Author Organization

Today at the Books & Such blog, I saw an author organization quiz in the lower right hand corner. Being a sucker for punishment, I decided to take it.

Now as much as I try to avoid generalizations, when it comes to my own work, I have many. And generally I do not see myself as very organized. I'm sure my family would agree when they step into my studio. But in other areas where I work, I seemed to have developed a reputation for organization. Ironic, don't you think?

Well, the results of the survey surprised me a little but here's what the results said (and I might add, the majority of authors seemed to fall into this group):

Organization Meister

You are an ORGANIZATON MEISTER!

You look organized to everyone around you because you shine in several areas, but you secretly worry about the hidden glitches in your systems.

Even meisters can improve so ... "

A Meister? Cool, but ... really?

Well for starters, I must say I don't usually secretly worry about the hidden glitches because I see the hitches every time I try to walk to my desk. Some days, it's an obstacle course. Organized? It sure doesn't look like it.

But at the same time, I don't miss a deadline unless it's for circumstances completely beyond my control. If I say I'll do something, I usually do it the moment I'm back at my computer. I figure I don't have to stress about what's on your to-do list, so the faster it's off mine and back to you the better. I have two calendars open (a desktop one and a, well, a "desktop" one) to track what needs to be done and what I have done each day. I think I can say it's fairly organized.

Here's where I think the dichotomy lies:

I do have a system. I jokingly refer to myself as being a "visual filer" because my system runs somewhat on the principle that out of sight is out of mind. So I tend to have stacks of papers or letters or supplies sitting around me. My desk does tend to overflow. All my shelving is open so I can see at a glance what's there. Project supplies, research or notes get stacked together. I prefer the open mesh-style filing boxes for current stuff. And I usually have one small box of stuff "to be dealt with." It's not urgent but I don't want to put it away just yet because it's significant for some reason.

Now here's the thing - I can find everything. I know which stack to look in. It's when I clear up and file things that I lose track. Occasionally I do a massive purge (like the days before company comes) and then I have to reorganize the mental files to match the move in the physical ones.

So while my friend the professional organizer might agonize over the state of my system, it's working. I hear, though, that even meisters can improve and I never want to close the door on improvement. I'm sure there are tips and tricks that will let me better mesh neatness and organization.

But for now, I'll add that thought to the appropriate stack. Then I'll know where it is when I need it.

Color perception

Color Perception

Color perception is fascinating.

In my current residency, I have a student that is color blind. It made my hopes of a clean watercolor palette pretty hopeless for that particular paint set but did result in some interesting color mixes. It also means that he is much more likely to produce mud on his page. The good news is that he is still happy with what he's painting.

I have a friend that is color blind in one eye. Her sense of values is impeccable but she admitted that it was only about five years ago that she understood what certain colors - like lavender - were. But once she realized which eye had which color perception, she learned to use it to her advantage. Her artwork is breath-taking.

Artistically, I need to understand how colors work together. Professionally, my color-sight (the way my eye and brain process color) will affect any art I produce. And don't get me started on the "individual monitors will vary" thing. I usually work on dual flat screens and even though they are identical monitors, I have a photo-favorite for color editing.

Personally, I know what colors I like to wear. I know which colors are my favorites to look at (orange and deep blues). I know which colors can lift my mood (love the amber-tinted sunglasses) or make me feel slightly nauseous (did you know there are several distinct ways that people pronounce "mauve"?)

Here's a color IQ quiz that tests your hue perception abilities. It's fun and you can compare your score to your age/gender demographic if you are a competitive sort of person:

http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77

I got an 11. How did you do? (Not that I'm competitive or anything...)

Comma confusion

"This morning I took out a comma.
This afternoon, I put it back in."

--Oscar Wilde

Comma's are kind of like table manners. I use them regularly and, I must confess, usually without too much thought. I guess I have some sort of innate faith in my ability to use them appropriately. And then an "expert" comes along and I think, wow, if I was put on the spot, I'm not sure I'd know every situation where that particular rule applies.

When I'm writing a blog or an email, I do toss commas around pretty recklessly. Kind of like dashes - love those...

