The first question comes from Ralph Noble, a long distance truck driver from Atlanta Georgia who drives for Werner Enterprises.

"How many times do you need to rewrite and how do you know when it is good enough?"

Answer: Although there are no set rules for rewriting, there are set rules for punctuation, grammar, genre, and form.  First, put all of your thoughts on paper or the computer.  It is wise to double space with at least 1 inch margins all around so you will have room to make notes.  Rewriting of course is a chore and most often fun especially writing creatively when your choices are practically endless.

    Yes rewriting is a necessary evil like having a cute cuddly new baby and now you have to change diapers!  Don't get me wrong, writing is a very exciting craft and like most artwork there is a time when you say "I am done!"  You can literally rewrite and each time you will see something to make better. 

 Like the best of writers, a time will come when you will say, "I have done enough."

Example one    

In a lovely lake by the green hillsides of the Lucerne Valley there was a girl with long brown hair.

Example two

She couldn't believe she had just sawed off his head.   Bright red warm blood had splattered in her long brown hair which was now quite matted and sticking to her face.

A reader would probably turn the page in both of these cases but in the second example we evoke a different kind of emotion.  To put it mildly, we have grabbed, captured, and hooked the reader.  

Okay, let's read more of example two:

Then she grabbed the bulky bag of money and ran to the car as fast as she could, stopping to look back briefly before she gripped the chrome handle on the black Mercedes.  "Oh my God" she cried, "The keys are in his pocket!  Oh my God!"

She threw the money down and ran back to him.

You should get the message by now and this lesson should have taught you a thing or two about grabbing the reader's attention by making your writing more exciting.  Writing fiction and nonfiction is not complicated but is definitely an art form and you really should have a knack for it or at least be interested in learning how.  If you have any or all of that then you are ready to get going.

Lesson Two

Characters in Motion;

Living breathing people. (most of them are)

Create believable characters and your reader will identify with them.  When you develop characters you bring readers into the essence of the story.  They could be bad guys or the good guys.  It doesn't matter what role they play as long as we can understand and identify with them somewhat.

So describe them.  The description does not have to come all at once. We can kind of weave it in our story.

Example one. Susie came into the house, sat at the table and drank Joey's apple juice.

Example two. Susie's black Stileto heels pounded on the tiled floor as she walked into the kitchen.  She squeezed her extra wide bottom into the seat of a well-worn dining chair.  Her newly manicured pink fingers played around with her pink cell phone as she checked her messages and crunched up her narrow shoulders to ease her tired neck muscles.  She put her left fingers through her short golden hair and scratched her head while squinting her dark blue eyes. She pulled her red fluffy sweater over her head exposing her plump freckled arms and threw it on another chair.

She went to the small fridge and bent her 6 foot frame down to see what was all in there.  She took out a frosty pitcher of apple juice, set it on the table, got a glass from the dish drainer on the counter and sat back down.  This time she put her stocking feet up in another chair, turned up the picture to her thin red lips, ignoring the glass and drank the rest of the contents without stopping. She made a note in her cell phone saying bring Joey some juice on the way home from work tomorrow.

Now we have shown a lot about Susie's appearance and her demeanor.  We know she's the type to return something she uses and she has a professional job of some sort.  We know she is tall and likes apple juice and most likely just came home tired from work.  There is a lot that can be said about her from just those two paragraphs.

Next lessons include:

1. Scenery and how to use the five senses to keep your readers into the story.  

2. How to develop the plot with action and dialogue

example: see what happens next with Susie and Joey.  Joey  rushes in from football practice and goes straight to the kitchen and opens the fridge, "What the.."  

3. Choosing a viewpoint

Creatively yours,

Editor-In-Chief

Abrendal Austin

If you have some thing you are working on and need help please contact our office.

The wonderful things we hate and wish we or somebody could change.

1.Being put on hold and asked to choose from a list of options that don't even satisfy your requests.  

 "Please listen to the entire menu before you choose an option because our menu has changed."  

Then you say "agent".  

At that point you are asked if you said "agent".

