Confessions of a Writing Nut

My few faithful readers have probably noticed that I’m blogging here more. I plan to continue.

I’m not saying I’ll NEVER post on Get Paid to Write Online again (in fact, a post went up today); but the writing career advice baton is being ably carried (as it has been for years) by Anne Wayman, Jennifer Mattern and others, so I can do other things instead.

But I don’t just want this to be a boring business blog (though of course I want it to be useful to you), so to do something a bit different, I’m taking part in the free Story Bistro Bloom Your Online Relationships Challenge. It lasts just 30 days, has its own hashtag (#BYOR30) and there are already a couple of hundred people signed up. I have no idea what I’ll have to do over the next month, but today’s challenge is: be an authentic goofball.

I’m a Writing Nut – and Proud of It!

Luckily, that’s not hard for me. As you’d expect from a writer, most of my goofiness focuses on word play. I love twisting words and making them do things they weren’t intended to, for a laugh. I also write poetry and in addition to the soul-baring angst which every poet worth her salt has (no, I’m not ready to share those yet), there are also the nonsense poems. I always loved limericks and Edward Lear as much as Wordsworth and Milton, so when I get to combine the two, it’s a good day.

Way back near the start of my blogging career, I participated in a poetry spoof challenge. I married one of my favorite poems, William Wordsworth’s Daffodils, with my love of sci-fi. Here’s what happened:

Spaceships

I wandered drunk along the road, and did not know the time or place
When suddenly I did behold a great big silver ship from space.
Beside the field, beyond the trees
It fluttered to the ground with ease.

As shiny as the silver top that covers all my cans of Coke
The spaceship came to grinding stop, then belched out a huge cloud of smoke.
And as it landed then I saw
A green man come out through the door.

The field of horses pranced but he, untroubled, stepped onto the earth
Assessing, as he looked, entranced, what our green planet could be worth.
And then I thought, with some delight
That I would own the TV rights.

And now when on my bed I lie, which I do when I’m feeling good.
I oft remember, with a sigh, how I took Flurg to Hollywood
And then my heart with pleasure thrills:
My bank account’s now filled with bills.

With apologies to William Wordsworth (Daffodils)

Originally published March 2006

So what does all this have to do with my work with you, my esteemed client? Well, let’s face it, a writer who knows how to have fun with words is likely to be able to handle your writing needs, wouldn’t you say?

So now it’s your turn to share: what wacky secrets don’t your business colleagues know about you?