A Sad Halloween Story

This is the Halloween story I posted last year. When it happened to me, I never thought of it as bullying. By today's standards, it would be. As writers, we are the keeper of words. Be careful how you fling them about. And now, here is my sad Halloween story.

Halloween Day, 2017
Longtime readers of this blog will know that Halloween is one holiday I have never liked--even as a kid with costumes, parades, Trick or Treat and the sweets it brought. No, I disliked it all. Didn't like having to get my own children ready for the much-loved-by-others holiday. Kind of enjoyed the little kids who came to our door for treats. That was the best part of the ghosts and goblins holiday.

We all remember the times in our lives when we felt humiliated. No one likes to be laughed at. When I was in fifth grade, I finally had a costume to wear to our school party that was not something created out of a closet at home. We used what we had to come up with a costume. Year after year, I fashioned some kind of outfit that labeled me as a Gypsy while the brother next in line to me turned himself into a hobo.

But that year, I had a costume my aunt had made for my cousin to wear the previous year. I got lots of Carole's clothes so why not a hand-me-down Halloween costume, too? I would spend the whole day in my class and Trick or Treat time that evening as Martha Washington. How I loved the colonial dress with the long skirt. To make the costume even more real, a wig made out of white cotton batting went with the dress. I dressed with excitement that morning. Finally, I would have a real costume.

Joy turned to anguish when I entered the classroom to hoots of laughter. It wasn't the dress. The wig had set them off. No one said, "Hey, that's really neat." Or "You really look like Martha Washington." They laughed and jeered and pulled at the wig until I had tears in my eyes that I refused to allow to spill over and a heart that felt filled with the darts of humiliation tossed by my classmates.

Our wonderful teacher, Mr. Biddinger, soon settled the raucous group and the work of the day began with everyone counting the minutes and hours until our school parade and class party began later in the afternoon. The teacher had stopped the loud hoots and hollers about my wig but there were plenty of snickers and faces made, enough to make me wish the day was over.

Somehow, I survived the day despite hating to be in the all-school parade and playing the silly games at the party. How in the world are you suppose to bob for apples with a cotton batting wig on your head? I opted out. I had a hard time swallowing the Halloween sugar cookies over the lump in my throat.

Finally, the last bell rang and I could go home. I told my mother that I wasn't wearing the 'stupid costume' for Trick or Treat that night. She made it quite clear that it was wear it or don't go. I pushed down my humiliation and went out that evening with my brothers. No one laughed at me at the apartments and houses where we sought the treats everyone had waiting for us. It was only at school with my classmates that the teasing and jeering had reigned.

The next day at school proved to be quite normal. No one mentioned Martha Washington's wig. Not that day or ever again. The next year, I was back to being a Gypsy again with a full skirt, lots of necklaces and bracelets from my mother's trove of costume jewelry and a scarf tied over my hair. Nobody laughed and I had a great time at the party.

I got over that humiliating experience but, as you can see, I never forgot it. Writing about it today made me squirm a bit. Looking back, however, I think it was a pretty clever costume and I must have looked kinda cute in it. Sadly, my peers of the time didn't think so. Or maybe they were a wee bit jealous. Nah! Just being kids.

Weak or Strong? What Kind of Writer Are You?

Sad as it sounds, there are many writers who spend more time thinking about writing than actually applying themselves to the task. 

As writers, we thought long and hard about our desire to be a writer. We pondered the consideration. We dreamed about it. We day-dreamed about the successes we'd have. We talked to others about our dedication to the writing world. 

The problem with some would-be writers is that they spend more time thinking about writing than actually sitting before the keyboard, striking keys with fingers to create words, paragraphs and full pages. 

Let's face it. Thinking about writing and all its glories is a whole lot easier than actually doing it.  The more we dream about what might happen, the longer it is going to take us to commit to the real writing, that putting pen to paper, fingers to keyboard.

What about the writer who does write, submit, and is published? Should he/she bask in the glory for a day, a week, a month or even longer? The more time that slides by, the less likely that writer is going to write something new. I think a majority of writers, especially the newbies, have day jobs and pursue writing as a second vocation. They don't feel pushed to repeat the cycle of 'write, submit, be published' nearly as much as the person who is working full time as a freelance writer. Those writers push themselves because food on the table depends on it. Those writers never stop writing or submitting. They ride the submission Ferris wheel on a regular basis.

Our quote today has two keywords. Both drive and desire have a great deal to do with the kind of writer you will be. If those two traits are weak, you're going to be a weak writer. If they are strong, you will write often and with passion. Give some honest thought to which kind of writer you are and which kind you would like to be. I think the answer to being a strong writer is pretty clear.  

Writers Benefit From Cutting Words

"When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done."
                                     ---Stephen King  

 All we need to do is look at the success Stephen King has had in the writing world and we should know immediately that his advice is to be taken seriously. Let's face it--the man knows what he's talking about. Somewhere between writing horror stories that the public eagerly awaits, Mr. King has taken time to offer his thoughts and advice to other writers. If you have not read his book, On Writing, you are missing one of the finest books on our craft. Part memoir and part writing class, it is down to earth and a good read.

He does not address his genre of writing per se. He speaks to all writers. I used his quote on cutting your story, essay or poem as you rewrite, revise, edit--all of these--to bring an important point to you today.

One of the most difficult things we writers must do is to cut our words. Those words are precious. Each and every one. The old Less is more can be applied here when reasoning why you would want to slash away at the prose piece you've slaved over for days. That 'excess fat' as King terms it can cover up the good part of what you've written and you don't want to do that.

What can you cut without losing the strong part of your story?

If you use two, or even three, adjectives to describe a noun, consider cutting until you have only one left. Make it the strongest one.

Cut adverbs. They throw you into that telling mode over and over again.

