Author: Miriam Drori

Author, editor, attempter of this thing called life. Social anxiety warrior. Re-Connections, a collection of short stories, published with Ocelot Press, 15/10/2025.

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Nostalgia

It’s a feature of getting older. We look back more. That’s not surprising – we have more to look back to.

Today, Rosalind Adam tweeted: Today’s date is the old Police HQ number Whitehall 1.2.12.

It was something we often heard on the radio: “The police are looking for….If you know of her whereabouts, please contact your nearest police station or dial Whitehall 1212.”

Rosalind’s tweet triggered tweets about nostalgia and had me singing a song that’s popular here:

I couldn’t find a translation. I suppose that means I’ll have to do it myself.

I knew that you’d come
As the evening comes you lie in wait
And give me an old hug
Nostalgia

What we’ve forgotten, you’ll remind
Washing my memory with light
Taking me back
Nostalgia

To beautiful days
When we still had places to go to
We watched the sunset
We promised we wouldn’t change

But then time passed
And wanted it different
We look back and remember

I knew that you’d come
Exactly when no one is here
And stroke my hair
Nostalgia

Didn’t it used to be better
Or is it just the present
That looks so pale
Nostalgia

My folk dancing instructor, Boaz, created a lovely dance to this song, which is why I know it so well.

And talking of nostalgia, in one month from now, it will be exactly a decade since something very special happened to me. I want to celebrate it on my blog, but haven’t yet thought of a way to do it. Hopefully, I’ll think of something by then.

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Books

Danglers

I’m surprised at people who don’t know the rule about danglers. I suppose it’s a bit like the offside rule in football. I must admit I don’t understand that one, but as I’m not interested in football I’ve never bothered to find out. Danglers though… if you’re a writer, that seems an important one to know.

I saw another example here yesterday:

After moving to a 5-2 lead in the decider, Murray played the game of his life to break to love and then held another three break points at 5-5.

It looks okay – if you don’t know about tennis, that is. If you do, it doesn’t make any sense because, if Murray had been leading 5-2, he wouldn’t have needed to win any more games to get to 5-5. No, it was Djokovic who was leading 5-2.

When I gave a presentation on editing, I created this slide about danglers:

Coming straight from the horse’s mouth, he told them about the new policy.

Happy dangling!

Categories
Books

Facing Facts

I have to face up to it. I’m never going to write 100,000 words in 100 days, which is what I pledged set out to attempt to do by joining Sally Quilford’s challenge.

BUT I’m not disappointed. I have written something every day since the challenge began. Sometimes I managed over 1,000 words. Other days I wrote fewer words. Today, I wrote all 120 words of a whole piece and that’s enough for today. I shall spend the rest of the day reading, editing and critiquing.

For me, writing 1,000 words every day is too much. Writing something every day is possible and is a practice I plan to continue after the challenge ends.

Happiness is being proud of your achievements.

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Books Israel

Foreign or Familiar? Does it matter?

I’ve read two recent blog posts about foreign settings in books – one by Rachelle Gardner, the other by Nicola Morgan.

In my son’s English class, when he was about nine, the pupils were made to read an American book written totally in a dialect I found hard to follow. My son didn’t understand it at all. When the same book was suggested for my younger son’s class, I complained and the book was changed.

There’s no point in reading a book you can’t understand, but as long as you can, does setting matter? Personally, I like to read about places I’ve never seen. I also like to read about places that are familiar.

What about other readers? Are they usually interested in books set in foreign places? Apparently, Americans are less willing to read books with foreign settings than readers in other countries.

I have another question about setting. I generally set my stories in England, where I used to live. I would like to write stories set in Israel, where I live now. But I think readers generally expect specific topics to appear in any book set in Israel: war, political conflict, etc. I think they believe Israel is one of those countries where it’s impossible to lead an ordinary life. Am I wrong?

Categories
Books Rhymes

A lesson I learned today

I knew it really, but I wanted to write it anyway, so I ignored the obvious problem.

