Step Up The Pace In Your Writing Journey

Yesterday afternoon, I visited two ladies from my church congregation. We had a pleasant visit despite the fact that they are now living in a Memory Care Unit at a Senior Living Complex. Physically, they are fine, but severe short term memory loss makes life difficult for them and for their families.

As I drove home, it occurred to me that, since none of us knows when we might have similar problems or something else that slows us down, we need to push our writing journey into high gear. Are there stories yet to tell? Do you have a possible book swimming in your head but you haven't started writing it yet? Is there a big writing project that you know you want to get to 'someday?'

How often have you, like me, pushed pet projects into the background for lack of time or strong motivation or that 'just not ready' feeling?

I'm sure you've all seen that poster quote that says So many books, so little time. Serious readers can relate, and they are the ones that have bought the coffee mugs, shirts, and tote bags that feature the quote. What about one for writers that says So much to say, so little time? If you're a writer, you DO have a great deal to say in the form of the printed word. Maybe we all need to pick up the pace a bit.

Older writers know their time to accomplish all their goals is limited. Younger writers feel like they have all the time in the world. Hopefully, they do, but unexpected events can interfere at any moment.

I came home feeling like I needed to speed up my writing journey a bit. I don't mean for this post to be a downer. Most of you know I am a positive thinking person. My reason for writing about this today is to make us all work a little harder, a little longer so that we can achieve all that is possible in our writing life. It's not an admonition, but something to think about. 

First Drafts Need To Simmer A Bit

Yesterday, the post was about proofreading, a task none of us particularly enjoys. We'd much prefer writing the first draft and shipping it to an editor quick as a bunny jumps across a woodland path. It might be our preference, but that doesn't work very well as many find out through experience.

A better way is to write the first draft and leave it alone for several days. Let it sit untouched. Meanwhile, you do other things and forget about that piece of writing. Go for a walk to search for the first signs of spring. We who live in wintery places are seeking those initial signs with gusto. Clean your house. Go shopping. Work on some other writing project. Do whatever you would like, but let that draft you saved in a file sit and simmer for days or a week, even longer if you get extra busy. 

I guarantee that, when you start to proofread and edit, you will see so much more than if you started editing as soon as you finished the draft. Little errors will stand out. If you do your proofreading and editing right away, you're bound to skip over many of them. 

Is it hard to wait before you edit? For some people, it's quite difficult. I've always been a 'do-it-now' kind of person. I had to learn to let that first draft age a bit. Several days ago, I wrote a poem that I plan to sub to my online writing group. My first inclination was to submit it right away and let the group do the editing for me. I realized it wasn't fair to send something so raw. Instead, I saved it in a file and I haven't looked at it since. I have thought about it but left it alone. Later today, I'll proofread and do some editing and then send my poem to the group for critique. 

When I was learning the craft of writing, I wrote the first draft, did a quick edit and called it done. It is no wonder that the rejections came tumbling back to me. My mantra became take your time, Nancy. After I allowed myself to let that first draft sit a while before I tackled it again, I began to get a few acceptances. I realized that it was most certainly worth taking more time. 

If you let that piece rest for several days, you might think of something more to add to it. If you worked on it immediately, that new thought might not enter your mind. Another good reason to wait.

As my regular readers know, one of my two keywords is patience. Be patient and don't tackle that first draft immediately. You'll become a stronger writer if your time.

The Benefit of Proofreading

I've spent the last half hour proofreading and editing a synopsis for a novella for one of the members of my online writing group. This was version #4 and she said she needed some other eyes on it. 

By the time we write something that many times, we are not very good at proofreading our own work.

She was wise to ask for fresh eyes. Someone else sees little errors that the person who is so involved in the piece of writing does not. 

This is not the first time I've addressed this topic, and it probably won't be the last. My reason is simple. It's important!

What are we looking for when we proofread? 

• typos
• punctuation 
• clarity
• repetition of words (or phrase)
• passive verbs
• unnecessary words
• cliches
• too many adjectives
• adverbs
• telling instead of showing
• tense
• spelling

Typos are easy to fix.

We make simple errors in punctuation. Are you going to use the Oxford comma or not? Choose one method and be consistent. That's where many mistakes are made. Write a sentence like Mary hit the ball, ran the bases, and collapsed at home plate. This illustrates the Oxford, or serial, comma. It's a style choice. You can eliminate the comma if you prefer. The BIG thing is to be consistent. Don't mix up the methods you use.

Clarity is a bugger. What seems perfectly clear to the writer is not always so for the reader. So, do check to make sure the reader will know what is happening.

It is so easy to repeat words, especially everyday kinds. Things like was, is, want are so easy to use again and again. Even phrases like my younger brother can unknowingly be repeated in a story. Find something to replace the phrase or the words that are repeated in a couple of back to back sentences or even in one sentence.

Passive verbs creep into our writing very easily. It's fine in the first draft, but you'd better look for active verbs to replace a lot of them. Using a passel of passives ends up being boring for the reader.

Those unnecessary words like really, very, just come naturally to us when we converse with others. In our writing, we should not use them except in special cases. For emphasis, perhaps.

Again, we use a lot of cliches in our everyday conversation. Replace them when you write with something else. Don't be a lazy writer and pluck a cliche out of the air. Think of something new.

