Comments on: Need help with writing your novel?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:22:00 +0000

That is a good one about birds.
Overseas relatives sometimes ask us: 'I saw this black-and-white bird. What is it?'
And if I feel kind, I might venture: 'What colour eyes did it have?'
To which they reply: 'I don't know. I didn't see it that close.'
Me: Aaarghhh!

(to the uninitiated: in our part of Sydney, we have three black-and-white bird species. They are very different in behaviour and posture, but to the complete novice, there is an unequivocal way of telling them apart: Currawongs have yellow eyes, magpies have browny-red eyes and peewees have white eyes)

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:37:00 +0000

That is interesting, Patty. I have the same thing with bird IDs. and sometimes the question is worded something like this: “I saw this green bird with red on it somewhere. What was it?” Sigh.

Ru, I don’t know – I will ask her.

By: hrugaar

hrugaar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Odd, isn’t it, how any writer seems to be considered fair game for random strangers to come and ask for help … or in some cases, to approach you with a story idea and ask you to write it for them.

I wonder, does the same kind of thing happen in the music world with your daughter’s circle of friends?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:58:00 +0000

I have a speciality in identifying marine creatures. I gained this through hard work and dedication. I wrote three books on the subject.

I very often get these types of E-mails: 'I found these things/took photographs in ... (insert part of Australia). Can you help me identify them?'

Invariably, my answer to this question is: 'I'd be glad to help you. My fee is $50 an hour (this is cheap, btw).'

Invariably, too, one never hears from these freeloaders again. Organisations/individuals with genuine identification requests don't dump a proverbial box on your proverbial desk and ask you to 'sort it out'. They do their home works first.