A Two-Sided Coin

My morning hit a few snags,  so I am reposting an earlier, popular post today. It was published several years ago but is still relevant. 

Daily Devotions For Writers rests next to my printer, where I can reach it easily every morning before beginning to work. The life lessons the book contains offer advice, relate trials and also inject a bit of humor. Some of the writers talk of a revelation that came when least expected. Most of the devotions include a scripture verse and/or a prayer—sometimes a quote.

After reading the daily devotional book for a few months, I noticed that a pattern appeared to emerge in the guise of a two-sided coin. On one side of the coin, I sensed frustration from so many of the writers. It appears to be a universal theme for both seasoned and new writers. But flip the coin over, and satisfaction is evident.

Novice writers may experience the frustration in greater amounts than the satisfaction. It takes perseverance and patience to traverse the tunnel of disappointment. Doesn’t every writer dream of instant success? When rejection letters pile up faster than election campaign literature, what’s a writer to do? Confidence levels fall with alarming speed when new or even long-time writers don’t meet with some success. Doubt pays daily visits, and if a writer chooses to entertain him, he’ll stay.

Believe in yourself and your work. If you have something to say, a story to entertain or to make a difference in the lives of others, don’t let the early-days frustrations get you down. Make marketing lists, and work your way down that list until you either find an editor to accept a particular story, article, poem, or novel chapters, or have exhausted the list. If every editor you’ve selected rejects your submission, it’s time to take a look and determine why the piece didn’t sell. Make some revisions and try again. It’s rarely easy to look at your own work objectively, but it’s possible, and it will be to your advantage to do so.

Lack of time to write is one common frustration. Life tends to get in our way. Occasionally, the writer allows that to happen, for what better way to postpone a project that’s not coming easily? A serious writer creates time to write. Frustration also occurs when an idea forms in the mind but won’t translate into the printed word. From the brain to the fingers is not always a smooth road.

Once in awhile, a writer finishes an article or story, puts it aside for the required seasoning of a few days, then brings it out again only to find that it doesn’t say what she wanted to say at all. In fact, the writer is disgusted with the piece and is ready to hit the delete button. It’s the very reason writing books and editors advise setting a finished piece of writing aside for a few days. Then the writer reads it with a new perspective; sees with different eyes and gains satisfaction from the process of improvement. Isn’t it better that she hasn’t been one of those writers who dash off a piece and call it finished, then send it to an editor immediately? More than likely, it will come flying back with a form rejection letter. Avoid this kind of frustration by allowing yourself some time between a partially finished and a truly completed piece.

While frustration often looms over a writer’s head, it’s not all bad. Beneficial lessons present themselves through the haze of the stress involved. It’s up to the writer to discern the positive angles. Face your frustrations with open eyes and a willingness to turn them to your advantage.

One of the best parts of being a writer comes with the publication of your work. It’s comparable to a gift placed in a golden box and tied with a silver bow, your name on top. Here’s where the satisfaction side of the coin shows up. No matter how many times your work is published, it’s a pleasure. It definitely erases some of that frustration, which never disappears completely but can diminish and become of less importance with each success.

Sometimes satisfaction comes from the fulfillment in achieving a completed story, novel, article or essay. Many writers begin a project and never finish. I’m willing to guess that most writers have folders with half-done projects. But it’s those completed pieces that allow satisfaction to enfold us like a soft, silken shawl. Revel in it when it occurs.

What joy there is when inspiration hits while we’re doing a mundane household task, or driving a car pool. Maybe a character begins to form in your mind when waiting for a bus, or a word you’ve sought reveals itself during a conversation with a friend.

Another form of satisfaction comes when an editor assigns a project and we manage to  return it completed with all points covered. Writing on speculation is much easier than writing to a specified set of objectives. For assigned articles, a writer must do the research, write a first draft, revise and edit her work, then check to see if she’s covered everything asked for. Including all points asked for requires good concentration and writing skill, so any satisfaction at the end is well-earned.

Escaping into another world while writing is one more form of satisfaction. While writing, we create a place of refuge, creativity, and personal meditation that can prove emotionally fulfilling.

I will continue reading the daily offerings in the devotional book for writers, and I am certain I’ll continue to learn from other writers’ frustrations, as well as enjoy the happiness that comes through when they are satisfied. I’m going to plan to keep the satisfaction side of the coin face up. It’s a lot more fun than the other side and is bound to make me a more productive, more creative writer.


© 2008

Five Tips To Get Published in Chicken Soup for the Soul Anthologies

I have been fortunate to be published twenty-one times in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, with number twenty-two coming up in January. Is there a magic formula for getting your story selected? No, but there are some things to pay close attention to that will make the odds of being selected tip in your favor. 

1. Read their books. The more you read, the better understanding you will have of what the editors are seeking. You’ll get a feel for what the editors want as you read numerous Chicken Soup stories and you’ll be entertained, as well.

2. Send only true stories that are humorous, inspirational or illustrate a life lesson. There should be something for the reader to take away. Make sure they are actual stories with a beginning, middle and end. An essay or a sermon will not make the cut.

3. Study the Guidelines. Note the word ‘study’ because scanning quickly through the lengthy page of Guidelines is not going to help you at all. Go to www.chickensoup.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page. On the far right column of the section titled More Chicken Soup for the Soul, click on ‘Submit Your Story.’ You will find three titles at the top of the page—Possible Book Topics, Story Guidelines and Submit Your Story. Check out the Possible Book Topics, then study the Guidelines and finally, submit your story via the online submission form. When the Guidelines say 1200 words, they mean 1200 or less, not any more. The editors are quite serious about every one of the Guidelines so you should be, too.

