A writing and editing advice post that explores the practical side of the creative process. In “Understand Your Tool,” Greg Luti discusses how choosing between typing and handwriting can affect both your creative flow and your ability to edit effectively. The Handwriting vs. Typing Debate There is a lot being said about the use of handwritten words that go on a piece of paper compared to typed words that go on a computer. The normal conclusion is that when you write with a pen, the words you write are, in fact, better. The process you have to use to get those words out of your head is more effective in creating smoother prose for people to read. You will then have someone ask how young people can’t know how to write, as though that person wrote a classic novel by hand, which they didn’t, by the way. Being a man who has experience with both the pen and the laptop, I thought I would shed some light on this topic. Most Writers Use Technology Let’s get a few things out of the way here. The writers you read, the creative people you know, probably wrote up their stories on a laptop or a typewriter. Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but the idea that the modern novel is for some reason written on a notebook and then given to the printer as though everyone is Charles Dickens is just not how writing works today. These words I am writing for this post were not written down on a piece of paper and then put on the screen. Sorry, they weren’t. Most writers have adapted this style of writing. (There are a few writers today, I am sure, who write by pen still, but I will explain how and why that is as popular as you may think) Throughout history, there were a few notable writers who used typewriters and laptops as their main tools for their stories. I am talking about Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen King. They did not sit all day with a pen and paper. So, the idea that the quality of the work is worse when you type up the words is not the case. I don’t think that the classic writers who used typewriters were any less great because of the typewriter. There is a practical reason they typed their words, too. The Real Advantage of Typing When you type up words on a laptop or a computer, the editing process is ten times faster. Yeah, you try writing out a thousand words, and then edit it over and then edit it over again, and then again. It will take forever. I actually did this for a novel I started years ago, and my biggest problem was that I got to the fourth edit of the page, and I could barely read anything. That is why you see professional writers type up their words, because they are more about the production of the words than anything else. Handwriting Still Has a Place Does this mean that there is no usefulness for a person to write with a pen? I do believe that is where this conversation gets mixed up. If you are talking about the average person who will never write a novel in their life, then they should be able to write legibly a few words and not only focus on the typing of it all, but if you are talking about writers who create books for a living, then frankly, why the hell do you care how they write their books? Hey, if writers want to be like Jack Kerouac with their books, then go right ahead. The reason people feel the need to have the youth literate with a pen is that there are many cases where a kid will not know how to do something a senior does, in this case, signing their signature. I think that is where this discussion gets confused, though, since that has nothing to do with the productivity of a professional writer. The Confusion in This Conversation What are we talking about here? Are we talking about literary history involving technology, the ability for a youth’s brain to develop creatively, or a certain skill to be fostered in our kids? Those are different questions, but when this is brought up, we make it one conversation. Understand Your Tools Now, let’s bring this to you, the reader, and what you can do about this issue. I say the best thing to do is to understand the tools you have. Believe it or not, you are able to write down words in a notebook and then later on write down other words on your laptop. Yeah, you don’t have to be exclusive with your use of the language. The Pros and Cons of Each Tool The use of the laptop makes it easier for you to edit whatever it is you are doing. That is the best advantage you have. You should also know that too much screen time may give you headaches, and there is a possibility your work may not be as good as if it were written out. Although that last point may not even be true, I would not worry all that much about that one. Do you really think that when Mark Twain wrote out Huckleberry Finn on his typewriter, he was concerned his overall writing quality would go down? The use of the pen helps you develop more of an artistic flow with your motion. You behave more like a painter with words than when you type them up. This can help you develop that way of writing, which for some can bolster their overall creative ability. You should know that the editing process for this is a pain and can get so bad for you that you may even give this part up so you can complete the material you are working on. Writing with a pen is good for an exercise, but I wouldn’t use it for a novel, since that would take you ten times as long to complete. Don’t Write a Whole Novel by Hand There are many times I have heard from clients that they want me to help them edit their books, and the original copy is… in a notebook somewhere. Now, the process has nothing to do with writing or editing, but transcribing the words to a place where they can be edited. That is a hole no writer wants to find themselves in. Focus on the Creative Mindset If you are a writer and you value stories or the written word, then the tool you use should never be as important as the creative mindset you bring to the table. I don’t care if you are typing up something on the laptop or writing something in your notebook; you have to be creative either way, and if you can recognize that mentality as part of being a writer, then don’t worry about the rest of the conversation. People will say a lot about this topic, since it is a very trendy thing to talk about, but know there are many different sub-topics here, and the one that matters most to writers is the tools they use. Know when you are to type up things so that it can be easier to edit them right away. Know when you want to write up some things, and accept the longer editing process involved with it. Both ways work. You have multiple tools to help you complete your story. I say find the tool you are most comfortable with and develop that method until it is second nature. Let everyone else answer the question about what is better: a pen or a laptop. You have a book to complete anyway.