" I need to get some information so I can route your call to the right department. Push 1 if you want to speak English press 2 for no.  Your wait time is greater than 5 minutes.  Your call is very important to us so please stay on the line but in the mean time please enjoy the music or push 3 if you want to wait in silence. There are two callers ahead of you."

2. What is the big deal about saving a penny.  Why do we care about something costing 2.99 more than if it is 3.00?  And what is the difference in 3 cents; 12.97 or 13.00?  Does it seem more affordable?  I'm just saying that all those pennies are extra work.

And so there goes my pet peeves.  If you have pet peeves or anything else to share we are always ready to listen.  Please send requests and information to info@blackpennypress.com

Don't fret about it, write about it.

College Homework Society;  Where intelligent minds hang out and help one another.   Stay tuned for further insights.

College Homework Society 

Your Book Writers;  A  personalized service to help the average person complete a manuscript or any other writing projects.  Email or contact us at info@blackpennypress.com for further details.  We are also looking for qualified writers for our nationwide pool.  

Your Book Writers 

Stay tuned for a directional guide for truck drivers to find their way around popular places in and around the travel centers.  Mac Trucker Mag 

                    Ladies and Gentlemen

                          By  Demetra Coulter

Far too many times as I ventured out to run errands or to conduct business, my eyes have been victimized by women wearing hair rollers, pajamas and house shoes. They even wear them in grocery stores and malls. My ears have been assaulted by "F" bombs, the "N" word and a plethora of other words by people who could give a sailor's mouth a run for the money.  My personal favorite, a man who walks into a store or bank before me, and lets the door close in my face.  What's up with that?  As a society, have we forgotten how to carry ourselves as Ladies and Gentlemen?  If the answer is yes, then why?

Per Dictionary.com, the definition of a lady is described as a woman who is refined, polite and well spoken.  That explanation seems simple enough. Right?  In fact I thought it was too simple.  So I took a survey from all the females on my cell phone list. I asked them to explain what behaving like a "lady" meant to them. One of the first responses that I got back was from a 17 year old girl, De Anah.  "To have dignity and to show respect to yourself and others while acting in a modest manner", she said without hesitation.

In Diahann's opinion, "A lady is someone who holds herself in high regard and is in control when she needs to be.  She also allows others to mold her when needed and is professional or can get down depending on the situation. But always with a diva mentality."

Most of the females responded with definitions such as being clean, well dressed and even jazzy. But the one the struck me the most was from a young woman, Brittany W. She feels that not only is a lady striving to better herself, she is also trying to better those around her.  

That statement leads me to ponder, have generations past stop teaching girls about how to be a "lady"?  For example, when I went church with my maternal grandmother, she made sure that I wore a slip under my dresses, that I sat with my legs closed and that I sat up straight at all times.  She came from the "old school" where women were actually dressed up while buying groceries and wouldn't be caught dead with rollers in their hair at the mall.  In those days, women also believed that one should be "meek and mild".  In a nutshell, that meant that a woman should not be on her cell phone in public shouting for the world to hear that "so and so" did her wrong and why that "bleeping bleep" should go straight to h.e. double hockey sticks.  That's just wrong.  A very wise man, my dad said, "one can't teach what he doesn't know."  Well if that is true, we should all take young Brittany W's advice and strive to better those girls around us.

Hey fellas! How come you don't hold the door open for us "ladies" anymore?  Why don't you walk your date up to her front door to make sure she made it in safely?  Well instead of speculating, I also ran a survey among the men in my contact list as to what the definition of a gentleman meant to them.  Needless to say, I was quite surprised by the responses that I received. Chris, a fifteen year old boy said, "It means to open doors for ladies and to speak gentlemanly, be well mannered, polite, use chivalry and be selfless."

Donovan, my friend, expressed that a gentleman should do for a woman without expecting something in return.

Myles, another young man simply stated that a gentleman is "educated".  Again, most of the men said the same things like, have self  respect, show respect and use chivalry.

Ed, a dear friend of mine said, "A gentleman should also be honest."

