NaNoWriMo! NaNoWriMo!

[Haven]

Cehra--I definitely want to read your memoir!

I think historical fiction is really tough to write during NaNo. Chris Baty discusses that in his book, and he points out exactly what you shared--that the desire to research during November will often take over all of your writing time.

This memoir of yours? Sounds amazing. Write it!

Have you read any of the new memoirs that have come out this past year? I feel like there has been a huge rush of memoirs, and many have gotten great reviews in the Book Review. I have over 40 books on my autobiography/biography/memoir "to read" bookshelf on Goodreads!

 

[Cehrabehra]

One of the nice things about Nano is the hope it inspires... like you can do anything, be successful, be respected and admired for your abilities... it may never amount to more than singing in the shower, but it does motivate you to *try*

 

[Dee*Jay]

One of the nice things about Nano is the hope it inspires... like you can do anything, be successful, be respected and admired for your abilities... it may never amount to more than singing in the shower, but it does motivate you to *try*

Let's just make sure we don't confuse the signing in the shower with writing in the shower. Bad for the keyboard and all.

 

[Octavia]

I think historical fiction is really tough to write during NaNo. Chris Baty discusses that in his book, and he points out exactly what you shared--that the desire to research during November will often take over all of your writing time.

I've put my original idea on the back burner because of this. I still really want to write that book, but I'm afraid it won't be enjoyable if I try during NaNo, and I don't want to ruin it for myself. It will be a December-and-onward project, I think.

Unfortunately, this has left me with a void where my idea should be. The only thing I've got right now is a probably awful chick-lit book, the kind I'd be ashamed to put my real name on...so, what are your thoughts on writing something like this just for the practice and experience? And if I go for it, what do I tell people if they ask what my novel is about (or even worse, say they'd like to read it)? Maybe, if I'm lucky, it will end up being less terrible than I anticipate right now, but I'm not counting on it. It's just that, at T-11 days with no "good" idea, I'm starting to get worried!!

 

[Haven]

One of the nice things about Nano is the hope it inspires... like you can do anything, be successful, be respected and admired for your abilities... it may never amount to more than singing in the shower, but it does motivate you to *try*

I agree!

For me, it inspires my students to believe they *can* be writers. I work primarily with developmental-level students, so the result can be truly amazing. 32 have already committed to doing NaNo, they've signed the novelists agreements, and everything! I'm so excited.

 

[Haven]

I think historical fiction is really tough to write during NaNo. Chris Baty discusses that in his book, and he points out exactly what you shared--that the desire to research during November will often take over all of your writing time.

I've put my original idea on the back burner because of this. I still really want to write that book, but I'm afraid it won't be enjoyable if I try during NaNo, and I don't want to ruin it for myself. It will be a December-and-onward project, I think.

Unfortunately, this has left me with a void where my idea should be. The only thing I've got right now is a probably awful chick-lit book, the kind I'd be ashamed to put my real name on...so, what are your thoughts on writing something like this just for the practice and experience? And if I go for it, what do I tell people if they ask what my novel is about (or even worse, say they'd like to read it)? Maybe, if I'm lucky, it will end up being less terrible than I anticipate right now, but I'm not counting on it. It's just that, at T-11 days with no "good" idea, I'm starting to get worried!!

Well, 11 days can be a very long time! During the next week, I would do some freewriting where you just write for ten to twenty minutes at a time. Put the pen to paper, and don't stop moving it until the time is up. That means writing "I have no idea what to write" or "Haven is an arse for making me do this" to start out if you don't have an idea yet. The magic of writing is that it stimulates thought, it is a process of discovery, so by giving yourself the time and the space to write you may uncover an idea you didn't even know you had.

Even if you find your idea at noon on November 1st, I think that's fine! I never plot out anything before I write it. Not stories, not essays, not research reports, not even professional articles. I write it out first, and then I tidy it up once I've allowed all of the ideas to leak out of me in a steady stream of caffeine-doused ink marks. I find I always underestimate myself if I try to take inventory of what I can produce before I produce it, anyway, so I no longer try.

