Writers--Listen to Your Heart

This is a repeat from several years ago. It still has merit and is perfect for this Valentine week

A good many years ago, I submitted to a Chicken Soup for the Soul book for the first time. The story was a simple one, a childhood memory, that I thought might work for the Fathers and Daughters book. Maybe.

I hesitated to send it. Why? My pride told me it was impossible because rejection hurts a lot. Experience added that I hadn't been writing very long, and the Chicken Soup editors received hundreds, maybe even a thousand or more, submissions for each book. My chances were pretty slim. Reason stepped in and sneered at me as it said it was pointless to submit this story. What would it matter to the rest of the world? Then they laughed and I whimpered.

All three had ganged up on me, and then a funny thing happened. My heart whispered softly in my ear. Your story is something others can relate to. Go ahead and give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I pushed pride, experience and reason out the door. I liked what my heart told me.

I sent the story. Many months later, I received a notice that the story had made it to the finals. My heart did a happy dance. I waited a few weeks longer before learning that the story had made it into the book. What a thrill to hold the published book in my hand a few months later.

That story was "Love In A Box"  which is about a Valentine box my dad made for me when I was in the second grade. At age seven, I suddenly realized that my hardworking father truly loved me. That fact came as a startling discovery, one that left a life-long impression on me. Apparently, readers related to it and responded positively, so much so that the story has been published multiple times in English and some foreign languages.

What if I hadn't listened to my heart? What if I'd let those three bullies push me into a corner? Have you ever had a project that you wanted to submit somewhere but held back for one or more of the reasons above? What kept you from sending it? Were those three bullies---pride, experience and reason--invading your space, too?

Don't let them push you around. Remind yourself that you wrote a good story or poem or essay and that it deserves a chance. Get the submission ready, hit the Submit button and laugh at the three bullies. Listen to your heart. Your heart knows you better than those three twerps who try to place blocks in your way.

Remember this:  If you don't submit, you cannot be published.

My story Love in a Box is below.       

When I was a little girl, I found love in a box all because of a class assignment. On a Friday night I made an announcement at the dinner table. The words bubbled out in a torrent of excitement I could no longer contain. “My teacher said we have to bring a box for our Valentines on Monday. But it has to be a special box all decorated.”

Mother said, “We’ll see,” and she continued eating.

I wilted faster than a flower with no water. What did “We’ll see” mean? I had to have that box, or there would be no Valentines for me. My second grade Valentine’s Day would be a disaster. Maybe they didn’t love me enough to help me with my project.

All day Saturday I waited, and I worried, but there was no mention of a Valentine box. Sunday arrived, and my concern increased, but I knew an inquiry about the box might trigger anger and loud voices. I kept an anxious eye on both my parents all day. In 1947, children only asked once. More than that invited punitive measures; at least in my house it 

Late Sunday afternoon, my father called me into the tiny kitchen of our apartment. The table was covered with an assortment of white crepe paper, red construction paper, and bits and pieces of lace and ribbon from my mother’s sewing basket. An empty shoebox rested on top of the paper. Relief flooded through me when Daddy said, “Let’s get started on your project.”

In the next hour, my father transformed the empty shoebox into a valentine box I would never forget. Crepe paper covered the ugly cardboard. My father fashioned a ruffled piece of the pliable paper and glued it around the middle. He cut a slot in the lid and covered it with more of the white paper. Next came red hearts attached in what I considered all the right places. He hummed a tune while he worked, and I kneeled on my chair witnessing the magical conversion of the shoebox and handing him the glue when he needed it. When he finished, my father’s eyes sparkled, and a smile stretched across his thin face. “What do you think of that?”

My answer was a hug and a “Thank you, Daddy.”

Inside, joy danced all the way to my heart. It was the first time that my father devoted so much time to me. His world consisted of working hard to support his family, adoring my mother, disciplining my brother and me, and listening to every sports event broadcast on the radio. Suddenly, a new door opened in my life. My father loved me.