Too many adjectives leaves you with flowery, overdone writing. Use adjectives to help with description but choose wisely and sparely.

The same goes for adverbs. Adverbs after a dialogue tag tells the reader how the person spoke or is feeling. Far better to drop the adverb and show with an action.

We have been told myriad times that it is better to show than tell. Still, we often fall into the trap of wanting to do nothing but 'tell' a story. Showing as much as possible brings the reader into the story and is more interesting.

Be careful of tense when you write. Choose past, present, or future and be consistent. Switching tenses within a paragraph is confusing to the reader, even switching here and there within the story, unless it is for a purpose--such as a flashback. 

Last in the list, but far from being unimportant, is spelling. Some people are notoriously poor spellers, but there is help when we write on the computer. Use spellcheck. It's a wonderful tool for all writers. 

When we all started to write, the story, essay, article or whatever was our primary focus. Nobody told us we had to have all our ducks in a row (to use a cliche) with the mechanics of what we wrote. The longer you write, the more you realize how necessary it is to be able to write well grammatically and with clarity.

Learn to be a good proofreader and your writing will be stronger and possibly more publishable.

Submission Choices and Considerations

Have you ever heard these cliches before? Don't mess with success. If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Then, there are a couple that contradicts the first two. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Don't look back, that's not where you are going.

This is all leading up to the fact that I've decided to try a new look on this blog. What I had was alright, but it's rather nice to try something new once in a while. Not sure this will be the permanent one. I have a whole lot of choices from Blogger. They do let you see a preview of what the background will look like. So many choices and also a lot to consider before selecting one.

It's much the same when we're looking for a place to submit our writing--lots of choices, much to consider. If you're sending something to a magazine or ezine, you'll be crossing your eyes by the time you research a number of them. Don't be tempted to select one of the first three you find. There are so many other choices. One of them might prove the better place for whatever you've written.

A problem, maybe a headache, is that it takes a great deal of time, effort and scrutiny on your part to find a good fit. Isn't it worth all that to submit to a place that is more likely to accept your submission than to ship it off to one that would have no interest at all? I'm not going to send a travel essay to a magazine that deals with cooking and recipes. (Unless the travel article is centered on what we ate on the trip) Make sure you're sending to a place that will be a good fit for what you've written.

Years ago, writers had to purchase a marketing directory or spend hours at the library studying theirs. No checking it out; you had to read it at the library, make your notes and hope you could make sense out of them once home. Now, a search engine of your choice will zap you quickly to myriad publications. Use keywords to narrow the search to ones that would work for what you want to submit.

Another consideration is whether you want a paying publication or if you're willing to be published with no-pay. Name recognition alone is alright with some writers and definitely a no-no with others. Add 'paying' or 'non-paying' as a keyword in your search engine.

Another decision before submitting is whether the circulation number is of utmost importance to you. Sure, we'd all like to be published in those publications that go to many thousands of subscribers. If you decide that is the only type of publication you are going to submit to, prepare yourself for disappointment as your chances are not nearly as good as they might be with a smaller circulation magazine or ezine. Think about submitting to the smaller circulation publication until you build up some credits. Then move on to the bigger, higher-paying markets.

I once knew a writer who chose one publisher to send her work to and one only. She received many rejections from said place, but she persisted. It took a very long time before she had an acceptance. I think she became her own worst enemy by narrowing her possibilities so much. However, she was a woman on a mission and she did achieve her goal. I've lost track of her so don't know if she is still subbing to the one and only, or if she's widened her horizons.

If you receive a rejection from a publication, don't cross them off your list for future submissions. There are myriad reasons that a piece is rejected, so don't give up at the first rejection. Try again with different submission and try another publication with the one that didn't make it.

If you have an opinion on the new look of the blog, feel free to send it to me in the Comments. Some of the items shown on the old blog are still there but not immediately seen. There are three little bars at top left. Click on those and all the pertinent things will show up. Scroll down to find them. I have had a lot of trouble switching this over. I thought I would strictly be changing the background. Wrong!

Writers and Interruptions

My intention today was to write my blog post early this morning and then go out to do errands. Good intentions often go astray. My phone has been ringing nonstop. I thought about a poem I wrote quite some years ago that addresses the interruptions of life.

For those who write at home, it appears that one small thing after another delays your writing. I have one writer friend who had a problem with her husband soon after he retired. She was deep into writing a nonfiction book, working many hours each day in her home office. Said husband kept popping in asking questions, making her lose her train of thought. The questions were not dire, just little things. She finally had a talk with him, telling him she needed to work without interruptions. Her solution was to make a sign that she fastened to the door of her office when she wanted peace and quiet. The sign said Writer Working. To his credit, her husband honored it, knocking softly only when he had something important to relay.

We read articles that tell us how to manage our writing time. I've written a few myself. No matter what we do, those little interruptions are bound to come now and then. Maybe my solution this morning should have been to let the answering machine accept a message instead of answering myself. The poem is below. I am quite sure many of you can relate. If you like it, you might consider sharing it with other writers.


Good Intentions

I shall write today,

I very often say...

But first, I must

rid the house of dust,

then a quick sweep

of all the floors I keep.