Cut the ham sandwich. All the reader needs is the meat; toss the bread. We don't need every little mundane detail, things like how a man got up from his chair, then walked slowly to the front door, then opened the door. All we need to know is that the man answered the door. The reader doesn't care about how he got to the door. Unless how he got there is important to the story. Usually, it isn't.

Cut anything that has no importance to the story. Many writers use backstory to explain something. Doing so takes precious words and often becomes so long that the reader loses the original train of thought. Instead of backstory, weave the details in and out of the main story.

Many calls for submissions give a maximum word count. If the editors specify 1200 words, they don't mean that you can overflow to 1500. If your story is 300 words over the limit, you have some work to do. Besides the above suggestions, you can shorten many sentences by finding another way to say whatever. Is it possible to cut 300 words from a 1500 word story? You bet it is. I know because I've done it.

By cutting and cutting some more, dumping that 'excess fat,' is going to leave you with a stronger piece of writing.

If you'd like to see a summary of Stephen King's book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, read this review. Even after reading it, you might want to purchase a copy of the book or check it out of your local library so you can read the whole thing. I think you'll find it of great interest. Meanwhile, start looking at places to cut your words. Even poems can benefit from losing a few words.

Four Writing Exercises Involving October

Twenty-six days ago, I used this poster to welcome the new month. Those days have slipped by quickly offering many changes. October offers numerous topics for us to write about. Think back to your growing-up days as well as the present time. 

Some of the topics October offers:

• crisp, cool mornings
• warm, sunny afternoons
• blustery days with leaves swirling
• an occasional rainy day
• pumpkins to harvest or purchase
• Fire Prevention Awareness month
• football games
• shorter days
• Halloween costumes, parades and celebrations
• Columbus Day
• fall decorations
• fall flowers--asters and mums
• Homecoming activities in high schools and universities
• colorful leaves on trees
• falling leaves
• raking leaves
• foods featuring apples, pumpkins or squash
• fall arts and crafts festivals
• state fairs in the warmer states
• furnaces instead of air-conditioners

Writing Exercises:

1.   Choose any of the topics above and do a ten-minute free-write. Fingers to the keys, type non-stop for the full time, then see what you produced. If you like what you've written, keep going. Or if you see the bones of a story or essay, spend more time fleshing it out.

2.  Choose one of the topics that deals with weather and write a paragraph or two using descriptive adjectives and sensory details to bring the reader into your rainy day, or crisp, cold mornings or a sunny afternoon. Consider October as you write

3.  Choose one of the October celebration days and write a few paragraphs using sensory details and descriptive adjectives.

4.  Choose the fall foods and write a family story including those foods. 

Writing exercises are one of the tools writers can and should use on a regular basis. It's no different than a football player practicing tackles or a basketball player who shoots baskets from every angle on the court. Athlete or artist, we're all trying to improve our skill. 

Computer Woes Force An Attitude Adjustment

I was just about to start writing my blog post yesterday when disaster struck. A big red warning page popped up and a woman with a lovely, cultured sounding British accent told me Microsoft needed me to call right away to fix a major problem. If I didn't call or deleted the page, they would have no choice but to completely disable my computer. I knew it was a scam but I also knew I couldn't fix it myself. My attitude took a dive from what it had been earlier in the morning when I was looking forward to a great day.

I took my laptop to the tech department at our local Staples store as a friend had told me how pleased she was with their fix-it guys. The tech got the nasty page closed and then ran a scan to see if any virus or malware had been left. Of course, it had. He told me they could remove it and clean up the computer system for a mere $169.99.  My attitude dropped lower. It was obvious that I had no choice in the matter so I asked him how soon they could have it for me. "Tomorrow morning," he said. 

On my way home, I decided I needed an attitude adjustment.  Feeling the way I did was not going to change a thing and would only make me feel worse. I had a good talk with myself--quietly in my mind. Didn't want other drivers to notice a deranged woman chattering away to herself in the car! I came to the conclusion that it was nothing I could have changed on my own. I was a victim of a scam, but at least, I didn't fall for it and send them many, many dollars. And, I found help even though I had to pay more than I felt was necessary. So, in the end, I came out on the winning side.

As writers, we can wear a bad attitude like a ragged winter coat. It's easy to pull on that coat when we get rejection upon rejection or when we are completely unsatisfied with what we write. Before long, we are thinking Nothing I write is worthwhile. I'll never make it in this writing world. Other writers are rungs above me on the ladder to publication. 

Keep thinking thoughts like the above and you will stay on the same rung for a very long time. You aren't going to make much progress when you allow those rejections to flatten you. You won't go very far if you stop trying to make your writing better. You don't want to get in such a funk that you hate the first draft you write so you delete the whole thing instead of waiting a few days and revising and editing until it becomes better.

Nothing about your writing will change unless you make some differences in the way you look at your writing world. A couple of my friends tease me about being a Pollyanna, the fictional girl who always saw the positive in whatever happened. I learned a long time ago that being positive brought better results than being a Negative Nellie. 

The next time your writing world isn't going as you hoped, take a deep breath, have a quiet mental chat with yourself and count the good things. It's not always easy to dig through the muck and come up with the positives but, believe me, it's well worth doing.

Chinatown Cat--A Narrative Poem

Have you ever tried to write Narrative Poetry? Many contests offer this category and children's magazines like them, too. The poem below is one I sold to Boys' Quest in 2000. I was delighted that they wanted the poem but felt a bit deflated when they added that it would be published four years later. Of course, that meant that the check would arrive four years later, as well. To be honest, I wondered if it would even happen. It did!

Chinatown Cat started out as a sentence that kept doing flip-flops in my head one evening while watching tv. It became the first two lines of the poem below. I waited until the next day, wrote those two lines and kept going. Like some prose stories, it seemed to write itself. I had not intended it to also be a rhyming poem but that's what happened.

A Narrative Poem sounds like someone telling a story. It has a beginning, a middle and an ending. 

You'll find that it has much the same qualities as a story written as prose--plot, theme, characters, setting and sometimes dialogue.