Monday morning, my mother found a brown grocery sack to protect the beautiful box while I carried it to school. I barely felt the bitter cold of the February day as I held the precious treasure close to me. I would let no harm come to my special Valentine box.

My teacher cleared a space on a long, wide windowsill where the decorated boxes would stay until Valentine’s Day. I studied each one as it was placed on the sill, and none compared with mine. Every time I peeked at my Valentine box, I felt my father’s love. My pride knew no bounds. There were moments when the box actually glowed in a spotlight all its own. No doubt the only one who witnessed that glow was me.

Every day some of my classmates brought Valentine cards to school and slipped them into the slots of the special boxes. The holiday party arrived, and we brought our boxes to our desks to open the Valentines. Frosted heart cookies, red punch, Valentines and giggles filled our classroom. Chaos reigned until dismissal time arrived.

I carried my Valentine box home proudly. It wasn’t hidden in a grocery sack but held out for the world to admire. I showed it to the policeman who guided us across a busy city street. He patted me on the head and exclaimed over the box. I made sure everyone along the way took note of my Valentine box. My father had made it for me, and the love that filled the box meant more to me than all the valentines nestled inside.

From that time on, I never doubted my father’s feelings for me. The valentine box became a symbol of his love that lasted through decades of other Valentine Days. He gave me other gifts through the years, but none ever compared with the tender love I felt within the confines of the old, empty shoe box.

Originally published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dads and Daughters book

  

Book Review: A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay

 

First, let me apologize for my long absence. I was very ill for the past five months, in and out of the hospital and Rehab. I hope to continue writing my blog two or three times a week. But, on to the review.

A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay is Book 7 in the cozy mystery series by Christina Hamlett. The main characters, Rocky and Jon, are busy planning their upcoming wedding. Rocky's friend, Audrey has asked her to be Maid of Honor at her own wedding. No two weddings could be further apart in the planning. Rocky's future mother-in-law has taken on the task of planning an elegant wedding for her son, Jon, and Rocky which leaves Rocly free to help her friend plan her wedding. 

At the same time, her close friend, Cybbie, has fallen in love once again with a man she has only seen once. Cybbie tends to fall in love with every man she encounters. Just as she meets the newest man of her dreams, a policewoman asks him, Professor Vance, if the bookkeeper for the bands he manages is Sierra Clifford, then announces she is dead.  

Cybbie asks Rocky to accompany her to a village in England on the North Sea called Robin Hood's Bay. Professor Vance, Chad, has invited her to come for a weekend so they can get to know one another better. Rocky perks up at the thought of going where the murder of Sierra Clifford happened. Somehow, she cannot resist becoming part of a murder investigation. 

She moves back and forth between trying to figure out the murder and her duties as Audrey's Maid of Honor and being with Jon as much as possible, as well as placating Cybbie when Chad turns out to be a different person than she'd made up in her mind. The pace is fast and furious with Rocky attempting to handle several things at once. The murder in Robin Hood's Bay ranks at the top of her To-Do List. 

Ms Hamlett treats us to snappy language and another good story in this cozy mystery--a mystery where there is no violence, is set in a small town, with an amateur sleuth. A Little Revenge  in Robin Hood's Bay gives us all of this. Book 7 of the series doesn't disappoint. It can be purchased through Amazon for your Kindle or as a paperback as well as other online book retailers. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Writers Need This Trait

Our quote today is by Octavia Butler, who is a science-fiction writer. She didn't sugarcoat her thoughts in this one. The reason I like the quote is that she highlights one of my two keywords for writers--persistence. 

When we start writing, our work doesn't look professional yet. It isn't usually an example of strong writing, poetic prose, or scintillating sentences. We shouldn't expect it to be any of those things when we begin our writing journey. 

If we're persistent and keep writing week after week, day after day, we can become a better, stronger writer. If a newbie writer writes something every other month, or even once a month, it's not enough. Cliche that it may be, the saying "Practice makes perfect" can be applied here. 

