Maranda Russell's Blog, page 6

Fellow Blogger Drama

(If you enjoy personal drama posts, you’ll like this one lol. I’m not going to name the person or blog, as I don’t think that is necessary or constructive, but the whole set of circumstances hurt my feelings and disappointed me and I wanted to vent.)

Ok, so I had this blogger friend. One that I thought of as a close friend and great source of mutual support. Something rare to find in the blogging community. She also blogs about many of the issues I blog about (mental illness, etc.) We encouraged each other consistently and even supported each other outside of WordPress by reading and reviewing each other’s books. I really thought of her as a close blogging/online friend.

Then one day she posted about a medical procedure that I had been told by my psychiatrist was dangerous and could have some serious side effects. I mentioned what I had been advised about the procedure by my doctor in a comment on the post, although I did explain that I certainly was no expert on the subject and wasn’t entirely sure if my doctor gave me completely accurate information and that I would have to investigate the subject further.

Because of me even questioning the safety of the procedure, it seemed like she just cut off all communication with me. I waited a while thinking maybe I hadn’t worded things right and had hurt her feelings or something and wanted to give her time to cool off. However, even though I tried to keep supporting her because I wanted to salvage our friendship, she refused to respond. Eventually I decided to email her and apologize if I had misspoken, hurt her feelings, or offended her as I definitely did NOT have any intention of doing so.

She emailed me back (I do appreciate that, because had she not, I never would have gotten any closure on the whole issue), and told me that since I had “promoted stigmatizing misinformation” that she pretty much blocked me automatically across the board.

So, am I the asshole for thinking this was an overreaction and being very hurt by the blatant rejection of someone I had considered a close blogger friend? How would you feel?

One Minute Monologue – Late

Here is another creative writing monologue. This one is a bit of a riddle. BTW, these monologues are NOT about me personally! If you use this monologue for an acting exercise, Tiktok or YouTube video, etc, let me know! I would be thrilled to know these are being used!

“Late”

Crap! I almost forgot!I'm late! I'm late!No, not for an important date.No, not for a stuffy business meeting.No, not for the bus or train.What I'm late for is life-alteringbankrupting disturbing potentially violent inevitably bloodyand if given root - never-ending.Yes, I'm late for THAT.

Another Creepy Doll!

Ya’ll know I love creepy dolls! Here’s another creepy one I found at the thrift store for $4.99. I couldn’t resist that awkward, slightly terrified expression! Hope she doesn’t give you all nightmares!

One Minute Monologue – Neurotic Writer

Here is another creative writing monologue. This one from the POV of a neurotic writer. BTW, these monologues are NOT about me personally! If you use this monologue for an acting exercise, Tiktok or YouTube video, etc, let me know! I would be thrilled to know these are being used!

What a way to start a conversation with a stranger! How did you even know I was a writer? (beat) I’m not sure if I should be offended. I look like a neurotic mess? Well, you might be right, but it’s still a bit rude to thrust such a stereotype onto me without even seeing my good side first.  

What do you mean? How am I supposed to respond to that? You insult my personality and then compliment my boobs? I mean, I guess I appreciate the praise, even if it comes from a creep like you. But I’m not about to let you off the hook now. You fucked up by talking to me. You’ve no idea. Neurotic? That’s for beginners.

Nihilism Soap. There’s Nothing. Like It.

Nihilism soap! Don’t think I’ll even use it, just display it on my bookshelf with my goth toys

Poetry – A Withering Smile

An icy glancea withering smile -and again you've shakenmy faith for a while.

One Minute Homeless Monologue – Theater Creative Writing

Here is another creative writing monologue. This one from the POV of a homeless person. BTW, these monologues are NOT about me personally! If you use this monologue for an acting exercise, Tiktok or YouTube video, etc, let me know! I would be thrilled to know these are being used!

Yeah, I’m an old, homeless bum, what of it? (beat) You gonna throw that bag of old McDonald’s fries at me? Like I’ve not been hit by worse. The food bits don’t bother me near as much as the drinks, especially the milky ones. Those turn sour in the sun pretty quick out here, and it isn’t exactly like I have a spare clean set of clothes to slip into.

I guess I can comfort myself with the fact that the worse I smell, the more you all suffer as well if you have to be around me. If so, I hope you are standing downwind.

Yeah, that’s my dog. (beat) What do you mean homeless people shouldn’t own dogs? Maybe heartless assholes like you shouldn’t own dogs! (beat) Oh, you’re a cat kind of guy? Figures. It actually explains a lot.

Beautiful Park Painting in Point Pleasant, WV

Love this painting that was on one of the walls in a park in Point Pleasant WV. Isn’t it beautiful?