When you write a narrative poem, whether for children or adults, be sure to read it aloud to check on the rhythm, punctuation and word choices. 

Some of the narrative poems you may be familiar with are Casey At The Bat, The Raven, and Paul Revere's Ride. 

If you haven't tried writing a poem like this, give it a whirl. It's fun, challenging and a way to expand your ability, too. I'm sharing my poem about a boy and a cat in Chinatown. What seems so strange to me is that I've always been more of a dog lover, so why did this cat jump into my head that long ago evening? 

Chinatown Cat

                                          Ling Po had a ginger-colored cat,

                                          not a very pretty one at that.

                                          Near a window, he oft slept by day.

                                          Nights he went out and far away.

                                          Where in Chinatown did he go?

                                           Ling Po really wanted to know.

                                           Night after night Cat went

                                           As if on a mission he’d been sent.

                                          One warm and moonlit night,

                                           Ling Po followed on Cat’s right.

                                           Cat slid by cans for trash,

                                           then Ling Po padded softly past.

                                           He stayed a bit behind,

                                           while Cat continued down the line.

                                           Cat didn’t even seem to slow

                                            when sirens began to blow.

                                            On through dark and eerie streets,

                                            Master and pet moved on silent feet.

                                            Farther and farther, past store upon store.

                                            Ling Po could not take much more!

                                            Now, beyond temple and pagoda.

                                            This Chinatown boy needed a soda.

                                            Then, Cat stopped, looked all around

                                            and crouched down close to the ground.

                                            He lay there, green eyes peering

                                            at an ancient man now nearing.

                                            “There you are, my friend,” he fretted

                                            “Come close to be petted.

                                             Ling Po waited behind a car.

                                             Was this the reason they’d come so far?

                                              The Old One bent, pigtail swinging,

                                              from Cat’s throat, a purr like singing.

                                              Now Cat belonged to the pair,

                                              for Ling Po knew he would share.

                                              This cat who loved both young and old

                                              was surely worth his weight in gold.

                                              With patience, Ling Po watched the two,

                                               no more than that could he do

                                               until Cat turned to take his leave

                                               and Ling Po followed him home with relief.

                                                                                             --Nancy Julien Kopp

             Note:  This narrative poem was published in Boys’ Quest magazine in June 2004

     

     

                                       

Use Real Incidents and Accidents In Your Stories

Looking down an escalator

I have written many times on this blog that stories are right under your nose every day. Sometimes it's just an incident that can be used in a story later. That's what happened to me this past Saturday. I have been thinking about what occurred and know it could be incorporated into a short story or a novel. 

The Incident:  Ken and I had gone to Kansas City Saturday as we had tickets to a play that evening. We arrived early enough to do some shopping. We took the escalator to the second floor of a large Macy's store. I am using a cane since I had my hip replaced several months ago so I very carefully stepped onto the moving stairs and grabbed the handrail as I did so. I said to Ken, "This is really moving fast. I've never seen an escalator at this speed." He agreed.

We looked at a few things on the second floor and bought nothing, then walked to the escalator to go down to the first floor. I admit that it did cross my mind to find the elevator instead. I stood at the top waiting for the right moment to put foot and cane on the step while reaching for the handrail. The cane and one foot went on the stair and the other foot landed on the one behind. I couldn't keep my balance and went down with my left leg bent behind me. Looking below me at that fast-moving stairway was frightening. My heart was pounding. My cane went bouncing to the bottom and I knew I was next. I did manage to get my leg out from under me and Ken tried to lift me to no avail. I knew I was going to hit the bottom on my bottom which is exactly what happened. There I was sitting on the floor, both legs in front of me, a large group of people clustered around and Ken behind me.

One very hefty clerk kept trying to lift me by my arms and I was screaming "No!" each time she did as it hurt. I couldn't pull myself up on the rail as it was still moving constantly. I finally shouted, "Turn it off!" One of the three clerks watching this fiasco threw a switch which brought the escalator to a halt. I managed to pull myself up on the rail with Ken helping from behind. One customer said, "Are you alright?" I told her I might not know until morning. A clerk moved next to me and said, "You know, we do have an elevator. Maybe you should have used it." I nodded and said, "I will definitely use it next time." She appeared to be happy to put the blame on me.

I seemed to be able to walk, nothing appeared to be broken but I hurt my right arm and my left leg was throbbing, no doubt it would be bruised. The crowd parted and we made our way out of the store and to our car. Only then did either of us think about the fact that no one took my name or suggested I be checked out at an ER. At that point, we were not about to go back into the store. 

As we drove to our hotel, I told Ken they should have turned the escalator off the minute a clerk noticed what was happening. They came running quickly as I know I screamed as I realized what was occurring. I have never felt so frightened as I saw those stairs moving and the floor coming up to meet me. 

I do plan to write a letter to the manager to suggest that a dangerous situation like that be handled differently. I was wrong to try to use the escalator with my cane. I know that now but had never encountered the situation before. There were a lot of 'wrongs' on the part of the store clerks, as well. 

The good part is that I had no broken bones, no open wounds. Just the sore arm and badly bruised leg. My new hip came through just fine. One little spot in my lower back that often gives me trouble was irritated but that should subside in a few days.

Using it in a story:  Think of how this accident can be used in a story. A girl could have the experience and meet the love of her life at the bottom of the escalator as she plunges downward. Someone could be chased by a criminal and step too quickly onto the escalator and go pitching downward. An old woman could end up living in a nursing home after a fall like this. Maybe she had feared to have to go to a nursing home and had been so careful. Then, the one false step and the fall and the nursing home was next. There are many situations a writer can dream up using this one incident.

When you have experienced a situation like this yourself, it is surely easier to write about it. If it happened to you, you know the physical feelings, the fear and more. Think about a time in your life when you had a close call or had an accident of some kind in public with people watching. Write about it as an exercise today. 

