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The Story of Writing

@sownow.bsky.social

1.2K followers 1.6K following 2.6K posts

A daily podcast about writing and writers that changed things, like minds, the world, etc. https://storyofwriting.com

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · May 15

The Story of Writing podcast rules:

-Talk about writers and writing that made the world better
-Every episode should include women and people of color
-Feminism is equality for all
-Stay woke
-Encourage reading
-Respect short attention spans
-Find joy and share it
#BookSky #History #OTD #Authors

Story of Writing

storyofwriting.com

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 30m

Yeah. The innovator works magic and then the magic fades until another innovator comes along.
Or the magic finally disappears forever.

Reposted by The Story of Writing

MS Kohut @mskohut.bsky.social · 4h

I just saw an unidentified agent with a badge in clothing that appeared like he JUST rolled out of bed trying to grab someone off the NYC subway. Other passengers calmly continued to ask what he was doing, film and stand in the way. The agent left the train car. Let us all protect each other.

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2h

Woodja look at that...

A rational, reasonable elected official. He's being honest by saying things that are verifiable - that have, in fact, been verified. Repeatedly.

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 13h

Vaccines are safe and effective.

Autism isn't caused by vaccines, and autistic people and their families deserve our support.

When you want information, ask your doctor.

It's more important than ever for all of us to speak plainly, truthfully, and directly about public health.

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2h

The Israel/Gaza "peace deal" is both the work of Pres. Biden (not trimp) and dependent on elements that do not exist: central Gaza governance, disarmed Hamas, internat'l stabilizing force(s), Israel's guaranteed withdrawal, etc. etc. etc.

They can't see each other as humans.

That's the problem.

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2h

It's the birthday, in 1888, of the New Zealand novelist Katherine Mansfield.

Her experimentations with style, subject matter, and themes re-defined modernism.

Not sleeping may have had something to do with it?

Why does one feel so different at night? Why is it so exciting to be awake when everyone else is asleep? It is very late! And yet every moment you feel more and more wakeful, as though you were slowly, almost with every breath, waking up into a new, wonderful, far more thrilling and exciting world than the one in daylight. And what is this queer sensation that you’re a conspirator? Lightly, stealthily you move about your room. You take something off the dressing-table and put it down again without a sound. And everything, even the bedpost, knows you, responds, shares your secret.

–Katherine Mansfield, At the Bay, 1922

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2h

It is the birthday of the musician who sang,
“Everyone wants to touch the sky / Nobody wants to reach back / For the ones who are scared to fly.”
American singer-songwriter and musical tour de force Usher was born on this day in 1978.
#MusicSky #R&B #BOTD

He has changed Rhythm & Blues, made it bigger, and re-introduced it to the dance floor. Globally, he’s sold more than 80 million albums and has become an active philanthropist, focusing on health, kids, creativity, and human rights.

An undated photo portrait of Usher on the beach, wearing sunglasses and a white t-shirt.
Image source: Gulf News

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3h

It is the birthday of the novelist who wrote,
“Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in.”
New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield was born on this day in 1888.
#WriteSky #History #BOTD

A monochrome photo (color added) of novelist Katherine Mansfield
Image source: The Paris Review

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3h

On October 14th, 1964, American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Junior was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The chairman of the Nobel Committee praised him for being “The first person in the Western world to have shown us that a struggle can be waged without violence.”
#History #OTD #Nobel

A black-and-white photo of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. holding the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to him on October 14, 1964.
Source: African American Registry

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3h

On this day in 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier. He flew a Bell X-1 aircraft at a speed of Mach 1.05 or more than 800 miles an hour.
#History #OTD #Flight

A b/w photo of Chuck Yeager, standing next to the Bell X-1 plane that he flew to break the sound barrier. Circa 1947
Bettman/Getty Images

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3h

On this day in 1884, the U.S. issued a patent to George Eastman for his paper strip photographic film. The film came first. After that, Eastman developed and patented the Kodak camera that used the film. The combination changed photography.
#History #OTD #Photography

A person could walk into a store, buy a Kodak camera loaded with enough film to take 100 pictures. After doing that, the photographer could mail the film to Eastman’s company. The film would be developed into prints which were mailed back to the customer along with a freshly loaded Kodak camera that could take 100 more pictures. By 1915, the company was making more than 15 million dollars a year. When Eastman died in 1932, his estate was worth an estimated 100 million dollars.

A circa 1890 ad for the Kodak camera, pre-loaded with enough film to take 100 pictures.

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Reposted by The Story of Writing

Greg Fields @gregfieldsauthor.bsky.social · 3h

Poet ee cummings (1894-1962)
Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote "He offers for sale poetry which is...inexplicable to a person as intelligent as myself...What I propose is this: that you give Mr. Cummings enough rope. He may hang himself; or he may lasso a unicorn."