But when I put on my editor hat, I get ruthless with commas. Whether my own writing or someone else's, if the comma isn't absolutely necessary, out it goes. Partly it's the markets I typically write in. In business or advertising or news-style writing, commas are fairly scarce. When spaces count as characters, those commas are a luxury. In more scholarly writings, the commas can be sprinkled throughout with a more generous hand. Of course, the sentences are usually longer so it could be argued that the commas take on more importance just to keep the right thoughts grouped together.

So when are they necessary? Well, it's often a matter for debate but here's a short list I like:

1. To separate the elements in a series

eg. Our traditional Christmas dinner includes turkey, ham, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Note: That last comma is sometimes called the Oxford comma and while appropriate is not necessary unless the last two items are likely to get muddled together without it. Personally, I kill it off every time I get the chance unless clarity really is an issue.

OR

It was a hot, humid day on the bayou.

Note: A good rule of thumb to see whether the comma is necessary is to try replacing it with "and". It was a hot and humid day on the bayou is acceptable, but It's just a little and old bunny rabbit is not the way we would group those adjectives. We'd say (or we'd have our character say), "It's just a little ol' bunny rabbit."

2. To set apart parenthetical phrases or clauses (phrases that can be dropped from the sentence without it losing sense but that still expand or clarify part of the sentence)

eg. The twins, Ian and Igor, had a habit of breaking their grandmother's knickknacks.

3. After introductory phrases

eg. Leaving the boat on shore, Ellen trudged up the beach towards the dunes.

Note: The advisability of overusing this type of sentence in writing is an entirely separate issue...

4. To set a direct quote apart from the text

eg. "It's too bad we have to have winter," said Sandy.

Of course, if the quote is not a complete sentence, but just a phrase or snippet, there is no comma before the quote although the attribute (identifying the person who gave the quote) is often treated as a parenthetical phrase (see #2).

eg, The use of slug bait, says master gardener Eli Spade, is one of "debatable virtue."

5. In dates, titles or other typographical conventions

eg. June 14, 1992, set records for its unseasonable rainfall.

OR

Randolph James, Jr, led the parade as grand marshal.

OR

Walter Spivins, MD, led the research team at Ample Health Institute in Flatlands, GA.

6. To avoid confusion

Sometimes you just have to add it in to make sure the reader keeps the right thoughts connected or has a chance to take a breath. But remember that it's often better for clarity to just break these types of sentences into two or three shorter ones.

There are many, many other places where commas are used - sometimes appropriately and sometimes not. It may be a question of style or taste rather than grammatical accuracy. Just remember that those commas can be to your writing what salt is to your cooking - a little enhances, a lot is unpalatable.

Want to see how your commas measure up? Here's a Comma Quiz that compares your commas to the "experts". And they give reasons for their choices, which can be just as helpful as knowing the "rules".

Maybe I should blog about "quotes" next...

Choosing the right title

They say the title is one of the most important things you will ever write for your new manuscript - though probably the query letter still ranks a little higher. There are definitely some titles that catch the imagination or pique the curiosity. Some of my favorites include: How Are You Peeling?, Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type, A Bag Full of Nothing, Mr. Pinkerton Finds A Body, No More Dead Dogs, And God Created Squash, and the list goes on...

We'd been talking about titles in the residency I'm currently teaching (I'm done at the end of the week so will stop talking about it eventually) and doing some brainstorming about what should and shouldn't be in a title. Some kids had a snappy option right off the cuff, others just stared and shrugged. (I think I could tell which ones have more AR points.)

I got home with a head full of titles and then saw this sitting on my kitchen table:


Maybe it's just because I was hanging around with 9-year-olds but doesn't this strike you as possibly being an unfortunate choice? I can't imagine a parent walking into a book store and asking for the book "Things to Do with Pooh."

(Okay, actually I can. And I can also imagine the look on the staff member's face when they hear the request. I mean, if you didn't know it was connected to Disney's version of A.A. Milne's classic bear, what shelf would you start looking on?)

Needless to say, it's gotten some mileage around our house, and it's served as a caution to me too. Our titles need careful attention. Do you want to see if your title measures up? You can put it to the test at the Lulu Titlescorer or, for the more sports minded, put two titles to the test at the new Lulu Titlefight!