As for me, I promise faithfully to use only elevators forevermore! 

Writing Inspiration Doesn't Last Forever!

As a writer, what does it take to inspire you? Where do you go to find that urge to keep writing? Who do you talk to in order to rekindle that passion you once had for writing? And then, what do you do to keep it alive?

The photo above would be an inspiration to many who love nature's joy and beauty. Taking a walk in the park or a forested area on a crisp fall day could make many a writer want to sit down and write as soon as they returned home. 

Going to a writing conference is one of the best ways to ignite that spark--the one that makes you want to drop everything else and write. I have come home from every conference I've ever attended with a boatload of ideas and the passion to attack them, one by one. 

Meeting a group of writers for coffee, lunch, or drinks is another way to find the inspiration we need to start a new project or continue with an unfinished piece or revise something that has never been accepted by an editor. Writers talking to other writers make the creative juices flow.

Going to a family reunion is a good way to want to get those family stories written.

Any of the things I've listed above will inspire you. The question I have for you is How long does the rekindled passion to write last? That terrific feeling of wanting to write every minute of the day does wear off. We don't realize it until the doldrums hit and you begin to lose interest in whatever you're working on. It may become drudgery instead of pleasure. Your muse whispers in your ear...Honey, you need some inspiration! Do you tell her to shut up or do you stop and listen?

If you're a wise writer, you'll do the latter. You'll pay attention to her words, the ones that keep swirling in your head. You'll do again whatever it is that inspires you to write again with interest and verve. Or maybe you should try something new.

Attend a concert. My husband and I enjoy classical music played by symphony orchestras. I find myself also thinking about new writing projects as I listen. The music never fails to bring me an idea or two. Once, an entire story played through my mind as the music swelled and ebbed. It was all I could do not to leave and head for home to write it before I forgot the important parts. That story sold the first time I submitted it. 

Any kind of entertainment you enjoy--plays, art exhibits, concerts, a dance--these can all be places where ideas for writers dip and sway and slip into your mind. Even attending a sporting event can do the same. 

The point is to get away from your everyday routine. Get out into the world and try something you enjoy. A long hike gives your mind free space for the ideas to pile up while your body is doing the physical work.  

Don't expect inspiration to last forever. We have to renew it in any way we can. 

Thinking About Theme

Today is an exceptionally busy one so I am offering a post from a few years ago. Theme and plot are part of each of those books the young lady is carrying. Do you know the difference?

Thinking About Theme

Writing is a gift given by God to only a few people.

The craft of writing can be learned by anyone with a desire to write.

Some truth rings in each of these statements. There are definitely people who seem to have a natural ability to write prose that sings, but with study and practice, along with a desire to learn the craft, anyone can write prose that is worthy.

It does not necessarily follow that because you can speak, you can write. Good writing comes down to identifying what tools you need to learn the craft and putting them to use.
An understanding of theme is one of those basic tools.

Theme is often misunderstood or even ignored by the beginning writer and also by some who claim experience in the writing world. In her book Write Away, Elizabeth George says “…most novels are unified around their theme. This—the theme—is the basic truth about which you are writing, the idea you’re playing with..., or the point you are attempting to make.” This internationally best selling novelist goes on to say that even if theme isn’t addressed directly, the unification of the subplots will make it clear to the reader.

The theme in fiction and nonfiction is the central idea, or focus, that runs through the entire story.  For instance, most fairy tales use the theme of good vs. evil. We select a theme from both good and bad principles of life—guilt, greed, revenge, kindness, service to others, and unconditional love are all possible subjects for a theme in a story. Try making a list of conceivable themes for future stories.

The story you write should illustrate the theme without preaching to the reader. Few readers want to be told what the theme is. It’s much more fun to figure it out as you read. The theme should come through in subtle ways. If it doesn’t, it’s time to go back, rethink and revise. Ask yourself what message you want the reader to take away.

Some people confuse theme and plot. An author friend who writes historical fiction says that what your characters do in a story is your plot, but what they learn is the theme. The plot should illustrate your theme and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Do you select a theme and write a story around it? Or should you write a story and see a theme emerge little by little? There is no set rule. Either way works, but you must be careful that you don’t scatter too many themes throughout the story. All that is does is to confuse the reader who might think: What in the world is she trying to tell me? Pick a theme and stay with it.

When you pick up a book for your own pleasure, read with a critical eye. Look for theme in every piece you read. Search for the message the author sends and ask yourself if the plot of the story brought out the theme. With practice, you’ll find it easier to mentally critique the stories you read, and writing your own stories with a theme in mind won’t be nearly so difficult.

Some Points To Remember

1. Theme is the central idea, or focus, that runs through the entire story.
2. The story should illustrate the theme.
3. What characters do is a plot, but what they learn is the theme.
4. Let the theme come through the story in subtle ways; don’t preach.

Are You A Stubborn Writer?

The person who refuses to change parts of their writing world is one who is going to be running into brick walls over and over again. Sometimes we are too stubborn for our own good.

Consider the writer who has an editor interested in a story. The editor likes it overall but has several little changes to suggest. The writer--let's call her Annie--says that she doesn't agree. "If you like my story, then you must take it as I wrote it." Annie sits back in her chair after shooting off the email with that message. She waits for an answer. And waits. And waits. Annie gets angry and sends another email. Editor finally answers, tells Annie that they prefer to work with writers who are open to suggestions to improve their submissions. Oh-oh!

Of course, Annie is angry. Who wouldn't be? But now, Annie has a choice to make. Will she continue to refuse the suggestions an editor makes or will she bow to their wishes in order to be published? What should she do? 

Annie's attitude is that her work is just fine. There is nothing to be changed. She is going to be tough and stick to her decision. In some ways, we must admire Annie because she believes in herself as a writer. She believes that she has left no room for error. On the other hand, we might want to tell Annie to stop being so difficult. Maybe the editor had some ideas that would make a good story even better.