In this book update, Greg Luti shares his latest progress on the novel *Hit of Henry* and his poetry collection *Clearance*, featuring a teaser scene where Sam teases Tom for pursuing the elusive Henry. Progress on Hit of Henry and Clearance I am working on Hit of Henry, my novel about a mysterious ball player, and Clearance, my poetry collection. Hit of Henry has the plot basically outlined, and I just have to go over a few parts. The story is done. Clearance is about 80 pages or so done so far, so I am happy about that. I know that I have been giving you a few poems from Clearance, so I thought I would give a few pages from my next novel, Hit of Henry In this scene, Sam, the friend of the protagonist, Tom, mocks him for trying to find the man who the book is named after. (The entire chapter can be read by literary club members) Sam Mocks Tom Tom headed back to the office satisfied with the interviews being complete, but still unsure of the results of them. If anything, he thought, he can interview them again, or perhaps interview other baseball people around the area. The coaches may not have been as much of a help that Tom wanted them to be but that does not mean that he is anywhere close done. The office was empty, as the only one there was Sam, who was busy with typing up an article she was given this morning by Ivan, who also told her of some news about the Tom’s interviews. She jumped up out of her chair, when she saw Tom approach his desk. She was excited to see him, but not to congratulate him or even motivate him. Unlike Tom, Sam doesn’t believe in this story at all. In fact she is about as against this chase Tom is on as anyone. Not because she doesn’t want Tom to find it, only because she is used to stories that have concrete material and facts that can be proven. Sam is a material girl and won’t be fooled by some exaggerated fantasy of the locals. “Oh there is my little investigative reporter. How is the search coming along? I told Ivan that I don’t think you should be going after this story. I mean why not go after something even better? Something even more significant than this game?” “Like what?” Tom answered unsure of where she was going with this. “Why not go and find Thor’s Hammer, while you are at it?” Sam mocked Tom’s attempt at credibility with this story. “I hear that you can go to a few of the North lands in Europe and ask around. Maybe someone will know a guy with a hammer, that can point you in the right direction. Just remember if you are going, Thor’s hammer is not big, because it broke when they were making it. If a guy comes up to you and says that he knows where Thor’s Hammer is and that thing is a large hammer, then you know he is wrong! See, because you want the truth when you investigate something, not just any hammer.” Tom stood there as Sam was having her fun. “You can then go and find Excalibur too.” She spoke in a British accent. “The legendary sword of the great King Arthur, King of the Brits, one of the bravest men who ever lived, and” She switched back into her normal voice. “A complete lie! My advice when you are going after the sword of the king that didn’t exist is to make sure you find the right one. There are two of those babies!” She motioned around as if she was swinging a sword. “On guard!” She stopped pretending to be a knight and continued. “One is from the stone and the other is from the lady in the lake. So there is two Ex-Calibur’s, one fake king, and not single Tommy after the story. Too bad.” Tom sat down in his desk, as his co-worker continued, “While you are really at it, you should put on a fedora, get a whip, and go off and find some artifacts before the Nazis get to it. Just remember that the true Holy Grail is the meaning you find in it along the way. Or that you should hand on to the damn cup when the earth splits in time. Seriously that is basic archeology.”

A writing update can offer insight into the ups and downs of the creative process. In “Go with the Flow,” Greg Luti discusses his efforts to regain momentum after a period of illness and reflects on the value of adapting to circumstances while turning ideas into real projects. Getting Back Into the Flow I have been trying to get back into the flow of my writing since I kind of missed a few days there last week being sick. What is funny is that I was just talking to someone about flow and how you have to get into it when you are doing something. I normally call it the flow or rhythm of the day. Each situation has its own flow or way you have to go about handling it while also addressing there is something you are to do in that situation. I learned that it takes time for someone to get into the flow of whatever that place is. From the park, to retail, to school, or wherever, each place has a certain flow that you need to get used to, and once you do, you will find the experience will be better for you. I always try to get into this mindset when I do things, since it allows me to focus. How I Get Into the Flow The irony here is that I really don’t know how to get into the mindset. I literally just say to myself, “Get into the rhythm of the day. Get into the flow of things.” There are no quotes to remember, or stretching to do. I know that if I am in the situation long enough, I will naturally get into how things are in the situation and be able to handle it better. I know that the change of mindset is there, but I would be lying to you if I said I have a great solution for finding it. I just wait and that normally does it for me. Excited to Get Back to Writing I was unable to get into the flow of my writing as I was sick and I am excited to get back into it in the coming weeks. If you read me you know I am not a guy who waits around for things to happen. I am writing now. I am doing stuff now. I am a pretty active person in that regard. Not only am I happy to be healthier but I know that my energy will be back to where I want it to be so I can get stuff done. Adding More Perks to the Literary Club I am working on getting more perks for the membership of the literary club. Right now, I offer access to all the posts on the site. I think I want to add a monthly workbook for the club, something where I share a story I wrote, and a writing lesson involved with it. You can learn how I wrote whatever it is I wrote, and take a lesson from it as well. I also want to add a discount for any of you who want to get some editing services from me. I want to have something for the books, like a deal you guys can get for them, but that is not something I can do right now. Other Projects I’m Working On I would like to add more workbooks to the site, so that people can get a better idea of what I do as an editor. I will probably write up a few workbooks for anyone interested. Another thing I am working on is a survey on the site, or something visitors can fill out when they find the page. I like when sites have fun surveys to fill out, so I would like to bring up something like that to my site. Being an Ideas Guy As my assistant said, I am really an ideas guy. I don’t normally view myself in that fashion, but I guess that is what I am. I learned that ideas without implementation are nothing more than dreams, and if the idea takes up more time in your head then time being created, it is no longer a dream, but a wasteful fantasy. Don’t Underestimate Small Ideas That is all I really have for now. I will end this with something you can take with you. Don’t underestimate the creation of a minor idea. That idea may not be much at first, but over time, if given time to develop it can become something else entirely, something very useful for you. Every tree was a seed at one point. If you were to look at the seed without knowing about its eventual growth, you would think nothing of it. Don’t be afraid of creating things that at the time only show slight improvement for the environment. One day that seed will become a tree, but it can’t ever become one if you never plant the damn thing.