If you want to sit down to freewrite but don't trust yourself to really write the entire time, try Write or Die, it's wonderful. Turn your volume all the way up for maximum effect.
http://writeordie.com/

 

[Haven]

Here's the boring Internet version of the workshop I offered this week:

Workshop #3: Discover Your Muse

So, by now you’ve committed to NaNoWriMo. You’re going to surrender to the writing muse for one month. But before you can surrender to your writing muse, you must first discover your muse.

Your muse is the thing that inspires you to create art. (That is what you’re about to do this November, by the way: create some art.) The Ancient Greeks’ muses were goddesses. If lyrics are any indication, most pop stars’ muses are current or former love interests. Your muse can be any person, thing, image, idea, or animal that inspires you.

My muse is a cat. That’s right, you read that correctly—a cat. I met him about ten years ago. He lived with a friend of mine. And the moment I learned his name he became my muse, and I’ve been writing stories about him ever since. Of course, in my stories he’s a person and not a tabby cat, but that’s a minor detail, people. Stay focused.

Where to Look

If you want to write a novel, but you have not yet found the inspiration for your story, here are some things to consider:

What objects do you hold dear?
Even the least sentimental people in the world become attached to something every now and then. Try keeping a sentimental object or two with you when you sit down to write. For me, it’s the ring that my grandmother left for me. It reminds me of her every time I see it, and wearing it makes me feel brave and capable of doing anything.

When and where do you do your best thinking or daydreaming?
Do you ever let your mind just wander? If so, where and when? Think about the environment that inspires you to think or work through issues. Perhaps your muse is hiding there. I’m a perpetual daydreamer, but I do my best thinking when I’m alone in the car. While I do not condone writing while driving, there’s nothing wrong with cruising around for a while and pulling over when an inspired thought comes your way.

Who brings out the crazy in you?
You know the friends I’m talking about here, the ones around whom you can be your absolute and true self. These are the friends that bring out a side of you that you rarely show the world. Spend time with these people. They just might be your muse.

Inspiration By Proxy

Sometimes the best inspiration comes from people who have accomplished exactly what you’re trying to accomplish, yourself. That being said, consider:

Which artists do you admire?
You can venture outside of authors, here. Are there any musicians, painters, glass blowers, tattoo artists, jewelers, clothing designers, auto body artists, etc., that you admire? Think of people who create things that are worthy of your admiration. Let their complete devotion to their art inspire you.
(By the way, have you ever heard of Yulia Brodskaya? She is a master at the art of paper quilling. It doesn’t sound all that impressive until you see her work. She definitely inspires me to want to create.)

What stories do you have inside of you?
Everyone has a story to tell, even if it’s something that never happened. Let your mind wander and find your story. It’s there, go find it.

Which books made you stay up into the wee hours of morning thinking just one more chapter . . . ?
The stories that speak to you will serve as important inspiration as you undergo this crazy writing frenzy next month. Reread part or all of them. Burrow into the magic that held you long into the night one more time before you create some of that magic, yourself.

Your Personal Dos and Don’ts

As you venture into the world of novel writing, take some time to consider:

What do you love in a story?
Believe it or not, it’s really easy to lose sight of what you love as a reader when you’re caught up in the hysteria of RaiderWriMo. Take some time over the next two weeks to write out a list of things that you love to see in a novel. Some of the things I love are: main characters with unexpected quirks, extended families and the hilarity that ensues when they get together, and strong sibling bonds. What about you?

What bores or depresses you in a story?
It is surprisingly easy to get so caught up in your writing that you end up filling it with things that bore or depress you as a reader. Consider the things you dislike reading about in a novel, and list them, as well. As for me, intricate details about a character’s feelings bore the heck out of me, so I definitely want to keep that out of my own writing.

What You Should be Doing This Week

November is now only weeks away! If you’ve been keeping up with our workshops, you may have already done some of these things. But here’s the master checklist, just for good measure.

