Making Time to Write

 

Time! We are given 24 hours in a day, and it's ours to do what we will with it. Even if we sleep 8 hours, that leaves us a full 16 hours for activities. Work, play, frittering it away at times. 

Professional writers often set a number of hours per day to devote to their craft. Hobbyist writers and those aiming to be on the bestseller list someday approach time to write in different ways.

Some are rigid in setting a certain number of hours per week that they devote to writing, while others fit in time to write wherever and whenever they can. Some do it when the mood strikes. Those moods don't always strike at convenient times, however. 

Some set aside a prescribed amount of time per day to write. Maybe it's two hours, or one hour, or even half an hour. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

Consider the activities that fill your day. Some writers work at other full-time jobs, are raising young children, are active in community activities, responsible for cleaning, cooking, and grocery shopping, social activities and more. That doesn't leave a great deal of time to write, and when a writer does devote an hour or so to writing, they might be so tired that it's not a productive effort.

I've heard writers say that they want to devote more time to writing, but they cannot seem to do it. One way is to take a good look at your life and see what things you can cut back on to give yourself some writing time. You might have to say no to a social event. In that case, you'll need to weigh which is more important to you. 

There are also some who use 'no time' as an excuse because they have a fear of not being able to produce as they would like to. It happens. It's human. 

If you're truly passionate about finding time to write, go to bed an hour later or get up an hour earlier. I'd vote for the latter, as you'll be more refreshed than at the end of a long day. 

You can even find snippets of time to write if you keep a small notebook and pen with you. Waiting in a doctor's office feels like wasted time, so why not use it to jot down story ideas, or the first lines of a poem? Those who take a commuter train or bus to work could make use of that time, as well. 

It all comes down to the determination you have, how passionate you are about wanting to write. If you truly do want to write, you can make time to pursue that drive you have. If you have hours to spend writing, that's wonderful, but even if you find bits and pieces of time, you'll benefit in the end. 

Write Christmas Stories in July?

 Christmas in July? Yes, you'd better write and submit your Christmas stories now if you hope to have one published in the Christmas issue of any magazine or ezine. These publications work on issues long ahead of time, and you, the writer, need to prepare for that.

Halloween stories submitted in September aren't going to make it. Valentine stories sent in January haven't got a chance. Nor do patriotic Independence Day tales shipped off to a publisher in June.

The plan here is to think ahead. Far ahead. How do you get into the right mood to write a Christmas story during a summer heat wave? You might try playing some Christmas music or look through family photos of your gathering last year. Read a few Christmas stories which might inspire you to write one of your own. You can also write the story during the holiday, then save to submit a few months later. 

Publications receive many, many stories about Christmas and Halloween. If you want to make the odds more in your favor, write stories about the other holidays and commemorative days. A few of them are:

Memorial Day

Independence Day (4th of July)

Labor Day

Armistice Day (now Veteran's Day)

Lincoln's Birthday

Washington's Birthday

D-Day

Pearl Harbor Day

Martin Luther King Day

Easter

Passover

Kwanza

Hanukkah

Thanksgiving

You can probably think of a few more. Children's magazines especially like stories revolving around a patriotic day or holiday. 

There's no doubt that it's easier to write a Christmas story when decorations are everywhere, snowflakes are swirling, and the scent of Christmas baking drifts through your house. But it can be done. I've had a children's Christmas story jumping around in my mind for a very long time. I know that I'd better get that first draft written very soon, despite the weather forecast of 90's this week. 

I mentioned holiday stories for children, but adult publications use them, too. I had one in The War Cry, the Salvation Army magazine, a few years ago. It was a story I'd written long before it was published. I submitted it in high summer. There are publications that like to receive memoir stories, practical advice for a particular holiday, stories that revolve around holiday foods and more. Once again, it's up to you to find a market for your holiday stories. Just remember to plan ahead. 

Adjectives--Use But Don't Abuse

 

Mark Twain

 

“When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them--then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are far apart.”  Mark Twain

Author, Mark Twain, lived and wrote in the mid-nineteenth century. Even so, his advice to writers is still pertinent in our own twenty-first century. The quote above is part of a letter he wrote to a young writer. What is above is important, but take a look at more of what he wrote:

“I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English—it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don’t let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice.”

We would be wise to pay attention to this advice. One of the marks of a newbie writer is that he/she tends to use a plethora of adjectives. This kind of writing reminds me of a woman who wears a dress with too many ruffles, then adds several necklaces, bracelets and over-sized earrings. Another woman who enters a ballroom in a dress with simple lines and only a bit of jewelry will stand out. Elegance in simplicity. That is the way our sentences should read, as well.

