“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.”
~ Ursula K. Le Guin
The Assignment
2
By M.P. Witwer
“He would never forget those hands.” Frowning, Karen crossed out the sentence — too ambiguous.
She shifted nervously in the waiting room chair, trying to concentrate on her creative writing assignment to “craft a complete, unequivocal story using six words.”
“Screw you and your impossible assignment.” Probably wouldn’t fly.
Eventually, just one line remained:
“Relief came, then tears: ‘It’s benign.’”
Perfect. With a wan smile, she nodded in faint satisfaction.
Upon hearing her name called, however, Karen’s anxiety returned. She stowed her notebook, rose unsteadily and followed the nurse — clutching a fervent hope that life was about to imitate art.
* * *
© 2013 by M.P. Witwer • All rights reserved
Relief for Any Distress
Quote
“I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.”
~ Charles de Montesquieu
Privilege and Gift
Quote
“Writing is an extreme privilege but it’s also a gift. It’s a gift to yourself and it’s a gift of giving a story to someone.”
~ Amy Tan
A Word Geek Visits the Doctor
By Maggie Rascal
It’s a dire diagnosis for our intrepid heroine…
“We don’t see you in here often, Maggie. What seems to be the trouble today?”
“Well, doctor, its this darn apostrophe, thats how it started but things has got alot worse in the past couple days. I should of came in sooner. I know.”
“What exactly do you mean, ‘this darn apostrophe’? I don’t see any apostrophe.”
“Precisely my point! It went missing where I want it, than shows up where you know it should ought not be.”
“Ah, I understand. Your dilemma with apostrophe usage is just part of a much larger problem. Continue reading