4. Start your story with action, not a long explanation of what you are going to write about. Jump right into the story and hook your reader. Make them want to continue reading.

5. Use dialogue, sensory details and emotion. If you have none, your story becomes a dull report. Keep in mind that too much of any of these overpowers the message of your story. Humor is great but don’t let it take over your story. Finding the happy medium is key.

If you do all of the above, the odds of being accepted will be in your favor. Even though I’ve been published in this well-known anthology many times, I’ve also submitted numerous stories that were not accepted. Keep the submission Ferris wheel going and see what happens. 

Note: If you have not heard from the editors two months after the story deadline date, you can consider it a rejection. They do not send rejection letters which is my one and only complaint of this fine series.

Writers--Consider A Sense of Place

When we write fiction or memoir, a sense of place holds 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 and 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.

Some points about a sense of place:

• It draws the reader into the story, takes them to another world than the one they are in.
• It helps let readers know how characters feel about where they are. It's not only a description of where the story happens.
• 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. 
• 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. You can read the essay here.

When you write a short story or a novel, what happens and to who 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. 

Writers--You Are The Master of Your Time

I was trying to decide what to write in today's post when an ambulance arrived next door to us. They came to transport the man who lives there to a hospital. He has a condition that only gets worse and harder for his wife to care for him. Soon, he will need to go to Healthcare. My heart ached for both of them and it made me consider how quickly our lives can change and how all the things we had planned to do are suddenly no longer a possibility.

That is also the case in our writing life. We plan to do this project or that one but time slips through our fingers on a daily basis. We want to write our family stories so they will be preserved for our children and future generations but the desire never seems to come to fruition. There just never seems to be enough time.

We see a Call for Submissions and think of a story in our files that we could revise and polish and send in. Then Life steps in and the momentary thought slip-slides away like melting snow.

How many times have you read about a Writing Contest that sounded like something you could submit to? How many times did you only think about it? There just isn't enough time! you said.

If you're a professional writer, you must make a certain amount of time for your writing but those of us who write part-time aren't restricted. We use what extra time we have for our writing. Sometimes, even that bit evaporates before we can reach out and grab it.

Watching our friend deteriorate with the disease he has makes me aware that life can change so quickly and all those things we'd planned to do will never be achieved. It's not only age that threatens but illness and accidents, job loss, financial disasters and problems within our extended families.

This post appears to be a real downer, all negatives. If you read my blog regularly, you'll know that I am a person who tries to accentuate the positive whenever the opportunity arises. The positive I leave with you today is that you are the master of your own time. Consider the moments of your day that you do inane things that qualify as wasted time. You're not alone. We all do it. You can create time to write by rearranging your day. Get up earlier, go to bed an hour later, give up something social. There are ways to gift yourself with blocks of time to write.

Stop putting all those writing things you planned to do aside. Life is shorter than we think. Grab hold of it now and make the most of it. Write that poem that's been swirling in your mind. Get to work on those family stories. Continue to work on your memoir or short story or the book you're writing--or hope to write someday. Don't wait until you say I wish I had... 

A Blizzard and a Writing Exercise

Snow drifts after our blizzard

Yesterday we had a blizzard in Kansas that roared in from Colorado and traveled on to other Midwestern states. The wind howled all day, creating fascinating drifts like these above. Gusts went as high as 65 mph producing snow art all over. The photos above are ones we took after the snow stopped. The at the top is between our house and a neighbor while the one below is just outside our front door. My poor little girl statue is standing in snow to her waist! 

This morning, there was a big drift against our front door, so Ken had to go out through the garage and shovel it away so our door could open. Now, the sun is shining and hopefully helping to melt some of the icy patches on driveways and roads despite the cold temp.

Description in writing is something we all should practice. I have listed words that can be used when describing a snowstorm or the aftermath. Write a description of a snowstorm or what was left when it ceased using as many of the words in the list below as you can. Maybe you can add some others to my list. Dig into your memory bank for storms of the past, ones that left an impression on you. 

Word List

• crystal
• sleet
• snowflakes
• fluffy
• frozen
• blanket
• storm
•  blizzard, 
• pelt
• fleecy
• snowed-in
• drifts, drifting, drifted
• white
• gleaming
• sparkling
• diamonds
• snowfall
• snow flurry
• snow crystal
• powder snow
• fall of snow
• icy
• cold
• wintry
• dazzling
• powdery
• squall
• blast
• gust
• bitter
• blustery
• menacing
• gale
• blast
• blow
• chilling

You Should Write A Book!

DUE TO THANKSGIVING TRAVEL AND CELEBRATION NEXT POST WILL BE MONDAY.

We were having dinner this evening with a group of people who have known one another for a long time. One of the women was the secretary to the Kansas State football coach from many years ago to just recently when she retired. She has served a number of football coaches and been a 'grandmother' to a great many young football players. A large number keep in touch with her after they graduate. We were reminiscing about some of the coaches she'd worked for when one man said, "You know what? You should write a book. I guarantee it would be a best seller." She just grinned. I piped up and said that I could help her, and she grinned a bit more but said nothing. Her eyes, however, were sparkling. I know she liked the idea but perhaps it all seemed overwhelming for a woman in her mid-80's. 

There are a lot of people who should write a book. Maybe some of the memoirists we have read started out that way. Perhaps someone told them "You should write a book." Some of them have done it, have published their book, and became public speakers when they needed to promote their memoir. 

