Saturday, July 7, 2012

Letters Here, Letters There, and Contests

Sometime in the past year, writer and blog friend C. Hope Clark, posted about some of the letters on her keyboard being totally worn off. If I remember correctly, she also shared photos of them. I got such a kick out of it that I sent her a few alphabet stickers to cover those keys. 


Some of the letters on my laptop keyboard have now disappeared to the point of needing replacements. Although I know what letters belong to those blank and almost-blank keys, I'd still like to be able to look down every once in a while and see them again. So, I'm borrowing Hope's concept and sharing mine....with before and after pictures. 


BEFORE


AFTER

As you can see, I use the E, A, and S keys regularly. And the A has grooves on it, from my left pinky fingernail. Weird, huh? The W and D are getting a little worn, but they're okay for now. On the right side of my keyboard, the O, N, and K are getting pretty worn, too. Interesting.....

What about you? What are the keys you see wearing off the most?? It can give us an insight into how we write. 

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And speaking of writing...Please check out Tiny Lights - A Journal of Personal Narrative. I have an answer included in: "As a writer, what are your priorities?" Don't forget....anyone can submit an answer each month! Your award? Getting published in an online journal. Getting your name "out there."


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 A couple of writing contests I came across:



WRITER ADVICE ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST-EVER

Scintillating Starts
A new contest from Writer Advice
 PURPOSE: To win recognition for the opening of your unpublished manuscript or to get additional perspective, depending on where you are. If your opening is shared on Writer Advice, you’ll be able to tell prospective agents, publishers, and book buyers that you were one of the winners of Writer Advice’s First Scintillating Starts Contest. 

HOW IT WORKS: Submit the opening chapter or paragraphs. Show us how you grab the reader. Entice us. Make us want to know more.

We’ll send you an insightful, practical evaluation and publish the first paragraphs of the works we believe are strongest. $250 in prize money will be divided among those published.

JUDGE(S): TBA.

DEADLINE: October 15, 2012

FEE: $20

QUESTIONS? Write to Lgood67334@comcast.net. Please send your work through Submittable, only.
Questions? Click HERE.


Note from me: I think this sounds like a great contest! What a fabulous name for it! I plan on entering.

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1st Annual WNBA National Writing Contest 

The Women's National Book Association
Small fees and $250 cash prize plus publication. (This was found on Writer Advice.) Click on link for complete information.



"If writers stopped writing about what happened to them, then there would be a lot of empty pages." - Elaine Liner

19 comments:

  1. Fun quote. My keys are still readable, but then I do a lot of handwriting. Mostly my keys are dirty! Maybe the dirt keeps them from rubbing off - lol.

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  2. Whoa, yes, my letters are leaving!!! Where did you get the replacement letters? What a neat idea. When it was just my L I could handle it but now my E..R..T...N are going missing. Why? They built typewriters for years that never lost their letters!

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  3. Hi Lynn! I'm not surprised about your letters being readable....but dirty? Nah...not you!

    And Claudia...I'll send you some of my letters. I have a couple of pages of them. I got them at Michael's!

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  4. Completely gone: E, I, H, N.

    Worn: S, D, K, C, M, comma (looks just like period now).

    I actually bought a replacement keyboard and a silicone keyboard "condom"...but haven't installed them yet.

    This laptop is less than three years old - letters started wearing off after six months. Another writer told me that my skin must be excreting nitrogen. I know I have a problem with costume jewelry and the nickle that is on the back of wristwatches - I get almost a burn from it.

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  5. Let's see, the letters, A, S, D, E, L, M and N are gone or mostly gone. And where'd that period (.) go?

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  6. I seem to be wearing off the R, V and T..they are almost gone and the E A and S are showing extreme wear. Not sure what that says about me but feel free to read in anything you like. Just keep an eye out for missing letters. Where do you get those replacement letters?

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  7. e, o, and n are my most worn letters.

    And I can't explain that at all.

    =)

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  8. I'm still using Becky's sticky letters, too! I had to replace N and L, and even those sticky letters are wearing now. S and E are close behind. Glad she sent more than one set! I may start painting them back on!

    Hope Clark
    www.fundsforwriters.com
    www.chopeclark.com

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  9. Hi Becky. Using those sticky letters is such a good idea, and I am going to have to use it myself. My M and N are gone completely and, also, the U is looking very sad! Brilliant idea my friend! Hope all is well with you over there.

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  10. I don't think I'm losing any letters. Then again, I type in my dark basement lair by the light of my monitor. My keyboard is, however, full of crumbs. Too much Fatfare for the Common Woman.

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  11. Maybe my old computer had worn out keys. But, I won't even look at it. I'm mad, 'cause it crashed and I had to get a new one. Keyboard is still shiny.

    I'm still working on the 1st chapter of a book - maybe a contest would motivate me to finish it. Thanks for the info.

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  12. All my keys are still legible, in good shape. Probably because I divide my writing between three different PC's.

    Thanks for the contest heads-up! :)

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  13. Oh those e's and i's always seem to go first on mine!

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  14. Oh my gosh everyone! I just wrote a ton of answers back to everyone, beginning with Kim....and then got an ERROR. Arrgggg! I don't feel like retyping all of them.....'cause I'm too lazy, I guess. Please just know I really appreciate all of you!

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  15. P.S. If any of you would like some replacement stickers, just e-mail your mailing address to me and let me know. I'll be happy to send some!

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  16. That is funny to think of...I'm not sure which of my keys I use most. I have a new keyboard now! Enjoy your week and thanks for visitin' me!

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  17. Hi Diane! Yeah for you having a new keyboard! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

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  18. This is funny because I just noticed the other day that my "A" key has half disappeared! Thanks for the tip.

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  19. Thanks so much for announcing Scintillating Starts here. I think it's going to be a really good contest.

    Lynn
    www.writeradvice.com
    Author of You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers

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I'm still getting quite a few spam comments that are Anonymous, so I'm trying "User with Google Accounts." If anyone tries to comment that I know, and it won't let you, send me an email, okay? Thanks so much.