I shall write today,
I very often say…
But, there’s the phone
calling for me alone.
Next, a cup of coffee
before I’m truly free.

I shall write today,
I very often say…
Here comes my friend
before I can write again.
Her visit takes awhile,
but brings a happy smile.

I shall write today,
I very often say…
Make dinner, feed the cat,
and then, more after that.
Soon, it’s time for bed.
I’ll write tomorrow instead!

Hearing vs Listening

I hear ya! It's a common phrase. People hear what we tell them but are they actively listening? There's a major difference between hearing and listening. 

It didn't take me long during my first year of teaching 4th grade that the children always heard me but they didn't listen to the directions I was giving so either did the assignment incorrectly or wore a path to my desk to ask questions. 

One of the tools a writer needs is to be an active listener. When you go to a writing workshop, do you truly listen to what is being offered, or do you sit in the chair and hear the words but they slide right on through you? To be a good listener you should sit up and give your full attention to the person speaking. Block out those other thoughts for the duration of the workshop talk.

When you read a reference book with a writing theme, do you scan the paragraphs or do you read them so that they come through to your brain and make sense? Reading is a different form of hearing/listening but it works the same way.

When you attend a writing group, do you hear the others while doodling on the piece of paper in front of you, or do you focus on what is being said, truly listening? If the person is reading something and hoping for a critique, you'd be able to give a much better critique if you listened carefully as the other writer read aloud.

If you and a writer friend spend a couple hours having coffee and talking about your writing life, do you hear his/her chatter, or do you actually listen to what your friend is telling you? One on one meetings between writers often offer sage advice. Again, it's worthwhile to truly listen to what your friend tells you.

What about if you send in a submission and a rejection bounces back, but it also has a note from the editor. Do you read it quickly, then mutter a few words before stomping off to the kitchen to get something to snack on? It would benefit you to read that note carefully. What the editor is telling you might be key to fixing the story or to what kind of place to send it the next time. Reading with care is also a form of listening; what you read goes straight to your mind where it registers just as it does when someone speaks the words in person. 

Learning to listen requires giving your full attention to the person speaking ( or writing ) to you. Tune out the distractions and zero in on the speaker and stay with them. If you find your mind wandering, or something outside the window catching your attention, stop it as soon as you can. If it helps, flick your fingers on your wrist, or some other action so that you are listening. 

Hearing but not listening is a common failing. You've done it; I've done it. Recognizing it and taking steps to improve your listening powers is worthwhile. And yes, your writing will benefit. Think of all that good info your mind has stored away when you've listened carefully. It's there for you to use when needed. 

Some Good Rules For Writers--Part 2

To continue with the Rules for LIFE:

5.  Assume nothing and question everything.  My first thought here is that many writers assume what the guidelines are for a particular magazine, website or book publisher. That throws up red flags because, if you don't follow the guidelines, you aren't going to get published. Same with writing contests. If you are still left wondering after reading the guidelines, don't assume. Send an email or make a comment on a facebook group page or a Contact Us on a website to ask about the part that is not clear to you.

6. Make peace with the past or you'll pay for it.  This seems pretty self-explanatory but, for some people, it's difficult to put the past behind and move on. If you don't work on making peace with the past, the stress alone can be a threat to your mental and emotional health. and throw up blocks to your writing. What's done is done. Try to move on.

7.  Stop thinking so much and start acting. Too much thinking about writing and not doing it is that old procrastination cropping up again. If you get an idea for a writing project, do think about it for a while but don't make it a marathon thought process. The sooner you start writing, the better. I was talking with another writer earlier today about the number of people who come to writing groups just to talk about writing but produce only small amounts of writing or none at all.

8.  Never compare yourself to others. I think this is a very important point. You are a unique person. No one else on this earth is exactly like you. There may be many you admire but you don't ever need to try to measure up to this person. You write in your own special way; your writing voice is unlike that of anyone else. 

In closing:  If you and I can follow all eight of these rules for LIFE in our writing journey, we can be proud of the writer we have become. 

Some Good Rules For Writers

I like these Rules for LIFE. They can be applied to all parts of our lives but at this blog, we're concerned about your writing LIFE. Let's see how the eight rules can relate to that. 

1. See failure as a beginning, not an end.  When things go awry on our writing journey--and they often do--we feel ready to give up. Thoughts like Whatever made me think I could write? and This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. go through our minds. When we're feeling down, it's pretty easy to talk ourselves into digging deeper and feeling even worse. If you look at the failure as step one in a new part of your journey, you'll reap the benefits. 

2.  If you don't go after it, you won't have it.  My first thought here was a quote by Jack London, the novelist. He said  “You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” It's common sense that we cannot sit in a chair and wait for what we hope will happen. Writing is hard work, finding the will to write and the inspiration can be tough, too. It's up to us to 'go after it.' 

3.  Always do more than is expected of you.  With the thousands of submissions an editor sees, we need to put something extra into our writing if we're to be noticed. An old cliche comes to mind here--reach for the stars. Don't be satisfied with just completing an assignment or a project. Add a little more. 

4.  Teach others what you know. If you have the knowledge, it is a kindness to share with others. Most writers are happy to help other writers by giving workshops, one on one critiques, or mentoring a new writer. 