What about novelists? Maybe one of them was always making up stories as a child and kept on doing it as a teen until someone said: "You should write a book."  And so they did. 

Just this past few weeks one of my close friends and her family had an experience that made me think they should write a book. It involves a needed kidney transplant, a surprise donor and a successful surgery. 

We see books published by celebrities all the time. Did someone say to them "You should write a book?" My next thought is wondering whether they actually wrote it or had a ghostwriter pen the book that is probably a success because of the name recognition. Look at all the people in the political world who have written books in maybe the past 10 or 12 years. Did they decide on their own or maybe someone across a lunch table in a restaurant said: "You should write a book."  The same with the sports world celebrities whose stories are of interest to others. Again, whether they write the book themselves or have a ghostwriter is immaterial. The sports personality had to provide the material that would make up the book.

Sure, lots of novelists, memoirists and nonfiction writers write books without anyone urging them. It's all their own idea from start to finish. Even so,  I have a feeling that there are more than a few books written because of someone saying: "You should write a book."

How about you? Have you ever said that to anyone? Has the question been directed to you from another person? If so, how did you react? If someone said it to me, I'd feel flattered but I'd have to take some time to ponder the possibility. 

Consider me saying to you "You should write a book." How would you react? Would you give it serious consideration because someone else thought enough of you to pose the statement? 

A Memory Letter Is a Great Gift

Don't worry, I haven't lost it. The reason I am putting up a Christmaslike poster two days before Thanksgiving is a sane one. The quote got me to thinking about a personal gift you can give this year, or at any time.

Create a Memory Letter for various people. After you write about your memories with that person, enfold it in a special card or tuck into a pretty box tied with a sparkly ribbon. Write about a memory, or memories, that involve that person. Tell your Aunt Suzy about the times you spent the night at her house and what it meant to you. Or write to Uncle Ted about the time he took you swimming at a lake far from home and the car broke down and you cried. Or whatever happened.

Write to a sibling and you might end up with a lengthy piece. Highlight those memories that stand out for you, things like--sharing a room, taking turns doing kitchen chores, fights you had over nothing and then made up. 

Write to your best childhood friend or a fraternity brother or a friend who went all through grade school with you. Write about the funny things, the times you loved and what you learned.

If this is a gift, you shouldn't write about any grievances you might have. Aim for positive things. Maybe you can write about a difficult time and how it affected you and the way you got through it with that person's help. 

If you write a letter filled with memories as a gift for your mother or father, be sure to let them know how much you appreciated this or that as you grew up. Kids don't thank parents for things in their everyday life over the years, but later the memories emerge and they realize what their parents did for them. It's never too late to show your appreciation and love. The same goes for grandparents if you are fortunate enough to still have them.

What about a letter to your doctor or your longtime hairdresser? It would mean a great deal to people who have offered you a service for many years. Tell them what you admire about them, what special things you appreciate. 

Anyone who receives a memory letter from you will be touched and pleased. The letter gift will be remembered long after it was given, unlike the gift you might have picked up in a department store. 

The December holidays are still far enough away that you will have time to write your Memory Letters. Pick a few people as recipients this year and do others next year. Or for their birthday. 

No returns, no gift card that runs out on a certain date, no worries about sizes or likes/dislikes. A Memory Letter may be the best gift ever!

Authors Who Write Books On Writing

A book is for learning, for joy, and for satisfaction

Last Friday, I used a quote by Orson Scott Card at the top of my post. A writer friend and Follower of my blog commented that this writer was one of his favorites, that he wrote wonderful sci-fi books and also books on writing including Characters and Viewpoint; How To Write Science Fiction; and Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. 

I started thinking about other writers who stepped away from their usual genre to write books that are meant to help new writers, intermediate writers and even advanced writers. Should you and I read them? You bet! These books are written by proven, published writers. They know what they are talking about. Bigtime!

I like that they are willing to share their expertise and their experiences with other writers. Granted, they want to sell the book and make some money but they are also willing to give advice to other writers. I admire those who do that. I also thank them as I have read many books on writing that have been written by well-known authors. I have gained a lot from each one.

Here is a partial list of books written by novelists about writing. Look for them in bookstores or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

• Ursula LeGuin--Conversations on Writing; Steering the Craft; Words Are My Matter
• Anne LaMott--Bird By Bird
• Stephen King--On Writing:  A Memoir of the Craft
• Elizabeth George--Write Away: One Novelist's Approach To Fiction and The Writing Life; The Art of Writing
• Ray Bradbury--Zen in the Art of Writing
• Ernest Hemingway--Ernest Hemingway On Writing
• Nancy Kress--Beginnings, Middles and Ends; Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoints; Crafting Dynamic Dialogue

There are many more which you can find by hunting through your favorite search engine. Do you have any favorites to add to this list?

Story Ideas Are Everywhere

I have told other writers much the same thing as our quote today by the novelist, essayist and public speaker, Orson Scott Card. He is a man who must walk through life observing others and looking for a storyline. 

How many times have you heard a writer say I want to write but I just don't have an idea for a new story and you nod in agreement.? There are stories everywhere! What you need to do is train yourself to use your 'writer's eye' as you move through your daily activities, your travels and visits to family or friends. 

When you walk through your grocery store aisles, you pass many people. Do you look through them or at them? To develop your writer's eye, you must look at them. Then do a mental questioning to get a glimmer of what their story might be. Will you ever know for sure? Probably not. The important thing is to observe and see if there could possibly be a story there. 

