I had big plans for writing this summer.Then I fractured my elbow. I am learning to write left handed, but it is slow. So I am trying to use Windows Speech Recognition software. It actually works quite well most of the time and is a lot faster than using one finger typing.It also works a lot better if you say full sentences than if you say just a few words or a phrase.It understands ordinary speech better than if you read something aloud.Most of what is written here turned out just fine–though it had a hard time figuring out what my cough was!

So what have I been doing in the last few days since I hurt my arm? I have been reading more stories from Glimmer Train magazine to give me inspiration for writing. I did some proofreading of an already published book, marking the changes in pencil. This would work fine if I knew how to write left handed. Hopefully, with practice, I will become ambidextrous. Apparently this software does not know how to spell ambidextrous – but I just taught it! Teaching myself to be ambidextrous is going to be a lot more difficult I’m afraid, witness the scrawl in my notebook which I am trying to read right now.

I signed up for a free 30-day grammar course from AndiLit.com. As an editor, I find it very basic, but it would be great for someone who needs help with self-editing.

I’m catching up reading from the Writer’s Digest magazine, and in the February issue, I found some great articles on developing and recognizing themes in fiction writing through imagery, character, plot and style.

And I’m reading Creating An Online Presence, by Cat Rambo, which gives clear, detailed information on different social media, using Mail Chimp, creating a press kit, and other really useful how-to’s, all in one easy-to-understand book. It has been updated with a 2nd edition in 2016, so is up-to-date.