A writing and editing advice post that draws on wisdom from an unexpected source. In “John Lennon’s Advice on Writing,” Greg Luti explores the idea of finishing creative work during the initial burst of inspiration instead of delaying it in pursuit of perfection. John Lennon’s Advice on Finishing Your Work There are times when a person’s advice can stay with you longer than it should. The words they say are so damn profound you hang on to them, like an old photo. I am not even sure if we mean to hang on to these statements, but they are with us anyway. One of the most useful pieces of advice I ever heard from an artist regarding their work is from the Beatles' John Lennon, and it showed the guy not only understood the music, but that there is a business side to all of this you can’t ignore. First, let’s get to the advice. He basically said that you should try your best to finish whatever you started. When he started writing a song, he tried his best to record it all in that one sitting. Now, did he do this for all of his work? No, of course not. Nobody can do that. But the idea behind it is why I think you should try to replicate that approach with your own art. The Creative State When Inspiration Hits There is something about how you are thinking, or your mentality when you first come up with an idea or a story, that is different than when you are editing it. Your mind literally is functioning in a different way than it will later on. In that moment, you should milk all the creative juices you have, because, let’s face it, you might not have them later on. I think the reason for this mentality is that our brains respond differently to the newness of inspiration. You are naturally going to think differently for that brief of time, because there is a story, or a song, or a poem, or whatever, that you just came up with, and you are responding to your own inspiration. Not only are you inspired, but you are responding to being inspired. Think of it like an athlete who is all overcome with adrenaline and just playing out of their mind. They are not really reacting as they normally would, nor do they want to, because that would get in the way of their adrenaline. I think something happens to artists when they first have inspiration for their art. When that happens, capture that feeling, because you may not have it again. Why Finishing Right Away Helps You Improve I also support this way of thinking about your art, because it forces you to improve at it right then and there. You are in the lab putting together your stuff. You are not planning out the story, or thinking about the outline, or pretending to write. No, you are there, actively trying to use your own ability as an artist, with the sudden burst of inspiration you got. The only way to get better at that is by doing it. There are no motivation posts or cliched quotes you can read that are better than the first-hand experience. Life Can Change — Capture It While You Can Another reason I like this way of handling your work is that you just don’t know where you will be tomorrow. I don’t want to be a downer here, but your life may change drastically (perhaps even in a good way), and that story, that inspiration, is all gone. You no longer feel that way, so the art will not be as authentic as it would be if you were to write it down, or as much of it as you can down, right away. My Own Experience with Lost Inspiration I have an example of this for myself. I wrote a YA novel when I was just out of college. It is about a punk kid, basically being a wiseass to everyone he meets. He hates people and then learns something at the end. I wrote it at a time when I hated the school system, and I had an edge or a roughness that I just didn’t like people, for no other reason than that is how I was. Now, I can’t write that story because I don’t have that fire or cold streak of sarcasm in me. I grew up. I am sure I can put on the writer’s hat, as John Lennon did with his music, and write a book with the character again, but the original emotion would be gone, so much so that I am not sure if the character would even be the same as when I started with him. You can always go back and edit, but you can’t always go back and capture the way you felt about a moment or event. Your Art Is Also a Product The last reason I appreciate the advice by Lennon is that it addresses something that is not talked about enough, I feel. Your art is a product. It is to be consumed by people. You don’t have all day here. There is a time limit, and that deadline needs to be met. If you think that you are going to go about this life and make art as you please and never worry about bills or the actual business side of the field, then you should not consider yourself a professional. I am all for writing for the love of it, as I have given you the advice to write to improve your natural word flow before, but that doesn’t mean you are to completely ignore the sales side of things. You gotta release this art to the world eventually. It won’t be perfect. Don’t expect it to be. If John Lennon can release a song that he feels he underperformed on, and wasn’t his best work, then I am sure the world can live with your art being released before you are ready. The Bottom Line So let’s wrap things up: Do your best to finish your art when you start it, for inspiration is fleeting and it may not come back to you again. By doing this, you are also forcing yourself to produce something then and there, which can only help you improve as an artist. You should know that life can get in the way, too, so this moment of inspiration may be more of an opportunity than you think. And don’t forget that your art is a product at the end of the day, and you should not sit on it forever. Heck, if this approach was good enough for John Lennon, then I think it will be fine for you, too.