When you see a mother interacting with three children trying to shop and keep control of the little ones at the same time, you might find a storyline. How is she handling the situation? With grace and style or as a harassed mother of three crying children? Does her frustration show or does she keep total control of herself? 

The mother is only one of many people you see on your grocery shopping expedition. You might pass a college student filling his basket with Ramen Noodles--cheap meals for a struggling student. How about the elderly couple moving slowly from aisle to aisle helping one another? You could pass an obese woman whose basket is filled with all the wrong kind of food. 

You might not find a full story but you can certainly catalog the people you see in your mental file as possible characters to use later. Conversely, you might witness a full story in a grocery store with two or more people involved. The next time you do your grocery shopping, look at the people you pass. 

Walk through the park or on a walking trail and you're bound to come up with an idea or two for a story or essay. Many years ago, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of nature that I witnessed on an early morning walk. As soon as I reached home, I sat down and wrote an essay on the same. 

There are stories to be found in your workplace, sporting events or shows you attend, even on Sunday morning at a church service. Consider a newspaper reporter. He/she is looking for stories wherever he/she goes. They become very keen at nosing out a story. Fiction writers and essayists and poets can do the same. One day, a few years ago, I was out walking and noticed an old man in baggy pants walking ahead of me with a companion/nurse. I knew there was a story in the making. Later in the day, I wrote a poem titled "Old Man In Baggy Pants." What else? I could have just walked by and not given him a thought but I used my writer's eye and my writer's mind to come up with a story about him.

The point here is that you can train yourself to find story ideas wherever you go. When you see people or a situation, play the What if...? game to help you get started. There will be times that you see a full story in front of you but sometimes it might be just the start of a story and you'll have to finish it with your creativity. 

Remember to look "at" people, not "through" them. 

Watch Those Passive Verbs!

Sometimes we adult writers need to go back to school, if even for a very short time. Our English teachers gave us the toolkit to use as we write our stories, essays, nonfiction articles and poems. Even so, we can use a bit of a refresher course now and then. And being a teacher from way back, I will step up today and remind you about one important part of our writing. 

When I critique the work of the others in my online writing group, one of the things I mark over and over again (and other critiquers do, as well) is the repeated use of passive verbs. We pump out those 'to be' forms like is, was, are without a thought as to what they do to your overall piece of writing. 

We all do it, especially in a first draft. When you don't catch them during an edit and submit your work filled with passive verb forms, you lessen your chances of acceptance. 

So, what's wrong with those passive verbs? We all use them in our daily conversations. What's the big deal? Too many passive verbs and we end up with plain vanilla when we could have chocolate if we use active verbs. Sentences with myriad passive verbs are rather blah. Change them to something that shows action and your reader sits up and takes notice, subconsciously perhaps, but their inner mind tells them this is a more interesting read than some. 

Some examples:

A.  The reason was that the girl was afraid she would be laughed at. (3 passive verbs)

B.  She feared others might laugh at her so she ran inside her house. (No passives/more interesting)

A.  The clown was funny and he was the hit of the show.(2 passive verbs)

B.  The funny clown proved the hit of the show.  (used adjective and then a semi-active verb)

Some writers question how to get rid of those passive verbs. There are sentences in which you can just substitute an active verb and change nothing else in the sentence. Sometimes, reversing the order allows a writer to use a more active verb. You can also use the object of the verb as an adjective as shown in The funny clown... in the first B example above. 

When you are ready to edit, you can move painstakingly through the text searching for passive verbs and make changes. If you use Word to write your stories and more, there is a handy little gadget that will make short work of finding those passives. 

Open your document and you should be on the Home page of the many choices at the top of the document. Move to the far right until you see a list of words that start with 'Find.'  Click on Find and a box will show at the left side of your document. Type in the word you want to check. I used was in the document I wanted to check. Like magic, each was in the 1700 word document showed up ion a brownish highlight color. I chose something written long ago and I used was. To be honest, my reaction can only be described as shock. I had a bushel basket of that tiny little, and oh so passive, verb.

If you use some other program to write, it most likely provides a similar provision for you to check words. You can use it to check any word, not only the passive verbs. Try it with a few of your documents filed away for future use (hopefully). 

Is there ever a time you can use passive forms like was? Of course! We'll never eliminate all passive verbs. Like all things, use them in moderation. Watch the overuse, especially when one sentence has three or more in it. I critiqued a submission yesterday where the word was showed up three times in one overly-long sentence. That is a no-no. 

Remember that active verbs provide interest and your job as a writer is to keep your readers interested.  

Writers--Each Day Is A Fresh Beginning

Today's quote works in our writing world as well as our everyday life. If we let them, our cares and woes as writers tend to build as the days go on. If we let them! We are in control even though we need to be reminded of that now and then.

Let's face it. None of us likes it when a story doesn't gel or we get rejections three times in one week. What if we submit a story for a critique and it comes back with red marks slashed in more places than ever before and the remarks from the person who did the critique are crushing blows? We hate that part of our writing life but it IS a part of the world we've chosen. 

We can let these negatives drag us down or we can push those broken pieces of yesterday out the door. Sweep them up in a neat little pile, then dispose of them. We can't forget about all of those problems. Some of them do have to be addressed but we can do that on another day.

Consider each day as a blank sheet of paper. We start fresh but we can begin by taking care of those troublesome things behind us, one at a time. It's not a matter of dragging the bad things along with you. Not at all. Each new day allows you to fix whatever was wrong and then start anew. 