You see, today is the third day of Sally Quilford‘s challenge: to write 100,000 words in 100 days. On the first day, I wrote a short story of 1,552 words. On the second day, I wrote a short story of 1,131 words. Today I wanted to write a poem and I did. It took me more than two hours to write and contains 183 words.

So now my total has fallen to below today’s desired minimum of 3,000 words and I don’t have time to start something new.

I knew that really: poems take a long time to write although they don’t usually contain many words. Oh well – I enjoyed writing it. Here it is:

I am – I am not

I am a wife.
I feel secure
With D in my life.
Long may it endure.
 
I am a mother.
Three children I raised –
Two sons and one other
Now adults. I’m amazed.
 
I am a sister.
Though he’s far away
With a different vista,
My family he’ll stay.
 
I am a dancer.
“How come you can?”
I don’t have an answer.
It’s just how I am.
 
I am a writer.
I hide away
And make my world brighter
With words I can’t say.
 
I am sensitive.
I fear that you see
All sorts of negative
Traits in me.
 
I am clever
Though most never know.
I hardly ever
Let that show.
 
My figure is trim,
Of that I am glad.
The battle to slim
I’ve never had.
 
I am outgoing.
“How’s that?” you ask.
That is by knowing
The other’s a mask.
 
I am a presenter.
My speech could reform
Your view. From the centre
I love to perform.
 
One thing I’m not
And I’ll continue to cry
Till the lie doth rot:
I AM NOT SHY!
Categories
Blogging

My Blog in 2011

WordPress sent me a report for 2011. Included in it was this:

These were your 5 most active commenters:

Thank you, Sarah, Rosalind, Cat, Mike, Jean and all the other commenters. Without you, I’d have given up long ago.

Happy New Year! 

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Uncategorized

This post is unlike all the others

What makes this post different?

  • It’s not about any topic I’ve mentioned before.
  • I’ve always avoided politics and this is political, although all the political parties, as far as I know, are on the same side.
  • By writing it, I admit that my country is not perfect. (More about that below.)

But:

This is an important issue, one that needs to be talked about and tackled. So I’m doing my bit. For those of you who don’t live here, I want to make two things clear:

  • Most of the ultra-orthodox Jews are against this behaviour.
  • Segregated buses run on specific routes and usually there are regular buses on the same routes. I’ve never ridden on one. No one polices the segregation; it is done by mutual consent.

Now read this.

This problem is at least as old as the state. Successive governments have turned a blind eye to it and let it mushroom, giving in to demands of the ultra-orthodox in return for support in other areas.

Why is it hard for me to admit that Israel is less than perfect? After all, no country is perfect. Why should Israel be any different? Because, when you feel the world is against you and believes all the lies that are bandied about, you want to counteract that with the good things, of which there are many.

I expect to be back to normal in my next post.

Categories
Social anxiety

Unseen Differences

Another blog post made me think today. This one came from Catdownunder:

There is a very, very small Indian community in Adelaide. It is so small that the sight of sari or turban causes people to look twice. It is all so very different from the area of London I lived in for seven years. I still miss the cultural diversity of London. It is quite different from the “multicultural” ethic here.
The sight of an Indian face at the checkout in the supermarket is even more unusual. There was a pleasant young girl in the “fast” lane yesterday. As people went ahead of me I could hear her dutifully saying the obligatory “Merry Christmas”. Some people would say “Merry Christmas” back. Others would nod, too busy to care about something said meaninglessly.
When I reached her and she said it to me I asked, “Do you celebrate Christmas?”
She looked surprised by the question and then admitted, “No, not really.”
So I said, “Well it is really much too late but would it be more appropriate for me to say I hope you had a happy Diwali?”
Her face lit up. “You know about that?” I do.
Now, instead of the professional smile there was a genuine one which reached her eyes as she said, “It was wonderful. Thankyou – and I really do hope you enjoy Christmas.”
If I happen to see her next Diwali I will give her good wishes at the appropriate time. I like it when that happens too.