I was once part of an online writing community which was not a critique group but one that posted writing of many members. A young woman joined and posted stories on a regular basis. Most were memoir pieces with the basic story usually interesting with take-away value. But--and this is a huge 'but'--she gathered adjectives like daisies in a field and sprinkled them throughout her narrative. Where one adjective might enhance, she tossed in three or even four. It got to the point that I had trouble reading her work as it became almost nauseating to read the many flowery adjectives she used. I know the poor girl felt she was adding a great deal to the story by doing this but I doubt that she ever had anything published by an editor. 

Adjectives like very and really add nothing much more than what you were trying to say in the first place. These adjectives are also listed under the category of 'unnecessary words'. Some writers feel that these words emphasize what they are saying but I think they can be distracting.  It's also distracting to find a noun with three adjectives floating before it. One will do nicely. Besides that, every noun does not require an adjective. Use them too often and you weaken your piece. Mr. Twain said it and I concur.  

I have to admit that I have used adjectives a bit carelessly at times in my own writing. It's something that critiquers pointed out to me in my early days of writing. I have tried to eliminate those unneeded words like very and really and seldom use multiple adjectives for one noun. Never, ever, more than two. I know that when I follow the advice Mr. Twain left us, my writing is stronger and more readable. 

        Take a favorite piece of writing from your files and go through it highlighting the adjectives. Then,          take a look and see if you've used far too many or the right amount. Rewrite the piece being                    careful to not overuse adjectives. Which version is stronger? You decide. 

Writing About Your Travels

 

Krueger National Park in South Africa

Traveling seems to be a national pastime. Over the 4th of July holiday, millions in the USA took to the roads, skies, and rails. Europeans are much the same with August being the big vacation/travel time. 

We appreciate the travel articles that give all kinds of info about sights to see, places to eat, hotels, weather and more. We need that kind of information to plan and get the most out of our trips. Travel writers and journalists spend money and time checking on these needed facts for travelers. 

But all who travel can be travel writers, too. Traveler's tales are more personal, have the human touch. I enjoy seeing famous sights when we are on tours or traveling on our own, but I also like to write about the people we have met on our travels, the personal incidents, and the emotions that I have when visiting another town, state, or country. 

The photos with today's post were taken when we went to South Africa to visit friends who live there. The park is known around the world, and we enjoyed our time there, but what I wrote about in my travel journal was about people and how I felt while I was touring the park with my husband and friends.

On a three-week driving trip with friends across the southern half of Germany, what I wrote about was a small hotel in a village, the woman who ran the hotel, nearby church bells that touched my heart and more. I wasn't trying to sell the hotel to other travelers but to let people know how this place affected me.

Visiting Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia was delightful but also heart-rending because of a tragic airline crash in the sea off its coast. I wrote about how seeing the place and the memorial affected me.

On a trip to France, I wrote about a small WWII American Cemetery where we spent perhaps an hour. It affected me so deeply that I had to write about the experience and the people in our tour group. Above an altar, there was a large mosaic tile mural of an angel holding a dead soldier that sent waves of sadness through me. 

I wrote on a trip to Door County, WI, where the scenery is wonderful, but so are the people who live and work in the six villages that make up the area. Picking out one or two and writing about them brings back sweet memories. 

Writing about the humorous times, the incidents, the horrific bumbles, the people you encounter and how you've been personally touched is the kind of travel writing we can all do. You needn't write for publication, although you can. Write to keep the memories, to share with your friends and family. 

Keeping a travel journey is easy, and it is a wonderful way to savor your memories after you are home. Rereading your journals helps you enjoy a trip all over again. Photos are great, but the stories of what happened on your trip are special, as well. Use your travel journals to remind you of the details and stories you hope to write once home. One thing I learned is to write something in that travel journal at the end of each day. Skip a day or two, and it might be difficult to bring back the details and how what you saw affected you.

If you do want to share your travel stories, there are places where you might submit them. The large travel magazines use articles mostly from professionals, but there are other smaller zines and magazines that use the tales from everyday travelers, too. Use your favorite search engine to find them.

Chicken Soup for the Soul--On or Off?

 

Recently, the news that Chicken Soup for the Soul books has filed bankruptcy sent shivers up and down the spines of the many contributors to this popular anthology. Many would want to send new stories for the latest books. Now what? 

Like all things, there is more to a story than its headline. Redbox is the parent company of Chicken Soup for the Soul. They distribute the movies in the separate kiosks in many stores. They have filed bankruptcy.

I was alarmed when I read about the bankruptcy filing, the not paying employees and more, but I did a bit of research and learned that the book end of the company is alright. They still plan on 10-12 new books annually. Read the article from Publisher's Weekly at https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/95433-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-publishing-untouched-by-namesake-bankruptcy.html

Those who have stories submitted for books in the works can breathe a sigh of relief. And those who hope to send stories for upcoming books can also move ahead. 