In a perfect world, we'd be able to bandage every wound from our past writing but we know that is not going to happen. Even so, we can repair some of the old problems on a new day. We can also slam the door to yesterday behind us and walk through the portal of today and feel renewed. 

Some nights, when I go to bed, I lie there and think about what I did and did not accomplish that day. I nearly always fill both those columns. I find that the older I get, the more of those 'did not accomplish' things are added to my list. It doesn't mean they will never get done. I don't lose sleep over that part of the list. 

Instead, I know that the morning will come and I have an entirely new day to whittle that to-do list in my writing world. 

Treat each new day as a gift. It's yours to begin all over again. 

Guest Blogger: Marlene Cullen, The Writing Prompt Queen

Marlene Cullen

 I have a new writer friend who gives various prompts to help writers get some inspiration to write. I have dubbed her The Writing Prompt Queen. She has also edited three anthologies for writers about writing. See links in Marlene's guest post today. 

Ways To Heal When Writing

You can use the difficulties in your life and represent them in your writing.  Describe the difficulties as if writing a scene in a novel.

Look at your situation from a different point of view – from that of a character in a story.

Take A Break
When your writing becomes too difficult, stop. Take a break. Go for a walk. Treat yourself to a glass of iced tea or hot apple cider. Wash your hands with special scented soap. Do something physical to relax your mind.

Use a focal point as a reminder to relax and breathe deeply. A focal point is anything you like to look at: in your home, your writing environment, or outside.

Have A Plan
Have a plan for when you are feeling overwhelmed and need relief from emotional tension while you are writing.

Prepare a healthy snack before you begin to write. When the writing gets difficult, take a few minutes to nurture yourself, whether it’s food, a soothing drink, or a visual treat. Look at a pleasant picture or a memento that has good memories for you, or get physical. Go for a walk,  stretch, move around.

Empowering

Writing is a type of self-care that can be very empowering. Writing about emotional situations gives you some control in your present situation and new ways to look at past experiences, where you didn’t have control.

Use your writing to heal, being careful to not re-traumatize yourself.  You might benefit from the healing potential of telling your story.

Practice writing about your past without letting it overwhelm you.

“If we write about our pain, we heal gradually, instead of feeling powerless and confused, and we move to a position of wisdom and power.” — Writing As A Way of Healing by Louise DeSalvo

Links to healing through writing on The Write Spot Blog:

How to write without adding trauma.
The Healing Power of Images Prompt #139
Does your heart hurt? Prompt #269

BIO:  Growing up in the Mission District of San Francisco offers a treasure chest of stories for Marlene Cullen to write about. Living in the same Sonoma County farmhouse with her husband since 1977 and raising three wonderful children on this rural property provides a rich bounty of cherished and tender memories to choose from and turn into stories.

Marlene is the editor of The Write Spot series:  The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Discoveries, The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Connections, The Write Spot: Reflections. These anthologies include entertaining vignettes and writing prompts. Every contributor offers encouragement to writers to keep writing.  Each volume has a resource section, guiding readers to become writers.

Marlene’s blog, The Write Spot Blog, features over 400 writing prompts, places to submit writing, encouragement to write, and techniques to improve writing.

Marlene's short stories and essays have been published in literary journals, anthologies, and newspapers.

The Write Spot

The 100 Year Anniversary of Armistice Day--Poems

A field of poppies

Yesterday, we marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice of WWI. The famed phrase, ...on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th  month..., is one many who honor the fallen of that war and others find familiar. 

There were myriad poets who wrote about that war, the war that was supposed to be the end of all wars. One of the most famous poems is In Flanders Fields written by John McCrae, a Canadian. He penned the poignant words after conducting the funeral of one of the men in his company who had been killed. 

There are many others with words that were written with swelling emotion in the middle of the conflict and others by someone waiting in fear at home. Why were these poems so acclaimed and remembered? I think one reason is so that we remember the horror war brings and hope to never see it again. Another is that the poets wrote with heartfelt emotion which invoked those emotions in the readers. That so many get resurrected every year on Veterans Day and are used by teachers in schools in present-day shows the lasting quality of the works and our need to remember. 

The National WWI Museum in Kansas City, MO is a must-see if you are in that area. To enter the museum, one crosses over a glass bridge which has a field of poppies beneath it. What a preparation for what the visitor is about to encounter inside. A short video about what they have done to commemorate this anniversary is worth watching.

Here are three poems that evolved from the horrors of that war fought 100+ years ago. The first is one you probably know. The second talks about the regular soldiers and the third shows us a typical morning and a solider who sees a rat that moves from one side of the conflict to the other, a simple observation with great meaning. 

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


Dreamers
by Siegfried Sassoon

Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,
Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.
In the great hour of destiny they stand,
Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows.
Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win
Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.
Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin
They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.

I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,
And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,
Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,
And mocked by hopeless longing to regain
Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,
And going to the office in the train.


Break of Day in the Trenches
By Isaac Rosenberg

The darkness crumbles away.
It is the same old druid Time as ever,
Only a live thing leaps my hand,
A queer sardonic rat,
As I pull the parapet’s poppy
To stick behind my ear.
Droll rat, they would shoot you if they knew
Your cosmopolitan sympathies.
Now you have touched this English hand
You will do the same to a German
Soon, no doubt, if it be your pleasure
To cross the sleeping green between.
It seems you inwardly grin as you pass
Strong eyes, fine limbs, haughty athletes,
Less chanced than you for life,
Bonds to the whims of murder,
Sprawled in the bowels of the earth,
The torn fields of France.
What do you see in our eyes
At the shrieking iron and flame
Hurled through still heavens?
What quaver—what heart aghast?
Poppies whose roots are in man’s veins
Drop, and are ever dropping;
But mine in my ear is safe—
Just a little white with the dust.

