Need Some Money?

There are only 107 days remaining until Christmas. Got your shopping done yet? What's that? You haven't even paid off last year's credit card bill? Don't worry. Writer Off the Leash is here for you with great writerly ways to earn some moolah to not only kick that debt to the curb, but pay in cash this year when you head out to the mall.

After scoping the web, I found some paid writing jobs that might be right up your alley . . .

BootsnAll
Did you go on any vacations this year, ones which you could write about? BootsnAll posts travel articles, and if yours is accepted, pays $50 a pop.

Austin Briggs
Got something writerly to say? As stated on this site: "My vision for this site is to turn it into an insanely useful resource for writers, and just as insanely entertaining place for readers." He pays $105 for an article and $55 for a post (which is shorter). Even if you don't want to write a post for this site, it's still a great one to nose around in.

Krazy Coupon Lady
Do you have a penny pinching super hero cape hanging up in your closet? This is the site to write about your saving adventures. KCL contributors are paid $50 per post.

Read Learn Write
Even if you're not a writer, you are a reader (as evidenced by the fact that you made it this far into today's post). For $50, here is what they're looking for:
"I'm most interested in your personal experiences with reading, learning, and writing. Your personal experiences with specific books are my favorite posts to read and publish."

And just in case those aren't enough for you, here are a few more for you to try on for size: ACHS, Leaving Work Behind, Matador Network, and Penny Hoarder.

There you have it, little buddies. Make some cashola then shop till you drop.

Isn't Everything More Fun With a British Accent?

Yes indeedy, even mundane things such as licensing can be spiced up with a bit o' the ol' British lilt.

Tidbit: Historical Myths

Some myths are perpetuated in historical fiction. I'm here to set the record straight and blow out of the water five incorrect beliefs . . .

1. Vikings did NOT wear freaking horns on their heads.
I am wearing my angry eyes for this one. Think about it for a minute. Horns on a helmet would make it super easy for an enemy to grab hold of. Bad idea.

2. Napoleon wasn't a "little person."
The dude was 5'7". I grant you that's not going to get him a gig in the NBA, but that was the average height back in the day.

3. Romans were not bulimic.
They didn't pork out on, uh, pork, and then puke it all up so they could eat some more. Wrong. Wrong. And, oh, by the way, wrong. A vomitorium was the name used to refer to stadium entrances and exits for people.

4. Salem witches weren't human marshmallows.
Everyone knows witches were burned at the stake, right? Yeah, in Europe, but not over here, where we committed more civilized acts like hanging accused witches.

5. Nero was out of town, dude.
You know that whole fiddling while Rome burned story? False-o-rama. Not only was Nero not even in Rome at the time, the fiddle hadn't yet been invented.

There you have it. Kind of makes you wonder what other myths you're believing, eh?

Change is Good

Currently I'm teaching an American History/Literature class. We're starting the year out with The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I know. I hear you. . . "Psst, hey idiot. Don't you know that's a freaking play, not a novel?" To which I politely thumb my nose in a most piquant and uplifting fashion.

Anyway, back to the point of this post. The Crucible is a story about, well, yeah, witches and death and self-respect, but it's also a great example of how to turn up the heat on your characters and make them change by the end of the book.

Take Elizabeth Proctor, for instance. At first she appears as a frigid, snappy, shrewish woman who's living in a state of perpetual PMS. Toward the end, you really wouldn't mind being her friend because she's softened big time by the horrific circumstances that have happened to her.

Her husband, John Proctor, starts out as an anguished soul, tormented by the sins he's committed. At the finish, he's at peace with himself, as evidenced by this quote:

"I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs."

And that, my friend, is what you want to do to your characters. Change them through ramped up tension, either external or internal. Nobody remains static over their lifetime, and neither should your characters.

It's the End of the World As We Know It

freedigitalphotos.net

Remember that post I did last week on a floating library in New York City? I thought the concept was a pretty sweet idea, but now I've come across another unique library that's just plain wrong. I suppose in theory it can be called a library, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a big, fat, empty room. What in the world am I talking about? Read on . . .

It's the grand opening of Florida Polytechnic University's eBook only library. They spent $60 million on the joint and not a single print book in the place. Why oh why oh why? In their own words:

"We aim to help students become innovative problem-solvers and high-tech professionals through interdisciplinary teaching, leading-edge research and collaborative local, regional and global partnerships."

Yeah? Well what about the problem solving skills involved in dropping an entire card catalogue drawer on the floor and having to resort the dang cards? Indeed, I am that old.

Or what about the memory enhancing task of trying to recall if autobiographies are located in 920 or 921? Dewey decimal system, kids. Look it up.

Don't get me wrong. Ebooks have their place...located in the same room as print books. Now then, just to get that nasty taste out of our mouths, let's feast our eyeballs on some real libraries . . .

 

Ahh. Now that's what I'm talkin' bout!

Is Labor Day Just Another Excuse to BBQ?

Here we are. Celebrating yet another Labor Day. One last time to fire up the grill and burn some brats before winter hits. But is that what Labor Day is really all about? Waving good-bye to summer while shoveling baked beans into our mouths? What's the point of Labor Day? 

In back-to-school style, sit back and enjoy a history lesson, class.

The first Labor Day celebration took place in 1882 in New York City and was kicked off with a parade. It didn't become a holiday, though, until 1896 when President Grover Cleveland declared it a national event.

Labor Day is intended to celebrate the "dignity" of work...which makes it even more interesting that to celebrate, many people sit around in tee-shirts and slug back beer.

Labor Day is also celebrated in Canada, Australia and the Bahamas. Other countries celebrate as well, but they usually call it Worker's Day.

And the mother of all facts that you've all been waiting for . . .

Why is it a fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day?

This has to do with stupid fashion rules made up by rich white women. Yeah, go ahead and call me a racist and intolerant and all that jazz, to which I blow a huge raspberry. I am a white woman, so get over it. Anyway, back in the day, as in late 1800's, the wives of uber-rich white dudes ruled high society. As more people became millionaires, it was hard to tell the difference between old money and those who had vulgar "new" money. In order to tell who was acceptable and who wasn't, the elite women made up goofy-butt dress codes that everyone in the know had to follow or risk getting shunned.

Not wearing white after summer was one of those rules. White was for resort wear and weddings. Period.

Personally, I don't wear a whole lot of white even in the summer. I'm way too much of a slob and can't seem to keep a white shirt clean. Hmm...maybe with my wardrobe, I could fit in with the upper-class, leastwise after Labor Day.

What Would You Plan to Do in England?