When a headline bursts with bad news, we often panic. Take time and do some research to find out the whole story. If you want to learn more, use your favorite search engine to find articles regarding the topic. Media people like to make people sit up and take notice with the headlines they print. Check out the full story to see what is really happening. 

Tips for Writing Your Family Stories

 

My regular readers know that one of my pet projects is encouraging people to write their family stories. Writers and non-writers alike. You don't need to be a professional writer to record your family history through stories of incidents and events. Anyone can do it. 

There are websites to help. Use any search engine and enter 'how to write family stories', and you'll be amazed at the number of helpful articles that pop up. 

There is a difference between family stories and family history. The latter is made up of facts and figures...names and dates of marriages, births, deaths, places lived. Family stories are more personal letting future generations know more about the personalities of family members as well as significant things that happened within the family. Both good events and sad or bad. It's all part of your family history. You don't want to sugarcoat your family members in every story. Tell it like it is. Or was! You can do this without being nasty or cruel. 

My mother often mentioned an uncle of hers who she said was 'the meanest man on the earth'. When he died, he left money to all his nieces and nephews, so the man had a good side, as well. Many of our relatives have more than one side. Try to find the good side when you can.

A few tips when writing family stories: 

A. Use sensory details to make the individuals seem rea--sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.

B. Try to show the place where the story happens. City, farm, ranch, island, ocean? 

C. Do more than tell the story. Show us what happened. That's where the sense of place and sensory details come in.

D. Use active verbs instead of relying on passive ones like is, was, were, are.

E. Use some adjectives to help with description, but keep it to one, two at the most. Otherwise, it sounds too saccharin.

F. Dialogue helps bring the story alive. You probably can't remember dialogue word for word, but you will remember the gist of what was said. It's alright to create dialogue as long as the meaning is the same as what was said.

G. Humor is always welcome in any story. There are many humorous things that happen in our families. They beg to be repeated.

H. Don't shy away from sad stories. They should be told. They are part of what makes people who they are. The same with tragic events in a family. Tell them with kindness.

I. It's not necessary to write the stories chronologically. Write them as they come to you. 

J. Describe the characters in your stories. What relation were they to you? Physical attributes. The kind of person he/she was. Weave all this into your individual story. 

Keep a file of the stories you write. Both on your computer and hard copies saved in a large 3-ring binder. Computers fail us at times, so those hard copies are important. 

Many people say they want to write their family stories. They think about it, they talk about it, but that's as far as it goes. Start with one story, save it, then go on to the next. You don't have to keep at it day by day. Write when the mood moves you, but do try to do it with some regularity. The longer you are away from the project, the easier it is to stay away. Maybe aim for one a week. 

If you do write your family stories, you'll have a certain sense of satisfaction. Our family memories are treasures, so why not share them with other family members and leave them for future family members. 

Create a Sense of Place When You Write

 

When we write fiction or memoir, a sense of place should hold a significant spot. Many How-To books on writing offer special exercises on this important part of a story or a memoir, or even an essay. I have posted two photos today that are totally different places. Anyone writing about either one would have plenty to work with.

At one of my online conferences, one of the workshop presenters spoke for nearly an hour on a sense of place, and then she had us do a ten-minute exercise highlighting same. She was the editor of a travel website, so who would put a priority on a sense of place more than someone in her position? Her presentation and exercise left an impression on me. 

I recently subbed a memory piece to my online writing group. When the critiques came back, I noticed one glaring thing. A sense of place was there but not strong enough. Part of that error was that I knew the place so well that I transported myself there as I wrote but I didn't bring my reader into the place with me. They are not mind-readers so it's up to me, the writer, to give them a clear picture of where the story happened. This is probably the most important point in today's post.

Some Points About a Sense of Place:

A. It draws the reader into the story, takes them to another world than the one they are in.

B. It helps let readers know how characters feel about where they are. It's not only a description of where the story happens.

C. The writer should use specifics to give a sense of place. Don't just say there were animals. Name them. Let the reader see the elephants, the zebras and giraffes in the game reserve. 

D. Dialogue specific to the place helps give that sense of place. Consider the Scottish brogue or the idioms used by the mountain folk in Virginia. 

My husband and I visited Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia several years ago. The place is so picturesque and has a sad history, as well. I was so taken with it that I wrote a personal essay about our visit. The good part about writing the essay is that it gave me something to also use in a fiction piece. If I had a character who visited Peggy's Cove, I know that I could give my readers a real sense of place. 

When you write a short story or a novel, what happens and to whom is important, but where it takes place ranks high on the must-include list. Give some thought to a sense of place when you write. 

As an exercise, write a paragraph or two using each of the photos included here. Use sensory details to help bring your reader into what you have written.