A poem can capture the emotional weight of long-awaited victory. In “They Won,” Greg Luti reflects on the moment a lifelong sports fan experiences their team finally winning a championship — and the unexpected peace that follows years of disappointment. I guess I got so used to them losing that I never thought I would see them win. No title for them. No talks of championships. None of that. My team would lose, and for no other reason than that is what they do. I got so accustomed to this way of thinking that I couldn’t even know what it meant for them to win. They would never win a title. They would never have a parade. They would never do any of that. But when it happens…. The clock struck zero, the score was set, and they won. There are no more games. There is no tomorrow. They are the champs. I won’t start talking about tomorrow about how they need to improve to help them win. The best part of the off-season won’t be the draft. I am not going to put hope in players I know are not even worthy of being in the league. I am not doing any of that. Because they won…. They really won. I called out a few times after the championship, and then I didn’t celebrate anymore. Not out of confusion, but of shock. We are not supposed to win. Not my team. Not now, not ever. How are we allowed to win this thing? Are they going to take back the title? Perhaps the league will make my team win another game, just to really prove they are champs. I sat there in shock, for I never thought this would happen. I felt a sense of peace, of happiness, I never thought I would feel. I never played in a single game. I didn’t coach this team. I couldn’t even afford tickets to a game this season. But this team, they are a part of who I am, and now I can say something I never thought I would say. My team won a championship…. Let the other fans jump up and down in triumph. Let the parties happen across town. Let the chaos ensue from the news that they won. As for me, I will be silently appreciating the run of the players. Finding peace in their title. And as I do find that peace, the peace I never knew before today, I may shed a tear or two for all of those who put so much time into this team. The players who suffered losses trying and failing to win a title. The fans who were there with the players as they lost. The owner and management, who can never do anything right. Those who made me fall in love with this team. I think of all of them…. And I am happy for them. They won. I won. We won. After all these years, we won.

In this book update, Greg Luti shares his current progress on the poetry collection *Clearance*, including his goal of compiling around 120 poems and the process of refining older work for the book. Aiming for 120 poems I am going through all the poems I wrote up a while back and seeing which ones are done and putting them into a collection. So far, I have about 10 poems that are done. There are plenty more for me to do. I have a feeling that one afternoon, I may just take all day and see how many I can actually edit so they are complete. My last poetry book had 100 poems, so I am aiming for about 120 or so in this one. I think I have 100 completed poems left, but I am not sure, if I am honest. Two poems from the collection The first poem here is about the lesson a trainer could have given an athlete. The other is random thoughts a co-worker has before starting work. Track Lesson As I walk around the high school track attempting to get my steps in for the day, I see the trainer finish their session with their clients. The man was no older than me, but obviously in better shape, and had thirty yards of sports equipment spread out along the football field. Boxes for squats dumbbells for lifts Barbells for lunges A variety of goodies only a professional would have. Most people at the track only go with themselves and a water bottle and leave after the fourth lap. As if critiquing an athlete’s form, I thought of the misstep in the trainer’s ending of his session. He missed out on a valuable lesson he could have taught his striving athletes. The kids should have helped him clean up the sports equipment. “Finish what you start” can be the lesson he tells them. They used the equipment; they have to put it back. That is their responsibility. Many hate cleaning up and with good reason; there is no glory or honor involved with it. And most times, nobody even notices that it gets done. Every workplace needs a janitor, but nobody wants to be the janitor. Yet personal maintenance is a key component that many overlook in their life. Whether it is working out at home, writing a novel, or just going about your daily activities, there will come a point when you need to complete that task. By then, you are tired, physically and most definitely mentally, so you will probably not be in the mood to clean up. “What is the big deal?” You’ll ask. “It is not like anyone will notice it, right?” So you leave something out in the way. You don’t put back what you could have put back. You don’t complete the task. And what happens? Something related to that task pops up, and you are not prepared for it. Why? Because you never really finished it anyway. If you had gotten that thing out of the way or put everything back, then you would have been officially completed with what you were doing. So if something happens (which you and I both know will happen), you can start that new task right away without any struggle. Take a few minutes to complete whatever the hell it is you are doing. It won’t seem like much, but you’ll be very happy you did it down the road. If I were a trainer, I’d have lessons like that for the kids as they work out. Cause sports are never about winning or losing. Or getting the strongest, or the fastest. The game will change. The rules will change. The arena will change. But the lessons that you can get through to someone through sports, those won’t change. Plus, I wouldn’t want to put all the equipment back by myself.

