David Drinks Coffee 247… ‘Just one more cup‘ 

 

Writer  Writing… DDC 247

E-MAIL … Daviddrinkscoffee247@live.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                     You Call This Writing You Idiot

      Grammar and Punctuation are topics that I talk about frequently. I struggle with them at times and want to help others that share that struggle. Every writer makes mistakes and overlooks the obvious at times.

Writer Writing…DDC 247 is to help writers or anyone needing to write clearer, cleaner copy. It is for anyone having problems with grammar, punctuation, writing in an active voice, or wants a new perspective on writing.  I focus on the writing process and the many facets of it. I use humor in most of my writing but I take writing seriously. Thank you for taking the time to read it. Every writer has something of substance to offer other writers. I have a passion for writing about what I love; writing. DDC 247…

        We can all ways improve as writers. Can I do better? Yes, I can. I don’t mean to sound like, Bob the builder. Bob is in a class all to himself. Bob’s the man. I learn from books, sites, articles, and software, whether free or with a price tag. There are blogs that I read on regular basis. Sonia Simone has an excellent blog for anyone needing help with marketing and copywriting. Her advice helps me to be a better writer. She has marketing tips that really work. Stacey Cornelius at StudioSource has easy to follow marketing tips. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a gift for teaching. I have learned a lot from these two women. Their knowledge and experience is obvious as you read their advice. They give you marketing plans and writing advice that works. All of us can improve. We must never accept anything as the best we can do. We can always improve. Can we fix it improve? Yes, We Can!

FIVE Things Writers Must Take to the Company Picnic  …??

·       Write …  I use this as my personal starting point.
               Use whatever works best for you.

·       Re-write

·       Edit

·       Revise

·       Get a critique...

   Many writing sites offer free critiques

        I often say, it doesn’t get any better than this or that. I use the phrase to describe something that I find exceptional. It is a ‘DDC 247 – ism’. As writers though, we can improve. In my case, I must improve.

        It is good to have mentors and people we admire. Do not write like someone else. We learn from many but we must write as ourselves. (My god, that was good David) Just write the damn book, article, or essay and make it yours. It is who we are. The readers will hail you as an inspiration, and a good writer. This is of course, if your writing strikes a chord with them.
  
Accolades I have received for writing are:

·       Pathetic loser

·       Are you kidding?

·       You call this writing you idiot ?

·       And the winner isn’t…

·       Get a job

This makes my writing all worthwhile. I enjoy inspiring people.

        For the perfectionists out there, the obsessive-compulsive perfectionists like me, get on with it. Write, edit, revise and move forward with the project. Keep moving forward with your work. Never leave what is behind, littered in grammatical and punctuation abuse and chaos. Hone it until it is sharp, as your grandmother’s fruitcake.

          I look at the ‘Pillsbury Doughboy’ every day. He is always smiling. He knows something, but I can’t get him to talk. The doughboy stands on my computer desk, with that damn plastic smile.  I eat another doughnut and take a drink of coffee. I don’t even smile that much. It must be all this damn coffee I drink. Your best is not as far away as you think. Write with a smile… Think about that…

 Until my next cup of coffee…

              Sincerely,
             David M Goodman Sr.

 

 

 

Click here to see unique ‘Writing Tools’

Only $19.95

‘my Writer Tools’ is rated 4 cups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUMBERS

Why do numbers seem so confusing when we are writing. It is almost as bad as i after e except when following a g or is that a z? When a c preceeds a L…eh…proceeds…uh… Let me get back to you on that. … Anyway, numbers are easy when you use my amazingly simple lurning methuds. So sit back…er … down… eh…  Here we go!  

1.  Spell out a number when it begins a sentence

 

B.      Spell out a number that Can Be Written in One or 2

Two Words such as

beneath (like wind under wings)…  eh…

Like this twenty-one     five     One hundred

 

Except When they are used in a flock (like geese) …batch… a herd (like cattle)…grouped together in a sentence, such as below. (like a submarine)

The winning numbers are: 22, 5000, 58, 5, 47, 28, and 64. 

 

…if these are your numbers call within the next ten minutes and you win a fabulous prize…Oh, sorry this was written two years ago.

