Punctuation Frustration

I know the rules about using quotation marks. Capital Community College’s grammar website pulls no punches:

In the United States, periods and commas go inside quotation marks regardless of logic.

They go on to explain:

There are peculiar typographical reasons why the period and comma go inside the quotation mark in the United States. The following explanation comes from the "Frequently Asked Questions" file of alt.english.usage: "In the days when printing used raised bits of metal, "." and "," were the most delicate, and were in danger of damage (the face of the piece of type might break off from the body, or be bent or dented from above) if they had a '"' on one side and a blank space on the other. Hence the convention arose of always using '."' and ',"' rather than '".' and '",', regardless of logic." This seems to be an argument to return to something more logical, but there is little impetus to do so within the United States.

It’s time to reform and incorporate logic. It’s time to recognize that quotation marks have two functions: one for dialogue and another for other uses. I’m ready to defect to the Brits for guidance in this matter.  In British usage, only those punctuation marks included in the quoted material are placed within quotation marks in direct quotations. Otherwise they place punctuation outside the closing quotation marks. Likewise with quotation marks used to set off non-traditional meanings, titles and so forth.

Notice the difference in this sentence:

Mr. Watson made us all memorize Edgar Alan Poe’s poem, “The Raven.” (American)
Mr. Watson made us all memorize Edgar Alan Poe’s poem, “The Raven”. (British)

Or this one:

I especially appreciated Penfield's article, “The Makings of a Memoir.” (American)
I especially appreciated Penfield's article, “The Makings of a Memoir”. (British)

The British form makes sense. The poem name and article title are independent parts of the sentences. If either were put in parentheses, the period would come after the closing parenthesis, I.e. ... Edgar Alan Poe’s poem (The Raven).

Fortunately American grammar is more reasonable where question and exclamation marks are used. Their placement inside or outside the closing quotation mark is determined by whether they apply to the whole sentence or the part within the quotes. For example,

Did Larry ask “Is Mattie going to be there”?
Larry asked, “Is Mattie is going to be there?”

I have already begun using British guidelines in this respect, and shall continue to do so (unless someone pays me serious money to conform to their choice of style guide). But if I am to make any inroads, I need lots of help. Otherwise, I look as ignorant as my children used to think I was, and my efforts will make only the tiniest of ripples. I invite you to join me in publicly proclaiming independence from archaic punctuation logic. Rules eventually change to reflect common usage, so let’s be common!

Write now: examine a small stack of old manuscripts and determine places where you might edit closing quotes according to British usage. Make a decision about sticking to the traditional form versus helping shift a rule.

References:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/quotation.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100618102646AAkcgnL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark#Punctuation

A Tour of the Scars

In an idle moment I sit staring at my finger. Wasn't there a scar on that one? Where a slipping putty knife ... I'll spare you the details. The point is that I had to look long and hard to find a trace of that ugly scar from not all that many years ago.

I turn my attention to my knees. One puckery scar from early girlhood is still there, much smaller now than it was fifty some years ago, and the other is gone entirely. Once upon a time I recalled the occasions on which I skinned those knees, even to the perverse pleasure of picking at the scabs until they eventually flaked off to reveal fresh pink skin underneath. I still recall picking at the scabs, and the pain of having the knees scrubbed clean and swabbed with red-orange merthiolate, but the specifics of the wounds are long forgotten.

A small scar on my left jaw is an inch away that its original location. That one is the reminder — when I look in my side-view mirror — of the cyst that settled there, the cyst that I passed off to a curious fourth-grade classmate as a mosquito bite. He didn’t buy that. That “bite” lasted for several months before my mother took me to the doctor in Santa Fe to have it removed.

A scar on my left inner forearm remains much as it has for nearly fifty years and reminds me of the day less than a week before my wedding when I was helping my father tie springs in a chair Mother was reupholstering. A spring slipped, gashing my arm as it flew forth, leaving something resembling the “quality check” mark on Darigold milk cartons. My father put his quality check mark on me, I decided.

I scan my shins. Which one has the nick from the corner of the dishwasher door? The nick that occurred one evening when we’d had company for dinner. I’d forgotten that both shins now have dishwasher door nicks. Which is which? I no longer remember, but the story lives on.

