How to cure writer's block

Image via Wikipedia

From a comment posted on copyblogger about writer's block.

Here’s a sure fire method to cure writer's block.

Keep a copy of any classic work of literature that is over 1000 pages in length, preferably something that you had to read in school, and really disliked, near your desk. For me it would be Thomas Mann – Magic Mountain (sorry to you T.M.)

Every time you get writer’s block, say to yourself, “if I don’t break out of writer’s block in 5 minutes, I will have to read that rather dusty, incredibly long book that I had to read in school”.

This is truly a magic motivator to cure writer’s block.

lol

Screenplay for a short film

Image by tata_aka_T via Flickr

I'm not exactly sure what the following writing selection is. I woke from a dream with the image of this story in mind. I guess you could say it would be a screenplay for a short film. At least that's how I best envision it. I hope you enjoy it.


Screenplay for a short film. "Up to Jamal"

There is little boy (8-10 years old) together with his parents at an airport. The father is white and the mother is black, the boy is much more fair-skinned than his mom. The Father drops off his wife and son at the curb with their luggage, and goes to park the car. The mother moves with the luggage to the check-in counter. She tells her son to stay close, while Dad takes care of the car.

The little boy hears the sound of faint music and leaves the side of his mom. He follows the sound of music and it becomes stronger. It is an African rhythm, with a strong beat, and an unusual, but very beautiful sound. The boy stops and looks ahead of him. There is an African man dressed in tribal costume standing perhaps 30 or 40 feet away. The man nods his head slowly, and looks at the boy. He has a beautiful feather in his hand. It is striped with both black and white feathers. A broad smile comes to the face of the African man. He gently lifts the feather in the air, and the wind takes it up in the air. It floats up high, and across to the little boy.

The boy looks up at the feather and is blinded momentarily by a flash of light from the sun. He hears a strong, deep voice say to him. “It is up to you to solve the problems between black and white in this country”. The feather lands in the boy’s hands and as it lands, the colors of the feather seem to reverse between black and white from their original colors. The boy blinks in astonishment, and grabs the feather and holds it tightly in his hand. Suddenly he remembers what his mom told him, and thinks she might be looking for him. As he runs back to find her, he glances over his shoulder and the African man is gone.

The boy finds his mother around a corner, and she shouts as she sees him. “Jamal, where did you go, I was looking everywhere for you ? Didn’t I tell you to stay close ? I’m waiting for Dad, now don’t wander off ! And where did you get that feather ? We are running late, so your Dad is going to meet us at the gate.”

With baggage in hand, the mother and son move toward the gate and approach the security area. The mother passes the security check point without incident, but the boy sets off the alarms. Unlike the normal sounds, the buzzers do not buzz just once, but continue to buzz, abnormally, without shutting off for half a minute or so. The boy is asked by a security person, if he has anything in his pockets, and the boy says no.

The security guard, (a black man), asks the boy to put the feather in the box, and the boy hesitates, but looks at his mom, and she nods to him, so he reluctantly agrees. The security guard watching the feather pass through security sees a bright blinding light as the feather passes under the radar, but there is no sound. The security guard shakes his head and his partner asks him, Is everything OK ? The man says "yeah, I guess so".

The boy passes through security the second time without a sound. The security man stands up and moves over to the little boy. He gives the boy a big smile, and says to him, "Take care of that feather, OK" ? The boy responds, “I will.”

As the boy and his Mom move away from the security area. The security guard can’t take his eyes off the boy as he walks away. A voice in the background, (same voice that Jamal heard before), says. “Don’t leave everything up to Jamal. We are all brothers and sisters in one Family of Man under the one True God.”

Web Site Promotion Blog

Image via Wikipedia

Greetings to all !







I hope everything is going well at this back to school time. I'm sure Bob is extremely busy right now, as any family would be now, sending kids back to school.

If anyone has a moment to spare, I would like to introduce you to a new blog I have started. I would very much appreciate any feedback at all from any member of the group, (or anyone reading this blog).

