That's funny, I'm in rather the same boat. I'm selling my house an hour or so south of Sydney, and moving back to be closer to the centre. It's all rather stressful isn't it!

God, yes. It would be SO MUCH easier if I was on the same continent as the house I'm selling. Being 8,000 miles away from it, and in the process of moving someplace else, makes things a bit...complicated.

Good to hear GW. Nobody likes deadlines (when you're on the wrong side of them).

I don't mind them too much, but it's been one on top of the other lately, so it's been a little overwhelming. Especially while getting ready to move, selling my house back in the States, etc. But! The light at the end of the tunnel draws nearer! Soooooon...

Sadly, I really am concentrating on a manuscript. So sorry I've been away so long. It won't be much longer now, seriously!

Famous last words, love. ;)

I'm still in the same boat. Just finished the last book that was on a deadline, and now getting ready to tackle some edits that are, of course, also on a deadline. So I should be around more starting around the 20th, though I'll still be moving and handling all of that nonsense.

I'm with you, Rumple, repetitive types of sentences quickly come to your attention and distract from the story. You've got to mix it up, people.

Agreed.

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. Not sure how soon I'll be able to post something, but I'll try to get an article or two up ASAP. I'm stapled to a couple of deadlines and working on moving from Okinawa to the States, so as you can imagine, life's a little hectic. Soon, though. :D

That. How do people fix that?

I would start by not using the same word to begin each sentence...that would make a huge difference right there...

"She walked into the room, found the couch and sat on it. Taking out her deck of cards, she began to do magic tricks. She liked how the cards were flat. Suddenly she was transported into another dimension by underpants gnomes who had been hiding beneath her skirt the whole time."

You know Jingle...I'd really like to see you finish that story...we haven't had a good underpants gnome story here on Lush in quite some time...

Yep, what DM said. And I'm all for underpants gnome stories.

I'll add sentence structure to my list, though.

Like Morgan, I'm on crunch time to finish some books on deadlines, but I'm trying to work in the time to write some articles to post here. It's a nice break, especially when my book is giving me fits, which it is.

Is there anything in particular members want information/tips/pointers on?

Contrary to the popular misconception that professional authors have deadlines and have to stick to them

Pfft. If that were the case, I'd be chained to my desk for hours on end trying to finish writing 3 books and editing a fourth before the end of September. Wait...

What are your theories?

I think she's breeding the plot bunnies that keep invading my brain and giving me story ideas when I really, really, REALLY don't need them.

I honestly assumed that she's working on a book and trying to meet deadline.

Preposterous theory!

Gallagher and Morgan sent me a postcard from Santorini, they eloped. Apparently the government over there thinks they might have the solution to their national debt crisis. Once they've outlined the plan, they'll be back. Lushstories.com is banned in Greece.

SHHHH! You weren't supposed to tell. Yeesh.

America is still a country founded by Puritans. There was a good story in Salon today about a recent Supreme Court decision which would allow almost any amount of violence in video games, but still restrict any nudity severely. Judge Stevens in his dissent said something like: A game is o.k. for kids under 17 if you hit the hooker and then chop her head off, but if she's topless all of a sudden it's rated?

Exceptional American sex hangup.

God, this is so true. I know people who let their kids play Grand Theft Auto...until they found out there's a bonus where you can obtain a silver vibrator.

Yes. A vibrator.

Grand Theft Auto...and a VIBRATOR was the deal-breaker.

>.<

GAWD that stuff drives me nuts. >.< Sex is an enormous part of the human condition, and acting like we shouldn't write about it is absurd. Especially when most of the people who spout all that crap have no problem at all with violence. ... And don't even get me started on people who think smut is "well, it's okay, I guess", but are horrified -- HORRIFIED I SAY! -- about gay erotica. ... Great post, Morgan, as always.

Why is it that murder is just fine, in music, on TV, in the movies... while making love is not?
-- That's what I'd like to know.

No shit. I often tell the story of a woman I know who took her six year-old to see Hostel . Yes, HOSTEL . Everyone knows that film is torture porn, but she didn't realize the first part of the movie is pretty much soft core porn. And she walked out of the theatre.

I said, "Wait...you took your SIX YEAR OLD to see Hostel , and the SEX was the deal-breaker?"

I could live to be 300 years old, and I will never, ever understand why graphic violence is okay, but sex is horrifying.