While we are being honest, it's still un-cool for a man to wear his hat inside and it is definitely a "no- no" for a man not to open the car door for his female passenger.  Innocent people walking down the street do not want to see your pants sagging with your underwear showing.  Take a look at this.  A friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) thought it was just fine and dandy to go get his taxes done wearing a T-shirt with a giant hole in the collar while walking on the back of tennis shoes. That was hardly the attire of someone who proclaims to be serious about his money.   Older men should  continue teaching young men how to conduct themselves in  proper fashion regarding themselves and women.

At the end of the day a few things are for certain when it comes to the subject of ladies and gentleman.  Women should behave in a way that is respectable and desirable.  When it comes to what a woman should expect from a man, Amanda (a woman who responded to my survey), summed it up perfectly, "Let a man be a man."  Men should behave in a way that would illustrate their ability to act civilized and refined at all times.  What should a man expect from a woman? He should expect a woman to be a lady not just an enhancement to his gentleman like qualities.  With that being said, let the ladies start sitting properly so the men can start opening those car doors.  Shall we?

                               By: Demetra Coulter

    "Do as I say and not as I do!", is often used when a parent does not want to be called to the carpet regarding his or her lackluster behavior.  Unfortunately, that saying is easier said and rarely ever done.  From the moment children lay eyes on their parents, they mimic observed behaviors.  Christians sometimes feel that simply reciting Bible scriptures and verses will be enough to keep children on the straight and narrow path. The Bible also instructs parents to train up a child in the way that it should go with scripture. Many adults who have committed crimes and have done terrible things throughout their lives, will claim that they behaved that way because of how they were raised.  That is a debatable claim, but it is often testified to nevertheless.  In such cases, children were also told to do the right thing but rarely witnessed it being done.

    There is no guarantee that a child will be a God fearing upright law abiding citizen, but he or she has a far better chance of succeeding at living a proper Christian life if the parents are walking the talk. In fact, setting a Christian example is sometimes difficult to do because parents have to monitor their own behavior every minute of everyday.  For example, just because a movie rating suggest that the viewer should be at least seventeen to watch, does not mean that it is appropriate for Christian parents.  A child may think that no matter what it is, as soon as he or she is of age, it will be fine for them to part take in it.  In the end, "Do as I say and not as I do", will result in cheap words that will produce costly actions.

                   by Demetra Coulter

As I followed the moving van up Utopia Lane, I was suddenly filled with joy and anticipation because I could not wait to start my life at the new address.  Well manicured lawns and houses that were the perfect illustrations of what one would see on the cover of a Home and Garden magazine, caught my attention. The air smelled of roses and Jasmine. I had selected the perfect house because it was perched on top of a hill with a bird's eye view of the rest of Utopia lane. "Oh yes, I am going to love living here."

The next day while unpacking my things, the angelic sound of my doorbell rang. Someone was at the door. I was pleasantly surprised by a half a dozen women holding homemade dishes. All at once, they exclaimed, "Welcome to Utopia Lane!" Even though I was not ready to have company, I invited them in. They insisted that they help me unpack and put away my things. The inquires started. A lady who introduced herself as Mrs. Bossa Nova quickly asked me the where a bouts of my husband. While slightly laughing, I quipped,"I don't have one of those yet." As soon as the words left my mouth, the women all gasped in unison while clutching their shiny pearl necklaces. I said, "Did I say something wrong?"   

Another woman by the name of Mrs. Skittles, answered,

"Yes indeed!" At first, I thought she was joking, but then I realized that she was not. She then asked me why I was not married.

I briefly pondered whether I should open up to complete strangers. Since we were going to be close neighbors, I figured, why not. I  began to tell them about the men in the town that I moved from.  "First of all, let the record reflect,I could have been married at least twice while I was residing in Hasbro city. But for some strange reason, I kept running into men who wanted to play games with the hearts and minds of women who trusted them. Unfortunately, I fell prey to a few of them myself. The fact that the truth and these men did not run in the same circles was extremely bizarre to me. They lied just about everything from whether they had wives to the type of cars they drove.  Another thing that boggled my mind was the men rarely had jobs! With that said, I was still hopeful that I could settle down with a good man from Hasbro city. If my man lost his job or was 'down' on his luck, I had his back. But after a while, I got tired of being the bread winner. Also, if I could take all of the pieces of my broken heart to the bank and make a deposit, I would have enough money to purchase every single hotel on Boardwalk. So ladies, that is why I am not married and partially the reason that I packed up and moved to Utopia Lane."