A writing update can offer an honest look behind the curtain of the creative process. In “Being Sick,” Greg Luti discusses how a recent illness forced him to pause his work, prioritize recovery, and reflect on the unrealistic expectation that writers should always be productive. Being Sick and Falling Behind I have been sick the past week or so and have not really gotten to my writing as much as I would like. I basically did some social media stuff and then took some medicine and went to bed instead of spending time on the blog posts or the books. I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who really likes to get better as soon as possible when I am sick. Yeah, I don’t just go to work and say, “I am fine, I will get better.” I take a bottle’s worth of medicine a day (not recommended) and sleep as much as I can. I take the extra day off just to get better. My Approach to Getting Better I will never understand people who walk around and say, “Yeah, I am sick.” Like bro, go home and get better. No one wants to be around a sick person, mostly because people don’t like to be sick themselves. So yeah, not much on the inspiration train this past week, aside from a bunch of tissues and medicine. I even tried to write up an advice piece the other day, but I just wasn’t feeling it. The Power of Having a Routine The good news is that I am just about over my sickness, and I am starting to feel better. I learned that the reason you want a good routine and schedule in place is to have something to go back on when you are sick and miss a few days. I told you I was working on the writing routine, and now that I have that down, missing a few days because of sickness is not that bad, since I can pick up right where I left off. How We Romanticize Writers Writing is interesting when it comes to being sick. I honestly don’t know if I have ever heard about writers discussing sickness in regard to their career. I mean, when was the last time you heard about a writer, literally any writer, write up something when they were sick? I guess we have this idea of what a writer looks like when they are actually writing up something, and that image does not include them taking pills and feeling down. If you want to go a step further, you can even say that we do this with writers so much that those who take drugs are never even suspected of doing anything while they write. We never talk about a writer writing when drunk, or when on something, as though every writer is just away in a freaking corner, frantically typing that great novel. I think the image of Shakespeare sitting by his desk with his quill pen or Hemingway staring at a typewriter are what people think of when they think about writers, and those images don’t include any hint of drugs, or any other substance, aside from the writer’s own wit. That gets me to two things I want to say, and then I may just wrap up this update. Yeah, I am not completely over being sick. Ill or Sick? The first is a funny line I like to think about when I am sick. It is from a song. The guy said he is ill, not sick. Because ill can be used as a synonym for very talented, I find that funny, and I like it when words are used in that sort of way. I once asked a student I was teaching if he was ill or sick. He didn’t get the joke and just asked me where the tissue paper is. The Mysterious Disappearing Tissues Also, is it me, or does no one know where the tissue paper ever is? I mean, do we hide it from one another? Is there a night fairy that moves it? What is going on here? The first thing anyone ever asks when they need tissues is where the heck is the box of tissues? For something that we all use a lot, especially during certain parts of the year, none of us know where the hell this thing is. The State of Modern Literature The second thing I wanted to say is about the state of modern literature. Now, I am not going to pretend like I am up to date on it. I’m not. I am more concerned with my own books and stories than all of literature as a whole, but I just can’t help but wonder whether literature is not as popular as it thinks it is. I think we would call it a niche field now. Sure, you can make a living from it, but don’t expect everyone to know you. It is more like ballet or Broadway than TV and movies. Although I am starting to think that all modern media is nothing more than a niche field. I don’t know. I hear two things from modern literature. On the one hand, I hear people praising it and the authors and their books as though we are all supposed to reinvent the classics and forget about them. But then I hear that modern literature sucks and that you should read the classics. When casual people name an author or book, it is never a modern book, but a classic. I don’t know what is happening there. Does modern literature suck? Beats me. I have a hard enough time writing up these updates. I am just trying to get back my energy and health so I can be 100 percent when I am doing this. When Life Throws Curveballs Let’s end this with something you can take with you. There are times in your life when you need to focus and pay attention a little more than usual. No, no, I am not talking about a freaking test that asks about sin. You can use a calculator for that too. I am talking about when life throws a curveball at you for no other reason than life has been throwing fastballs at you all night, and now wants to see if you can handle the breaking ball. You may get sick and be out for a week. You may have to deal with a death in the family. You may have an injury that takes time to get over. Whatever it is, that is when you'd better pay attention. That, that moment, that is the test. When you are in a moment like that, devote as much of your time to getting out of that hole. Take the medicine wisely. Plan the funeral accordingly. Go to physical therapy as you should. Because you have to learn to take care of yourself, and that involves the moments you are not expecting. So next time something happens in your life that is bad and you were not ready for, don’t get mad or upset, get dialed in. Focus for that brief time to help yourself and others around you. And remember, all things must pass. Do yourself a favor while they are passing through.