A sculptor starts out making simple pieces of art, and he/she learns along the way. With each new sculpture, the artist improves and most likely learns something, too. A carpenter who is just starting out cannot be classified as a master carpenter, but after years as an apprentice and then on his own, he perfects his trade. If you've ever read any of Julia Child's books about the art of cooking, especially French cuisine, you'll know that she was not a born chef. She learned from her many mistakes, but the most important thing was that she persisted. She was a very determined woman. 

Determined is what writers should also be. Persistence is what helps you continue with determination. Most poets don't write prize-winning poems with their first or second try. They pen scores of poems before they reach success in winning a prize or achieving publication. 

Persistence in writing means writing something every day. You needn't write an entire story daily, but do write a few paragraphs, a journal entry, or a writing exercise. Write a letter to a friend! But write each and every day. 

Persistence means not giving up when a writing project doesn't go well, or when rejections arrive. Keep going, keep learning.

Persistence means reading about the craft of writing. It means attending workshops and conferences to continue learning.

By now, you may have remembered, or guessed, my other keyword for writers. Patience. That persistence which I recommend takes patience. They go hand in hand, and each one can benefit new writers, intermediate writers, or the highly successful ones. 

Octavia Butler knew what she was talking about!

 

A Tip on Writing Personal Essays

Personal essays relate some kind of experience you had, but they also show a lesson you learned, or exemplify a universal truth of some kind. Like 'Crime doesn't pay' or 'Money doesn't grow on trees'. 

Today's poster says: Forget what hurt you in the past. But never forget what it taught you.

That's pretty simple advice, and they are worthy words for personal essay writers. 

Not all personal essays portray something that hurt you. Many show other experiences, perhaps something exciting that occurred when you were traveling. Or, an experience you had at a new job, or something that took place in a classroom. There are so many types of situations about which you can write a personal essay.

What the experience was is secondary to what you may have learned. Your aim in writing the personal essay is to share that lesson or universal truth with others. Some readers will be shaking their head in agreement while others will be surprised at what you learned. But, most likely, they will remember it long after reading your essay. 

If all you do is write about an experience you had but add nothing about what you learned, you're less likely to get the piece published. An editor will read it and ask him/herself 'what is the lesson here?'. Without that, you're basically reporting something that happened to you. Even if it's entertaining, editors are looking for more. 

Before you ever start the first draft of a personal essay, know where you going as far as what you learned or some universal truth your experience illustrates. You don't necessarily have to spell it out in words, although that's fine and often done, but it must at least be inferred. The reader must have something to take away.

Pick up a book of personal essays at your library or a bookstore. Read through ane ask yourself what you learned from each one. Reading many personal essays will help you write your own. 

 

Determination and a Tough Hide for Writers

 

This is a repeat post, but one I think worth a second look.

Mr. Turtle in today's photo has some determination, something all writers should own, as well. They should also master developing a tough hide like his. Two good qualifications among others that would benefit writers. Let's look at each one.

Wishy-washy writer or one that is determined? Which one do you think will be more successful? Which one are you? Or are you a writer who bounces back and forth between the two? A lot of writers fall into this latter category.

If you try a new writing project and give up when it doesn't mesh together nicely, you're not going to move very far on your writing journey. You'll start myriad new writing projects and probably finish very few of them. 

I thought about my daughter when she was a toddler learning to dress herself. I'd let her try for just so long and then try to help. She'd immediately say "No!" Then, she'd try again (and again) until she was successful. Determination was an inborn trait with her. She ended up using that trait all through her growing up years and into her career. 

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born with the trait of determination. Some have to work at it and develop the trait over many years. It's worth working to achieve that status if you want to be a successful writer. Giving up is easy. Pushing on and continuing isn't. A lot depends on how much you want your writing world to be fruitful. 

If your newest writing projects are filled with bumps and potholes, it's discouraging. We can all admit that. The important part is how you handle it. Do you dump the whole project with the first couple of bumps, or do you put it away for a short while, give it some thought, and then work on it again? I hope it is the latter choice for you. 

