Hello!

If you want to become a writer there are many, many things you must consider.
One important thing is to KNOW your character(s).
How does one become aquainted and make them believable?
You need to create the character and create his/her world.
Below are some ideas on how to accomplish this creation:
Write down your main character's name.
What does he/she look like? Hair color, size/shape, type of clothing (If female is she a tomboy or girlie-girl? If male, is he rough and tough or timid?)
Where and in what time period does this character live? Perhaps you could draw a map of the neighborhood.
Where does your character spend most of her time? What are some things she does there?
What is her favorite thing to do after school and/or on weekends?
Does your character have pets? Describe the pet(s).
What is your main character's goal in this story?
What character traits does she possess that will enhance her chances of accomplishing this goal?

These are only eight ideas for you to consider when creating your believable characters. Can you think of others that will help you and the reader KNOW and CARE ABOUT your character(s.)
Oh, don't forget! Your characters must NOT be perfect. Each one should have both positive and negative attributes. Just don't go overboard and make us dislike the good guy and love the villain.

Happy ReWriting,
Mary Ann Duke, Ed.D.

Hello My Blog Following Friends!

A few days ago I mentioned that I would give you a list of a few words that can/should be omitted from your manuscript. I used to tell my students, "They are weak, wimpy words." I said, "I want you to WOWW me. That means to WIPE OUT WIMPY WORDS."
Some words are weak and wimpy because they don't commit. Words such as:
nearly
almost
just
really
about

Sentences that use the verb "be" are weak. They are helping verbs, but they don't help us make our writing stronger. Sentences using the "be" verb can be rewritten in a better way. Examples of the "be" verb:
is
are
was
were
will be
has been
will have been

When writing for young children do you use the word, "Look!" too frequently? Look out for that!

I hope this tiny bit of information helps you strengthen your writing. Good Luck!

Mary Ann Duke, Ed.D.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Good Morning Blog Readers of Musings With Mary Ann, Today, in honor of Thanksgiving, I'm going to write some interesting facts about the early Pilgrims. Some of this information may give you an idea for your next book. Have you ever heard of a Lug Pole? In early Pilgrim homes a lug pole was a thick wooden pole, stretched across the fireplace, just above the fire. Pots and kettles hung from it. Of course, their food was being cooked in those pots and kettles. The lug pole was made of green wood so it wouldn't burn up. Nevertheless, occasionally,even the green poles caught fire and all the pots and kettles that hung from it crashed into the fireplace, ruining the dinner. What are Spoon Meats? In the pots hung from the Lug Pole were soups and stews. Another pot held water, while another had pudding. These puddings were called Spoon Meats by the Pilgrims. Pilgrims used the word "meat" to mean any kind of food, and Spoon Meat was any kind of food eaten with a spoon. Do you know about the Pilgrims' White Pots? Chicken eggs that were roasted, boiled, fried or baked in custards were called White Pots. What are Blackjacks? Special drinking cups brought over from England were called Blackjacks. They were made out of boiled leather and waterproofed with tar. Most families had only one or two blackjacks. During the meal they passed the blackjack around and each person took a drink, then passed it to the next family member. They didn't realize they were sharing germs. So, this Thanksgiving 2016, you may not cook using a Lug Pole, and you probably won't drink from a blackjack, but I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful day bonding together, feasting and giving thanks. Mary Ann Duke DrMad92@verizon.net

Good Morning Blog Readers of Musings With Mary Ann, Today, in honor of Thanksgiving, I'm going to write some interesting facts about the early Pilgrims. Some of this information may give you an idea for your next book. Have you ever heard of a Lug Pole? In early Pilgrim homes a lug pole was a thick wooden pole, stretched across the fireplace, just above the fire. Pots and kettles hung from it. Of course, their food was being cooked in those pots and kettles. The lug pole was made of green wood so it wouldn't burn up. Nevertheless, occasionally,even the green poles caught fire and all the pots and kettles that hung from it crashed into the fireplace, ruining the dinner. What are Spoon Meats? In the pots hung from the Lug Pole were soups and stews. Another pot held water, while another had pudding. These puddings were called Spoon Meats by the Pilgrims. Pilgrims used the word "meat" to mean any kind of food, and Spoon Meat was any kind of food eaten with a spoon. Do you know about the Pilgrims' White Pots? Chicken eggs that were roasted, boiled, fried or baked in custards were called White Pots. What are Blackjacks? Special drinking cups brought over from England were called Blackjacks. They were made out of boiled leather and waterproofed with tar. Most families had only one or two blackjacks. During the meal they passed the blackjack around and each person took a drink, then passed it to the next family member. They didn't realize they were sharing germs. So, this Thanksgiving 2016, you may not cook using a Lug Pole, and you probably won't drink from a blackjack, but I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful day bonding together, feasting and giving thanks. Mary Ann Duke DrMad92@verizon.net

How To Plot a Picture Book

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2016 How to Plot a PB Good Morning Friends, It is NOT easy to write cute, clever, rhyming books for children. Falling off a slick log is easy (just a little southern saying my Florida family says a lot,) but, writing - any kind of writing - is not easy. Rhyming books are the most difficult to properly construct, so STUDY before you start working with that animal! I'm not tackling rhyming today. I need to study more, myself. Today, I want to talk about plot. As a teenager I enjoyed plotting to capture the attention of a handsome classmate, or plotting what to wear to capture friends' approval, etc. Silly girl. Today, I'm writing about plotting picture books. There are several ways to approach and plot. 1. Turn on good music. I love Il Divo, Elvis, Carrie Underwood and one song by Foreigner. However, some days I prefer silence when writing! 2. Look at the notes on your bedside table that you jotted in the middle of the night. Hmmm. 3. Put your bottom (backside, buttocks, tush, whatever you call it) in the chair and stay there! 4. Now we are ready---so I will begin again with Number One. 1.You need a main character that you & the reader like. Something must happen to this character. 2. Give your MC (main character) something to strive for, or accomplish. 3. He /she plots how to accomplish his/her desire. 4. Of course, he runs into roadblocks or complications. 5. The situation gets bad. 6. The situation gets worse! 7. The MC finds solutions and solves the problem. No one else solves the problem, not his Mommy or his Daddy or the wind. Just him. And, he can't wake up and say, "It was all just a dream." NO! It must be a satisfying conclusion. TIGHTEN UP YOUR WRITING. I will talk about ways to do that in another blog. In the meantime, Have a Great Day Writing. Remember: Writing is REWRITING! Love Ya, Mary Ann Duke, Ed.D.

I'm happy and I'm healthy!

It's been almost a year since my mastectomy. No chemo or radiation needed. I healed more quickly than the doctor expected. In fact, I went shopping and out to dinner less than 24 hours after the surgery. I am just so happy that I'm healthy.