Rick's Writing List of Things

NCAA Bracketology

2008-03-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

FINAL FOUR: Kansas edges past UNC while UCLA beats Texas. UCLA struggles past Kansas to win the 2008 tournament.

How they got there...

EAST
UNC lambast Choppin; UNC runs past Ark; UNC blows by W. St.; UNC needs OT to take Tenn to get into final four.
Arkansas edges Indiana

George Mason spoils the Irish
Washington St. edges Winthrop; Washington St dumps G.M.

St. Joes upsets Okies; St. Joes stuns Louisville
Louisville spanks Boise St.

Butler boots S. Ala
Tenn sleeps through American; Tenn beats Butler

MIDWEST
Kansas stops Portland St.; Kansas boots UNLV; Kansas kills Clemson; Kansas slaps Gtown.
UNLV topples Kent St.

Clemson dispatches Villanova; Clemson upsets Vandy.
Vandy Slaps Sienna.

USC burps K St.; USC ambushes Badgers
Badgers whollop Cal-St. Full of themselves.

Davidson drops Zaga.
Gtown manhandles UMBC; Gtown eeks past Davidson; Gtown edges past USC.

SOUTH
Memphis cruises past UTA; Memphis pounds M. St.; Memphis slams Pitt;
Miss St. edges Oregon in two OTS.

MSU tickles Temple.
Pitt grinds down Oral; Pitt tames MSU.

Marquette kills Kentucky; Marquette surprises Stanford
Stanford jumps all over Cornell.

St. Mary's silences Miami.
Texas kisses off Austin Peay; Texas struggles past St. Mary's; Texas beats Marquette; in the tournament's best game, Texas edges Memphis.

WEST
UCLA looks past MVS; UCLA beats BYU; UCLA coasts past Drake. UCLA crushes Duke.
BYU wins on a prayer over A&M.

Drake sends Western Ky packing; Drake kicks UCONN.
UCONN trounces San Diego St.

Purdue pounds Baylor.
Xavier tromps Georgia by 40; Xmen chokes Purdue.

West Virginia slips past Arizona
Duke destroys Belmount; Duke waxes the floor with WV; Duke struggles past Xmen.

Mystery Short Story Contest.

2008-01-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

FYI Anyone interested in a short mystery contest?

“Dressing for Success Can Be Murder” Story Contest sponsored by Clued-In Press Mystery Symposium. Is there a story lurking behind those long, hot, leather boots? Or those disco party clothes? Or that leisurewear suit still hanging in your brother’s closet? Clued-In Press is looking for a few good stories in the mystery, crime, thriller, suspense or cozy genre. The only requirement is that the story issue swirls around an article of clothing. Hot pants, stretch pants, poodle skirts. Anything goes. Send us your stories.

Word count: Up to 2,000 words
Entry Fee: $10
Prizes: First prize, $100, Second prize $50, and Third prize $25
Guidelines
1. All stories must be original, unpublished, and not submitted elsewhere at the time of submission. Clued-In Press reserves the one-time publication rights for winning entries to be published in Clued-In, on the website or on other digital venues.
2. Use standard manuscript format including: 1” margins, Times New Roman 12 font, and double spacing.
3. Contain a title sheet with your name, address, email address and phone number. Entries received with names and other identifying information on the story will be disqualified.
4. Use running headings with the name of the story and the page number in upper right hand corner on all pages other than the title sheet.
5. Include four copies of the story.
6. Include an SASE for total cost of mailing if you would like the copies returned.
7. Deadline: Must be posted marked by February 15, 2008.
8. Winning entries will be announced at the Clued-In Mystery Symposium on April 5, 2008. Winner need not be present to accept prize.
9. All entries with an appropriate SASE will be returned after the event.
10. Multiple submissions are okay. Every submission must be accompanied by the $10 reading fee. All decisions of the judges are final.
Submissions should be mailed to:
Adele Polomski
Contest Coordinator
40 Brook Drive
Milltown, NJ 08850

Flash to Epic Word Count

2007-07-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

The boundaries fluctuate, and everyone can find an example that violates these word ranges; however, in general:

1-500. Flash Fiction
501 - 2,000. Short Shorts
2001 - 20,000. Short Stories
20,001 - 50,000. Novella
50,001 - 100,000. Novel (If you're a first-time novelist, best to be between 60-90K.)
over 100K. Big novel (significant investment by the publisher)
150K+. Epic Novel (Think "Lord of the Rings", "Gone With The Wind")

I've gleaned this from the number of times this question has come up, various articles and conferences, and those self-help books that all writer's love. :-)

Farmer's Almanac Writing Rules

2007-07-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

From the 1975 "Old Farmer's Almanac", some writing rules

1. Remember to never split an infinitive.
2. Try not to think to use too many infinitives when you sit down to write.
3. The passive voice should never be used.
4. Do not put statements in the negative forms.
5. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
6. Proofread carefully to see if you words out.
7. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
8. A writer must not shift your point of view.
9. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
10. Remember, too, a preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with.
11. Don't overuse exclamation marks!
12. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of ten or more words, to their antecedents.
13. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
14. If any verb is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
15. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixed metaphors.
16. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
17. Everyone should be careful to use a single pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
18. Always pick on the correct idiom.
19. The adverb always follows the verb.
20. Last but not least, avoid clichés like the plague.