I've used an example many times about the story of The Little Engine That Could. We all know the story of that train engine who kept repeating "I think I can! I think I can!" until he was able to pull the big engine. I think I can might be a good mantra to use when things aren't going well. 

Like the turtle, writers also need to have a tough hide. They need to learn to let the rejections bounce off that hide, rather than pierce straight through to the heart. Learning to accept both criticism from other writers or readers or editors, along with full rejections from publishers, is not easy. The first thing we should do is to remember that the criticism is not a personal attack against YOU. Sadly, many writers take it that way. The criticism, or rejection, is about what you have written. Let's face it. Not every story, article, poem, or essay is going to be a masterpiece. Especially not with the first, or even second draft. There will be some fine parts and other areas that need work. 

When someone gives you the exact spots that bothered them, feel happy that you know where you have to do some revision. It's so much better than an overall criticism where you don't even know where to begin to revise. If you put your writing up for critique in a group, you'll benefit a great deal. When more than one person picks out the same area that needs work, believe it. Then do something about it. A simple rejection from an editor will not always be sent with a reason. I appreciate the ones that do give me an inkling of why the piece didn't work for them. 

Work on not taking criticism personally. Think of it as something to help you improve on your craft and become better at it. 

Make an attempt to develop Mr. Turtle's Try and Stop Me attitude. You'll accelerate your writing journey that way.

A Thought for Writers

Today's quote is one that writers might copy and refer to every now and then. "To write means more than putting pretty words on a page; the act of writing is to share a part of your soul with the world." That line is worth a second reading. 

Poets might be in full agreement with the quote, but it works for all kinds of writing. Whether you write fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, children's stories, or more, your aim should be that part about sharing a part of your soul with the world. 

The writer who does that will more than likely be the successful writer, one who has a long list of published works. We need to pull from within to share the real us with our readers. 

Writing without soul, or emotion, generally ends up being rather stiff, probably boring. I started a book on my Kindle Reader the other day. I read three pages before I deleted the entire book. I could tell there was no emotion, no soul in the writing and that the writer must have been new to the writing world. She broke several rules in those first three pages, which made me decide I would not read any farther. 

When we write for others to read, we're sharing a part of ourselves. We're offering a small piece of our soul in what we've written for others. If we do so with little to no emotion, the reader will drop the piece in a hurry. 

When you write for others, your aim is to share something of yourself with them. For the reader to feel something, the writer must feel something as she/he writes. 

Give some thought today to how you write. Do you give something of yourself to the reader? If not, why not? 
 

Writers at the Corner of Hope and Despair

 Have you ever found yourself at the crossroads of Hope and Despair? Maybe it's a corner in your hometown. Or perhaps it's farther down the road. It's possible that many writers find themself here. Which way should they travel? 

Robert Frost's famed poem, The Road Not Taken, ends with these lines: 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

What if you, the writer, happened upon these two roads--Hope and Despair--and had to make a choice? What if you were depressed over the lack of success in your writing world? Which road would you take? 

If your writing world was filled with many rough spots in the road, it's very likely you'd choose Despair and continue on the same rugged path, the one that offered few rewards. It's probably the easiest one to take because you're quite familiar with it. 

But wait! Why not steer your weary feet to the road called Hope? You could just as easily choose it as that miserable one called Despair. The road called Hope is smooth, and it's well-lit. There's something good at the end of this one. The Hope you carry with you helps you traverse this road with a smile on your face.

Does this all sound too fanciful? Maybe, but the fact is that Hope brings us much more than Despair does. Hope means we're going to keep trying, to keep learning our craft, to keep submitting. Hope means we're going to write with confidence. Despair only pulls us down to the probability of failing. 

Once again, you're the one in charge. You make the decision which direction to point your feet. Others can try to encourage you, but you are the one to choose which road in your writing life to traverse. 

For me, Hope is the only road I will consider. I already know what Despair is like, but Hope calls me loud and clear. How about joining me on the road called Hope?