A flash fiction story can explore the limits of wealth and desire. In “What He Couldn’t Buy,” Greg Luti follows a man with a mysterious condition who goes on a wild shopping spree, buying everything in sight while searching for something that money can’t buy. I was talking to a buddy of mine at work one day, it was the time of the day when we are all about done with the job, but still have to be there, so we make small talk to pass the time. I was printing out some documents as he sat there doing nothing. The story he told me is what I am about to tell you. He heard of a guy who went into a store, I don’t remember which type of store it was, but I guess it was the type of place you could do this sort of thing. The guy just pointed at stuff and bought it. Like it was nothing. He took a few of the paintings on the wall, a few statues. Actually, a lot of statues… the buyer had a weird thing about statues. I think the number was in double digits. Yes, there is a man who once bought ten statues for no other reason than that is what he felt like doing. Have you ever seen ten statues in your life? This man bought them like most people buy chips at the grocery store. Then there were furniture pieces he bought that seemed unnecessary for any person to really own, like an office desk that has room for two chairs, but is for one person. One of the desks switched between a desk and a bed. Another had so many compartments you wonder what the person at the desk was actually doing. Then there were the couches… Oh my god, the couches. The guy might as well have taken all of them. He pointed, and he got them. The man selling him all the stuff was even sitting on a couch, when the guy looked at him and noted he would take that as well. There was some stuff the guy bought that he didn’t even know what it was, but he bought it. He pointed at the chest and said, “I’ll take it.” He didn’t even look inside the chest. He saw three more chests like that on the table, and then decided to buy those too, and he took the table also. Old-time games and trinkets no one would really use or even need. The guy bought them. He didn’t even ask what they were. The seller stopped describing the particular history of the items when the buyer acknowledged he wanted them all. Screw the history, the buyer didn’t care. In the back were old books, and he took every one of them. Yeah, those never stood a chance. He asked if the bookshelf was available to buy, but the seller told him it was not. That was a part of the store. This dude went into a freaking store and bought whatever he wanted, like it was nothing. When asked if he had the room for it all, the guy was almost insulted by the question, as though it was even dumb to ask. The guy got to the register and asked for the total, but before he did, he asked the seller if he liked his job, to which the seller said he did for the most part. The rich guy then offered him a job right on the spot, no fuss. There were two people in the store standing by, and they were offered jobs too, even though they had nothing to do with the purchase. Before the purchase was complete, the man noted that he would buy the store, but he is not in the area enough to really do that. Then the man stopped the conversation and spoke sternly to the seller during the entire spree, “I am here for one reason, actually. I mean, I like all this stuff you have, but there is something that I heard you guys sell. The word on the street is that the item is called the cure. It can help with sleep and other problems. Does that sound like something you have?” He stared at the seller with a frankness he had not shown before. His eyes didn’t blink. His facial expression stayed there, and the jovial expressions he had earlier were gone. The seller dropped his head, for he had heard this rumor from customers many times before, and he had addressed them before, too. “That is an old rumor started by the old owner of this place. Back before the current owner took over, this place had a bunch of items, weird items, like occult stuff, and one of them he advertised was a cure for what you are seeking. I think my owner asked him about it when he bought the place, but that was nothing more than a lie. That item doesn’t exist and never did. Sorry about that. Want me to ring you up?” The buyer changed his facial expression to hide his frustration. “Hey, man. It happens. No big deal. I mean, I just thought I asked.” The seller then noticed the restless shoulders the buyer had, and his red eyes, as though he had not slept in days. The buyer finished the purchase, twitching a little more than he had when the spending spree began. That was basically the story. I am not sure how much of the story I even believe. My co-worker didn’t really confirm whether he thought it was true or not. When he was done telling it, I gathered what I had printed out and went back to my desk.

Greg Luti announces his upcoming poetry book titled “Clearance” in this book update, sharing the ironic and humorous reason for the title choice while explaining his decision to focus on compiling existing poems rather than continuing work on his novel Hit of Henry. Title of the Next Poetry Book The title of my next poetry book will be called Clearance, for the simple reason that I enjoy the name of it, and the joke is fairly obvious. Clearance is probably where the book is going to land in the stores. I am really a sucker for the ironic, funny titles for my books, especially for my poetry ones, since those never really have much of a theme anyway. Yes, I am the type of author who would make the title of the book something where you would say, “Wait, what is that called again?” Goal for the Book I am trying to put the poems I have for this book together as soon as I can, honestly. I have the poems lying around. The sooner I get this done, the better. The poems are already complete, so now I have to put the book together.

