Once upon a time, I used to write a monthly newspaper column called Confessions of a Book Addict; the pay was minimal ($25 per column), and the word limit was 1000, which was expansive, or seems so in retrospect, because being held to 800 nowadays for my current newspaper column is a challenge, peeps. It is also, however, a challenge that has made me a better writer, so – thank you, O Star word limit! An 800 word limit requires thrift, clarity, and utter ruthlessness when making points. It requires me to kill my darlings and GET TO IT.
When I write for another arts news-magazine locally, their word limit is 1500, which is huge! A gift to one used to obeying shorter limits for over 3 years now in the pursuit of political wit and wisdom. For the artsy-fartsy ‘zine, I write more heady stuff, lightly flowery prose; I share memory, and am delighted when I am published. Sharing my life story, which has been quite interesting and varied (if I may say so myself), not opinion, is a whole other can of worms I love cracking open.
This BookWorm makes time to read every single day. One hour, minimum. Doctor’s appointment? Wait time? YOu’re running late? No problem! Bus ride? Airplane travel? Delays? No problemo, dahlink!! I have a book. Or the most recent New Yorker. I always have a something to read, and when I don’t, I confess I can get a little frantic. Yes, there’s always my CELL PHONE. But that’s just not the same, is it, dahlinks?
When I saw this list of slang terms, I made a note of it to share – because discovering the ways other countries identify humans who read a lot is a delight to me, as one of them. But – maggots? Bugs? Flea? Unfair. Clearly motivated by envy. But – Ink Drinker? Oh yes. Of course the French have it down and in the right way.
In Indonesia: Book Flea
In Korean; Book Madness
French: Ink Drinker
Italian: Library Mouse
Finnish: Chapter Maggot
Welsh: Book Bug
Polish: Book Moth