When I lift my bangs and hold my forehead up to the light, I can still see the faintest reminder of the day I thought I could stop a huge log rolling down the hill behind our house by grabbing the protruding limb. The log weighed nearly as much as I do, and the trip to the ER for stitches took hours, and they wouldn’t let my husband come into the examination room with me. “Sometimes people talk more freely without family members present,” was the explanation that not so subtly suggested that there could be another cause for this wound. I understood, and I'm still indignant, fifteen years later. 

How fascinating. Over time, most scars fade and shrink, but their stories live on. Our scars may be nature’s way of carving our stories into our very bodies, creating visual reminders we won’t soon forget.

Write now: conduct a tour of your scars. Record the story of each one and tell how you feel about the scar today. Do you hide it? Flaunt it? Resent it? Or maybe it’s a trophy?

Tale of a Neo-pagan

Last week a friend sent me a link to Belief-O-Matic, a fun quiz on Beliefnet that features twenty multiple choice questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature and related beliefs. It’s programmed to compare your pattern of responses to beliefs of 27 different religions. It generates a report showing how closely your beliefs align with each faith. The e-mail included a report of her top ten matches. To my amazement, her top one was Neo-Pagan.

Wow! I thought. She publicly admits to being pagan?

Then I stopped to examine my response. It was strong and immediate. And stunned. The word “pagan” carries lots of baggage.

*   *   *   *   *
 
STOP RIGHT HERE

Before reading any further, take a few seconds to focus on your reaction to that name/label.

 *   *   *   *   *

My instant associations include earthy, sensual, orgies, seasonal, Earth worship, Gaia, priestesses and sacrifice as well as more sinister ones: burning at the stake, Satan, ignorance, heathens. Thoughts of warnings about pagans that I learned in Sunday School flash to mind. Pagans were to be avoided by all but missionaries for fear of contamination. No wonder I reacted strongly.

Over the years I’ve grown open to learning about other religions, and my beliefs have evolved far from my childhood training. Nevertheless, belief is a strongly personal thing, and may not be easy to talk about — or write about. Traditionally, public discussion of religion has been on a par with talking about money, sex and politics — strictly taboo. Some people are reluctant to take a strong stand on any issue, for fear of making waves, seeming foolish, alienating people, or being trapped if they should change their mind.

Then I saw the connection with life writing and Truth. “The Truth shall set you free,” may first have been uttered by the apostle John, but it resonated so strongly that it’s rare to listen to a motivational/inspirational speaker for more than twenty minutes and not hear that sentiment. It underlies much of the current memoir movement.

By sending that report, my friend spoke her truth. I checked with her. She has received no negative responses, and she feels empowered for having made this disclosure. A few friends have sent their results to her. Turns out there are lots of people in our midst who hold pagan beliefs, and she would not have known that if she hadn’t been brave enough to share. In fact, I was as astonished to find that I’m among that number as I was at her initial disclosure.

Write now: Explore your reactions to the word Pagan. What is the origin of your beliefs and the way you value those words? How have these beliefs and values shaped your outlook and your life? Have they changed over time? Record your thoughts in a journal, essay or story. 

Photo by ; Kam

I Don’t Feel Like Journaling Today

I woke up this morning thinking I wrote a lot yesterday and the day before. I don’t have anything to say today. I can skip it. I don’t have to write everyday. I want to get back to my manuscript. I need to make nametags for the new class today. 
 
In short, I itched to do anything but write in my journal. I’ve been lax about journaling lately. It’s so easy when I’m on fire with a new idea or picking at a knot of understanding. Other days it feels in the way. How easy it would be to fall away from the practice, and I don't want that to happen, because I do believe in the power of Practice. 

Journaling is a Practice. Natalie Goldberg writes constantly about the importance of Writing Practice and her Roshi validated it as Natalie's Way. He put it on a par, at least for her, with “sitting” (in meditation). I also find that writing focuses and clarifies my mind. I know from experience that journaling often pays its biggest dividends when my thoughts are whirling and passion is high.