Tomorrow, I'll address the last four Rules of LIFE. One more thing before closing today. I ran across a great poster that refers to yesterday's topic of procrastination.

A Repeat Post With New Thoughts on Procrastination

One of my readers asked me to expand on the Procrastination part of Lazy Writing from last Friday's post. I thought about a post I'd written seven years ago. It became one of the most popular. I'm reposting today but adding some new thoughts. You'll see the present day additions in blue.

Deadlines and Achievement 

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 that 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.

Procrastinators are often people who work better under pressure. They tend to take the attitude that there is time to do that later until 'later' suddenly becomes ''now.' They push themselves to write, but will the result be their best writing?

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.

Yes, if pushed, we come through. That's admirable. Again, I ask a question Will it be your best work.
And Will you have time to let the piece simmer several days before you edit?

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.

That 'setting priorities' bit is of prime importance.

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?

There is a little danger in the joy of that acceptance. You may have procrastinated but still came out a winner in the end. Your inner conscience could very well say See, putting the project off didn't matter. I came out on top. Convince yourself of that, and you'll go right on putting things off. Yes, you'll get things done, but will it be your very best writing?

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

It's great to be an achiever, but it would benefit you to curb your procrastination tendencies. I do think that it is possibly an inborn trait. I have always been a 'do it now' kind of person. I prefer to work on a project and get it finished and know I have time to edit and revise. That's me. I know that is not everyone. Even so, I think procrastinators can work on putting achievement higher on the list. 

Lazy Writing

Do you know any lazy writers? Perhaps you are one yourself. The first step is to admit that yes, you are a lazy writer once in a while or maybe quite often or even all the time. Before anyone accuses me of pointing a finger at others while playing Miss Innocent, I will admit that, at times, I have also practiced lazy writing.

We don't do it by choice; it can happen without our even realizing it. What, you might ask, is considered lazy writing? 

Lazy writing...

Using cliches or idioms:  It's so much easier to reach out and pluck a cliche to use when we want to make a point. If a cliche comes to mind first, come to a screeching halt and ask yourself what you can use to replace it with something fresher and not so well-known.

Stereotypical characters:  Beginning writers often create characters like the ones they've read about for years. The typical dumb blonde, bumbling detective or perfect mother. It's easy to recreate these kinds of characters. It's much harder to come up with someone totally different.

Proofreading:  The lazy writer doesn't bother with proofreading. 'Nuff said!

Careless with words:  If you let words like stuff, things, often creep into your writing on a regular basis, your reader gets irritated. Take time to replace these words with ones that have real meaning in regard to what you are writing.

Weak verbs:  Using passive verbs like is, are, was or plunking down went or got is the epitome of lazy writing. Take the time to find active verbs. I read a sentence the other day that used was three times. A big no-no.

Repeating words:  Repeating words close together becomes noticeable and is also boring. If you use a word like car in a sentence, then continue to talk about same in the next sentence, change car to vehicle. It's easy to catch when you proofread or read your work aloud.

Procrastination:  We can certainly identify the lazy writer as one who delays writing for various, and usually unimportant, reasons.

Telling, not showing:  We all know that telling a reader about a character's thoughts is a heck of a lot easier than showing the same. It's also faster. And also not nearly as interesting.

Find a good thing and use it too often:  Sometimes, writers find a small quirk to identify their character. Maybe a young woman pulls at her earlobe when she is upset. Use it but not constantly. Find something else to show that she's upset. The reader will become bored or irritated--yeah, we know she does this.

Most of us have been guilty of doing one or more of the things I've listed. We're writers, but we're also humans. Humans have failings. The good thing is that, once we recognize our failings in our writing world, we can correct them Correct the problems and guess what? We are suddenly better writers. It's never too late to make a change.

An Unsent Valentine Letter

I love Valentine's Day. It's a day to let those we love know that they have a special place in our heart,--spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend/children/friends. I usually post the Valentine story I had published in a Chicken Soup book. It's called Love In  A Box and is about me, my dad, and a valentine box.

Valentine stories are needed at children's magazines and adult ones, too. These publications get an abundance of Halloween and Christmas stories. Be different and send one for this special love day.

Have you ever written about your first love? Were you 10, 16, or 45 when Cupid drew his bow and aimed it straight at you? Think about writing a personal essay showcasing your first love. I wrote the one posted below quite some time ago. Sadly, I have never sent it because I lost track of my first boyfriend.

Happy Valentine's Day to all my writing friends and readers of this blog. You mean a lot to me.

An Unsent Valentine Letter

Dear Michael,

I suppose you’re called Mike now, but to me, you’ll always be Michael, the boy who was part of my life for so many years. My very first memory of you spirals back to kindergarten. We sat on the green rug with our classmates, all gathered close to Miss Horst’s chair as she read to us.

Your arm circled my shoulders, but suddenly our teacher stopped reading, cleared her throat and said, “Michael and Nancy, we do not sit that way.”
   
Never being one to be at a loss for words, I piped up immediately. “Oh, it’s OK, we’re going to get married.” A story told by our mothers for many years!
   