Mrs. Dandy chimed in with, "Oh my! We don't have any men like that around here. In fact, the men of Utopia Lane are very open and honest. They tell the truth because it is the right thing to do. They treat women with the utmost honor and respect. And women work because they want to, not because they have to. Another thing you should know is that the breaking of hearts is against the law and punishable by having one's dating right revoked until they are totally rehabilitated. So rest assured Ms. Thing, you will find a good and worthy man here."

I must admit, I was feeling pretty darn hopeful about the possibilities of finding Mr. Right!  After the food was devoured and a good portion of my stuff was unpacked, the ladies decided to call it a day and returned to their homes. The ladies of Utopia Lane helped me realize that moving here was the right decision. As I was heading up stairs to take a long hot shower, I was startled by the constant ringing of what sounded like an alarm clock. I was suddenly snatched from the tranquility of Utopia Lane back to the reality of Hasbro city. It was just a dream.

Now, I feel as though I was playing the game of "Life" because waking up to find that I had been dreaming, was so cruel. The dream of living on Utopia Lane had rekindled my fire to love and be loved again. Sadly enough, Utopia lane was not a real destination.  Would I have to find the things on that perfect block only in my dreams, or can I discover them right where I am?

              By Thee Ms. Britt

Stress. The one word we all hate to experience. It always comes at the wrong time and it can hit you when you least expect.  Of course you know the causes. Right? Procrastination, rushing, all nighters, overdue bills, kids gone wild, too much work on your plate or just normal human things. It can seem like too much and there is absolutely no way out besides going stark mad, but guess again. It is your mentality that can help you out quite a bit; the way you think, how you picture yourself and your lifestyle determine your stress level. Let's look at a story for a second.

Meet Brock. He is a seventeen-year-old boy who has everything he could want, food, shelter, clothes, family everywhere he turns, tons of entertainment and the ability to get a great education. That seems like he should have no problem with anything, right? You probably guessed that even though all these things might satisfy him, Brock has a lot on his plate. School and classes haven't always been easy, but he tries hard. He feels financially obligated to help out at such a young age. Often times, he doesn't ask to go out or ask for transportation from place to place because he feels that it would be a burden. He doesn't have his future set out at all and this is his main stress. Being less dependent and helping out more would make him happier. Oh Brock.

See there? Stress comes at any age and it is not always helpful, but let's hear how it can be in this situation. Brock can use the stress he has in school to push harder and achieve his goal of understanding. Financially, he should not have to worry about a thing.  Instead, he can save his money for something for the family or put it to other good use.

It's understandable that he wouldn't want to do things because of needing a ride. Teenagers are going to want to go out and do things. Those are the joys of being one. They have responsibilities but not to the point that they are tied down.  Haven't we all been through the whole career choosing when we are just growing up?  Yes.  Most people Brock's age don't have the perfect decision on what they want to do. It's not A BAD THING! It's just something that takes time and experience to figure out. Being less dependent isn't easy. It may seem easier on everyone else, but don't think that way. People want to help you out not push you out on your own.

Stress can be helpful or just a big burden. It depends how you put it into perspective. If you want to minimize stress, take this advice:

Step 1 

Stay healthy; feeling refreshed keeps the body and mind calmer and clearer than before.

Step 2 

Prioritize events and things that are most important and   have a closer deadline.

Step 3 

Do NOT be afraid to ask for help from family or friends because that's exactly why they are there.

Step 4 

Focus on your goals and don't let the distractions get the best of you because they can lead to procrastination, or giving up.

So take these words to heart. They were written to help not hurt. They were made to inspire not discourage. You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it with faith and determination.

"A little girl from the south of France.  Well, I am not a little girl anymore but a woman in her forties.  I grew up in a little town called Nimes in the south of France and here a beautiful piece of our history, Les Arenas', the largest Roman amphitheatre in France."

