Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing

What should you keep in mind as you revise? Here are Elmore Leonard’s 10 rules!

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

so claims Elmore Leonard in the book Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing which I read about today on the blog Brain Pickings.

Leonard was a novelist but most of his rules still apply to writing in general. If you want to read the why and the wherefore and his stories that generated these rules, you’ll need to go to Brain Pickings, or even better, buy the book Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing (public library) illustrated by Joe Ciardiello.

If you just want the basic rules, a taste of what he has to say, and some ideas of how they apply to academic writing, read on!

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Join VC Earth Day 2014 On Facebook

Please join Ventura College’s Earth Day community page and event on Facebook!

art predator

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
– Margaret Mead

What will you do for Earth Day 2014?

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On Being A Watcher of Vowels and a Master Procrastinator of Words

why writers procrastinate and what it might mean for your education

art predator

“For me and most of the writers I know, writing is not rapturous. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.” Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird (page 22)
“The writing we most admire, the writing that takes us into other worlds, the writing that allows us to live the experience of others, the writing that influences our thoughts and emotions has evolved through a process of exploration dna discovery. That process is both frightening and thrilling for the writer since progress is made, as it is in science and sports, by instructive failure.” Donald Murray, Craft of Revision (page 3)

“Most writers manage to get by because, as the deadline creeps closer, their fear of turning in nothing eventually surpasses their fear of turning in something terrible,” writes business bloggerMegan McArdle“Why Writers Are the Worst…

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Today #StopTheNSA 2/11/14

Here’s how.

Attend an event in your area
Ask your representatives the tough questions
Write to your representative about NSA reform
Download the Reform The NSA app on iTunes
Share on social media.
Use the #stopthensa hashtag on Twitter to help spread the word!

Read why.

Information from The Day We Fight Back: https://thedaywefightback.org/

Changes at Ventura College: more English classes + block scheduling

Ventura College’s new Executive Vice President Patrick Jefferson is changing the way the class schedule is organized starting this fall. No longer will there be daily classes; instead classes will be held during two day a week blocks with Fridays reserved for 3 unit classes meeting for 3 hours:

Daytime Classes (MW or TR): NOTE: 5-unit classes fill two time slots.

8:00 AM
9:30 AM
11:00 AM
12:30 PM
2:00 PM
3:30 PM

Evening Classes (MW or TR)

4:30 PM (5-unit classes only)
5:00 PM (4-unit classes only)
5:30 PM (3-unit classes only)
7:00 PM

Also coming soon will be changes to the course offerings in English. There is a movement to offer a 4 unit English 1B (critical thinking through literature) course to meet the transfer needs of English majors (this will be an option; as I understand it, the 3 unit class will also continue to be offered).

A greater variety of classes in English will also be available for example, British and American literature, Aesthetics of Film, Creative Writing, Multicultural American Literature and/or Shakespeare.

In order to anticipate student interest, we’d appreciate the completion of this short survey: