The second Virgo of the series ~ and this one, unlike the last (HERE!), is in no doubt how typical she is of this sign. Welcome meticulous business systems writer turned fiction author, Elizabeth Ducie. Okay, Elizabeth, I'll admit it - I've just removed the justification from the right hand margin of your piece. It's a test. See how long you can resist emailing me to request rejustification!
"As a scientist and technical author for a long time
before I turned to creative writing, I have always dismissed astrology as
superstitious nonsense—but I have to admit I am a typical Virgo. I spend far
more time than I should working on newsletters, updating websites or formatting
anthologies for my writing groups; I prepare detailed ‘To’Do’ lists on an
annual, monthly and daily basis—and sometimes, I even stick to them. I find the
process of editing to be engaging and can sit for hours trawling through text
for stray commas."
"I use correct punctuation in texts. I scream at the
TV if someone uses ‘less than’ instead of ‘fewer’ and am far more likely to
judge a piece of writing by the accuracy of the apostrophes than the message of
the words. My writing is carefully catalogued in duplicate on my laptop, and my
desk is generally clean and empty at the end of the day; however, in the rest
of my life, I am very untidy, scattering shoes, bags and books all over the
house!"
★.:*´`*:.☆
As followers of this series will have noticed, I change to 'bold' the phrases, words and sentences which typify the sign of the writer ~ with this one I felt I might as well give up and 'bold' the whole lot! Even the way it was written is super-Virgo; it's also typical of the sign to be messy around the house, actually. (Elizabeth, I have four planets in this sign in my natal chart, and am meticulous and ordered in all work, hardly do any housework and use correct punctuation in texts, too).
I must add that Elizabeth is also modest, kind and helpful - other positive traits of the sign :)
I must add that Elizabeth is also modest, kind and helpful - other positive traits of the sign :)
You can follow Elizabeth on Twitter and have a look at her website, on which you will find her most interesting pieces on the business of writing, and details about her own work, including her short story collections and first full length novel, Gorgito's Ice Rink.
Now, Ms Ducie, here are two more Virgos with whom you might like to discuss the infuriating misuse of semicolons...
As Gorgito's Ice Rink is set in Russia, I've chosen Virgo Leo Tolstoy
- perhaps he just wrote such long books for the joy of editing them!
...and as you've written so many short stories,
here's a Virgo who has written a few himself - Roald Dahl :)
Coming next: at last, the first Libra!
Previous Posts (click name to see article):
Leo and Aries: Terry Tyler and Proofreader Julia
Aquarius and Capricorn: Nicky Black
Aquarius: Cathy Ryan, Lynda Renham
Sagittarius: Wendy J Lennox, Katrina Mountfort
Virgo: Barb Taub
Pisces: Sacha Black
Cancer: Katie Oliver, Mark Barry
Hi Terry - interesting Dulcie is so methodical and perfectionist re her work - yet the house ... ah well - perhaps that's a good thing. Tolstoy and Dahl are excellent companions. Love the title for the short stories .. Gorgito's ice-rink ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI'm exactly the same - trouble is there is no time for one if you're obsessive about the other, I suppose :)
DeleteHi Hilary I have a very understanding husband who ignores the clutter - and does most of the housekeeping himself. Ex (PS the Virgo in me can't help pointing out that Gorgito is in a novel - but there are lots of short stories about Russia too!)
DeleteOh I would love to be this meticulous with detail - I think I'm pretty organised but in a haphazard, messy kind of way, if that makes any sense at all! 'my desk is generally clean and empty at the end of the day. That. Would. Be. Utter .Bliss
ReplyDeleteLovely to find out more about you Elizabeth :-)
Isn't there some saying about an empty desk being an indication of .... oh, I can't remember now! Something to do with lack of success, or not enough to do, or something! I've only got laptop, lamp, fab, paper and pens on mine anyway :)
DeleteWell, it's easy to empty the desk if you just shove it all in the top tray until the morning! But I do find I can't work in a mess. Ex
DeleteThank you for inviting me, Terry. Tolstoy and Dahl; nice to be mentionned in the same breath, even if it is only by accident of birth! E x
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome! Thanks for doing such a good post xx
DeleteElizabeth isn't the only one to twitch over the justification. I kept tilting my phone as I read this post hoping the words would slide back ha ha. Lovely to hear more about our lovely Elizabeth x
ReplyDeleteThank you Shelley. I'm determined not to mention the justification. Am humming and tapping my fingers on the desk instead! Ex
DeleteOh I do recognise all this from my Virgo friends and my sister! Lovely to read about your Virgo tendencies, Dulcie! I've found this whole series fascinating because I too don't read horoscopes, but I do think there's something in these zodiac signs when it comes to characteristics we share with our fellow star sign members.
ReplyDeleteI've never known about any of them apart from Virgo; maybe it's time I started looking at the star signs of friends and family. Elizabeth x
DeleteHi Elizabeth, we are opposites in some ways: my desk is messy but I try to be neat and organised around the house, mainly so I don't have to clean up afterwards! I am also fairly meticulous about punctuation and correct tense and number agreement. I have also been known to shout at the TV when less is used instead of fewer and imply instead of infer, or vice versa. I wish they would do that a lot less times. Just kidding! You are welcome to correct now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity of meeting Elizabeth over here Terry. Like you, she is a fabulous Twitterer. 😄
Hi Norah. Good to see you on here and to know there is life outside Twitter. I wouldn't dream of correcting you; but I did edit this response before I hit 'publish'! Elizabeth x
DeleteOh my goodness. I really, really, don't believe in any of this astrological stuff - but the correct punctuation in texts, judging writing by the accuracy of apostrophes, very detailed 'to do' lists etc. etc. - I've even just gone back to capitalise the 'O' at the beginning of this comment. And it makes me twitchy that Blogger and WordPress underline my English spellings in red and I can't (won't) fix them. Alright, I admit it, I'm a typical Virgo (although my house is pretty tidy).
ReplyDeleteAlison, I only look on it as a bit of fun, but it does often prove to be so accurate :^D
DeleteI think we're all singing from the same hymn sheet, Alison. Elizabeth x
Delete