Writing Process

Afraid of Mice? Not Quite…

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Jun 11, 2021 in Nonfiction, Writing Process | 0 comments

Photo credit: keithlawson

More animal research tidbits. You know that old story that elephants are afraid of mice? In the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder claimed that elephants hate mice “above all other creatures.”  Later scientists speculated that mice might run up elephant’s trunk.

This does not happen. And elephants are not particularly afraid of mice, although they have poor eyesight (and also eyes a long way around from the ground) and can sometimes get started by anything that scuttles unexpectedly around their feet.

But there is a tiny animal that elephants are actually afraid of.

Bees.

Despite elephant’s thick skin, bee stings can still hurt. If bees are flying around, an elephant herd may form up into a protective circle with the calves inside to keep them safe from the fuzzy little flying menaces.

Poop Research Continues

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Jun 4, 2021 in Children's Literature, Writing Process | 2 comments

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Nhobgood, Nick Hobgood

Guess what the pristine what beaches of Hawaii and the Caribbean are made out of?

Parrotfish poop.

Parrotfish use their tough beaks to scrape algae off coral and eat it. They also eat the little animals that build the coral. Doing this, they end up crunching up the coral itself, which their bodies process and defecate as lovely white sand.

A big parrotfish can poop out 1000 pounds of sand a year.

You are welcome for this tidbit of horrifying yet delightful knowledge. Take it with you on your next beach vacation.

Those Pesky Commas

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on May 14, 2021 in Grammar, Writing Process | 0 comments

Commas. Commas are tricky.

We learn in school that a comma means a pause, which is true, when you are reading. This doesn’t mean that, when you are writing, you should stick a comma in anywhere you feel the need to take a breath.

The rule that gets ignored most often is this: do not use a single comma to separate the subject from the verb or the object from its modifier.

Which means:

DON’T DO THIS: Stella ran along the ancient corridor, and dodged a vampire on the stairs. (Here, “Stella” is the subject and and the two verbs are “ran” and “dodged.” Just as you wouldn’t write “Stella, ran along the corridor” you can’t stick a comma between “Stella” and “dodged.”)

INSTEAD, DO THIS: “Stella ran along the ancient corridor and dodged a vampire on the stairs.”

DON’T DO THIS: “Just in time, Ambrose flung the amulet out of the window, and into the shrubbery.” (Here “flung” is the object and “into the shrubbery” is an adverbial phrase modifying “flung.” Just as you wouldn’t write “Ambrose flung the amulet, out of the window” you can’t stick a comma between “flung” and “into the shrubbery.”)

INSTEAD, DO THIS: “Just in time, Ambrose flung the amulet out of the window and into the shrubbery.”

Tune in later for more about getting commas into the correct places.

Writing With Pets

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Oct 7, 2020 in Children's Literature, Dog Life, Writing Process | 0 comments

Tessie thinking, “Yeah, your character development needs work in Chapter Three.”

I think all writers’ households should have pets (barring allergy issues and such). There are definitely good reasons to keep furry family members around, such as:

1) They make great, noncritical first readers, as long as you’re willing to read stuff out loud (which you should be doing anyway, since it’s a great way to catch errors or moments of awkwardness.)

2) Long walks are good for thinking out complicated plots, and dogs help with that.

3) It’s important to read a lot to keep up with the field, and cats help with that by insisting–insisting–that you settle down in the comfy armchair with a cup of tea so they can sit on your lap and purr.

4) They are good to hug after rejection letters.

So I’m pleased to announce that, as well as Karma the Puppy of Infinite Appetite, we now have a new furry family member: Tessie. She is still quite shy, but crept out of hiding this morning to sit on my lap in the comfy armchair, so I think she’s going to be great addition.