A book update can offer readers an early look at new work. In “Two Poems from Clearance,” Greg Luti shares two poems from his upcoming poetry collection — one a lighthearted dialogue about a scheduling mix-up — while discussing the process of compiling older poems into a new book. Compiling the poems I am putting together the poems that I wrote before I started this blog into a collection. I have a handful already put into the book, which I am going to share a few here. I am not sure if there is a theme to the entire book though. The first poem I included here is a funny dialogue-driven poem about a common meeting misunderstanding. The second is an ambiguous warning about what you don’t want to see. Wednesday Meeting Adam walked over to his co-worker, Samantha. “Hey, night.” “Night.” Samantha stopped him before he could leave. “Don’t we have a meeting tonight?” “Do we? Has it been two weeks already?” The company has a meeting every two weeks where the staff gets together and talks about their problems. “I think it has.” “Yeah, I can’t believe that you asked a question last time. I mean, who does that?” “What was my question? I forgot.” “I think it had to do with one of the customers. I don’t remember exactly.” “Oh, yeah. I ask the questions early in the meetings, to get them out of the way.” “I mean, the fact that you asked them. Don’t most not say anything during these meetings so they can go faster?” “I don’t know if we are having the meeting tonight.” “I guess they are too busy to have the meeting. I am not surprised.” “Yeah. It has been really busy.” “Maybe it is better with no meeting.” “They normally send out an email on the day of the meeting.” “Yeah, I forgot all about it, until you mentioned it.” “We have a meeting every other Wednesday.” “Right…” “Oh my god, I just realized why we don’t have a meeting.” “'Cause they forgot about it?” “It’s Tuesday.” “Oh my god, it is.” “Meetings are Wednesday.” “Right… So I guess I will see you at the meeting tomorrow?”

A writing update often signals a meaningful shift in an author’s routine. In “Twice a Week Is Here,” Greg Luti announces that his newsletter will now be delivered twice a week — on Sundays and Thursdays — while also sharing his ongoing efforts with short stories and the small but meaningful wins he’s experiencing from reader engagement. Twice a Week Is Here I am happy to say that the newsletter is officially going to be twice a week. That is right, now I am jumping into your newsletter on Sundays and Thursdays. Because one morning of my rants was not enough. Now you are getting two! I would like to think there are some of you out there that get giddy over seeing my name in your email feed, but I mean, I don’t think I do that for any newsletter either, so if you don’t, that is fair. I actually remember I had a newsletter about a book subscription, and to make a long story short, I don’t use the subscription anymore. The newsletter was nice, though. The Imagined Conversation Here is a conversation I imagine one of you has: “Honey, I am reading a newsletter that says Homer didn’t read.” “Oh, that’s nice. I mean, Homer Simpson wasn’t that smart of a man. He was actually an idiot.” “No, not that Homer. The other Homer.” “Oh… Did you lose a bet?” “Let’s not bring that into this.” “If you are going to be a bad gambler, don’t read nonsense, too. One is enough.” “It’s a nice newsletter. Sometimes there are stories, sometimes writing advice.” “I am sure it is a nice newsletter.” “You don’t think it is?” “I never said that…” “Hmmm…. Is this a bad time to say I paid for full access to the site?” “Jesus Christ…. We really have to talk about your spending habits.” Short Stories Are My Kryptonite Enough about the newsletter, though, and let’s talk about something that is a pain in my butt, or back, since, honestly, sitting at my desk all day typing can really put a strain on a guy. This is my kryptonite, my Achilles heel, or the thing that I really stink at. One word: short stories. Okay, that is technically two words, but you get my point. I don’t know why, but when I get to sitting down and looking at my blog schedule, and I see I have to write a short story, I look at it and say, “Nope. Not happening.” I have a few short story ideas, but nothing that I am confident can become a full short story. I don’t really have a solution for solving this problem, aside from putting my time into it. That is not a great solution, I get it, but I think I am viewing short stories as more than what they are. I have a general idea of what I want to say, and then just jump. Head first, too. The only way to actually write a short story is to, you know, write one. Facebook Problems (and Solutions?) Another thing I have been doing is working on is social media, and going into groups and communicating with other writers about my editing services. It took my assistant and me to figure out the plan here, but we are now interacting here, so that is a win. Now, for the loss… I made a mistake in my writing career. I am now paying for it, not literally though (thank god for that), I thought I would be clever and advertise my Facebook page to anyone in the world. There are billions of people out there. Why do I care where they are from? I thought wrongly. I then advertised my Facebook page to anyone with a pulse. If you know anything about Facebook, then you know where I am going with this. My Facebook page is all spam accounts now. There are a bunch of real people on it, but they are so few and far between that it is hard to find them. I am now stuck blocking mostly all of them. Yeah, so I am slowly getting rid of my fake followers on Facebook. There is a lesson there to anyone who wants to hear it: don’t try to be clever and outthink the system, since it will come back and bite you in the butt. Small Wins Matter There is good news, and that is some people have responded to my newsletter and even shared it with their readers. Here I was thinking I was giving writing advice to only my readers…. I am finding that whatever small victories I gain are worth noting, for if you only ever see the bad things that need improvement, you are not doing a service to anyone, especially yourself. Yes, there are always areas to get better in. I mean, anyone can tell you that. But can you see the areas that give you pride in your growth, and make you appreciate the actual journey you are on? That is the real question. If you are going on this trip and only see the bad and get down on everything, then that is not a trip at all; that is a therapy session.