One Minute Monologue – Mine Now

I’ve been reading a book of one minute monologues, and it inspired me to try my own hand at writing them. Here is my first try, inspired in part by watching the Netflix series “YOU”.

“Mine Now”

We met at an estate sale. You were selling off the remnants of your grandmother’s 80-something years, and I was looking for some cheap antiques. I bent over to sort through a box of old vinyl records, trying to ignore the smell of cat piss and mustiness that permeated the air.

That’s when I spotted you on the stairs, long black hair pulled back into a pony tail, muscular, tanned arms lugging another box of old junk to the sale room.

Our eyes met as you neared the bottom step. You smiled in recognition, though we had never met before. I decided right then that you were mine now, regardless of whether you wanted to be or not. I hoped you would put up a good fight. It always makes the game feel exciting and new…and the eventual capitulation more satisfying.

Guest Post: Top DIY Editing Tips

Today I’m featuring a guest post by Emma Brown. She is going to give out some professional DIY editing tips, focusing primarily on article/essay writing! I hope they can be of use to you!

Top DIY Editing Tips

It’s not enough just to write an article. After all, the first version of the text is a draft. You must make it informative and easy to understand, put it into order, and edit it. It is unwise to show it to the reader right away; the draft must be looked at by an editor. Well, or postpone the article and return later to make the improvements yourself.

Sometimes editing and revisions take longer than the actual writing. After all, any article can be improved endlessly, there is no limit to perfection. But there is not always enough time for such perfection. Our 10 Quick Editing Tips Checklist will help you speed up your work.

10 tips of essay editing

The main principle of editing says the simpler the better. Plain language, easy and understandable words. After all, we are not writing a work of fiction kind of document, but a note that should quickly make one’s point to the reader, solve the problem.

Students and writers often face the problem of essay editing and this is when professional edit essay services online come in handy. A professional editor will edit your essay and deliver it in a timely manner.

Forget about the flawless syllable, excessive expressiveness looks strange in essays on general topics. And even worse if we see this in technical texts about metallurgical equipment. Therefore, take into account the subject of the text, the language of the target audience – everything is individual.

We recommend finding a middle ground, so that the paper does not seem out of place. It is inappropriate to imitate Nabokov in informational articles and descriptions.

Now in detail. Let’s move on to specific recommendations:                                                             

Tip #1.

Clean up unnecessary things. Any text can be reduced by 20% without sacrificing content. To make papers strong, squeeze out the waffling: remove every excess word, without which the meaning of the sentence is not lost.

Tip #2.

Remove hackneyed phrases and cliches. These are english phrases that are used in texts/speech so often that they have ceased to be means of expressiveness. They have become standard, trite, and boring.

Tip #3.

Forget about bureaucracy and colloquial words. Use an informational style so that an assignment about travel does not turn into an excerpt from a dissertation or everyday conversation.

Tip # 4.

Make things clear and give examples. The text must be 100% objective. Omissions, understatements, and uncertainties are not needed here. Add specific, accurate information.

Tip # 5.

Simplify the complex things. Put things in order. Sentences should be clear from the first read through and written simply.

Tip # 6.

Replace verbal nouns. Verbal nouns require weak verbs. Experienced editors are well aware of this issue. This makes sentences more difficult.

Tip # 7.

Don’t overuse leading questions. Such questions allow the reader to identify the article as suitable for them, regardless of whether it is academic writing or something else. These questions relate to the problems of the reader. And if a person internally said YES at the very beginning, then they are already involved.

Tip # 8.

Split the sentences. To keep the reader’s attention and not clutter up the text, divide long sentences into several short ones. This will make the article lighter and save the target audience’s time.

Either way, applying for expert assistance from essay-editor.net, you will get your paper edited and proofread the best way possible.

Tip # 9.

Check repetitions and tautologies. The author may not even notice overuse of words from the same root. After all, work on a small text can last 2-3 hours, during which time the eye gets blurry. But to the reader, these flaws immediately catch the eye and spoil the whole impression of the text. A professional service will not let it happen.

Tip # 10.

Make the text beautiful: work on the design services. The structure of the article plays an important role. Even if the text is super informative and useful, written in plain language, and without a single mistake, it is not a guarantee that it will be paid attention to. Readers may not feel like reading solid text without visual clues. 

Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to cut, divide, and remove unnecessary parts. Only practice will help you achieve perfection. Maximum benefit, minimum waffling, and simplicity are the three pillars on which any successful article is built. But don’t go crazy either – do not overdo it with proofreading, so that the text turns into a dry outline of the original article. Everything should be in moderation. It’s easy to lose track of authorship, which should be the hallmark of your writing.