who try

vainly to escape the ghosts of their conscience

or their past.

He loves a drink, a fight and a yarn with a mate. ‘

But this does not - really describe the man I came to know.

He loved to drink a cuppa. Never heard him mention fighting.

But Mate, a yarn - Yeah, he liked to chew the fat a bit.

Now, I’m goin’ to steal titles and details from some of me -

Jack Bourke Jottings.

Outback Jack and Bitsa -

Jack and I first met in Goolgowi, a small country village in N.S.W., probably in early 2000.

I have recorded many of his ‘adventures’ in rhyme, but Jack would not see them as adventures, he was just getting on with life, as and when he wanted.

Since that meeting Jack and I have met in Coonabarabran and also Bourke a few times to 'ave a bit of a yarn.

However we have regularly written, probably on average once per month during the past few years, Jack always to my home address - me to many and various. He is a tad nomadic and at times difficult to keep track of - Nevertheless, a salt of the earth bloke as bushies can be.

Outback Jack in Louth - From memory this would have been his first move after our initial meeting.

His letter is dated 26/1/03. Replies via Shindy's Inn.

Beers Better at Byrock - Following a period at Fordsbridge Jack moved to Byrock. From him I learned about the beer, the golf and the

Mulga Creek Hotel.

Chew'n the Fat - was in Bourke. I was returning from a trip through Southern Queensland via Cunnamulla and Jack drove up early one morning to 'ave a bit of a yarn.

He decided to camp down there for a short time before returning to Louth.

Flyin' Doctor and Jack's Birthday - happened because they did. During this time Shindy's Inn and the Post Office at Menindee became contact points.

Jack's Mum and Jack's Dream - appeared I think after we met this time in Coonabarabran. We visited Baradine together. Jack recounted many memories because this is his home town. I'm not sure whether the Yowie or the Warumbungles made Jack move on. Remember, he has become a flat country man.

Lil' Jack also 'van to Menindee and Cold Weather Solution - all seemed to happen during more time in Bourke, a short spell at Tullamore, a big break in Fordsbridge, then back to Bourke where at the time of this writing Jack may have settled ?

Them Crows - well, I said in the beginning he is a

Tall Tale Teller. So six years on - ! ! !

Well, that was then. Now to his recent ‘adventure’ –

dancin’ down the Darlin’ - - - 2007.

Did ya see the rain’s been fallin’

out the back o’ Bourke

that’s where Outback Jack is livin’

now ‘e doesn’t work.

He’s retired in a village

somewhere in the town

where the lack of rain’s been makin’

everybody frown.

Now, I saw water,

dancin’ down the Darling

last night on TV,

a lady just near Budda

thought it might reach her knee.

It was still an early trickle,

but flowin’ fairly fast,

she had a paddle in it

as it went wanderin’ past,

makin’ for the Murray

which might allow those Silver Perch

to swim upstream to Jack’s place

so ‘e wont ‘ave to search.

(c). Rimeriter.

1/10/07.

Outback Jack –

in the Big Smoke - - - 2010.

That very early trickle soon filled

Menindee Lake,

it flooded many rivers, left some problems

in its wake.

The outflow is to open, a creaking will be heard,

music for the animals and every type of bird.

Jack

now, will not hear it, he’s come to

Sydney Town,

the Flying Doctor brought him

from Bourke to Camperdown.

They are checkin’ on his ‘ticker’ ‘n other things you know,

makin’ sure his power is not gettin’ far too slow.

Bit like,

the Darling River anabranch,

‘e needs a top up too - so that in time for

Christmas

he can go to see the view.

Well, I’m sure he can see it now.

“Good onya Jack ‘n ooroo”

Rimeriter. January 2011.

Bloody Marvellous.

2010-11-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

WELL ! Who was it once said - 'Who'd a thunkit' ?

My personal thanks to all involved in structuring, setting up, organising
then presenting an NWG meeting that was available to all we members yesterday.

Comments around the room were very positive.

I enjoyed and benefited from the presentations and information enormously.

As I am sure others would.

My intention is to copy and paste these few words into my Blogspot.
Again, a facility to which I was introduced and set up in by a marvellous member.

The Rains Came

2010-11-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

and the

WATERS RAN

from far up north,

torrential rain poured across those plains

that channel water from flooding rains

where a tropic storm raged, way up high

darkening to blue the northen sky,

bruising first then next to black,

quenching thirsts in our

DRY OUTBACK

****

Image extracts from ABC Rural.
Note : the images did not transpose.

