Several months ago, when this re-entry into hell began, I set out to collect and share some of the many lessons I’d learned from the brutal, tumultuous orgy of unrelenting pain and suffering at the hands of NC moderator. While this list evolved, I’ve had time to think of ten more, and ten after that, but for the sake of those poor readers who’ve followed this serial installment, the end is near.
Here is the opening statement from my original post:
What follows are informal thoughts on the top-ten things I learned this semester. Caveat 1: I learned way more than ten things. (At least eleven or twelve.) I’m setting out to reveal the 10 most consistent mistakes I made and looking at a few outside sources to help clarify my explanation. I hope that the NC moderator (and my former advisor) will feel free to comment, correct or criticize any of the entries for future students. (I’m also sure that future students will be better-versed in these things, and less likely to make the same mistakes I did.) Caveat 2: I didn’t come from a literary background, so please don’t laugh too much if some of these seem woefully obvious.
And now, without further delay, a recap of the top ten, counting down towards the grand finale, the number one thing I learned last semester.
9. Pronouns Without Antecedents Are Abstractions
8. My Dirty Little Secret: Grammar Issues
7. Letting Go
6. Letting Characters Speak the Truth
5. My Love Affair with Abstractions
4. Use Caution When Exiting the Bathtub: Shy and Retiring Plot Problems
2. Verbs
1. Will be revealed later today.
-Rich Farrell