My first thought was: how thoughtful of Cat. So many people seem to think that everyone must celebrate Christmas. Even if they don’t believe, surely they’d have a tree, give presents, gorge themselves. When I lived in Britain, people seemed to regard me as weird because we didn’t.

Then my thoughts moved on. If I’d been behind that checkout counter, Cat wouldn’t have wished me a happy Chanuka. How could she have known? Unless I’d gone out of my way to look different – maybe by hanging a big Star of David on my neck. But that would be rather in your face, like putting up a sign.

Sometimes I think it would be easier if all differences could be seen. That would avoid confusion and embarrassment. There’s another sign I’d like to put up. It would say:

Please don't go away. I really want to talk to you, but social anxiety makes it hard.

.

I have another three days of gorging ahead – on doughnuts and latkes.

Happy holidays everyone!

Categories
Books

Why count words?

Yesterday’s post brought this interesting comment from David Rory:

Sorry if this is one of those daft obvious questions – but why?
I see lots of writers getting involved in this kind of exercise and I’ve always wondered what are they are meant to achieve?
I guess I just can’t get my head round the idea of writing as an exercise in maths or strength building, like lifting weights.
I genuinely don’t get the motivation.
Once I’m ready to write I just do it and go on to the end. The word count per day is just not an issue for consideration. When I’m in the flow it can be anything from 800 to 4000+ per day.
I’m not meaning to be critical at all. I am truly interested to know what benefit you see in this kind of exercise.

I decided my reply needed a new post – this one.

If you can write like that, without any extra motivation, that’s wonderful. Carry on doing what you do. I wrote my first novel in that way. I knew my characters, I planned the whole story and even divided it up into chapters. Then I just wrote whenever I had time. I had a message I wanted to get out and I was keen to do it as fast as possible.

After writing my novel, I sent it to friends who liked it and made a few cautious comments. Then I joined my writing group, where I received many less cautious comments and learned a lot about writing. I rewrote the novel and attempted to find a publisher but eventually realised that my story, despite being enjoyed especially by those who could empathise with the characters, wouldn’t appeal to a publisher.

Now, I have more of an idea of what works and less confidence. I wonder if there’s any point to all this writing. Will I ever be able to get my message out?

Also, I like to write short stories. I’ve had more success with them, at the writing group and in the wide world. But short story writing isn’t the same as novel writing. There’s nothing pushing you to continue. Once you finish a story, that’s it. You can start a new one or you can chat on Twitter, have your goes in ongoing Scrabble games, tidy the kitchen.

Exercises like 100k in 100 days provide the motivation. Participants can post their achievements. And they can discuss any difficulties they might have with others who are attempting to do the same thing and will provide support.

That’s my reply. Would anyone else like to comment?

Categories
Books

How long does it take to write a thousand words?

If I have any chance of succeeding in my attempt to write a thousand words a day for a hundred days, it’s not enough to plan what I’m going to write. I also need to plan my day.

Here is my timetable:

From To Task
8:00 10:00 Write
10:00 12:00 Do my editing work
12:00 13:00 Social media, blogs, emails
13:00 13:30 Lunch
13:30 14:30 Housework
14:30 16:30 Write
16:30 19:00 Cooking and family time
19:00 20:00 Supper and clearing up
20:00 22:00 Ironing, washing

That looks good. I have four hours for writing. That must be enough time to write a thousand words. Right? Well, yes, if I have a thousand words ready to write. But what if I have to think a bit? About the voice, the character, the tense and all those other matters that need to be considered before starting.

Unless I decide to just plunge into it and then try writing the same story in different ways. That’s a good exercise I haven’t really tried. And it will up my word count. Hmm.

And what about all the things I haven’t included in the timetable: folk dancing, shopping, seeing people, reading (because it’s not enough to read in bed) and all the other things that might pop up. And weekends? Hmm.

EDIT: I forgot my writing group, which is a lot of work – polishing off the next submission, critiquing and attending the meeting every two weeks.

Oh well. That’s my plan and I probably won’t stick to it. But I’ll try.