Learning Mostly That I Suck At Writing Titles

Hi! Sorry I haven't been posting as often... but that's what happens when school starts. Anyway, this a post I wrote at the end of August just as I was finishing rewriting a draft of my WIP  (and obviously never got around to posting). Just thought I'd share what I learned. Also, at the end there's a story my brother wrote. Just sayin', if this post bores you, skip to that. ;)

• It is amazing the mistakes your brain can just skip right over. For example, "Gwen sat on her hose". (Yes, brain, the characters in my WIP frequently ride hoses.)

• Less is more. "made it rock" can just be "rocked".  Unfortunately, I like words. I often use too many. :)

• I have used the sentence "She didn't say anything" way too often. It is very obvious she doesn't say anything when she, you know, doesn't say anything.

• I use way too many adjectives. I have to have at least 1700 of them before each noun. (At least that's what it seems like).

• Sometimes sentences just need to switch places in order to make sense.

• I have a habit of using the EXACT SAME WORD a million times. I'm sure that's how many times I used the word "sliced" in my WIP. (My characters do a lot of cooking while they are riding their hoses.)

• Don't mix up "dinghy" and "dingy". Dinghy = little boat. Dingy = dirty.

• And, last but not least, never ask my brother for advice. Evidence:
• Me: Is it "Tamlin had ran" or "Tamlin had run"?
• Bro: Tamlin was running?
• Me: No, that won't work because the story itself is already in past tense.
• Bro: So it's like... double past tense? "Tamlin was ran"?
• Me: ....

Now, as promised, a story my brother wrote... see, I frequently have my brother come across as a complete idiot on my blog when he actually isn't. He's really smart, just doesn't think sometimes when he talks. ANYWAY, here's a story he wrote when we went to the lake on the September long weekend...

ELI WE DON'T WANT YOUR FEET. They are too annoying, they are too purple, they are not wearing shoes, they have no name, they cannot fly, they cannot speak, they cannot kick a giant in the ear, they cannot hear, they cannot smell, feel or taste, all they do is help you walk, ELI WE DON'T WANT YOUR FEET. (by RZS/Gracie's brother).

Cute, isn't it? Can't you imagine that being an awesome kids book?

Anyway.

What have you learned lately... about editing, or writing, or life in general, or really anything?