It is located at Web Promotion Blog until I release it for public consumption. Like most blogs, it is a work in progress, that has a beginning, but no end, and I'm sure I will be devoting a significant amount of time to it.

I am migrating information I had on a different blog to this new format. (A hosted Wordpress blog, which is better for search engine promotion).

By the way, sorry for the image of the Goldfinch. It is a European goldfinch, not an American one. I couldn't easily find an American goldfinch. It looks sufficiently spirited though, to me, for a Goldfinch. Nonetheless, it seems to be a fine specimen.

If anyone feels that a WordPress blog would more suitable for our group, I would be happy to set it up. They look significantly more attractive than most. It could be an additional blog to this one, or maybe it could promote our Spirited Goldfinch publication. Please let me know if there is any interest in doing that.

Additionally, if anyone is interested to set up a blog for business or personal use, give me a call, and I can give you some good recommendations, and assist you in the process. Note: it is simpler than you might think. Almost all blog options are totally free, so there is no cost, other than the time to set it up, (and to post of course).

Blogs are great ways for writers to promote themselves, and you can find a template on Google that suits your style rather easily. There are lots of free WordPress templates available for you to Google. Is that correct grammar, "to Google" ? If it's not yet in Webster's I'm sure it will be soon.

Happy Writing !

Poems and Other Things

We had a wonderful meeting of the Writers Haven on Sunday, August 16, at the home of Richard Panzer. Present were Richard, Valerie Shimoyama, June Saunders, Kerry Pobanz, Jerry Chesnut, Bob and Karen Beebe, and newcomer Mike Yurechko. Mike shared with us some wonderful poems he has written, reflecting his intimate relationship with nature. He also shared with the group his desire to write down some of his many experiences "on the road" in the course of his life. We look forward to more of his writing in the coming weeks and months. June shared with us a poem about her written by her neighbor entitled "Lady in the Yard." It captured June to a "T". Richard also reported how things have been going with the publication and promotion of his new book "The War on Intimacy." Finally, Bob reported on the progress with the upcoming second issue of the group's The Spirited Goldfinch. There will be between 8-10 submissions of short stories, essays and poems and will be available on lulu.com by the end of the month.

Our next meeting is scheduled for this Sunday, August 30, 3:00-5:00 pm, at the New Home of Valerie Shimoyama (42 Carmer St., Belleville). She will be presenting a recent piece she wrote. She distributed copies to some of you at the last meeting. Also, Kerry will be presenting a new piece entitled "Breathing Love in the Spirit World." It should be an exciting meeting. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Web Site Promotion - 5 Open Source Applications for Writers

Web Site Promotion - 5 Open Source Applications for Writers

Here are a couple of excellent sites for writers that are link sites or directories.

From Writers Digest - 101 best writers sites on the Internet
Note: Do NOT miss this article !

Internet-Resources.com writing Links & Links for Writers
Writers' Resources on The Web and More

In addition, don't miss this one. It is quite funny ! Rules for Writers.

I have written and blogged about Open Source quite a bit on my own blog. Just to review for a minute, Open Source software is developed by committee, not by large corporations. Usually the Open Source companies are non-profit, but this is not an absolute requirement. They merely have to allow access to the source code of their software and follow established rules for collaborative efforts to develop the software.

This is democratization of software development at it's finest. The best aspect of Open Source software for computer users is that these are quality software programs available for free. One of the best known Open Source software programs is the Internet Explorer alternative, Mozilla Firefox. For additional information on Open Source visit my blogfather blog (post # 3)

I ran across a very interesting article on Open Source applications for writers. This article highlights 5 different programs designed specifically for writers:

1) Kabikaboo - This program allows writers to more easily manage large documents, technical manuals, and long novels.

2) Storybook - Helps keep writers of novels focused on the big picture by keeping characters and story lines straight.