Writing prompts are a popular tool, but they’re not always the best way to generate ideas. In “How and When to Use Writing Prompts,” Greg Luti takes a closer look at the common advice around using prompts and explains when they can actually be useful versus when they might limit a writer’s ability to draw from personal experience. The Common Advice About Prompts Whenever I hear about writers using a prompt, the process is quite simple in that the site, or whoever gave the prompt, basically leaves the writer be. As I have grown as a writer, I have become further and further from the prompt that I am almost against the use of it, but before that, I suppose we should discuss what a prompt actually is, and why you would need it. What Exactly Is a Writing Prompt? A writing prompt is a line or two that gives you directions on what to write. It doesn’t tell you what to actually write, that is still up to you, but it does give you a path on where to go. An example of a prompt would be “write a story under 500 words that has to do with loss.” The prompt isn’t really meant to tell you what to think of the topic, only present you with a topic. Does it care if it is 300 words or 400 words? Not really, as long as it doesn’t go over 500. And does it care if you like love or hate it? No. It only wants you to be in that department. So that is a lesson right there: Prompts do not give you an opinion on the topic you are writing. Sorry, you have to come up with that one on your own. And let’s face it, the topics for prompts are normally designed so you don’t have to really think too much about them. I mean, are you going to sit there and think about love or just jump right into the piece and hope you have 500 words about it? If you are like me, you’ll probably have an idea of where to go, and then just jump. So yeah, prompts don’t give you an opinion. Where Do Prompts Usually Come From? I normally have come across prompts on sites like this, or other writing-related sites, that are all about words and writing. I know that I have seen them on social media and even participated in a few. That is how it all happens. You open your laptop or your phone, and then you read the prompt, and go back to your office and work on it. Writing places, or sites, or magazines, whatever you want to call them, like to include prompts as a way to get the reader engaged with them. And I get it. The act seems genuine, and for the most part, it is, having readers think about a piece and then even submit it for the site. I do have an issue with prompts, though, and it is why I don’t advocate for them openly to writers as their first option. Why I’m Not a Big Fan of Prompts The first reason you shouldn’t use prompts is that they dictate the topic. I don’t want to be that guy, but I am; you are alive 24 hours in a freaking day, going around doing whatever it is you are doing…. Is there not one thing you want to write about for that day? One… Not even one thing. Writing for a prompt requires a writer to associate with topics that may not be currently in their life, which I would say is where the best inspiration comes from. The second reason is that by relying on the prompt as a way to spark inspiration, you are not training yourself to view the parts of your life as an area for stories. That is a bad habit to form. Do you get the issue? If you are going to improve as a writer, you are best to find the stories that reflect your life, your experience, and that means you are not looking at prompts for the answer, but yourself. If you are seeing the prompts as the time when you are inspired, then you are missing out on times in your life that the stories could come from. That observation skill is more important to develop than the ability to write up a poem about loss. The third reason I don’t like prompts is simple. I am too damn busy with all the other stories I am writing, and I am sure that every other professional writer out there is too. I would love to get to that random prompt about love, but I have a book, make that two books, I have to get done, three books that need to be edited, and a handful of blog posts to write. If you are like me, once you get started with writing as a career where you are crafting story ideas and outlines daily, you will soon find the prompt pointless, as it is not really helping you with your goals. Now, if you are someone who likes to write in their spare time and enjoys the prompts as a fun activity and doesn’t plan on going further with them, then obviously, the prompts are for you. But as for professional writers, those who have a schedule and a deadline to meet, the function of a prompt is questionable, at best, a waste of time, at worst. When Prompts Can Actually Be Useful Okay, so is there ever a time you can use a prompt? Am I going to be over here protesting the very thing like some grouchy old man who doesn’t know that clouds don’t have feelings? No, I think that prompts can be useful in a certain structure, which is how I use them when I do. I use them when I am out of ideas, or I simply don’t want to use any of the stories I currently have. I use the prompts as a way to change things up, to challenge myself, because my creative juices could use a shift. How I Personally Use Prompts The second thing I do, and I highly suggest this for anyone using prompts, is I create my own, so that the prompts are related to me, and they can go back to my own experiences, so that the observations I am making during the day are never far from the prompts themselves. The activity I made up was one that involved including a writing style from a famous author I knew, a genre (like poetry or whatever), and then a topic that I had already thought about before. I pick something from those, and then I have a prompt. Here is an example: I would have the author style be Shel Silverstein (who I know wrote nonsensical poems), the genre be flash fiction, and then the topic be something like technology. All those things I have thought about before, and know about, so I'm not going into the prompt completely lost. I am then writing about a flash fiction piece that is about technology and a little bit silly to the point of absurdity. The prompt relates to me, rather than whatever the site or magazine suggests. The Bottom Line on Prompts Prompts are a nice tool for writers to use when they want to challenge themselves, but as far as their usefulness in a writer’s overall development and attainment of goals, I don’t think they are great for that. If you are burned out from that book you are working on, and still want to write up something, then you can use a prompt, but I wouldn’t get too crazy with using prompts all the time. You want the ideas to really come from you more than anywhere else anyway.