 

      Three. 3. When a number is more than two words

          use numerals   3507   1254    978  

 2655.78 = Twenty-six- hundred-and fifty five point-       

seventy- eight… eh… 

 

 

 Four For decimals AND percentages use numerals = 3725.9

 

 Put a zero before a decimal point.     0.25

DO NOT PUT a zero after a decimal point

UNLESS it is an exact measurement  1.3   NOT 1.30 

The EXCEPTION is for  GPA     2.00  NOT  2.0

 

 

In scientific  and  statistical data use the ‘Symbol’ percent.
  The Arterial Blood gases were 51% in one of the areas

Nonscientific usage calls for the ‘Word’ Percent.

The DDC  247 staff is 99 percent sure that coffee leads to

happy kidneys.

     

 

9%   12% ?? What are these??    

        If you can wait, this item will be on sale tomorrow for $20.00  ??

 

d. USE NUMERALS FOR:

Addresses

     Dates     Exact time of day   

 Exact sums of money

Exact measurements (Including per hour)

Game scores

Mathematical ratios          and    Page numbers

55 mph             ratio of 4-to-1         $6.75      p. 37

Ya  c,  nuMburs Ain’t so haRd whend  u jus putt them doWn on payper. 

Joynnne  mE  heer nXt  tieme whend   I dicust  geeomertree  maid  amayzing  lee  simmpull.  Buyyyy!!!

Numbers are strange creatures and one of those magical ‘Things’ that if you ask ten different people you may get 10 different answers. Don’t take my word 4 four for it. Go online and search…number rules when writing. Good Luck

  O.K. every 1 take a 15 fifteen minute brake break. -  

 

 

 

Wellllllll …that was impressive!

Why don’t you go soak your head in a coffee cup, David ! !  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                There are times when I like to just sit and stare. Do you ever do this? I do it to clear my head. I take a deep breath and let it out. It is relaxing and it gives me an excuse to grab another cup of coffee. I drift off to Club La La for a few minutes. I usually recall an event or moment in my life that brings a smile. Try it sometime when you need a break. By the way, this is my Aunt Phyllis.

 

 

 

 

This just in to the Newsroom…,  for more on Oxymorons  see… 

Microsoft Works

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch where you step folks…

            you are entering Affiliate Alley!

 

Only $24.95

 

 "To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer."
Farmers’ Almanac, 1978

 

 

 

 

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace;

making the complicated simple,

awesomely simple, that’s creativity”

Charles Mingus (Jazz bassist and composer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

"If only Cary Grant were here"

By David M Goodman Sr. 

                Cary Grant portrayed a writer, in a movie I saw once. In one scene, he

and his wife return home from a night at the theater.

He says, "I’m going to write awhile."

She says, "You can’t write in your tuxedo." His answer was timeless.

"Yes, I can, haven’t you heard? We writers get dressed, light our pipes, Irish Setters at our feet, and we write. The fireplace is crackling, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."

It was a funny scene but it still holds true today. Grant sat at a desk in poor lighting, writing away. He was angry about something that happened at the theatre. He wrote it down before it lost its edge. He used the anger to fuel the writing.
  
        At a shopping mall or an airport, we hear someone say something in a certain way. Oh, I am going to use that line in my next story. Don’t you love being a writer? We see a character, or setting, or hear a piece of dialogue. It can be line wrestled with days earlier and never finished. Then there is the agony when we don’t get it down. The next day and it comes out like kissing my Aunt Phyllis, on the lips. Has this ever happened to you? Not kissing Phyllis… the idea…

I keep ideas in a composition book here on my desk. They are random thoughts. I will use them in one of my stories. A snippet here and there can lead to something larger, hopefully. I think of the commercial that says, "The mind is a terrible thing to waste." So is a thought; we must all ways write when an idea churns in our mind. With all the ‘tech’ devices available today, writers will find a way to save it.

        The idea we must be sitting at a desk to hammer out a novel is ludicrous. Write it when we get it.  You can edit later, but for now, let the pen explode as it scribbles our destiny. That is a bit theatrical I know but …you know that wouldn’t be bad for that screenplay I was thinking of the other day. …Oh, I am sorry, are you still here?

                        Until my next cup of coffee…

                                   Sincerely,
                                        David M Goodman Sr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the
difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

                                                           Mark Twain

Thank  you for stopping by  the DDC 247

 

Thanks to Everyone  at Neon City  and  ClipArt Warehouse  for the Animation

Copyright © 2010 David M Goodman Sr. All Rights Reserved