Porthole

June has sung her tune. She's tired. HOT and tired, Bard!

I posted this for the newsfeed. I try to encourage writers.

Cubby made me write and write and write! So I share it here for everyone.

Cubby: As for quality... I wish. I just (poorly) wrote and submitted something late last night. Not happy at all with it. Needs fixing but don't know whether I have the time.

I believe in vomiting with pen in hand or fingers tapping. I surprise myself sometimes. I think that I can't write to the prompt and 20 minutes later I have something... messy... but messes can be cleaned up. It's not like when I was a boy smudging the pencil across the paper as a left-hander or making mistakes that needed to be erased. Both were a major minor sin mishap.

Now? Thankfully spellcheck catches most typos. But it doesn't fill the blank page.

I'm not a natural story teller which is why I write short fictions. You've liked a couple and for that I've thankful. Even I've liked a couple things I've written! I'm more at home with poetry. As in short poetry; yet, a couple of my blog rants could be cleaned up and turned into something resembling an essay. The key? Write. Edit later. Reedit. But don't sit waiting for the next inspiration. Find a prompt, a pen, a piece of paper (notice the alliteration and rhythm? trochaic pentameter...) and start baring your soul, your anger, your dreams... whatever needs to be regurgitated. Sing it or croak it. Either will do.

I'm always amazed by the response I get. I've won contests with something I was unsure about (whether it even fit the rules of the contest... or worse... that it would offend). I've also had other excellent pieces (in my mind ) totally ignored. Thank Rachel for the "Second Time Around ~ Birthday Special"  She dispenses bandages for wounded Muses. Although with 36 entries and counting she may need a new medical kit. Open and due by July 14th by-the-way.

That said... some pieces are just mediocre (I'm trying to be kind). Cure? Write another, and another, and another. Mediocrity never stopped me! It's the only way I learned how to write better.

I'm thrilled to have competition too. Tileira just finished "Journalistic Intentions"  and Andy is sooo close. Multiple entry contests are challenging. I'm better with one-and-done. So congrats to all who stuck with it. You made Stik's day.

Contests are lots of work. I support contests by entering. Which reminds me that I have a half-baked story in the oven I need to check on. Laters...

Already 84 degress at 11:11. Should go over 100.

I'm going to add this to "The Bard's Hall Contest" ... because I can.

New flash:

1st place with a purty noo bloo ribbon:

STATIC

Flower of the fern [98]  (18+) In celebration of Midsommers Dag, Jaaniõhtu, and Saint John's Day. #2253411 by Kåre เลียม Enga

Finished:

STATIC

Sommeren  (13+) Sussan is enjoying her last summer among the snowfields of Central Norway. #2253659 by Kåre เลียม Enga

I only missed one contest. I wanted to write a letter from my father to his father circa 1942 from the warzone in North Africa. My father was part of the Signal Corps out of Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. I remember he had Moroccan coins. But... he seldom talked about the war. Couldn't remember his voice... you know... what he would've written about.

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