Nope, Annie is going to continue to send her story to other markets. Most likely, she will get much the same response as she received with the first one. Annie bombs out on the next four submissions with the same story. 

She begins to ponder the possibility of changing her attitude. Is it possible the editor knew something she didn't? She goes back to the original message from editor #1 to see what suggestions she had made, what changes she wanted. When Annie read that message the first time, all she saw was that changes were suggested. Temper flaring, she never took time to read the rest. 

Annie goes back to her deleted messages and scrolls down to find the message of misery--that's what she had been calling it. She reads it and reads it two more times. Tiny flutters stir within her as she sees the possibilities, comes to the conclusion that these minor changes truly would make a good story much better. Excitement washes over her and she wants to make the minor revisions suggested. She spends the better part of an afternoon working on her story. Then, she submits it to the original editor again with an apology for her earlier refusal.

Days pass and then weeks. She waited and waited but never received a return message. She had tried to change but maybe it had been too late. Maybe she had been too stubborn. Maybe that editor had red-flagged her for any future submissions. 

Annie submits the revised story to another editor who returns a message that is favorable. He would like to publish Annie's story but has one small change to suggest. This time, Annie is open to the change. She agrees and he sends a contract. Annie's writing life has changed for the better because she has been willing to listen to an expert and is willing to make changes. 

If Annie had steadfastly refused to do as the editor suggested, she would not have her story published. She would still be sitting at her computer writing angry messages to editors. When we are willing to change things, we should be able to reap the benefits. Whether it's changes in a story or a whole chapter in a novel, we need to be willing to move from our steadfast position and at least listen to what the other person suggests. 

To be fair, there are moments when we should stay with our beliefs and defend them. What we do need to do is listen to the suggestions given and then decide what will benefit you most. Annie did that.

Pick Up An Old Book Now and Then

Those of us who are avid readers watch the reading sites, newspaper reviews, library notices and more seeking new titles. We thirst for new books to read because, as today's poster says, What an astonishing thing a book is.

As much as we enjoy new books by favorite authors, we should also consider delving back into earlier times and reading some of the classics. Read those you had to read in high school or college now and you might have a totally different perspective and appreciation.

I chose the book for my Book Club to read for November discussion. We have a very lengthy list of books on our interlibrary loan system that we can get X number of copies gathered from several libraries across the state. It's difficult to select a book because all that is listed is title and author. Many are familiar titles but just as many are not. How helpful it would be to have even one sentence to give a glimmer of an idea as to what the book is about.

We need to choose 3 books and never know which one we will get until the day the book box is to be picked up. My eyes lit up when I found that I had enough copies of Selected Stories of O. Henry for the six in our group. Much bigger than I expected, it is in the 400+ pages range.

The first night I had time to read, I opened to the introduction which is a lengthy biography of O. Henry--a pseudonym. Did you know that? I didn't. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was a master of the short story form but incapable, by his own admission, of writing a full length book. He led a life that could have been featured in many a short story.

This revered author wrote prolifically in the short story genre with stories set in the early 20th century and in places where he'd lived and traveled. They ranged from New York City to the far West to Central America and back to New York again. He churned out a story per week for a periodical who hired him to do just that along with more for magazines. Think about it. A finished story per week, or more. Not easy as many writers spend weeks on perfecting only one.

His stories were popular because they were written with a dry, humorous style and nearly always contained a twist of some kind. They featured common people, the lower and middle class with only an occasional wealthy person. He writes so that the reader feels like he/she is sitting face to face with the author who is telling him/her the story.

His most famous story is probably The Gift of the Magi which tells the tale of a young married couple, impoverished but deeply in love. Christmas is near and she sells her hair to get the money to buy him a watch chain for a beloved family pocket watch. He sells his watch to buy her decorative combs for her long hair. A gem of a tale!

I am enjoying all the stories in this collection. Because they were written in the early 1900's, I  have noticed a difference in sentence structure and some quite outdated vocabulary. Even so, the story itself is there to savor. Had I been assigned this book to read in a classroom, I don't think I would have gotten nearly the joy in it that I am doing now.

I noticed that the writing allowed me to visualize what happens very easily.;O. Henry pulls me into the scene. That is the sign of a good writer.

O. Henry

Take a break from reading those new titles and sail back to read some of the classics of old. I don't think you'll be sorry. You might find many an astonishing book.

Writing Funny In Your Personal Essays

Kaye Curren

My Guest Blogger today is Kaye Curren who knows how to write a personal essay that will get a laugh from her readers. Writing humorous pieces is not as easy as some think. Kaye will give us a little insight into this field. Check out her website (address in Bio below)  and read a few of her personal essays. You'll come away smiling.

Writing Funny in Your Personal Essays

Humor adds life to a personal essay in two ways. Either you can create a laugh-out-loud scenario by taking an experience and making it silly, ridiculous, or just plain outrageous. Or you can also sprinkle humor throughout an otherwise serious essay. Either way, your readers will appreciate your efforts to lighten up their occasionally stressful days with some laughs, smiles, or chuckles.

Of course, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is humor in the individual funny bone. In writing humor, you don’t want to worry too much about pleasing everyone – that’s probably not going to happen. But you can come close by making your personal essay about happenings that many of us can relate to.

 I have found one of the best ways to learn to write humor in my essays is to read other people’s and study how they do it. I think I started young with the comics in the newspaper. Today, I have a list of favorite authors I return to again and again - Erma Bombeck, Dave Barry, Nora Ephron, and Bill Bryson to name a few. I think I’ve learned a lot by reading of their hilarious life adventures.