The Master Checklist

• Sign up on http://nanowrimo.org
  Find your friends on the site and become writing buddies (this function is not yet working on the new NaNo site)
  Choose USA :: Illinois :: Chicago as your home region
  Set up your profile on the site
  Get active on the NaNo forums! There are so many different forums for so many different purposes, spend some time reading around and get involved in a conversation.
  Check out your local chapter's website on NaNo
  Sign up on www.goodreads.com and join the NaNo group there
  Convince your friends and family to join you—the more the merrier!
  Use the Time Finder (see Workshop 1 handouts) to figure out your writing schedule for November
  Find your writing zone, claim it, and fill it with things that will motivate you to write.
  Stock up on the writing tools you’ll need to be successful in November: Your favorite pens, Your favorite coffee, tea, snacks, music, etc.!, Find your writing totems!
  Find some inspiration books to keep nearby all November
  Brag shamelessly about your plans to write an entire novel in one month
  Bet on your success
  Enlist writer friends, cheerleader friends, and skeptical friends
  Dump your Inner Curmudgeon
  Destroy the evil time suckers in your life
  Find your muse
  List your story dos and don’ts
  Get excited!!!! November will be here before you know it!

 

[Liane]

Good luck guys!

I'll be over here in the cheering section.

 

[princesss]

I'm debating. I tried to do it last year and failed. Not sure I even have an idea trapped in me at all.

Well....maybe. I might have one. Maybe. Hmmmm....

 

[Clairitek]

I'm currently on vacation in Europe and DH and I met a man at a bed and breakfast in the Italian countryside that had a really interesting story. I could see it making a neat short novel but I would have to do a ton of research to make it realistic.

The short version of his story is that he is from Nepal and during the civil war about 6 years ago he left. He was a sherpa and there wasn't much tourism business during the conflict so he decided to take off to Europe. He picked a few countries and decided to stay a month in each one until he found work. Lucky for him he found work in his second country- Italy. He works for the family that owns the B&B. He is married now and his wife works there, too. They're childhood friends who stayed in touch via letters when he moved. They had to marry in order for her to immigrate to Italy. Did you know that your parents can sign your marriage license for you in Nepal? They got married while he was in Italy! He said he didn't find out for 5 days due to internet and phone issues at his parent's house. I loved his spirt and manner of speaking. He seemed like a really interesting guy and I would have loved to spend a day interviewing him for a novel based on his life.

I am overwhelmed by the thought of researching Nepal, what it is like to be a sherpa, and more about Italy. I'll keep it in mind, though.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Well, 11 days can be a very long time! During the next week, I would do some freewriting where you just write for ten to twenty minutes at a time. Put the pen to paper, and don't stop moving it until the time is up. That means writing "I have no idea what to write" or "Haven is an arse for making me do this" to start out if you don't have an idea yet. The magic of writing is that it stimulates thought, it is a process of discovery, so by giving yourself the time and the space to write you may uncover an idea you didn't even know you had.

I do this I start...
Haven is an arse for making me do this and I saw a flower and maybe it was a snowflake and I like snowflakes because they're white and if I had a white dog it would be really dirty all of the time. Once upon a time there was a little white dog that loved to take baths. Every day she would roll around in the mud and get as dirty as she could just so she could sit outside the back door and yap little yaps begging for another bath. She loved playing in the water of course, but her favorite part was after bathtime when the girl she loved more than anything in the world rubbed her dry, brushed her smooth, and cuddled her more than any other time.

hehehe

 

[Haven]

The frenzy begins on ONE WEEK!!!!

Thank you, Liane! It's nice to have a pro in our cheering section!

Princesss--Do it! DO EEEEEEET! We are here to support each other! It will be tons of fun!

Claritek--Wow, he does seem like a wonderful source of inspiration for a main character. What an interesting man. I think the best approach would be to take this next week and do enough research to have a vague idea of Nepal and Sherpa-ism (?) before November 1st, and then just focus on the story during November. You don't want the research to derail you, but you could always focus on writing the bones of his story and adding whatever details possible during NaNo, and THEN researching in December and beyond.
I want to read this book! You have to write it, now!

Cehra--I love it! The little sudsy puppy! I may be an arse, but it's effective, isn't it? I want to know more about the sudsy puppy. Do tell, please!

I'm really getting excited for November 1st. My mom and a good family friend have committed for sure, and over 30 of my students have signed the month-long novelist agreement. Our little local college community now has over 50 WriMos! It's going to be so much fun!

ETA:

I have an update that I forgot to share. I set my alarm for 5 AM instead of 6 AM today, just to see if I'd be super productive first thing in the morning, and I was! I am NOT a morning person, but I've had a hunch that I might be very productive if I force myself to get up a bit early. I think it's because the house is quiet (the dogs heard the alarm, rolled over, and sighed,) and I haven't yet had time to fill my brain with anything else for the day. I'm not super excited about the prospect of waking up in the fives, but I will definitely do it during November if I need to squeeze in some extra writing time.

