Linda K Sienkiewicz

Writing life, line by line

Isn’t it Ironic? Words that Trip Me Up

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  A language fail is the worst kind of fail, especially if you're a public speaker or a writer. From Travis Bradberry's list of 20 commonly misused English words, these often trip me up: Ironic vs. Coincidental Bradberry writes: A lot of people get this wrong. If you break your leg the day before a ski trip, that’s not ironic—it’s coincidental (and bad luck). Also coincidental is … [Read more...]

Don’t Go Easy on Dialogue

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Ali Luke’s guest column on "10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Dialogue" on Write To Done made me reflect on the things I've learned about dialogue over the years. There are easy ways for improving your dialogue, but don't take the easy way out. Don't write the first thing that comes to mind. That's being lazy. Go beyond what's easy. 1. The best dialogue reflects what’s not being said, such as when … [Read more...]

Brief History of a Forty-Year Long Marriage

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The Luv Pub It sounds like a cliche: I met my husband after last call in the Brown Derby Luv Pub in Independence, OH, where people danced on a lighted disco floor to a live "house band." There might have even been a mirror ball. I was just twenty years old, drinking with a fake ID, and working as a waitress in the upscale Chinese restaurant Pan Asia, while going to art school. He was pounding … [Read more...]

Lawn Kitsch

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My Neighborhood I spotted this donkey, deer family, lighthouse, gazing ball, and Dutch children in one front yard in a section of houses built in the fifties. The children are supposed to be smooching, but the homeowner separated them. I guess there's no kissing on the lawn. I imagine the kitchen in this house has pink or avocado green appliances and a formica table with metal chairs and … [Read more...]

Why Rush to Publish?

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You wrote a book! You want it published! Now! Congratulations! I've felt that same excitement. However, I urge you to resist that impulse to self-publish right away. I know you're excited and, trust me, I know time is the downside of traditional publishing. It can take years. First you have to query agents. That can take a year or more of submitting your … [Read more...]