I have found if I ponder awhile on everyday happenings, I can't help seeing the funny side. Events like my child getting ready for school and finding bumps in her socks. Or retrieving a hamster from under the bathroom sink. Erma Bombeck was the queen of making everyday family occurrences laugh-out-loud funny. She taught me to see the humor in everyday events.
 In other cases, life just handed me a smorgasbord of funny incidents that I have been able to relate to my readers with some creative story-telling. For example, I had a crazy theatre experience when the leading lady missed her cue, and I was thrust onto the stage to fill the gap, dry mouth, panic and all. Another: my daughter’s wedding in Spain which handed me ready-made scenarios such as my future son-in-law flashing past me naked in a communal dressing room my daughter had arranged. As Dave Barry tells us, you can’t make these things up.
How to write a funny essay? I think you first need a story. Stringing jokes together isn’t going to work for the personal essay. I find I’m best off constructing my story without thought of what’s humorous - unless of course, the humor is completely built in. I try to find my beginning, middle, and end, my rising action to climax and denouement to develop the story. I work on it until I like the flow of the basic story.
Next, I funny it up. I find ways to add laugh-inducing dialogue, and I look for funnier words than those I started with. (Did you know the “K” words are the funniest?) I look for twists of the usual. I try to introduce surprise, if possible. Then I look for the very best punchline for my ending, bringing my story to a satisfying, and hopefully humorous, conclusion.

To sum up, here are some tips from established humor writers on how they make their personal essays funny.*
·        Find the eccentricities and foibles in human experience.
·        Pay attention to the mundane.
·        Twist a cliché.
·        Use nutty metaphor sand similes.
·        Don’t tell the reader something is funny – show him.
·        Be specific-give details.
·        Exaggerate.
·        Find a way to incorporate surprise.

*Many thanks to Susan Shapiro, Paul Angone, and Richard Nordquist for these humor writing tips.

BIO:
Kaye Curren writes nonfiction articles, essays, and humor for various online blogs, magazines, and Chicken Soup for the Soul publications. Her first ebook, Memories A La Carte, Essays on a Life, is available on Amazon. Find her other musings at http://www.writethatthang.com.

It Takes Time To Become A Good Writer

I saw a quote by a science fiction writer that was a bit blunt but also right on the money. 

"You don't start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That's why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence." 
                                                                                                --Octavia E. Butler

Have you ever pulled out some of your earliest pieces of writing and read them? I've done it and was aghast at what I had written. My early work had beginner flashing throughout in neon lights. Yes, just as Ms. Butler says, I thought that it was pretty good. I may have been the only one to think so. Editors surely didn't. I managed to find a few websites that accepted stories and essays to publish for no pay.

At the time, I was thrilled to be published. Even so, I knew that these were places where amateurs could see their work in print. Did I get praise from readers? Quite often I did but most of them were not the kind of critics I needed at the time. I wanted more.

Did I start writing better when the Writing Fairy tapped me with her wand? Nope. I wrote better when I pursued my craft on a daily basis. I persisted and tried to be patient. That second part was the hardest.

I read the work of other writers, not only in books but short stories and essays. The more I read, the better understanding I had of what good writing should be.

I wrote better when I read books and articles about writing. I picked up information about POV (point of view), voice, theme, sensory detail, writing with emotion, tenses and more. Little by little, I applied those things to my own writing.

I think that my writing improved dramatically when I joined an online writing group. It was a good one and there was no application process to be approved. Had there been, I probably would never have been accepted in the group. The moderator was a tough cookie. She slashed through our work like a swashbuckling pirate wielding a sword. Some writers dropped out of the group because they had trouble accepting criticism from her and the other writers. I quickly adopted the attitude that I was in the group to learn and to improve my writing. I knew that Kate was trying to help us do that. To this day, I am grateful to her. She disbanded the group very suddenly and appeared to drop off the edge of the earth.

I was devastated as were a few other serious writers in the group. One emailed me and invited me to another group that she was active in. She indicated she was only asking a small number of the members to switch. That was many years ago--maybe 16-18 and I'm still a part of that online writing group. The fair and honest critiques I received on my submissions helped me grow as a writer. I'm still working at improving my work and I shall probably continue until the day I can write no more. I also found that reading the critiques of other writers afforded another opportunity for me to learn something myself.

I found the keyword in Ms Butler's quote to be 'gradually' because it's so very true. Our writing does not go from drivel on Monday to excellent on Friday. We learn a little at a time and we improve bit by bit over weeks, months and more.

A good number of years ago, I wrote a novel for middle-grade kids. I had some interest from a couple editors but nothing ever came of it. I subbed it to my writing group and they were encouraging and gave some good advice on how to make it better. It's been gathering dust in my files for too long. Lately, I've had a yen to pull it out and start rewriting it. Maybe the time wasn't right when I first wrote it. Perhaps I needed to let it rest before rewriting (but surely not for as long as it has been!).

How about you? Do you have some writing that you finished in your early days of writing? Something that you might rewrite and come up with a far better piece? 

In Writers' Hands

This is a post from 2012 that is still worth sharing today. Something for all writers to consider.

Lately, I've seen a TV spot about the power of words several times. Ann Curry of the NBC Today show is the person featured in the spot. It's very short, but it has made me do some thinking about the subject. 

Think about the things that words can do. They persuade, cajole, flatter and compliment. Words can also hurt, defame, punish and degrade. Spoken words are gone once they leave our mouths, but our written words are still under our control until we send them to an editor or post them on our blog.

Have you ever said something you wished you hadn't? Have you written something when furious and then regretted it? More than a few people have written letters that they wish the post office had managed to lose instead of delivering.

The point here is that we writers need to choose our words carefully before putting them in the public eye. You might be writing a persuasive essay which is just fine. Look at it as objectively as possible when you finish. Ask yourself if you've said anything to hurt or defame others. I'm thinking of our political campaigns of late. Candidates hurl nasty words like bubbles little kids blow from a jar of sticky, soapy liquid. They try to tear down the other guy instead of extolling their own virtues as a candidate. Once a campaign is over, will they be able to gather all those unflattering words and push them into a big trash bag to be thrown out next week? Of course not!  They may have to work with the very people they've excoriated later on. Politicians would do well to give strong consideration to the power of words, as well as the lingering effects.