 

[Haven]

Boring version of this week's workshop handout:

Workshop #4: Discover Your Story

Help! November is a Week Away
and I Have No Idea What to Write About!

First, repeat after me: It is going to be okay.

Now that we have that out of the way, I want you to consider the following:

What makes you tick?

In other words, what are you passionate about? What drives you to get out of bed each morning and move forward? What do you live for?
Once you can answer this question, you can infuse your writing with things that are uniquely yours, the ideas or activities or experiences that make you tick.

What do you want your story to do to your readers?

Do you hope to entertain? To educate? To teach a lesson? To scare and horrify? Think about the people who will read your book, and figure out how you want them to react to your story. This will help you determine which genre or type of story you want to tell.

What defines you?

Have you devoted every free moment you have to working for a personal cause or agenda? (Environmentalism, human rights, animal rescue, etc.) If you’ve dedicated much of your energy to supporting a cause or idea, chances are you will probably want to focus on it in your book, at least in part.

Who are your readers?

When you imagine people reading your book, who are they? How old are they? What do they do in their free time? Why are they reading your book? You may not have your story ironed out yet, but you may know whom you want your audience to be.

The Rocking Chair Rule

I highly recommend the exercise called The Rocking Chair Rule in Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s Book in a Month, page 48 – 49. It’s a lovely little exercise, and it may really help you focus your ideas.

(*I used the “Setting and Keeping Goals” section of Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, PhD, to help create the above section.)

And . . . I STILL Don’t Know What to Write!
SOS! HELP! SAVE ME!

If the exercises on page one didn’t help you find your story, do not despair. There is still hope.

Write it Out

You already know that writing is a process of discovery, so now may be a good time to surrender to that process. November is still a week away, so savor the time while you have it!
To Write it Out: First, you have to give yourself the time and the space to just write. I recommend you first set the mood for writing. Brew your favorite writing beverage, eliminate all distractions, turn on your writing tunes, grab your writing totem, and take a deep breath. This is going to be fun. Then, crawl into your writing zone*, and set a time limit for your writing, say ten to 20 minutes. And then, you just write.
The key is to keep your pen moving for the entire time you’ve set aside for writing. This means writing things like “I have no idea what to write about” if you have no idea what to write about.
This exercise will work best if you focus on the questions on page one before you Write it Out. Keep your mind focused on finding your story, and chances are, as soon as you give yourself the time and the space to write, you will find it. You may not discover your story during your first Write it Out session, but if you take time every day this week to focus on these things, and to surrender to the writing process, it will happen. Think on it, and it will come.

*If you have not yet decked out your writing zone, you must do this. Immediately. Stop reading this handout and get thee a writing zone!

Tips for the Desperate

If you have given yourself the time and the space to write several days in a row, you focused on the questions on page one, you’ve followed every tip and suggestion I’ve made in all of the prior workshops, and you still haven’t found your story, here are some things to consider:

• Why the heck are you doing NaNo? What drew you to this activity? Certainly you must have some reason for being here. Perhaps your story is buried deep beneath that reason.
  Play The People-Watching Game for the next several days. Sit in a crowded space, by yourself or with a friend, and find the most interesting people around you and make up stories about their lives. I survived high school using this game, by the way. It’s very entertaining.
  What are your favorite books, movies, stories, or song lyrics? Consider writing an adaptation or retelling of a story that you love.
  Beg, borrow, and steal. When I taught high school, my teacher friends and I joked that we begged, borrowed, and stole everyone’s ideas. This was actually true. Talk to your friends; see if they have great story ideas that you can borrow for November. Remember: It’s the execution, and not the idea, that makes a story uniquely yours.

Discover Your World

Now that you have an idea for your story, you can start developing it pre-November, if you’d like.
Here are some things to consider:

Who’s There?

Is your character a Mary-Sue? Find out:
The Universal Mary-Sue Litmus Test
http://www.springhole.net/writing/marysue.htm

Answer these ten questions about your characters: (Baty 90)
• How old are they?
• What is their gender?
• What do they do for work?
• Who are their friends, family, and love interests?
• What is their living space like?
• What are their hobbies?
• What were they doing a year ago? Five years ago?
• What are their values and politics?