How Will You Celebrate I Love To Write Day?

(NOTE: This is a revised post)

November 15, 2018 will be the 16th annual I Love To Write Day. I usually feature it in my post on that mid-November day but am giving you advance notice. It's the one day of the year that everyone is encouraged to write. Doesn't matter what it is--just write! A thank you note qualifies, but so does a poem, a story, a two paragraph description or memory piece. So, mark your calendars now. Save that date!

Personally, I celebrate this day every day because writing is something that satisfies me like nothing else. I'm willing to bet that my blood pressure evens out to normal whenever I write. It pleases me to string words together in hopes that they will touch the heart and soul of at least a few people who read them. Maybe my words will provide pertinent information or entertain someone. When I finish a writing project, no matter how long or short, I have a sense of accomplishment greater than when I do anything else. 

I like words. I like putting words together. I like creating stories and poems from those many words. I enjoy doing crossword puzzles because they are filled with words, unlike those Sudoku puzzles that irritate me to no end. Some people love them. Must depend on whether you're a number person or one addicted to the beauty of words. There is no doubt which category I fall into. I have committed a cardinal sin in the writing world because I used words five times in this paragraph. It's to be excused for this day only!

I've heard far too many people say they hate writing. They offer a number of reasons, but one I hear frequently is that it is because of a teacher (or teachers) who made it a chore instead of pleasure or who ridiculed the results of an assigned essay. Sad that they who should be the greatest proponents of writing for enjoyment sometimes end up being the biggest discouragers. Maybe part of it is because we were often assigned the topic, not left to create our own subject. On the other hand, when the teacher said to write on anything of your choice, we sometimes sat there with a blank slate in our mind. 

I hope that teachers and parents will encourage children to write. We push reading at all levels today, which is wonderful. But I'd like to see more emphasis placed on writing. Mary Lane Kamberg, a Kansas author, has a fine book of tips for young people who want to write. She includes exercises in The I Love To Write Book--Tips and Ideas for Young People.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, I hope you will do what you can to promote the joy of writing to the young people you know today. There's plenty of time before November 15th to plan an event or project to celebrate I Love To Write Day.  

John Riddle, a Delaware-based writer, is responsible for giving us this one day of the year to celebrate writing. Read about the history of this day here. You have close to a week to think about what you will do to celebrate I Love to Write Day. You can do it on your own or encourage others to write that day, as well. 

Writers Need To Let Inner Thoughts Emerge

The poster advice for today sounds so simple, doesn't it? Go ahead, sit at your computer or on your sofa with notebook and pen, then write with all the 'awesome' you can find. 

Too often, we writers keep that 'awesome' stuff on a tight leash. Yes, we try to write with emotion and often succeed but what if we unclipped the leash and let our deepest thoughts emerge into whatever we are writing? 

If we could do that on a regular basis, we'd be writing some terrific pieces. Instead, we let our inhibitions take over and we write as well as we can without unleashing that 'awesome.' I'm not saying none of us ever write good stories and poetry and essays. Not at all. What I am saying is that, if we could let go of our learned-over-a-lifetime hidden feelings, our writing might be even better.

Ernest Hemingway was known to drink heavily. Maybe he was an excellent writer partly because, when he drank, he didn't care what he said or did. His inner-self rose to the surface and poured into his writing. I'm not advocating writing with a bottle sitting next to you. Not at all. 

Why do we keep part of who-we-are buried within? Maybe we're afraid of what others might say if we expose our true selves. We shouldn't be. Perhaps, there is the fear that if we really let the best writing we have emerge, we will have to keep to that standard and that's hard work.

Of course, we are all different people and the reasons we keep the best hidden deep inside are varied, as well. 

One way you can begin to 'unleash your inner awesome' is to do those free-write exercises that I promote and that so many writing books offer as a tool to work your way to good writing. Why? Let's define the freewrite exercise first. Choose a word or a phrase in any way you like. If nothing else, close your eyes and point to a word in a book, then use it for your exercise. Set a timer for ten minutes. Write the word, then start writing without thinking and without stopping. Let your fingers fly across the keys or holding your pen and write whatever comes to mind. It does not have to make sense. Often, it doesn't but many times the bones of a new story or essay will come forth like a butterfly from its cocoon. The best part is that sometimes thoughts from the inner recesses of your mind spew into what you have written and surprise you.

Another help would be to 'give yourself permission' to write whatever lies buried within. Sound silly? It's not. Our human mind is a wonderful but strange part of us. It's perfectly alright to tell yourself to go ahead and open the dam, let the thoughts flow into your writing.

Building your confidence a little at a time is also going to help you unleash that awesomeness.

We do want to put emotion into what we write; we hope that the reader will feel the emotion. The looser that leash on awesomeness becomes, the more we will be able to put into our writing, the better chance we will have to be published and the more satisfied we will feel. 

Regarding the free-write exercise. Marlene Cullen has a blog that offers free-write prompts on a regular basis. You might take a look at she does on her short but sweet blog. She offers prompts that are more than just single words or a simple phrase. What a great practice for all writers.

