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| This is an interesting video: I will say that Australia uses phonics. It has used phonics since I was a student... and are continued to be used today. As an aside, Australian schools do not teach how to diagram sentences, either. And Australia ranks either 5th or 6th in the world for literacy rates. I think this shows something. |
It's open again!
September 20 to October 24! Prompt and banned items on the forum! Why the weird dates? Because NaNoWriMo is November and I don't want to be judging and heavy reviewing while writing a novel. The contest after this will be in December some time. As to whether this will continue into 2025... I am not sure. Feedback from people who have or have not entered would be appreciated. I have been doing this for over 18 months now, so it has cost me a lot of GPs (this is not a plea for GPs; I do it because I want to and I can afford it). In addition, I am not sure if people are actually enjoying this or not. |
I've added a new entry to my "Writing Blog Number 2"  : "20240920 Writing A Play" Niche subject. Considering how few views I got last time, I am expecting no-one to read this. |
| Got an email this afternoon (my time). My friend in Florida who is very ill and has been on my mind came through her surgery. Tumour is gone. Now immunotherapy, some more chemo, and... well, we'll see. I am a relieved camper. |
| Here is a word that makes me really wonder about human beings as a species... OBSCURE WORD OF THE DAY! Today's word is illeism. This word describes a form of narcissism. So, in this day and age, it is probably rather prevalent. It means, "reference to oneself in the third person using third person pronouns, not 'one' or by their name"! Yep. The author feels that he has met people like this. He is pretty sure that some are very close to him. He does know what he's talking about. Your challenge today is to try to talk like an illeist. You know you can do it, he urges. |
| I've added a new entry to my "Writing Blog Number 2" : "20240918 Process Of Editing" Long one. Sorry. |
| Huge dose of imposter syndrome (is it really a syndrome when your writing is crap?).Stopping me from writing more thana sentence or two at a time. I need to review to keep that streak going, but am afraid I'll project and upset someone. Apologies in advance. |
| You can see if something in my port sticks out to review. I won't mind. |
| Well, I've never thought of your reviews as upsetting. That I remember; I believe you are honest and tactful. You also put a lot of time into the process. So I'm just gonna cheer you on! |
| I don't do well in certain genres (horror... because I don't watch/read it; mystery... because it's tricky to do it well; regency romance because it's too much work and confining) and I'm not a natural story-teller; but, I've always had a lyrical voice and certain types of poetry/prose suit me fine. Yes, I feel like an imposter at times and lament that I'm not more 'popular'. But, folks like me are seldom popular and find out, hopefully in time, that there are those who deeply love us regardless. And that should be enough to keep on writing. My poem "Yaktrax [#21 Lavinia]" isn't my best, but Lavinia (who it was written for) loved it and now that she's dead it remains as a bit of memorial. |
| Once again we have a word that you wonder why it would ever be needed... OBSCURE WORD OF THE DAY! Today's word is laclabphily. I have to wonder why this needed a word of its own, really. I mean, come on! Really? Because this word means, "the collecting of cheese labels"! Yep. Enough people apparently do this for it to require its own word. No challenge today. Why? Because unless you are a laclabphilist, what is the point? |
| I've added a new entry to my "Writing Blog Number 2" : "20240916 Paragraphing In Fiction" Request fulfilled! |
| Time for a word that you knew had to be there for something amazingly common... OBSCURE WORD OF THE DAY! Today's word is tittle. This is something that you may be surprised has its own word, but there it is. It means, "the dot on top of a lower case letter i or j"! Yep. It's not called a "dot." No challenge today. Why? Because I guess if you hand write, you've already used a tittle. |
| With my ever-failing eyesight, I had to lift my laptop and bring it closer to be sure I was reading the word tittle correctly -- that the letter before the e was indeed an l, not an i. If the dot were called a tittie, then thinking of our dear Adherennium Dr of Phoolishness as a little tittie might entice me to create a new MB with a couple changes to a particular ground-dwelling, wood-chucking species of mammal. |
| Probably most familiar to English speakers as used in the phrase “jot or tittle” from the Gospel of Mark. Jesus says that not one jot (iota, the smallest Greek letter) or tittle (translated from keraia, meaning “little horn” but indicating the strokes, lines or dots that distinguish some Hebrew letters from other, similar ones) of the law would pass away. The King James says : “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” The more modern NIV translates it this way: “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” |
| 24 Hour Horror Writing challenge for Friday 13th! Drabble activity! What is a drabble? A story of exactly 100 words, no more, no less (explanation can be found here: "Drabble Activity 2024" ) PROMPT: A story involving Friday the 13th OR the Number 13. [Refresh to load countdown.] You can post you drabble as a response to this Newsfeed Post. If you would like it reviewed, then post it as a {item:xxxx} or {entry:xxxx} going back to your portfolio. Everything posted in that format will be reviewed unless you ask me not to. PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED! If you do not have exactly 100 words, if it is not a story, if the prompt is not used, then you will not be eligible for a prize! |
| Another word that is a more formal way of something that is rather common... OBSCURE WORD OF THE DAY! Today's word is oniochalasia. This means, "buying or shopping as a means of mental relaxation"! Yes, there is a formal, official term for retail therapy! The challenge today is to indulge in some oniochalasia. |
| 24 Hour Horror Writing challenge for Friday 13th! So, the challenge is to be a drabble activity. What is a drabble? A story of exactly 100 words, no more, no less (explanation can be found here: "Drabble Activity 2024" ) And your prompt will be: A story involving Friday the 13th OR the Number 13. Get thinking. Stories to be posted with the countdown Newsfeed post, which will appear at midnight! IF YOU POST HERE, THEN YOUR ENTRY WILL BE IGNORED! |
| Quick heads up. A few people have started reading and leaving feedback for Gorgon With The Wind, and two I know gave me feedback on the whole thing; WakeUpAndLive️~Happiness and Angelica Weatherby-Fallishere have been given something to say, "Thank you." But this will go off the site at the end of September. So... has anyone else read it all and given feedback that I missed? Let me know! Has someone started and not yet finished, or does someone else want to beta read a weird mythology-humour-urban fantasy-romance story? Well, you only have [Refresh to load countdown.] left! You may now return to your regular daily WdCing. |
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Of course, I cannot argue against the "boring" claim, since I learned to read so quickly under the "old school" that I cannot now remember ever being bored or otherwise by it. The same goes, incidentally, for the learning of times tables by chanting - so efficient that I have entirely forgotten the actual experience. The soaring illiteracy rates in all ages during the heyday of the New Theories is argument enough against them, I think. The problem now is teaching the teachers who have never been taught the only sensible way to teach reading.