In case you missed this on Instagram, here’s the collection of my 50 words serial story for the 25 days of Christmas writing challenge. It’s been fun, a bit dark at times, and maybe a little outrageous. That’s the way life is for Herman and Myrtle. Perhaps they resemble someone you might know. Who knows what the next challenge might be? Keep in touch @mzbull on Instagram.
This writer is distracted, taking on the Inktober for Writers challenge in preparation for Nanowrimo. She finds it often takes longer to prepare a 50 word story with an appropriate photograph to fit the one word prompt than it takes her to write 1667 words per day in November. Anyone else using these excuses to avoid finishing their works in process?
Memoirs should never be written under a pen name. At least that is what I have been told. I’ve also been told that we need to “own” our story – therefore, our name must appear as the writer. Otherwise it could be taken as frivolous fiction. But here’s the thing: I plan to publish my memoir Homeless Bound under the pen name M.Z. Bull. Obviously, it’s not for the sake of anonymity. Rather, it comes as a request from the grandson I happen to be raising who was shocked to see my name in large white letters on the proof copy. “You can’t do that,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s embarrassing,” he said.
“What’s embarrassing?” I asked.
He pointed to the author’s name.
I have nothing to hide. If you turn the book over and are surprised to see a familiar face, you may already know I have lived in my northern California home for over fifty years. Marjorie Witt has appeared as herself in Story Circle Journal, Street Spirit (Justice News & Homeless Blues in the Bay Area), talkingsoup.com and here, in this blog. So where does M.Z. Bull come from? I think you might already know.
WittBits 