Arena of Nîmes

Exterior of the Arena of Nimes.

The Arena of Nîmes is Roman ampitheatre found in the French city of Nîmes. Built around 70 AD, it was remodeled in 1863 to serve as a bullring. The Arenas of Nimes is the site of two annual bullfights and it is also used for other public events.

The building encloses an elliptical central space 133 m long by 101 m wide. It is ringed by 34 rows of seats supported by a vaulted construction. It has a capacity of 16,300 spectators and since 1989 has a movable cover and a heating system.

       By  Monta Anderson

    The basis for humanity is the desire to be desired.  Whether it is by our peers, family or a lover.  It is the desire that fuels seventy-five to eighty percent of our decisions.  I use to wonder why, but the truth is I always knew.  It's not really a desire but a missing component of who we really are.  Its Yahweh, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the Triune Father.  It is amazing when he reveals these truths to you.  It's like opening your eyes with the sun shining through the window on your face.  First it's blinding then the realization of what time it is sets in.  I wish my foolishness would not have hindered me from coming to this revelation sooner. God is good, He never changes. He is not a man that he should lie, nor son of man that he should change his mind.  His infallible word and promises motivate me to press on toward the goal which is heavenward.  I use to contemplate my choices and my mother's passing in the "what if". Thinking to myself, would things be different if things were different?  But now it doesn't matter, I have come to the realization that Yahweh does work all things out for the good.  I know that in time he will reveal to me why, but for now I wait for when.  If I could ask Yahweh one thing, it would be to see the universe in its entirety.  What would you ask?

** Yahweh..God

Don't Forget to Backup

                    by Khallid Coulter  

    If you don't have copies of it, then it must not be that important.  The point I'm trying to drive home is a very critical one. Back "it" up. Now, "it" can be a variety of devices: cellphone contacts, graduation pictures, baby pictures, school documents, work orders, invoices, client information and so on. The term "backup" simply means that you have an alternative way to access your information in case the original is lost. Now more specifically, the idea of backup will be applied to computers such as laptops and desktops. It doesn't matter if you are running Linux, Mac or Windows, your information can be left useless due to theft, spilled liquids, drops and that sort of thing. 

Not too long ago, I was struck with disaster. I had an 11 year old laptop, that started out as a project but ended up as my computer for homework. English, Political Science and Philosophy were the classes I was taking and essay finals were due. Needless to say, the hard drive started clicking, and I thought to myself that I would get to it later. Little did I know that I had less than one minute before it went out and taking with it many hours of essay labor. It was terrible and I had nightmares of what might happen as a result. However, I was fortunate because many months ago I created a backup, but sadly it did not contain my essays. I bought a 500GB external hard drive, a little thing that I could plug into my computer via USB, and manually copied over what was important to me. Moral of the story:  If you don't have copies of it, then it must not be that important.  Do not be driven into action by your misfortune.

Khallid Coulter is our in house computer technician and he can be contacted for servicing and maintaning the health of your valuable computer 

                             By Khallid Coulter

              

  Okay, maybe this is a little bit exaggerated, but you get the point. Welcome to a place where kids can't wait to move out and pay bills and rent. Where their youth is a burden and considered something they can't wait to leave behind. Can anybody tell me why kids these days are in such a rush to become adults? I know there are disadvantages as to being a youth: you get told what to do.  Being young is like taking a bath-hot in the beginning, but when it gets cold you want to hop right out. Then you change your mind trying to hop back in, but then you find out that it's someone else's turn to take a bath. Too late.

    Independence is something that everyone wants. I know, I know, of course you want to make your own choices. If you don't want green eggs and ham, you don't have to eat it.  You can eat cereal with your feet on the table at 12 in the afternoon wearing pajamas. Who in their right mind wants to be under the rule of the same people for 20 years? Okay, in some cases, it may not be so bad.

    Let's go back a little bit. Now hopefully like most of us, you start out as a newborn, a baby, a toddler, a child, teenager, and end as an adult.  Think about this: all of the previous stages last less than 5 years and the last stage can last for over 100 years!! Do you want to be a caterpillar for 100 years, or would you rather take your time as an egg, and then as a larvae. It is ok if you want to be a caterpillar for 100 years, everybody is different and some people are willing to take on the responsibilities of growing up faster in exchange for doing what they like.

