22 Twenty-Nineth Beginning (Nanowrimo 2007) Organizing Aunt Sheila

[See previous disclaimer - and we're starting to get toward the end of the document.  If it was a typical Nanowrimo November, things will be getting more disjointed soon.]

how about - Tutor Notes K

Intercultural Communications

Theme comments:  1) there was no mention made of the switch from independent kingdom to State, was this not discussed?  and 2) don’t pad by saying things that are true, but too general to contribute information.  Don’t be afraid to repeat things in the conclusion.
Word choices:  1) beware using the word ‘unique’ unless something provably is, 2) the word drastic has negative connotations, and 3) words like ‘aspect’ and ‘first key’ are best used when discussing several explicitly listed things, not when used as stand-alone comments or when subsequent sentences do not also say ‘aspect’ and ‘key’.

Grammar:  Recheck your longer sentences.  You sometimes try to say a lot in one sentence and the grammar can tangle when the subject isn’t kept clear. Try saying the same thing in short sentences and then recombining them. 

That was helping someone with their homework.  They were going to Delta college and getting someone to review the paper was part of the project.  There should be one in there for her boyfriend, too.

That would be this.

Tutor’s Notes
E B, Comp Studies

Edit your writing with four things in mind.  1)  Remove idiomatic padding, use active language (‘along with him’ to ‘also present’, ‘With Mr. Toriyama he’ to ‘Mr. Toriyama’)  2)  Keep sentence structure parallel.  When comparing two things, keep the grammatical structure the same for each.  This improves flow.  3) Check to see that your use of commas matches your instructor’s standards (you have a tendency to use very few commas).  4) Check to be sure that your antecedents are well defined.  Any sentence starting with the word ‘This’ must be preceded by a sentence that leaves no doubt what ‘this’ is.  If this is not the case, begin by recapitulating:  ‘This combination of traits. . .’

It sounds like you know what you’re doing, there.

I can at least sound that way.

I’m impressed.

I used to do technical editing.  You’d be surprised how much you can improve even good writing, if you know writing and the writer mostly knows his subject.

here’s one that might be notes against procrastination.

Do:

Pigeonholing – categorize stopper

Salami – detailed list of small tasks
Leading task – Swiss cheese – any task
5 minutes
Worst First

Balance Sheet – reasons for putting off vs benefits
Journal – clarify goals – analyze motives – plan corrective action – reinforce good behavior – get to know and like yourself
Self-Dialog – imperative and/or anticipative
Tape Talk – reminders – mistakes
Going Public
The Monitor
Prayer

Against Fears:

Dissect Fears
Turenne Method – can also be used for boredom, depression, shyness, fatigue, unwillingness to tolerate discomfort
Build for Eternity
Image successful completion
Imagine the Worst
Fear of Success requires a full hashout

Keep a willpower list – things to do for practice rather than for deadline.

Make LONG term goal list

Devise rituals – “doing beats stewing”

Avoid:

Floundering – multiple directions – nowhere
Wheelspinning – doing Work B because of quilt for being behind on Work A
Firefighting – chronic crisis – schedule time around opportunities rather than problems – Set Yourself Up
Vacillation – indecision.  Red Squirrel says: “Though right of wrong you’re bound to find – Relief in making up your mind.
Dawdling – Fiddling – tempo – now is the time to dump morning fish reports – try Wednesday check-ins.
Spraying – diversification of effort – Fan – “It’s difficult to be decisive when confused.”
Switch – changing before complete – develop a compulsion for closure – no butterfly – the butterfly’s wing brings chaos
Acquiescing – learn to say no – learn to say I want it this way.
Rehashing – no dwelling on the past
Perfecting – do well enough to get it over

That’s from one of the books – I wonder if that would be a good place to start working?