Yes, you were my boyfriend in kindergarten and on into our grade school years. We had our ups and downs, mostly because I pushed you away when other kids made fun of us. I still liked you, but I wouldn’t admit it to my friends. Never wanted to give them the chance to laugh at me for sticking with you, the boy they considered a wheeler-dealer and not the coolest guy in the class. I’m sorry about that now that I’m an adult and realize that you were the one who was my true friend, not those giggly girls I hung out with.
   
Do you remember the many days we walked home from school together? You carrying the big, shiny tuba that you played in the school band, and me carrying your books along with mine until we got to your corner. I handed over your books and trekked the rest of the way home alone. Quite a sight we must have been. You were always big for your age, and your dark hair, brown eyes and olive skin were such a contrast to my red hair, ivory-toned skin, and small stature.
   
Then the day came in Junior High that you told me you had three questions for me. We were at your house, just the two of us. You asked if I liked you. “Of course, I do,” I told you, my heart beating a little faster. The second question soon followed. “Will you go steady with me?”  We were about to start eighth grade, and the whole idea of being a couple scared me. Do you remember what I said? I’m not sure of the words I used, but I do remember that I turned you down in as nice a way as I could. By this time, my heart was pounding, and I felt the heat of a blush across my cheeks.
   
I’ll never forget what happened next. You looked so sad, put your hands in your pockets and mumbled, “Then I guess I don’t need to ask the third question.” And I knew I’d been saved from that first scary kiss. Innocence, immaturity, and fear of the unknown had produced my answers. I wonder now where our relationship might have gone had I agreed to go steady with you.
   
We went to different high schools, so I only saw you occasionally, mostly chatting on the phone. But who did I turn to when I didn’t have anyone special to invite to my graduation dance? Of course, it was you because I knew you’d come to my rescue. And you didn’t disappoint me. We had a great time that evening, didn’t we? I felt so elegant in my long white formal, and you looked great in a suit and tie. It was the last time we were together. As so often happens, we lost track of one another through college years and starting careers.
   
I wanted you to know that you have always had a special place in one corner of my heart. Thanks for treating me like a princess all through our grade school years. I learned something about loyalty from you and you helped me know the kind of man I wanted to spend my life with. I did find him. I hope you have a wife and family that have given you much joy through the years for you most certainly deserve it.

Fondly,
Nancy

Looking For Inspiration To Write?

Emily Dickinson

Are you familiar with the work of Emily Dickinson, the poet whose work was never published until after her death? She died in 1886 leaving about 1800 poems which her sister found and managed to  get them published beginning in 1890.

She was a recluse for much of her life, writing the poems in her bedroom in Amherst, MA. I have always admired her poems, not that I've read the entire collection. The number is extraordinary. 

She came to mind today when I read the offering on a day-by-day calendar we received for Christmas. The Emily Dickinson Museum has a replica of her bedroom. The bed and small stove are original and the rest of the furniture only replicas. That includes the writing table where she probably wrote her poetry. The museum website offers the opportunity to see the bedroom and learn a bit more about it.

The calendar page offered a quote by the nineteenth-century poet, one I liked a lot and wanted to share with you today. She said:

     "I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word." 

Apparently, the museum has chosen to capitalize on that quote. Visitors are allowed to rent the bedroom for a few hours. They can bring their own writing materials and wait to see if inspiration comes to them. I wonder if certain parts of the room are a Do Not Touch area. Surely, they would not want visitors to stretch out on the bed for a snooze. But, to sit at the writing table and wait for sparks to fly in your writing mind might be wonderful.

I was once a visitor to a German courtroom where the Nuremberg Trials were held after WWII. The tour guide mentioned how the seats were filled with journalists, including Ernie Pyle who was an acclaimed writer in his time and Pulitzer Prize winner. When I heard that, I felt a shiver up my spine. To think that I was sitting where these famed writers had sat, taking notes and planning articles was heady stuff. The longer I was there, the more I wanted to start writing, not only wanted but felt compelled. Was it the ghosts of writers past that reached out? Or just the idea of where I was and who had been there before me? So, maybe I could be inspired to write poetry if I was to visit the museum and sit at Ms. Dickinson's writing table with paper and pen.

I should tell you about the day I had the pleasure of visiting Claude Monet's home in France, but that is a story in itself to be saved for another day.

If you could choose to go to the place where a writer you admired practiced his/her creativity, where would it be? Whose home? Whose garden? Whose bar? Coffeehouse? University? 

A few more quotes by Emily Dickinson: 

“'Hope' is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tunes without the words - And never stops - at all -”

“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only way I know it. Is there any other way?”

"Dwell in possibility."

“Success is counted sweetest/By those who ne'er succeed./To comprehend a nectar/Requires sorest need.”

Writers often ask how to get inspired. One way is to study other writers, their lives, their dwelling place, and their writing. If you have an opportunity to visit the home or museum of a writer, don't pass it up. I felt inspired when I walked the grounds and visited the home of Robert Frost. A friend had the great experience of spending time writing in the Ernest Hemingway House in Oak Park, IL.for a full year. I must check with her and see if being in Hemingway's home did inspire her own writing.

So--What's It All About?

Today's post is a rerun but worth repeating. If you're like me, you sometimes need a nudge to remember something from long ago. 

