Monday Muddle: compliment, complement

Here’s a trick to help you figure out which spelling you need. Complement, which means to complete, has the same first six letters as complete. Knowing that I should say nice things to people more often will help me remember that compliment has an i.

Monday Muddle: compliment: (n) an expression of praise, admiration or appreciation; (v) to give a compliment complement: (n) something that completes, makes whole, or brings to perfection; (v) to complete, make whole, or bring to perfection

Thursday Thought #MichaelBlouin

Michael Blouin thought about stopping, but he kept writing. Now his novel, Skin House, has been named the best in Canada by ReLit Awards, and a digital copy of it will be going to the moon later this year.

An old manual typewriter, with "Goals" printed on the paper. Caption: You're the only one who can stop yourself. So don't. ~Michael Blouin

Tuesday Two

Write a story with only two sentences. Use the photo for inspiration if you wish.

Photo by Greg Becker on Unsplash.

A path surrounded by large evergreen trees with bright light shining through in crepuscular rays

Monday Muddle: it’s, its

Here are a couple tips to help you know when you need the apostrophe. “Its” will be followed by a noun, though there might be a descriptive adjective (or several) before it. “It’s” might be followed by just an adjective. (e.g. It’s yellow.) But if “it’s” is followed by a noun, with or without a descriptive adjective, there will almost certainly be an article (a, an, the) or a possessive adjective before the noun. “It’s” might even be followed by “its”. For example: Why is there a bowl on the floor? It’s its usual location. It’s the dog’s food dish.

“Its” should never have an apostrophe after the s.

Autocorrect does not know the difference between “it’s” and “its”, so don’t trust it to choose for you.

Monday Muddle: it's: (subject pronoun and verb) contraction of "it is" or "it has". Can be replaced by "it is" or "it has" and still make sense. its: (possessive pronoun) indicates possession--the item that follows belongs to it. Cannot be replaced by "it is" or "it has" and still make sense.

Wednesday Writing

Do you write in longhand first and then type your manuscript into a computer? Some people say they are more creative that way. What do you think?

A woman about to write in a blank journal. Caption: Do you write longhand first?

Tuesday Two

Write a story with only two sentences. Use the photo for inspiration if you wish.

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash.

Three pink piglets in a fenced yard. One looks to be whispering in another's ear. The third seems to be nonchalantly eavesdropping.

Thursday Thought #SharonMcMahon

I watched a very moving interview with Sharon McMahon (@sharonsaysso) and Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit) on Instagram. It was about helping people in need, and this quotation came from that interview. When Sharon said it, Carlos suggested it should be put on a t-shirt, so I made a post for each of them.

Sharon has a beautiful smile and a beautiful heart; we need more people like her in this world. If you want to be inspired and have your hope in humanity restored, you should check out her Instagram account: @sharonsaysso

A smiling, young boy giving a jar of bright yellow flowers to his smiling mother who has squatted down to receive them. There is a view of mountains, trees, and sky behind them. Caption: Receiving is a form of generosity. ~Sharon McMahon
A graphic t-shirt printed with the words: Receiving is a form of generosity. ~Sharon McMahon

Tuesday Two

Write a story with only two sentences. Use the photo for inspiration if you wish.

Photo by Demba JooB on Unsplash.

A man diving into, and captured just above, a body of water. His arms are straight, but his legs are bent at different angles. He may do a bellyflop.