On a positive side, the words we write can offer tremendous encouragement to those who are floundering in despair. So many stories are written about overcoming a problem of some kind. The reader who is also facing trouble in her life is buoyed up by seeing that problems can be solved.

When I was a young, fresh-out-of-college, teacher of fourth graders, I had no idea how important the words that came from my mouth to the ears of 21 children might be. It wasn't until the first parent-teacher conferences that some of those words came back to me. Things I said in class often landed in the middle of a family dinner table. I ended up with feeling both elated and remorseful, depending on which of my words the parents mentioned. I knew I needed to select my words carefully when speaking with ten-year-olds, or anyone else.

When we write a story, article, essay or poem, we should think about the power of our words. If published, those words will travel far and wide. They'll reach the hearts and minds of myriad readers. Will our words encourage or hurt? We writers need to consider more carefully the power we hold with the words we write.

How Do You Cook Up Your Stories?

Looks like this woman is cooking dinner, one of the daily chores many of us must do. What are you cooking in your writing life? Do you use recipes like cooks do or are you the kind of writer who starts with an idea and keeps typing until you finish the draft? 

Some writers are so disciplined that they outline (their recipes) everything they write--be it a full novel, a chapter, a short story or an essay. They like the idea that the outline is there to be referred to as they move along in the story. Some might consider it a crutch while the writers who use it know it is a necessity in their writing life. 

How about those writers who have an idea and start writing with no thought whatsoever as to where it will take them? Risky business? Those outline kind of writers would think so. More creative? The writer who lets the story take him/her to unknown places might agree. 

When I started writing my middle school novel, I had nothing more than the thought that I'd like to write something based on my maternal grandfather's life. Grandpa was born in 1884 and when he was a mere nine years old, he was taken out of school and sent to work in the coal mines with the older male members of his family. He never returned to school. 

I had the protagonist and I had the situation in the actual story of my grandfather but I wanted this boy to find a way to get out of the mine and back to school. Because I liked school and valued education all my life, it bothered me a lot that Grandpa never had the opportunity to complete his education. 

To introduce the character, whom I named Will, I started chapter one with a fight in the schoolyard broken up by a teacher. It was great fun to set the scene and bring in a few characters besides Will. I had been a teacher and knew full well about playground fights and teachers stepping in to quell the situation. 

I wanted to make the reader know that Will loved school and was a good student, so I ended the chapter with the teacher telling Will he had won an essay contest and would read his winning essay at the school festival in a couple months. Now what? 

In the second chapter, I had Will walk home from school with his two best friends. He tells them about the contest win and they are all excited. He goes into the house where he lives with his grandmother, father and older brother. Excited to tell Gran the news, he blurts it out as soon as he gets inside the back door. It's then that his grandmother changes his life. He will be going into the mines the next day.

At that point, I had no idea how Will would get back to school but I started each chapter with a glimmer of a thought and the characters seemed to let me know where they wanted to go, what they would say and do. It was Will's story and he pulled me right along with him all the way to the end. Strange as it may sound, Will and his friend, Emily, took up residence in my home. My friendly ghosts in the corner! They stayed until the first draft was completed and I no longer felt their presence.

I could never have written the story using an outline because I could not have made one. I had no idea at the beginning who all the characters would be or what they would do. I had enough understanding of what life in a small coal-mining town was like because my mother had grown up in one and told many a story at our dinner table. 

I also didn't know when I wrote the first chapter that a gypsy would play a big part in the story and many other things that eventually found their way into the tale. 

I like this method of writing because I think it gives the writer more freedom. Yes, outlines can be changed but often a writer who uses them feels they need to stay with the outline, at least for the first draft. That said, there is no right way or wrong way in how you write a story. The best way is the one that makes you comfortable. If your friends in your writing group all do it one way and you do it another, don't feel one bit guilty. We're all different and we use various methods to achieve our goals.

A Suggestion To Help Edit Your Writing

Shhhh!

One of the things I told the people attending my workshop on Personal Essays this past weekend must have surprised some of them. I noted several whose eyes opened wider when I suggested that they read their work aloud. To themselves! Others in the group nodded their heads. It was pretty easy to see who did read aloud and those who did not.

Why stand alone in a room and read the words y\ou've written? Because it is a good way to catch errors that you don't see when you sit at your computer, or on your sofa with a pen and pad in your hands, and read what you've just written. Don't believe me? Then give it a try. 

You'll soon see what sentences are far too long or where you may have repeated the same word two or more times. When you stumble over sections, you'll know they need to be made more clear. You may find spots that need added punctuation. Does in mean you'll miss all this if you only proofread silently? No, but I think you'll be surprised at the other little things you do catch when reading aloud.

One person in the workshop added to my advice. She suggested recording your oral reading and then listen to it. It triggered a memory of a friend who worked full time but was writing a novel, too. She read a chapter aloud and recorded it. Then, on her way home from work, she listened to that recording. By the time she reached home, she was ready to jot down notes and knew where she wanted to revise and re-edit. 

Other times that I have suggested the reading your own work aloud exercise, a few have responded that they'd feel silly doing that. What if someone in the family walked by whatever room they were in and saw them 'talking to themselves?' Shouldn't be a problem. If they ask what in the heck you're doing, tell them! If you think you might feel intimidated, go somewhere in your home where you can shut the door and read aloud comfortably. If you stand in front of the tv to do this exercise, you might get the reaction of the little girl in today's photo. Better to go off on your own. 

We all want to make our final draft as good as it can be. Reading your work aloud to yourself can help that happen. 

My Writing Convention Weekend

Convention Planning Committee

This past weekend was the Kansas Authors Club state convention held in Salina, KS Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. Each year a different district is responsible for planning the event. The photo above is the committee of four that spent two years planning and preparing. Kansas Authors Club is the oldest running writing group in our state. 

