S is for Skills

 

art by craftyjoe

I’ve loved ABC books and A-Z lists for quite a while. This post is one in a series on writing, with the subtopic of poetry.

One of my favorite movies is Napoleon Dynamite. One of the most quoted lines from the movie is when Napoleon tells Pedro, “Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!”

A writer must have numerous skills. Besides good grammar and spelling skills, a writer must be an entertainer. A writer must be able to keep his reader’s attention. After starting with something that hooks the reader, he must build up his story with a good plot, and then be sure to have a satisfying ending.

A writer must be able to choose the best words. Sometimes these are simple words, but they do the job. A big word isn’t always the best word.

Patience is also needed. He must be able to write under various circumstances, and he must be able to wait for others to decide if his work is publish-worthy.

One final skill a writer must have is budgeting. Besides budgeting time, he might also have to budget money. At least until he sells his manuscript or article. Until then, he may also need bean cooking skills!

The poetry focus is a Septolet. The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words with a break in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.

Here are two of my attempts at writing a Septolet:

UNKNOWN

The unknown

stretches out

in the

deepening dusk

 

with wonder

at the vast

expanse

 

THE KNOWN

The known

stays close,

warm

 

like the breath

of a mother

over

her young