Catching up on my correspondence

In real life, laughing and smiling a lot are a wonderful things, especially during dark times. I approve.

In fiction, however, it gets redundant fast. Much like cussing, laughing and smiling read louder on the page than in real life.

Sorry about that. But surely you can come up with some other ways to be happy.

Besides grinning and giggling, I mean. Redundancy aside, neither of you is the giggling type.

Me

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Dear Secondary Character Who Was Once a Girl, and Was Then a Girl Who Turned Into a Bird, and Is Now Just a Bird,

I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a boy bird now. Sorry about that.

Blame etymology and the many critiquers who kept assuming you were a boy anyway. I could have ignored one or the other, but not both these things together.

Maybe if you’d worn a pink ribbon or two it would have been clearer?

Too late now,

Me

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Dear Secondary Character Who Used to Be a Wolf but Has Been an Arctic Fox for Some Time Now,

The one thing every one of my critiquers agrees about is that they adore you. What’s up with that?

Sneaky little fox, stealing readers’ affections along with everything else. 🙂

Or maybe it’s just that every book needs one perfect character.

Very considerate of you to rise to the occasion,

Me

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Dear Em Dashes,

I love you. I really do. If it were up to me I’d use you all the time. But you’re kind of like laughing and smiling. A little goes a long way. I’m sorry.

Me

P.S. Dear Semi-Colons, this means you too.