“The difference between real life and a story is that life has significance, while a story must have meaning.
The former is not always apparent, while the latter always has to be, before the end.”
― Vera Nazarian

This author quote comes from a writer who is known for fantasy and science fiction works, both novels and short stories. Her premise that a story must have meaning can be expanded into nonfiction works, as well. If there is no meaning to what we write, what's it all about? We don’t put hundreds of words together to babble. We have a reason for writing. There is something we hope to convey to our readers.

In other words, be sure there is a 'why I wrote this' aspect to everything you write. What is it that you're attempting to show the reader? Essays, including personal essays, should include some universal truth. Essayists don’t string words together because they like the way they look. They have something to tell you. Even if it is only one line, it can be the entire reason for the rest of the piece which illustrates the idea behind the essay. It's why you wrote it.

After you're finished with a story, a nonfiction essay or memoir piece, read it over again and ask yourself what the meaning of the entire piece is, what did you try to portray to the reader. If you can't find it, your reader certainly won't either. And I am not suggesting that there be a line in the story that says I wrote this because... Definitely not. It needs to be there for the reader to find. We might consider the meaning of what is written as the hidden treasure--something not to stay buried but to be found and savored by the reader. There need be only one golden nugget within a story but let it shine.

I've noted many times when someone offers a critique in my online critique group, they will ask why the writer wrote the piece. They want to know what the meaning is, especially if it is not obvious. Sometimes the meaning of what we write is very clear, while others remain a bit too deeply entrenched. A good writer will make sure the reader knows the meaning and a good reader will be able to find it.

We don’t always begin a new story, essay or memoir piece with the idea we want to get across to our readers as our prime objective. In telling your story, the meaning should emerge. If it doesn’t, ask yourself what in the world you’re trying to say. Even when we write a story to entertain others, there should be some worth to it.

Look at a few synonyms for the word meaning. Maybe they will clarify that word. There are a lot of them listed in a thesaurus. A short list includes sense, purpose, aim, essence, intrinsic value, object, intent, and symbolization.


Writers who tend to ramble usually have no real purpose in what they write. They can write hundreds of words that may sound poetic, or trip merrily off the tongue but are worth a lot of nothing. Include the meaning to give the reader that special “Aha!” moment, even if it’s rather subtle.

A Writing Prompt, A Fall and A Wife's Fright

A number of years ago, a writer friend offered a wonderful writing prompt at one of the conferences I attended. She asked the first part of a question, then added different endings. We could choose any or all to write about an experience. Hopefully, this first draft would be the initial writing that would become a personal essay. 

I was truly surprised at the lengthy drafts that I came up with when I answered one of her questions. What were the questions? 

The beginning of each question is: What is the travel or life experience in which you...

The list of the final part of the question is below:

What is the travel or life experience in which you...

• ...were the most frightened?
• ...were the most frustrated?
• ...experienced an outcome that surprised you?
• ...felt the most exhilarated from afterward?
• ...waited the longest to achieve/experience?
• ...learned the most from?
• ...didn't really want to do, but were glad you did afterwards?

Try any, or all, of the questions and see what happens. Do it in any form you like, but putting in sensory details and dialogue could enhance it. Play with words a bit. Add what you learned if you want it to be a true personal essay. Or some universal truth that the experience brought to you. 

I'll give you an example of one I did several years ago. I didn't have to ponder on the question very long as I knew immediately the time in my life when I was the most frightened. Read mine, then try one of the questions (or more) on your own. Keep in mind that this is the first draft, no paragraphs and much to be edited later.

What is the travel or life experience in which you were the most frightened?

I believe the most frightening experience I've ever had happened only a few weeks ago. When Ken fell and hit his head while out walking on a snowy street, he came in acting confused, upset and totally unlike himself. He is a confident man with an outstanding mind, and to see him so different frightened me to the point that I felt weak, knees like jelly. "I don't know what day it is," he said. He looked at me like a lost puppy dog. The unspoken message was there. "Help me!" So, what did I do? I asked him who the president was, tried to make light of it. He hesitated for a long time, then gave me the wrong answer. That's when the fear knotting inside me tightened until I thought I might cry. Instead, I suggested we go to the emergency room. Normally, he would have waved me off, said he'd be fine. Not this time. "OK," he said. He began to pace the house from one room to another, asking strange questions about whatever he saw. I grabbed jackets for both of us and led him to the car. I glanced at him once as I drove the three minutes to the hospital, and he appeared near tears. The knot in my stomach reached boulder size. Three hours and a CAT scan later, bloodwork and two doctors later, it was determined he had a concussion, needed to spend the night for observation. It was raining outside and temperature dropping so I went home, then brought some things back for him and made sure he was calm and settled in before heading home in the worsening weather. The fear I'd had earlier intensified as I reflected on the doctor's words. "We need to do some more bloodwork. It's possible he had a stroke and that is what caused his fall." I spent a near-sleepless night as a stroke had never entered my mind. It was a snowy morning and he slipped. Why did the doctor plant that rotten little seed? Our family doctor, who had been away the day of Ken's accident, called me at 7:20 a.m. the next day to say it was a simple concussion and no sign whatsoever of a stroke. He'd been seen by a neurologist and cleared to go home. I brought home the man I knew and loved, no longer confused and afraid. The knot in my stomach fell apart. This entire experience frightened me more than when Ken had a heart attack, more than when we learned he had prostate cancer. I had never felt as close to losing him as when his mind was affected. 