Write About November Memories

November offers a lot to write about. Those who write family stories probably have many happenings to choose from. Choose something from the list below as a topic. Make it an essay, a memoir piece, a personal essay, or a poem. Delve deep and bring your memories to the surface and use them as you write. 

November brings:

• Elections
• A Change in weather
• Veterans Day
• Family Birthdays
• Thanksgiving
• Leaves to rake
• Winter clothing
• Christmas decor in stores

You can write about what November was like where you lived during your growing up years. I wrote something along that line several years ago and included it in my Family Stories book. It doesn't tell one particular story but does describe what life was like in November when I was a child and young adult. As always, use sensory details, emotion and descriptive phrases.

Memories of November In Chicago

 The crisp, sunny days of October somehow slid into damp, gray ones during November in the Chicago area where I grew up. The sun played hide-and-seek in the late autumn and winter months, mostly hiding. Harsh winds swept across Lake Michigan, bringing a chill that seeped through warm, woolen jackets and into the bones. Fallen leaves swirled around our feet with each new gust and naked branches dipped and swayed like ballerinas. We walked faster on our way to and from school. Once home, Mother often commented that we had roses in our cheeks, nice way to describe chapped skin. We paid little mind to our rosy cheeks once inside our warm apartment.

Each of the five rooms had a large radiator with an on-off knob on the side, and a deep, narrow pan for water that hooked over the back to increase humidity. We had steam heat, fired by a huge coal furnace in a garden level basement. The coal man inserted a chute  from his truck into a window. He sent the coal rumbling down the chute while several kids gathered around. The apartment janitor stood at the delivery end of the chute in the basement. Once this scary looking, coal-blackened man finished, the kids ran to the basement door to witness the next step in bringing heat to all our apartments. The janitor, grabbed a big shovel and fed the furnace from that huge heap. He let us watch for a few minutes, then snarled at us. “Get out of here now. No place for you kids.” His fierce look sent us scattering. During a coal strike, we wore coats and hats inside, waiting for the hissing sounds of heat coming through the radiators.

We celebrated Armistice Day every November 11^th, commemorating the armistice signed to end WWI at the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month, 1918. Even after WWII, Armistice Day remained as November 11^th. Now, we call it Veterans Day and it’s celebrated on the second Monday of November. There are still parades and meals to mark the day but I like the original date best.

At school, we studied the Pilgrims first Thanksgiving—history and art class rolled into one. Some classes had replica feasts.

My Thanksgiving menu now remains the same as when my mother or aunts prepared the dinner—turkey roasted to a golden brown and stuffed with a moist dressing redolent with sage. Aunt Adeline made French dressing, a spicy sausage added to it. We savored mashed potatoes and rich gravy, sweet potato casserole, homemade yeast rolls, cranberry sauce, a salad called Seafoam made with lime jello, cream cheese, mashed pears and whipped cream. Our vegetables were usually green beans. Pumpkin pie with real whipped cream finished the feast.

We alternated the dinner with my dad’s two sisters who lived near us. My five cousins, three brothers and I had a wonderful time together, despite the wide range of ages. After dinner, we were shooed outside to play, even when it was very cold. I suspect the adults sat around and drank more coffee, nibbled on the leftovers and did all they could to put off the dish washing time.

No dishwashers, so all the women cleared the table, washed and dried the dishes with towels made from flour sacks. When my female cousins and I got older, we were drafted  to help. Chattering women and clattering dishes, that’s what was heard in the kitchen after dinner. The men plunked themselves in comfy chairs and listened to the radio and often napped.

Once married, I thought about asking my extended family to our house for Thanksgiving. I hesitated for fear of upsetting my mother who had cooked countless Thanksgiving turkeys. My aunts had passed away, so Mom was always the hostess. One year, I worked up the courage to suggest it, and Mom threw her hands skyward and said, “Finally! I’ve been waiting for someone to invite me for Thanksgiving for years.”

Now, my children sometimes make the trip to Kansas for Thanksgiving. We use a few shortcuts and we load the dishwasher instead of drying dishes with flour sack towels, but the grandchildren revel in being with cousins just as I did all those years ago. The faces around the table may be different, but the same warmth of a family gathering to give thanks and spend time together is there. May it ever be so.

Interview With Author, Grant Overstake

Grant Overstake

                  

Yesterday, I reviewed Grant Overstake's new YA novel The Real Education of TJ Crowley.  Today I am pleased to post an interview with the author. Read it and share with others who are interested in writing a novel, whether for adults or YA. 

Nancy:  You were a newspaper sports writer and editor. When you retired, you started writing YA fiction. What inspired the big change?

Grant:  Becoming a novelist came as an unintended consequence of being unable to find a newspaper job in the same town where my wife could teach middle school science. In 2011, we moved back to Wichita, KS where Claire found a teaching position and I began schooling myself to write fiction. As a newspaper writer, I was a stickler for accuracy and nobody accused me of misquoting them. As a novelist, I get to make up juicy quotes and put in my characters' mouths. It's funny. Everything I write is Fake News.

Nancy:  The first YA novel you wrote, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, was a real winner in my estimation. A Kirkus Review called it "a fine young adult novel about perseverance in sports and in life." What prompted you to write it? And why feature pole vaulting in the story?