Indigenous.

2010-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

My Place of Birth.

New South Wales.

My Country of Origin.

Australia.

Indigenous.

1. originating in and characterising a particular region or country.

2. innate; inherent; natural.

Reference – The Macquarie Dictionary.

Second Edition 1991.

Wicked Witch of Wattle Flat.

2010-09-08T23:14:00.000-07:00

Recently Arthur Marshall and I had a little chinwag on the 'dog n bone'.

He mentioned enjoying a spell in the salted waters at Moree and as well, Sofala and Hill End.
Now, these three places 'ring bells' with me, so Arthur asked could I write somethin'.

So I said, "Done Mate", knowing full well all I had to do was dive into my electronic bookstore to delve about in a few hundred or so writings about things Aussie.

I've put this one in the regular mail to him, along with a coupla others -

‘Wicked Witch’

Wattle Flat.

Does she exist ?

One cannot be sure,

but her presence was near,

in days of yore.

Let’s now go back to that dreaded time

to the day we were sure all was not sublime.

The weather was fine, the trip most extensive,

until this day we are still very pensive.

We set out early from old Bathurst Town

to travel to Hill End, a place of renown

for miners and ‘spivs’ and glittering gold,

to visit the diggings and their relics behold.

It was during this journey that we made a stop

for relief and refreshment from the only shop

along the old road to Sofala and Hill End,

when - suddenly as happens we rounded a bend.

The old broken sign was lopsided and sat

up on a post and told us that

we had without knowing, reached

Wattle Flat.

It was not a township - hardly even a village -

not much around for even bushrangers to pillage.

Just a few houses - no bus stop - no ‘phone

all we could hear was a fly's steady drone. In the Aussie bush as the locals will tell,

the bloody bush flys will

sure give you hell !

But if you wear that very sensible hat,

with corks all around when in Wattle Flat,

bushflys will not get into your eyes or your ears

you can grin broadly at others whose fears

keep them at home to avoid the nuisance

of bushflys and blowflys and great big bull ants.

But now to the witch --

we must explain

before your tempered patience begins to wane.

Does she exist ?

by crikey she does.

How do we know that ? Well it is becuz --

from a nearby house emanated a ‘cackle’

causing everyones hair to raise in a hackle.

“It’s the witch” “It’s the witch”

somebody cried,

we all looked around for places to hide.

We peered and we probed through the deepening gloom

and then came another - from the very front room,

of a ramshackle cottage with a roof made from tin.

We wondered what could be causing the din !

Now,

you know a good story is structured in truth

so, if you want to hear - a witch say

“forsooth”

then you too must visit old

Wattle Flat

then you will know how in time - it begat

a continuing saga retold many times,

committed to verse with words making rhymes,

which continued a fable - ‘mongst family and friends

then you will know too

how this story ends.

(c). Rimeriter. Created 2/8/97.

Revised from WriteNow 7/9/10.

Jim's Jottings Logo. (Modified)

2010-09-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Cheeky little Fella.

Looks a bit bloody Bold.

WELL, what would you expect ?

*****

Jim's Jottings New Logo.

2010-09-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

Jim’s Jottings
Aussie Books.

A sample selection.

1. My Australia Series -
this bloody country.
My Country’s Colours.
My Land.

2. Bootin' About Series -
wanderin' west.
Three Tree Creek.
Wanderin’ by the Condamine.

3. Roamin' 'round Series -
north and south.
Watching Clouds.
Outback Jack.

4. Amblin' Around Australia -
bootin' and roamin'
Ancient Traveller
Tibooburra when its Hot.

*****

Annotations of Interest.

Various collections of rhymed verse have been in process since 1997,
more than ten years in gestation.

They have evolved through an early Apple Computer using WriteNow as a platform, then via Appleword and currently are produced on an
Apple OSX, using Microsoft Word.

Colour was not available in the early period; black and white is now mostly replaced for both text and images.

Single A4 sheets in black and white have transformed to
A5 in bifold configuration.

Bookettes in Bifold are available with limited internal pages.

Booklets in Bifold with steel stitched bindings are now available.

Books in professional bindings are available to order.

Subject to becoming a recipient of a Fairfield City Mayoral Donation recently, efficiency, quality and circulation has improved.

Covers can be personalised -

Pre Orders are necessary.

Contact – Rimeriter.

NB: My new logo, which was modified for me by one of our masterful members, will not attach.
Guidance required Please.