The Making of a Good Book

Like our little friend in the poster, I am always happy when I have a good book to read. What I sometimes forget is to be grateful for the people who write books. As readers, we owe them a big vote of thanks. 

Consider what they give us--hours of pleasure, knowledge, food for our brains and more. Do we, as readers, give thought to what goes into the making of a good book? Those of us who are writers probably have more awareness than the person who is strictly a reader, a recipient of all that is good within a book.

Time is a big part of writing a book. An author has an idea which may linger in his/her mind for months before he/she begins writing. A book author makes outlines, storyboards, character sketches and more before writing those all-important opening lines. The writing may take months, even years. Then comes the revising and editing. Add more time for finding a publisher. The well-known novelist already has an editor and/or agent. The newbie has to search for agent/editor. More time. Once the book is under contract, additional revising and editing, then the physical printing and all that goes with it. Once the book is published, the marketing begins, the search for reviewers and more. All this happens before you and I open to the first page to begin reading.

And yes, happiness is a good book, but what constitutes a 'good' book for me may not work out the same for you. We all have different tastes in reading. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of books in our world to satisfy the varying interests we all have. I would never choose a sci-fi book, but many people read nothing but sci-fi. Horror themes leave me turning away. Historical fiction and family sagas are at the top of my list, but I'm certain many of you would gag at the thought. 

Aren't we lucky to have so many people willing to put heart and soul into the writing of a book? We're blessed with having so many genres to choose from and libraries/bookstores where we can browse until we find a book that will make us happy. 

Next time you find something new to read, give some thought to what went into the writing and producing of that book. We laugh when we say the author uses 'blood, sweat, and tears.' Might be more fact than fiction! 

The Writer and Determination

Last night, we had thunder, lightning, sleet, freezing rain and then a bit of snow on top of all that! Many things canceled today in our community and in other parts of Kansas due to the weather. This morning, it is cold--14'F--but the sun is shining. I was planning on going to lunch and bridge with friends this afternoon but that, too, is canceled. The quote by Ayn Rand on today's poster made me think that, sometimes, the weather does stop us from forging ahead with our plans. 

The weather won't affect your writing. In fact, it might provide you with some extra writing time if you have to stay inside. Ms. Rand's quote tells me she is a determined person. To be a successful writer, determination ranks high on the list of traits a writer should have.

The dictionary tells me that determination is firmness of purpose; resoluteness.  A thesaurus gives 41 synonyms. 41! I'm not going to list them all, but you can check the list here if you are curious. One of the synonyms was perseverance. That brought a smile to my face since my two keywords for my writing world have been patience and perseverance for a long time. 

Somehow, I feel like determination is stronger than perseverance. That is what Ayn Rand's quote appears to me. She is determined, filled with strong purpose, and not about to let anyone tell her what to do in her writing world. It must work as she is a well-known, published novelist. 

How determined are you to continue writing, to keep on trying to get published, and to ensure your growth as a writer? That's quite the trio, isn't it? The wishy-washy writer isn't going to put much effort into those three necessities to make him/herself a better writer. Only he/she who is determined will see results. 

We all have times when we get dejected regarding our writing. It's human to do so. Let yourself wallow in self-pity for a day or two, then bring up that determination factor and keep going.

Determination will not produce huge results overnight. This is where patience comes into play. Be determined but also be willing to wait and see what happens as time goes on.

Yes, the weather might stop you from going somewhere today, but you can still be determined to let nothing get in the way of your writing goals. 

Is There A Right Way To Write?

Not all writers approach a new writing project in the same way. When writing fiction or creative nonfiction, we can separate writers into two main groups. 

Those who outline and know exactly what their story will be. They are guided by the outline and seldom stray from it.

The other group, commonly known as 'pantsters' are writers who have an idea and perhaps a few thoughts about where the story will go but they plunge right in writing and let the story lead them. They write 'by the seat of their pants' which is a pretty strange phrase in itself. Pansters is, of course, the shortened version.

Which is the better way to write? There is no right or wrong here. You write in whatever way makes you comfortable, whatever method works for you. Do the outliners never stray from the plan? I'm sure some do occasionally. It would seem especially prudent to do so if the story is not working out very well. No method is set in cement. The writer is free to change anything and everything.

What about those pansters? That includes me, by the way. I have an idea, write an opening sentence and let it carry me onward. There are times that my original intention changes drastically. Other times, I have no idea where I'm headed. I let the story carry me through. 

Case in point:  I have written a middle-grade novel about a boy who lives in the late 19th century. He comes from a family of coal miners but he has no interest in becoming a miner. He excels at school, loves learning, but family circumstances push him away from school and into the mines when he is not quite 12 years old. He has two best friends, a stern grandmother, a weak father and a brother who are both miners. He also knows a boy in the mine who makes his life miserable. I knew that I wanted Will to get out of that mine and back to school. When I started writing, I had no idea how that would happen. 