Grant:  Maggie is the story of a gutsy Kansas farm girl who overcomes tragedy and soars to new heights as a pole vaulter. I got the idea while watching former Olympic pole-vaulter, Earl Bell, share his wisdom with youngsters. I asked Earl if he would consider coaching a fictional vaulter to new heights. When he agreed, I knew Maggie was destined for big things. With its ever-rising crossbar, pole-vaulting is a great life metaphor. I vaulted myself and was able to express the thrill of flying so high. It's gratifying that coaches have used the story to inspire their athletes. Maggie is the subject of my school presentation "Don't Quit! Use Grit!" She's a resilient character who gets back up time and again after she fails. She's an inspiration to students who have real-life challenges to overcome.

Nancy:  Did your first novel win any awards?

Grant:  I'm happy that the story was inspirational to readers and that the quality of the writing has also been recognized. The strong Kirkus Review was a big affirmation. Having the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) put Maggie on the cover of its statewide journal was a great tribute. The story was named Book of the Week by BookWorks in 2013 and Publisher's Weekly selected it as one of their "Too Cool for School" reads just this past year. The book was published in 2012 so it's gratifying to know the story is standing the test of time. Another awarding experience was having the story performed by Audie Award-winning voice actress, Tavia Gilbert. She received great reviews for her audiobook production of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon.

Nancy:  Your second YA novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley, was released yesterday, November 5, 2018. The story is set in a period of great civil unrest in Wichita, KS in 1968-69. Young men being sent to Vietnam was also a part of that era. Thirteen-year-old TJ Crowley receives an education in both race relations and competing with the shot put. Why did you include the sub-plot of TJ learning to compete in Track and Field?

Grant:  It's said that an author should write from their most vivid personal experiences, and as a former decathlete and coach, I know about the subject. The late 1960's was an explosive time in US history and TJ Crowley is an explosive young teen. He needed an event to pursue that would match his temperament. Because the shot put is one of the most explosive events in all of sportr, the shot put ring was the perfect place for TJ to channel his fiery temper.  

Nancy:  Why do you want the young people of today to read and learn about the Civil Rights Movement of years ago?

Grant:  They say that history doesn't always repeat itself but often rhymes. The things we experienced 50 years ago during the Civil Rights era need to be taught to young people so they can separate ongoing racial myths from reality, especially with the resurgence of hate groups in our country today. Experts who've read the manuscript are eager to introduce it to their classrooms so students can address these issues while reading and discussing the novel.

Nancy:  Did you base the story on real people or were the characters entirely made up?

Grant:  This story is realistic, historical fiction for young adults. Which means everything about the story is made up, except for the parts that are real. Or, in reverse, everything is real except for the parts I made up. I grew up in that exact time in Wichita so the setting is real but the storyline is almost entirely fictional. Many of the main characters are real people fictionalized for the story. I had some personal experiences that helped me wake up to being White; I did a lot of research and spent many hours interviewing Black people who lived in that time, trying my best to get it right. I received my "real education" first and then I wrote the story the way TJ Crowley might've learned it himself in that period. 

Nancy:  What is your plan for promoting this newest novel?

Grant:  There are several ways we plan to promote the book, which is being produced and distributed through Ingram. We'll be targeting libraries, bookstores, and schools. The first steps have gone remarkably well with outstanding endorsements and reviews locally and nationally. The best way to promote a book is by word-of-mouth. We want readers to tell others that TJ Crowley is a good read.

Nancy:  Do you have plans for a third book? Possibly a sequel to this one? This reader was left with wanting to know more about TJ.

Grant:  I don't think there will be a sequel but I have a couple of stories that I was working on earlier. Now, I'm not quite sure. My main focus right now is acting as the publisher and marketer for this book, which is going to be a full-time job for the foreseeable future. We are going to republish Maggie Vaults Over The Moon as a hardcover soon. There are people who want to collaborate with me on a sequel to Maggie soon.

Book Review--The Real Education of TJ Crowley

TJ Crowley may go to school every day but his real education takes place in a garage talking to a man whom he never expected to converse with, let alone grow to like. TJ, in the seventh grade, faces myriad choices amidst confusion and fear as well as anger.

Grant Overstake's second YA novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley, is set in the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement in Wichita, Kansas. The summer of 1968 just prior to entering 7th grade leaves TJ Crowley spinning like a top. His dad deserts the family and his older brother joins the Army, then is shipped to Vietnam. His mother spends her days housebound relying on cigarettes and liquor.

The author invites the reader on a train ride of problems that TJ encounters and worries he has, as well as choices he must make. At times, I cheered TJ on, then feared for him, and sometimes felt disappointed in a choice he made. I had no problem in turning the page and continuing reading this intriguing story of a turbulent time in our country that resonates even today.

Fiery-tempered TJ narrates the story. It doesn't take long to relate to the character and what he is experiencing. The author has created a fine cast of secondary characters who all influence TJ's life in some way. Emotions run on high throughout the book.

Timothy Hayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist offered praise for the book. He said, "This intense young adult novel presents numerous racial stereotypes and then shatters them."
I would agree wholeheartedly with his assessment.

Adults would benefit from reading this novel as well as the young people it was written for. It's a story that could be used in schools to promote discussion on the racial problems our country still faces today. The author does not tip-toe around what the desegregation problems were like in the late '60's. He is honest in his presentation, no sugar coating.

I give The Real Education of TJ Crowley 5 stars and urge anyone who has a middle school or early high school student in their family to purchase this exciting new novel by Grant Overstake. It's historical fiction at its best and a good story. Gift it to the young person but also read it yourself.

The book release date is today, November 5, 2018. You can order it at Watermark Books and Cafe , at Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.

On tomorrow's blog, I will post an interview with the author.