2010-08-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

My Town
The
City
of
Sydney
**

Platform Art -
People posing on platforms, provide picturesque visions to see
Study them as you travel, a delight to the eye they can be.
It requires just a short distance, to view these statuesque sights,
a trip of only one hour, will produce so many delights.
***
The south western line to the city, was when I happened to view,
a young woman on Redfern Station. Is it possible it was you?
Draped alongside a lampost, which is ornate ; of old world charm.
She complemented the style and shape. Certainly did it no harm.
A dress possibly of the forties, full length, flouncy and flared
adorned a well rounded figure. It was obvious that she cared.
Her hair fixed in a bun-type knot, but a strand allowed to curl
down one side of a fine fair cheek, her sunshade in a furl.

Further along in the shadow, against a poster, in a black frame,
was another kind of lady. She was possibly on ‘the game’.
Long leotards hugged her figure, revealing every nuance and curve,
She sure enjoyed the attention, with patience, pleasure and verve.
A tight top encompassed her torso, from neck almost to her waist,
most men cast an admiring eye. Some stumbled in their haste.
The poster depicted a movie, about a gangster and his girl.
She had been beaten, bloodied and broken. Then left in a gutter swirl.

Recall the steaming country trains. At Central no puffing now.
But a farmer in the ‘big smoke’ - with a faint whiff of a plough,
leaning against a stanchion appearing very weary and weak,
also a portrait of a gum tree trunk and a log nearby the creek.
A big hat tilts over his forehead, recently purchased and worn askew,
provides protection from the u.v. rays and certainly a better view.
Could his name be Clancy? Does his thumbnail show sign of tar?
No! computers with electronics, have proven to be better ; so far.

Screeching into Town Hall, the first in the underground,
allows us to see the business suits that scurry around their mound.
Straight ties, collars and mobile ‘phones pressed hard up to the ear,
in this noise and the babble could any vision be clear.
Tank Stream gurgles beneath, the three level Wynyard Station,
historic once but in these times it is now a distant relation.
Business suits stand motionless and calculate, what is todays range,
as the stream continues flowing beneath the Sydney Stock Exchange.

Breaking back into daylight, Sydney Harbour sails into view
and posed on Circular Quay platforms are tourists, and not just a few.
Garbed mostly in western clothing but adding to the scene
a cacophany of voices, we’re not sure what most of them mean.
Ferries, tugboats and liners are berthed at various docks
while far behind the Customs House, hear the chiming of the clocks.
The water glistening golden, late sun spears cloud that’s scatting.
Wind wavelets, foam and sailing craft with various voices chatting.

Appearing from out of the darkness, soon after the salt spray fades
are wigs and gowns bound in ‘red tape’, framed by collonades,
In an ambience european, denoted by decorative Italian tiles
are lawyers stern with their faces, mostly wreathed in smiles.
Back bench government ministers, from imposing Parliament House
are posturing on the platforms to prove they have some nous.
Saint James is the station, overlooked by Mary’s Cathederal
with buttress walls and granite steps and appearance medieval.

Again from tunnel darkness, Museum Station looms
reminiscent of old world creatures now posed in dimly lit rooms.
Academics tread these stairways and stroll across Hyde Park
Whilst lovers and some deadbeats use it’s confines after dark.

Travel the City of Sydney. Now cosmopolitan and smart.
Use train rails and carriages to seek out the Platform Art.

©. Rimeriter. Composed 2/99.
Revised 8/10.
Image separate page.

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2010-07-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

G'day, I am trialling this new feature.

It is supposed to provide helpful suggestions ?? - not so far.

Then I should be able to click or drag to add them ?? - not so far.

Perhaps, even though I am told to just start writing, I should click the
'Get Inspired' button ?? - here goes !!

Well, the 'Zemanta Assistant' opened revealing -
MEDIA GALLERY - nothing helpful.
RELATED ARTICLES - bloody useless.
IN TEXT LINKS - states, no links found.

After this it all GOT TOO HARD.

Canberra Visit.

2010-03-05T19:49:00.001-08:00

Needed a bum break, so pulled off the Expressway into Marulen.
Just by chance chose Meridian Cafe for a brunch break.
Lucky us - Marvellous people, Terrific tucker, Easy conversation with Aly and Bob.
But in addition they support the Arts.
We of the NWG should consider a reading there.
OH ! - nearly forgot - it is Licensed too.
Send an Email - goodfood@meridiancafe.com.au
Have a chat - 02 4841 1126.

Hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Rimeriter.

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