Despite a few hiccups, it turned out just fine. I heard glowing comments about all the speakers I'd found to conduct various workshops. We were treated to a poetry workshop given by our Kansas Poet Laureate, one on biography, another on writing personal essays. Two workshops addressed aspects of writing fiction, another focused on research and historical nonfiction. Writing YA and respecting cultural differences was yet another interesting workshop as was one on writing memoir. The woman who spoke on journaling is a certified journalist. I had no idea one could be certified in this field. She brought journaling to life as did a panel of three who fascinated their audience with the world of songwriting. One final workshop was about the benefits of blogging for writers and how to do it.(Guess who taught that one?) 

There was a lot of learning, a good bit of socialization and, best of all, writers connecting with other writers. Awards for books nominated for various categories were announced at the Saturday evening banquet and winners for the 2018 state writing contest announced at the luncheon on Sunday. I'm pleased to say that I won first place in the Japanese form in the Poetry Division with a haiku. 

The early part of Saturday afternoon was devoted to Youth Writing Awards. I watched the children come forward to receive their medals and certificates and checks, in some cases. I could sense the joy inside each one, although they tried to keep a cool demeanor as they accepted their awards and went back to sit with proud parents.

Members who have written books had an opportunity to sell them in the Book Room all weekend. I had a hard time selecting one to purchase. I ended up with a new volume of poetry by Roy Beckemeyer, a favorite poet who has done guest posts for me in the past. The title of the book is Stage Whispers and I'm anxious to read it. A workshop presenter gifted me with his book because I had helped with some editing on it this summer. An interview with him and a review on the book will come later this fall. I brought one more book home. A woman who had attended my workshop on blogging gave it to me and asked if I'd review it on my blog. I told her I'd be happy to do so but with the thought that I could not promise a 5 star review. It would be my honest opinion. "That's what I want," she told me. Looks like I have some reading to do. 

Planning a convention is a lot of work but satisfying when you see how the writers enjoyed their time together and benefited from the workshops offered. Most writers have a convention or conference on writing somewhere close enough for them to attend. I highly recommend it. 

Deadlines and Achievement For Writers--My Most Popular Post

I'm off to the Kansas Authors convention today so am repeating a post from some time ago. Still pertinent today! This is one of my most popular posts. I hope you'll find it helpful to you. A big thank you to the new Followers who signed on last week. Welcome! 

Years ago, I told my five-year-old son he could not go to kindergarten until he learned to tie his shoes. "The teacher is too busy to do it for every boy and girl," I added for emphasis. For weeks, he struggled, gave up, and tried again and again. The day before school started, he achieved his goal. What happiness radiated from that little face when he demonstrated his new ability to me.

This little episode illustrates two universal truths. We push ourselves harder when there is a deadline and achievement is all the sweeter when we can share our success with others.

In our writers world, don't we tend to work better when there is a specified deadline? Of course we do. We think and think about writing a story or article but life tends to get in our way. We make vague promises to ourselves thinking things like Tomorrow, I'll get to it. Tomorrow arrives, the phone rings and we're off to another meeting, pick up a sick child (or grandchild) at school or.... But if a story must be sent to an editor by Thursday, we'll create time and get the job done.

That deadline looms over us, so we move it to the top of our To-Do list. The machine can answer the phone. Pizza places deliver night and day, so the family will be fed. Few of us like to dust or vacuum anyway, so that's not a problem. The library committee meeting can go on without us this time and a niece will appreciate a check for her birthday as much as a gift. We need to block out everything but the writing project. We don't want to face failure or the humiliation of telling the editor the piece is not ready.

Achievement is accomplished by setting priorities and being firm in keeping them. Get your ducks in a row might be a good illustration. If we're wishy-washy, our goals float farther and farther away.

When we receive good news from an editor, we've achieved a goal. We'd love to share the good news with someone--usually someone who means something to us. Like my son, we radiate joy when sharing news of an acceptance from a publisher. Satisfaction settles over us like a warm comforter. That, however, is not the end. Success only inspires us to continue writing and submitting. If you receive eleven rejections and one acceptance, which one do you think you'll remember longest?

That small son of mine is now a successful businessman. He learned all about deadlines and achievement before he went to kindergarten Here's hoping you did, too. If not, it's never too late to learn.

Convention Time For Kansas Writers

At Online Writer's Group Conference

The photo above was taken at one of my Online Writer's Group Conference in a state park just outside Washington, DC. That's me in the center in the pink and white shirt. The 20+ women who attend these bi-annual conferences have a great time learning and socializing. 

This weekend, I'm going to another type of conference. This one is our Kansas Authors Club State Convention. I am Convention Chairman and have three others on the committee. It's not nearly as many people as we'd like but sometimes that's how things work out. We're a small district compared to those in the Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita areas. People who would like to help cannot because of health issues and other things, as well. 

Nevertheless, I think we have a great group of speakers lined up for our workshops. If you were able to come to Salina, KS this weekend, wouldn't you find several of these that you would like to attend so that you can learn more and make some connections with other writers? 

Here's the line-up of the workshops titles:

• Researching and Writing Historical Nonfiction:  The Story of Susannah Alderdice
• My Words--My Way  (fiction)
• How To Do Biography
• Journaling A Page or Two
• Cultural appropriation:  Writing 'Socailly Acceptable' Content in YA Literature
• Writing the Personal Essay
• Using Imagery To Improve Your Poetry and Prose
• How To Make Your Writing Come To Life
• Memoir Writing
• Panel Discussion on Songwriting
• The Benefits and How-To of Blogging For Writers

The hard part is to choose which ones to attend as on Saturday three run concurrently. Everyone can attend the two on Sunday morning.

There will be a banquet on Saturday evening with Awards given for many categories and the state prose and poetry contest winners announced at the Sunday luncheon. 

I'd like to know what other parts of the writing world would you like to have as a workshop? What topics are important to you that are not covered in the speakers we have?