Friday, May 11, 2007

Good... Great...?

Another writer and I recently discussed a topic I've long pondered... is it better to hand in a GOOD assignment on time or a GREAT assignment a day late (after asking for an extension, of course)?

My gut reaction is that it depends on the situation, the publication, the article/story, the editor, the phases of the moon... okay, maybe not that last one...

What do you think? I'm curious and haven't seen this addressed anywhere...

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Just for Laughs...

I love the Writer Beware blog, and a recent posting on the "Who's Who..." scam reminded me of an incident from when I was a teen.

I was so cocky then. I was literally a different person (two decades will change anyone, I suppose.) I really believed I could write anything I wanted and that talent oozed from every pore. (Unfortunately, so did hormonal yuckiness, resulting in years of acne-ridden torment... but I digress...) So when I was solicited by a "Who's Who..." anthology, I bought into it hook, line, and, well, you get the picture.

In the end, I never ended up publishing my breakthrough poem "Oh Goddamned, Blessed Rain". But now, I have decided to showcase it to the universe.

For the first time, in public, here is an excerpt of the poem I goofily believed would rock the poetry world and make people fall to my feet (I forget the rest of it, thankfully.)

Please, be kind. Fifteen was a bad age for writing poems!

"Oh Goddamned, Blessed Rain" (excerpt)
ALH, copyright 1987

Oh goddamned, blessed rain
You keep screaming
As you're streaming
Down my chilly window pane.

Once you told me I could dance
You were lying
Men are dying
By your cold and brutal hands.

Hilarious, no?