   The big 18. So many teenagers can't wait to be 18. They believe that there is something special about it and as soon as it hits 12 midnight, you gain magic powers, which allows you to do whatever you want. Shoot, don't we all wish that was true? In my experiences, kids think that being 18 means that they are the boss. But really you are the same as yesterday right. Sure you can vote, smoke, sign a contract, sign your own sick note, and buy property. But it seems that there is some kind of myth here in America, that once you turn 18, great things come to you, and the path to a good life is laid at your feet. For example, in high school, I heard stories around me that went something like this, "Man, now that I'm 18, I'm ready to move out of home to make it on my own. I can get a job and get my own place and go to school if I want or stay up all night and sleep in all day. Whoops I forgot about partying!" And upon hearing this, I would chuckle, they were just following what everyone else wants to do.

    Let's pretend for a second that you have a place to live, food, clothes and somewhere to sleep. Now the food may not be the best, and the sleep won't have too many sheep, but you have it. Did I mention it is mostly free? You actually do have those things.  There are those who do not have it as well as others, but the bottom line is that it's there for you. There are people, whether they are your grandparents, parents, aunt, uncle, etc., who do not want you cast out into the same world that they were put into.  They want you to enjoy what you have before you go on your own.  Now, there are some parents who want you to be out of their house when you turn 18. They seem to believe that teenagers are fully equipped to live on their own and they will make it somehow. All I can say for 18 year olds and any teenagers who have to deal with this, is not to put the same burden upon your child when you have one, because it is not good having to fight the world.

    Take your time. As long as your are not 23 living at home gaming in your pajamas all day, you have time to get it together before you really have to move out. Hopefully, nobody is forcing you. You hear of kids trying to be grown with a sack of stuff tied to the end of a stick and leaving home for a better life. Many of them come back because they are not seriously trying to leave, but just making a statement. The time will come for you to be on your own.  Just don't go looking for it. It will naturally come after you.

                           By Andrew Marshall

    Living in America at age 18 is a special milestone filled with decisions.  For most 18-year-olds it means going to college, playing the Lottery, paying bills, and/or being able to get your own place.  At first these things seem exciting, but little is known about responsibilities.  Also at this age there are a new set of restrictions.

    Most 18-year-olds in America are expected by their parents/guardians to get a job and/or start college.  In this economy it is hard to get a job especially for someone with no experience and college tuition is growing each year.  Many young adults drop out of college due to insufficient funds, bad grades, and partying.  Teen parties tend to have drugs and alcohol which are illegal for anyone under the age of 21.  At this age it is best to be enrolled in school and have a job so that financial mishaps and excess partying can be avoided.

    On my 18th birthday, I got my first body piercing as a sign of my new freedom, that I desired so badly from all those years of listening to my parents and others.  After I got this piercing I felt an adrenaline rush of slyness because I knew my parents would not approve.  

    My parents also didn't know the dangers I got myself into when I got drunk one night at Fiesta Village. It was a horrible sloppy feeling having all my deep thoughts and vomit come out because of my intoxication.  This chaos made me realize that I would never do that again.  

    A few months later I got my license and my own Toyota that I earned.  I had been waiting for a car since I was 16 along with the independence that came with it. I was ready to do whatever I wanted and make decisions that could change my life forever like mingling at the local clubs and parties.  After awhile of having my car I became unhappy about expenses such as gas, tires, insurance, etc.  Saving money for these expenses occasionally stopped me from having fun and so did the people who kept using me for rides.    

    Looking back at the drama and overbearing decisions I had to make these past few months, I learned a lot about becoming an adult and discovering myself through real-life situations.  I don't regret anything because I am very fortunate to have learned from these mistakes.  The teen years of our lives are the most complicated because everything is a constant self-battle. Maturity does not grow through actions, but through our personal responsibilities.  In conclusion, it is very important for young adults to receive guidance and support on their way to independence.