since NaNoWriMo is coming up

[geekchick]

Today is Sweetmorn, day 9 in the season of The Aftermath, 3271.

A few tips for aspiring participants:

• If you're writing a fantasy novel, take the exam first. (via bookslut; these is the site that has the "Book-A-Minute" summaries too.)
  
• For inspiration, try to read these lines, culled from various sf, fantasy and horror titles. (also via bookslut)
  
• And remember, you can never go wrong with dinosaurs and sodomy — so long as you achieve the proper balance.
  

Comments

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

`He absorbed Latin in two hours yesterday! It took me a whole year just to learn the Latin alphabet.'

It is actually possible that someone took a whole year to learn the Latin alphabet! Maybe between the ages of four and five, or something.

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

The exam does rather make me despair of writing anything that anyone will want to read...

[geekchick]

I dunno, there's plenty of stuff out there that incorporates at least some elements on the exam that lots of people want to read.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

I love Connie Willis. I have read Doomsday Book oh, probably four times. And the "She could embroider and milk a cow" never struck me as odd, perhaps because in context it made sense.

My personal favorite is in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Dumbledore says to Harry, at the end, "The reason you can speak Parselmouth is because Voldemort, who really is Slytherin's last remaining ancestor, can speak Parselmouth..."

[geekchick]

"She could embroider and milk a cow" never struck me as odd, perhaps because in context it made sense.

She could embroider a cow? =) Haven't read it, don't know the context.

[thunderbunny3.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!

I bookmarked that fantasy novel exam for future reference.

You are right, you can never go wrong with dinosaurs and sodomy.

[macropixi.livejournal.com]

how about dinosours committing sodomy?

[asetwoman.livejournal.com]

Nothing to do with writing. Just wanted to mention the pleasant surprise at seeing that you are listening to Psychic TV.

[allocate.livejournal.com]

interestingly enough, if you go through that exam and answer yes to every single question, you've just read the first book in the Sword of Truth series.