I jumped right in and before long, the characters led me on to the next chapter. I didn't know that a gypsy woman would figure prominently in the story until Will sees her. I had no idea that Will's great-uncle from England would show up in their small Iowa town. I hadn't planned on an accident in the mine nor the result. Will and his best friend, Emily, showed me the way. Some would think that a made-up situation. I assure you it that is not made up. Characters leading the way does happen. There are many writers who would confirm that statement. 

Beatrix Potter's quote rings true. There is something exciting about writing the first words of a story, even for the outliners who know where they are heading. For the pansters, it's delightful to start out on the journey and feel your way, listen to your characters and dive right in. 

A Photo Prompt Writing Exercise and Why We Do Them

Who is she? Where is she? What is she thinking? What kind of day is it? Where is she going? What does she have to do? Where has she been? What is her name? How old is she? 

All the questions will help you write a story or a few paragraphs about this photo prompt above. When doing this exercise you can/should also use or show the following:

• thoughts of the girl
• emotions
• weather
• sounds she hears
• the temperature and its effect
• smells---is that smoke?
• is there fog? 
• why she is sitting
• what about the leaves? color, touch, sound when walked on etc
•  contents of her backpack

I've heard writers say that they can never come up with a good story when doing a photo prompt exercise. It might be that they don't ask themselves questions like the above. You cannot merely look at the picture and expect a fantastic story to sail into your mind. You need a little help. Once you begin asking questions and considering place, emotions, and more, it becomes much easier to write.

And why should you bother with writing exercises like this? Why not concentrate on your present writing project instead of practicing writing? My answer is that the more you do these exercises, the easier writing becomes when you work on your present work in progress. The little extras that we learn to do through the exercises become habit when we write. 

I have some ideas about that young girl in the woods. Do you?

How Strong Is Your Writing?

I have a full day on Monday so am posting today (Sunday). Next new post will be on Tuesday.

We are stronger in some parts of writing and weaker in others. It would be of benefit to do a little pondering and decide what your strengths and weaknesses are. Make a list of both, side by side. One might be longer than the other, or they might be fairly equal. 

As writers, we should capitalize on our strong points and work on the weak ones. To do this, you need to be honest in your assessment if you want to improve your writing. No one but you is going to see this list (unless you choose to splash it on twitter or facebook). 

When you check over your strengths, go ahead and pat yourself on the back and keep using those bits as you move through your writing journey. If you're a master of metaphor, keep using this tool. If you can use description that brings a scene to life, go right on doing it. If you have the ability to bring emotion from your words to the reader's heart, continue.

But what about the weaknesses? They're all parts of your writing world that need attention from you. Some might say that they really aren't sure what their weaknesses are. If you are in a critique group, look for things that are pointed out regularly. It's much easier for others to see errors you make on a regular basis.

In my early days of writing, I was the queen of unnecessary words. I wasn't aware of it until the people in my critique group kept pointing it out, some harping on it. It made me aware of what I was doing. I also used too many cliches in those beginning years. I had it made very clear by those who critiqued my submissions. 

When I realized how often I made these errors, I became more conscious about it when I wrote my first draft of a new story or article. It's one of the top reasons I recommend a critique group--even if it is you and one or two others. More is better. 

While a writing group is helpful, many of us spot our own weaknesses. Once we know what they are, we have two choices. We can ignore them or work on correcting our weak areas. 

I have a writer friend who writes wonderful essays and articles, but she writes sentences long enough to stretch across the Missippi River. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but some go on and on. That type of sentence can easily be broken up into two, or even three, shorter ones. 

One way to find your own trouble spots is to read your work aloud. The small problems appear more evident than when you read silently. Look for your trouble spots in books on writing and study those sections.

Yep--capitalize on your strengths and work on your weaknesses.  

Inspiration To Write In February

It's Friday but also the first day of February, so Happy Friday and Happy February! This is the shortest month of the year but it has several notable days:  Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, and President's Day. In my childhood years, we celebrated the birthdays of two presidents. Abraham Lincoln on February 12th and George Washington on February 22nd. Now, it's one day for all presidents. 

My son and his oldest daughter both have birthdays in February, so I add two more special days to this month. 

Memories are triggered for me by each of these days. Those memories can easily lead to a story to write. It might be one to add to my Family Stories book or a story for a magazine or anthology. Here are a few of the memories that came to me as I wrote those special February days above:

• the movie--Groundhog Day
• groundhogs in the zoo
• a Valentine box my dad made for me when I was 7
• Valentine parties in grade school
• learning about Abe Lincoln in school
• hearing a favorite senator deliver a Lincoln Day speech
• learning about George Washington--especially the cherry tree story 
• the day my son was born
• waiting for my first granddaughter to be born

Make your own memories list for the days in February that have some special meaning for you. That list has suggestions for new stories to write. Jack London's famous quote comes to mind:  You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. I agree. We can't sit in a chair and wait for bright lights and shining stars to explode above our heads. We have to go after inspiration in a variety of ways. 

The exercise here is only one way to find inspiration. Get out of the house. Take a walk. Visit a shopping mall. Sit in a waiting room at a Dr's office or train station or wherever you'll find people. Watching and listening can bring inspiration if you do so with a writer's eye. Go to a concert. (Yes, an entire story came into my mind as I listened to the classical music of a symphony orchestra one evening) You have to go after it, not wait for inspiration to come to you all wrapped in pink paper and a pretty bow.