3) Celtx - This is the application of choice for scriptwriters. This app helps scriptwriters pre-produce all sorts of media, including film, theater, comics, radio, and even podcasts.

4)Lyx - This program can help you if do academic writing, theses, or scientific papers. There are specific formal rules for acceptance of these types of papers. Lyx will help ascertain that the structure of your documents meets formal acceptance requirements.

5) Scribus - This program seems to excel at desktop publishing, presentations and newsletters. It also can be used effectively to put together your next best selling novel. Once you've written the content, you can design cover pages, manage content, insert images, and create page layouts.

There you are. Take a look at these programs if they are "up your alley". I'm sure you will not be disapointed.

Good Luck in your writing and web site promotion efforts.

If you would like to promote your writing on the Internet, or another type of business, contact me for some free consulting.

John Lombaerde
973-860-1325

This post was written by John Lombaerde, a CNC programmer with over 15 years experience designing, programming and cutting complex parts on multi-axis computer numerically controlled, (CNC) milling machines.

He is an experienced Product Designer, CNC Programmer, CNC Machinist, and CAD CAM Consultant.

He is also an SEO Consultant specialized in Search Engine Placement for Web Site Promotion.

For additional information, see:

CAD CAM Consulting

Web Site Promotion by Veretekk

NPN Lead Generator

Web Site Promotion, What will be the effect of the Google Chrome Operating System ?

Web Site Promotion - Google Chrome Operating System

What will be the effect of Google's new Chrome Operating system on web site promotion efforts ? The simple answer to this question is that it probably will have little or no effect. Google's search engine rules and methods will not change appreciably under a new operating system. What will be the impact of a new Chrome Operating System on the computing world ? It may significantly affect the type of computer you buy in the future. It may also have a significant effect on Microsoft, and this is why.

We have yet to see really low-cost netbooks hit the market, but it is quite possible that we will see sub $ 200.00 netboooks in the very near future. We already have cell phones with multi-function capability, namely Internet and e-mail capability, and this trend will likely continue. We probably will also see hybrid types of devices that are not quite a computer, but more than a cell phone.

In order to keep the price of netbooks and hybrid devices as low as possible, it will be necessary to eliminate the cost of software. The only practical way to do this is to use Open Source software with this type of computer. It is impossible to bundle any of Microsoft's operating systems, or Office Productivity software in at such a low price. Windows plus any other piece of software is already more than $ 200.00 retail, even in OEM versions.

Linux is an alternative, but it doesn't quite measure up to Windows in terms of usability and user-friendliness. It has been around for quite a while, and although servers run Linux quite effectively, Linux has not really shown it's strength as a personal computer operating system in the way it has as a network operating system. Google Chrome actually sits on top of a Linux kernel, but it is not Linux itself. It is something brand new.

If you think for a moment about how many computers are used mainly to access the Internet, read e-mail, and for some kind of simple office-related task; that accounts for a very large number of computers, easily fifty percent, or more, of the PC's in use right now. Microsoft products dominate this market today, but 5 or 10 years from now, there could be a much different looking landscape in the world of personal computers. There are computers in libraries, schools, second and third family computers at home, Internet cafes, and guest computers in offices, that really have no compelling reason to run Windows or other Microsoft software. (Sorry Microsoft, but that's the way I see it).

It is these types of shared computers, that would benefit the most from a Google Chrome Operating System. Especially if this kind of computer could be made to access the Internet faster, start nearly immediately on boot-up, and run on-line applications faster than the equivalent software running under Windows, wouldn't it be an obvious choice to opt for the free, (and faster), alternative ?

The keys to the success of this new operating system are threefold.

1) It must run an Internet browser, (Chrome, of course), and Internet applications faster than Windows.

2) It must be more stable than Windows. This means it must have bullet-proof security. This is a tall order for any operating system, but it should have built-in protection against viruses, spyware, and other type of intrusions. This could easily be the key differentiation between Windows and Chrome. since Windows has had, (and continues to have), so many security vulnerabilities. It should be a top priority for Chrome.