So it was today. Within the space of half an hour I came up with two new concepts that laser in on the lake of energy behind an inner dam of blocked vision that I hadn’t realized was there! A list of blog topics spewed out. Ideas for two new classes and books emerged in full focus and clarity. I could write the Table of Contents right now.

Yes, I’m juiced. I’m stoked. The time I invested in journaling will save that much time and more by smoothing the path of other things I do today. 

What’s my bottom line here? Usually the days I don’t feel like journaling are the most important days to do it.

What did I do to get the pump primed, to make it work?

• I sat down, picked up my journal, opened to the next empty page and wrote the date. (I write the date and also the day of the week — if I get mixed up on the date, that helps me untangle later by referring to a calendar, and it occasionally provides valuable context.)
• I wrote the obvious: “I don’t feel like writing today.” 
• I began writing about what I’d rather be doing. On the second “rather” writer's rush set in. My concept expanded. It was still largely documentary, but new ideas poked up heads like sprouts in spring. Words flowed.

I didn’t get close to any topic that will move my manuscript along, but a small resentment I thought of and captures proved to be a gold mine. Words are flowing, and the energy from focus on other projects will move the manuscript. Yes, this was time well spent.

Write now: Open your journal if you have one. If you don’t, open a new file or get a fresh piece of paper, and write for twenty minutes. Just write, about anything that comes to mind. Write about why you don’t feel like writing. Write about a dream project. Write about something that puzzles you. Just keep your finger smoving and see what surprises emerge. 

Photo: Lee Coursey

Treaure Trove of Tips

The line between fiction and lifestory or memoir is finely drawn and permeable. The main difference is that our characters  and events come ready-made. and we have an obligation to portray them truly. That truth is shaped by the way we transfer them from memory to page, and that involves both heart and craft. Our heart shapes the slant of our stories. Craft fleshes them out for the benefit of readers. In general, fiction writers have taken the lead in the area of craft.
 
In my most recent post I mentioned K.D. Weiland’s blog, WORDplay. Aside from her rich array of blog and video posts, she offers a free 50 page eBook, Crafting Unforgettable Characters: A Hands-On Guide to Bringing Your Characters to Life. I urge you to click over and download this book right away before she realizes just how valuable it is. Although its focus is on creating and portraying fictional characters, if you adjust your filters, you’ll find a treasure trove of tips for capturing the essence of the ready-made characters in your life.

Her "Character Interview Form" almost slid past unnoticed as I skimmed the contents the first time through. Why would I need that? I thought. I already know my characters — primarily me. Then the lights went on. If I use this form to interview myself, I’ll have a pile of focused material for my memoir and may find a couple of interesting twists.

In fact, this is a good time for me to take a break and do just that. I’m well underway with the memoir project (you can follow my progress on my Los Alamos Girlhood blog), but more focus will surely help.

These unforgettable character tools will be useful even if you write loose collections of stories rather than formal memoir. If certain people regularly appear in your stories or memoir, you may benefit from using the interview technique with them too.  Use the Interview form primarily for major characters. Use the other tips for any person you mention in your story. The tips will enhance your creativity so even pop-in characters take on added sparkle with a few deftly chosen words.

As icing on the cake, this eBook is over-the-top gorgeous, with spectacular layout. I'm a layout junkie and had to ask, “Did you do this yourself?” She did! It’s not a layout you’d use for simple story, but keep your eyes open for examples of great craft as inspiration for your own projects.

Write now: download a copy of K. E.’ s eBook and read it — it doesn’t take that long. Then write a new story or reopen an old one that features a strong character. Use one or two of her techniques to make that character even more vivid.

Picture credit: Timitrius

Preach, Teach, or Testify?

A friend forwarded me a link to a post on K.M. Wieland’s most awesome blog, WORDplay. The post, titled Should Stories Be Soapboxes, addresses the possible pitfalls of writing stories for the purpose of converting others to your line of thinking, whether that be religious, political, or philosphical. K.M.’s work is primarily addressed to writers of fiction, but it applies equally well to life story and memoir writing, and I urge you to enjoy the richness of her offerings.

Lots of people may read this post and wonder, “Am I guilty of this?” or “How do I avoid this?” and “How does this apply to memoir?”