What Happens?

Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?
Plotters like to plan ahead, to create outlines or guides before November hits so they enter November with a structured idea of how their story moves forward and what happens over the course of the book.
Plot = The movement of your characters through time and over the course of your book. (Baty 94)
Pantsers like to fly by the seat of their pants, to sit down at the computer on November 1st with either a vague idea of their story, or no idea at all, and see what happens.

Your Dos and Don’ts List from Workshop 3: Avoid incorporating things from your lists of things you do and don’t like in stories. (You created that list, right? If not, somebody has some homework to do!)

Check out The Snowflake Method of story development:
http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

Where is Your Story?

One great tip for surviving NaNo is to model your setting on places you know well, or places you really want to visit. This will help you focus on the story during NaNo. You can always go back and add details about the setting after you have your entire story finished and you’ve won.
It is unwise to get caught up in the details of your setting during November, because you may be tempted to research setting, and that will derail your daily word count goals and wreak havoc on your writing momentum.

Which Point of View?

Will you write your story in first- or third-person point of view? Read sections of novels that are written in both to figure out which you prefer before you sit down to begin on November 1st.

Still Need Ideas or More Support?

Remember this: the details tell the story. If you have ideas for tiny little details you’d like to include in your book, write them down now and build out from them.
Need ideas? Try one of the Seventh Sanctum’s generators: http://www.seventhsanctum.com/
The NaNoWriMo forums have several threads on plot development, idea development, writing help, and other things to help you get started with the writing process. Browse the forums for a while.
You may find your story when you least expect it, so be open to ideas every single waking moment of the next week. Carry a small notebook and a pen with you so you can write them down as soon as inspiration strikes!
The Internet is your friend. There are so many helpful websites out there for writers. I will make a list of resources available on the **** page, but a little googling on your part may be just what you need to stumble upon your big idea for November.

I look forward to seeing you next week for our big Kickoff Party!

 

[princesss]

Well, I'm terrified and I don't have any idea what to write about, but I'm going to give it a shot. I've got somebody IRL pushing me to actually put butt to chair and write (despite being terrified that everything I write is going to be awful and I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm just a hack, just a sad, pathetic hack with no creative talent whatsoever), and I think I just need to do it. At least take it as a time to get all the crazy stories from my adventures down if nothing else.

 

[Cehrabehra]

My daughter and my husband's boss' son who is 19 and visiting here until at least christmas are both going to do it... I'm not sure if my daughter is going to do the kid or adult version... her SAT was put off until december so she kinda has a bit of "free" time now so we'll see... she's also been talking about a job or volunteering to teach little chinese kids amercian songs... we'll see But at least I'm not totally alone lol

 

[MonkeyPie]

My husband is extremely critical of fiction, but he read what I started last year and kept asking every day if I had written more because he wanted to know what happened next. And since I am currently jobless I feel more confident that I can do it this year. Fingers crossed!

 

[Haven]

Wooohooooooo Princesss! There's nothing to be terrified about, this is going to be A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!

Cehra--That's wonderful! You have your own NaNo community IRL! I think you should make bets with each other and compete and whatnot during November.

MonkeyPie--That's awesome! You cannot beat positive feedback like that!

We have such a wonderful PS NaNo group going! I'm so excited!

I have another update. I've been writing a YA spec fiction novel since January of 2010, and I JUST FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT! I have a lot of editing and revising to do, but it feels so good (and sad) to officially finish my first draft. I told myself I was finished a couple weeks ago because I only had one final chapter to write, and I have this terrible habit of putting of the last chapter (both while reading and writing), so I didn't officially finish the draft until about 11 minutes ago. WOOHOOO! I do feel sad, though. I don't know why. It feels strange.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Congrats Haven! Just enjoy it - don't over-analyze it lol

I am chomping at the bit to start... and I get to start about 12 hours before you haha... I may start a little early because I have a busy day tomorrow... if my guilt will let me lol

 

[Cehrabehra]

My guilt let me! haha - I'm at 1756 words and I have three dozen topics not even fleshed out and so many more to put down. I'm really excited!! I'm still just skimming stuff out.... if I really hit a block I'll fill out details.