#booksky
#writingcommunity
#authors

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 22h

Yes!
Go Jess!
This is the way.

Jess Piper Fan Page 💙 @jesspiperfanpage.bsky.social · 22h

Go Jess @piperformissouri.bsky.social / @demstegenmo.bsky.social @iquitcigs.bsky.social @morgfair.bsky.social @anneserling.bsky.social @lesliejones4mo.bsky.social @shepherdformo.bsky.social @lilithkarma.bsky.social @stltoday.com @melrea.bsky.social @barackobama.bsky.social @sownow.bsky.social

Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · 1d

Marshall, MO.

I head into rural Republican districts across the state and country and I organize the Democrats in those red spaces. I am a cheerleader for these Democrats. I remind them that they are not alone, and they are a force for change.

I will never stop.

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 22h

Hitchin’s Pond Overlook, near Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 23h

Well, where ELSE am I supposed to get my daily amount of carnuba wax?!

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 23h

Sniveling coward.
Dishonorable, in every way.
A urine-soaked sock.

Melissa Jo Peltier @melissjpeltier.bsky.social · 23h

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 23h

Hitchin’s Pond Overlook, near Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2d

On this day in 1945, Desmond Doss became the only conscientious objector to receive the U.S. Medal of Honor. He was a member of a combat unit, but, because of his religious beliefs, he refused to carry a rifle.
#History #OTD #WW2 #MedalOfHonor #ConscientiousObjector

On the Japanese islands of Okinawa – amid desperate fighting – Doss saved more than 50 U.S. soldiers – even though his arm was shattered by sniper fire and he was badly wounded by shrapnel from a grenade he kicked away from the soldiers he rescued.

A b/w photo of Desmond Doss, receiving the U.S. Medal of Honor
Image source: Office of Medical History, United States Army

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2d

On this day in 2010, a televised debate in Finland featured a panel discussion over same-gender marriage. Some church leaders on the panel argued against it. Within six weeks of the broadcast, more than 47,000 Finnish Evangelical Lutherans left the faith.
#Religion #History #OTD

A color photo of a crowd of thousands in Helsinki, gathering after Evangelical Lutherans took part in a televised debate on same-gender marriage. Some church officials opposed these marriages. Tens of thousands of Finns went online to the site where they could officially leave the church and formally left their faith.
Image source: Helsinki Times

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2d

He's too stupid, too demented, and too corrupt to hold office.
Any office.
25th Amendment now.

John Sipher @johnsipher.bsky.social · 2d

Impressive work by Biden to control the FBI while Trump was President.

The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2d

On this day in 1692, the Governor of Massachusetts Bay ended the Salem witch trials.
#History #OTD #MassHysteria #WitchTrials

After negotiating a peace agreement with the Abenaki Tribe, Governor William Phips learned that the special court he established in Salem had executed 20 people. Allegations of witchcraft were spreading. It is possible, but not clear if Phips’ wife was one of the accused. Phips issued a letter on this day that ended the court in Salem and created a new tribunal that would not consider spectral evidence. This was the term for testimony from witnesses who claimed they saw the spirit or specter of accused witches and that these visions compelled the witnesses to break with religious or law-abiding behavior. It was the court’s admission of this type of testimony that led to the executions. If the judges had not permitted spectral evidence, the hysteria that led to accusations of witchcraft would have remained allegations.

A scene of the trials in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony, hand-colored engraving.
Image source: Britannica

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Reposted by The Story of Writing

John Pavlovitz @johnpavlovitz.bsky.social · 2d

Good people need to start outing their ICE family members, neighbors, and community members.

They need to be made into pariahs in the places decent Americans gather.

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 2d

Looks like you woke up Rumi by announcing he would have his taxes audited.
😜

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3d

It is the birthday of the spiritual philosopher who wrote,
“Through my love for you, I want to express my love for the whole cosmos, the whole of humanity, and all beings.”
The Vietnamese monk and writer Thich Nhat Hanh was born on this day in 1926.
#WriterSky #BookSky #BOTD

In 1966, after he refused to choose sides in the Vietnam conflict, he was expelled from the country. A year later, Martin Luther King, Jr. nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A color photo of Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh at the Non Nuoc Pagoda in Soc Son mountain, about 40 miles north of Hanoi, in 2007. Photo: Kham | Reuters
Source: Washington Post

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Reposted by The Story of Writing

George Conway 🇺🇸🚫👑🐸 @gtconway.bsky.social · 3d

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The Story of Writing @sownow.bsky.social · 3d

Happy Elmore Leonard's birthday to all who celebrate!
Here's a peek into his writer's mind:

Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules on Writing:

1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
You’re allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

My most important rule sums up all 10:
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

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