3) It should run the widest possible array of software programs. Google has done a good job of providing internet applications up until now, but there needs to be a Chrome, (or online) application to match, or nearly match most of the software that currently runs on Windows. Chrome will not go head-to-head with Windows across the software spectrum, but the wider the choice of Internet-based software available, the more success Chrome will enjoy. It it not intended to be a network server operating system in the same way that Microsoft Windows Server is, but just the personal operating system of choice for computers connected to the Internet.

Google is probably the only company in the world today with the resources to be able to develop and maintain an operating system like Chrome. On the other hand, since it is open source, Google may be content to manage from the sidelines and eventually let the Open Source community take it over. Note: At least that way Google may not be tempted to have sponsored links pop up on your screen as you work. (lol - Sorry Google)

It is true that Google as a company cares little how you access the Internet. In other words, they are computer hardware and operating system neutral. Of course, I'm sure Google's management and software engineers will be smiling ear to ear if they are able to compete head to head with Microsoft, (Google's main search rival), on Microsoft's home turf of the PC operating system. Nothing would be sweeter for Google than to have Chrome enjoy a resounding success in the marketplace. Google has everything to gain, the more computers there are on the Internet, and nothing to lose.

We will have to wait until the second half of 2010 to see Google Chrome, according the Official Google Blog. It is possible that the most significant beneficiaries of Google Chrome will be thirld world computer users. The dream of a $ 100.00 computer is not yet a reality, and remember that 75 % of the world's population does not yet have e-mail.

The availability of free computer operating systems and software is essential to begin to close the gap between have's and have not's in this world. This author, for one, hopes that Google Chrome becomes the operating system of choice for many of the world's PC's, and helps to hasten the day when the vast majority of the word's people have access to computers and the Internet.

Good Luck in all your writing and web site promotion efforts.

This post was written by John Lombaerde, a CNC programmer with over 15 years experience designing, programming and cutting complex parts on multi-axis computer numerically controlled, (CNC) milling machines.

He is an experienced Product Designer, CNC Programmer, CNC Machinist, and CAD CAM Consultant.

He is also an SEO Consultant specialized in Search Engine Placement for Web Site Promotion.

For additional information, see:

CAD CAM Consulting

Web Site Promotion by Veretekk

NPN Lead Generator

Web Site Promotion Blog

Spirit World and Reunion

I hope that you all enjoyed your July 4th weekend. Our family rushed directly from the Manhattan Center celebration on Saturday to my sister's house in CT where we had a traditional July 4th picnic/BBQ with lots of activities and our very own fireworks.

Our last writers' meeting took place at the Saunders' home on June 21st, the first day of summer. Present were June, Valerie Shimoyama, Kerry Pobanz, Jerry Chesnut, and Bob and Karen Beebe. Kerry started us off with his essay entitled "The Whole Reality of the Spirit World" in which he examined both Rev. Moon's and Emanuel Swedenborg's descriptions of the spirit world as resembling the human body and how all of us, according to our nature, become part of that body. We are reminded that we are more than individual entities, but are utlimately part of a greater whole that we are meant to fit into.

From there, we were treated to Jerry's latest installment of his novel. Here, the main character, Jerrod, gets his old drama class together for a 40th year reunion. In what may be a dream or fictional reality (Jerry hasn't decided yet), Jerrod goes beyond himself to pull his old classmates together, breaking through old barriers to... well, it's still in process. We look forward to where this is leading, but we are sure it's restoration of some kind.

Our next meeting will be this Sunday, July 12, 3:00-5:00 pm, at Kerry Pobanz's house. June Saunders will be presenting the latest chapter of her Civil War-era novel (attached). We look forward to a stimulating discussion as the story enters the war itself.

Also, I am about to finalize the next issue of our literary journal, so whoever was planning to submit something (June!) needs to get it in quickly.

Look forward to seeing you all this Sunday!