I'm thrilled about this! I can't submit any words for 30 minutes but tomorrow is a busy day so it's good to know I have tomorrow's words done. I need to get ahead though... thanksgiving week will be tough for me.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I was estimating before, I just did a count and I have 85 topics to flesh out and more keep coming.

I am so glad I'm doing this!

 

[vc10um]

Congrats on finishing the first draft of your novel, Haven!

Good luck to everyone in their NaNoWriMo quest! I'll be cheering you all on!

 

[Haven]

Cehra--You are on fire, lady! Nice job!

VC--Thank you so much. I feel really good about it today.

HAPPY NaNoWriMo everyone!!!!

I set the alarm on my phone for midnight and ended up throwing the phone across the bedroom, SO here I am at 8:30 AM starting my writing for the month. I'm so excited! We're having a Kickoff party in my college today, too, and I can't wait for that. I bought funny hats to wear and decorations and whatnot.

How are all the PSWriMos doing? I'm going to try to check in daily to keep up the momentum.

HAPPY WRITING!!!!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Happy NaNoWriMo everyone!!!

I'm at work right now... but I want to be home WRITING!!!

 

[MonkeyPie]

I'm working on mine right now! And totally lost on the site for some reason...why can't I find the page to past in my work so it will count and update my words? I managed last year but this year I'm lost lol.

ETA: Aha, found it!

 

[Cehrabehra]

I'm working on mine right now! And totally lost on the site for some reason...why can't I find the page to past in my work so it will count and update my words? I managed last year but this year I'm lost lol.

it's at the top of the page

And I am at 3731... it's been a busy day and I'm tired so I'm not going to beat myself up that I didn't get a lot done today. I have about 95 topics still yet to tap and I'm really only doing the first 21 years. If I run out of stuff I do the next 21 years lol

I feel like I'm cheating but I need the support to do it and it's important to me to do this. Ugh, tomorrow is another busy day but tomorrow night I'll be better than I was tonight.

 

[Black Jade]

Well, I got 1614 words, its not much but its something.
We'll see what happens.
Good luck to all!

 

[Haven]

Woohoo for surviving Day 1!

I had a really difficult time writing yesterday. I hosted a kickoff party at my school, and that was a huge success. We had a lot of fun, and everyone was so excited to begin writing that it turned into a write-in, as well. The problem was that I couldn't focus on writing because I was running the event. SO . . . I got about 300 words down during the party, but they were three different versions of the start of the book.

THEN, I met my mom at McDonald's for our annual memorial dinner for my grandmother, who loved McDonald's. (11/1 was her birthday.) I ended up eeking out 1,687 words by 10:30. It was painful. I'm normally a panster, but now I'm thinking I should have done some plotting this year!

Black Jade--That's a great word count for day one!

Cehra--You're huge word counts are going to keep me motivating this November, I can tell. Overachiever.

MP, Dee*Jay--How are you ladies doing?

Here's hoping for a better Day 2!

 

[Dee*Jay]

I spent some time last night going through my email and gathering all the notes I randomly send to myself. I put some things in the manuscript and took some other things out. Most importantly, I started reading it again from the beginning... some of it is frankly rather bad, but some is really pretty good, so that's encouraging! I think when I'm "done" I'm going to take it to Story Studio and use their editing service. Have anyone ever worked with them? (They are in Chicago, so this question probably doesn't apply to all of you--sorry!)

Maybe we should try posting something that we've written from the day? Nothing long, maybe just a snippet that we are happy with? (Would be we foregoing any sort of copyright or other ownership privilege by doing that? I don't think so, buy I just wanted to ask in case anyone has any knowledge in this area...)

 

[Cehrabehra]

I'd be embarassed to put my stuff here! I mean it's ROUGH! None of the usual wit and prosaic meter

 

[Dee*Jay]

I'd be embarassed to put my stuff here! I mean it's ROUGH! None of the usual wit and prosaic meter

Wait -- your writing doesn't roll right off your fingertips onto the keyboard in iambic pentameter, every word perfect, every phrase lyrical, like mine does?!



(Seriously, some of the sh!t that that I spew out makes me wonder if Northwestern made a terrible mistake when they conferred upon me an English degree... )