I'll use a personal example of a situation that could go either way. I’m currently writing a memoir of my girlhood (covered in a separate blog). The story follows the path my husband and I took as we toured Los Alamos on our last visit in August, 2000. One of the first landmarks I saw was the Christian Church. My family was involved with that church from its inception, and I have filled five manuscript pages with memories of my experiences there. One of them was my baptism.

This would be a place to preach, if I were so inclined, which I’m not. I simply reported the event, along with my subsequent immature reaction:

... The week after I got home, I answered the call and was baptized later that afternoon at the Baptist Church, which generously shared their facility for such occasions. Answering that foundational question, “Do you, Sharon, take Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior?” was a little daunting. Well, yes. I did. And as I went under the water, I just hoped I wouldn’t regret this down the line somewhere when I’d have to make a tough decision. For at least the next couple of days I took this commitment with the utmost seriousness, feeling ever so holy and righteous. ...

Had I been inclined to preach, I might have lapsed into a testimony along the lines of how much God loves the world and gave His son to save us from sin, my joy at knowing that now I was now on my way to Heaven ... and urge readers to make their own decisions for Christ. ...

But therein lies a paradox. I’m not a “testifying type.” That’s not my calling. But some people are. We have all met a few. If you are one of them and you don’t include that testimony in your writing, you won’t reflect the truth of who you are. Readers will respond to your writing the same way they respond to your testimony in daily life.

Bottom line: Follow K.M. Weiland’s advice to be passionate about your message and let it lead the story. Testify if that’s where your fire is, and look for a way to let as much of that testimony as possible be showing rather than telling.

Write now: draft a story about a topic you feel strongly about. Select a topic that you hope will influence the opinions of readers. Look for ways of letting your actions, interactions and reactions show your passion rather than blurting it out directly.

Back at Keyboard

My extended break from this blog lasted longer than anticipated, but I'm back at the keyboard. I am working on the new WordPress version, but that’s turning into a more complex project that I’d envisioned. I like WordPress so much that I want to use it for my whole website, and I have not yet discovered how to set everything up “behind a curtain” and then flip a switch to swap the old for the new.

Meanwhile, dozens of juicy blog topics have come and gone... so we’ll continue here for now and I’ll make the switch very soon.

This experience of working on the WordPress installation, with the alteration between intense focus and interruptions, and need to loop out for more research, is a sort of metaphor for amy writing project — maybe for life in general. I’m thinking back to the year I spent writing my master’s thesis. I chose a complex topic: Perceived Risk of Nuclear Power. That’s an odd topic for someone seeking  a degree in counseling psychology, but we all knew by then that I was not going to pursue a career as a therapist. My off-beat combination of two hot topics was a good one. It eventually garnered me the newly minted Distinguished Thesis Award, much to the glee of the department and my advisors.

I was a returning student with three young children and other time-consuming commitments. I lived 100 miles from campus and took classes in my local community. Life often intervened to keep me away from my research and writing for weeks at a time. Each time I went back to my desk, it took me considerable time to review past work and “get back in the groove.” How I wished I could simply sit down and bang it out., without interruption.

Today the same situation arises with the transition to WordPress and also with my Los Alamos Girlhood memoir. Life keeps intervening. Perhaps the one thing that ensures I keep tapping away on the memoir is my reliance on a blog about that project.  I have a growing list of followers now, and don’t want to embarrass myself by going too long between posts. That means I have to write something, reflect on what I’ve written, and blog about that.

You can find any number of ways to maintain or manage momentum on a writing project. Partly it depends on your personal writing style, a topic I discuss in detail in The Heart and Craft of Lifestory Writing. Probably the most powerful and effective is to use other people as accountability props, and writing groups and classes are especially helpful. 

One writing group you can participate in without leaving home is the Life Writers Forum YahooGroup. You can use this lively group to report in about projects and get group input to resolve snags or anything related to life writing. It's a rich source of new ideas. Join the group by entering your e-mail address in the form in the left sidebar or click over to the group homepage. You'll get the most out of the group if you participate in the discussions, but lurkers are also welcome.

Write now: write a journal entry on your writing style and how to keep your project flowing.