Encouraging The Love of Reading

A newspaper article I saw this morning said that Reading test scores had gone down this year in more than half of our states. That seems pretty sad to me, one who loves reading and is always a great proponent of same. Children who score poorly on a reading test are probably ones who never read outside the classroom.

I'm a firm believer in starting to read to your children even when they are infants. It's an introduction to reading at a very early stage. As the child grows, so will their interest in reading. There's little doubt that the mere act of holding a child on your lap or cuddling up close to them will leave a long-lasting warm impression. They'll associate books with love and feeling secure. 

The child goes to school and learns to read on his/her own. No loving parent or grandparent by their side. The older they get, the more books they read in school. Some will be great readers and continue to read outside the classroom. Others are children who read the required amount but have other activities to occupy them after school and on weekends to the point that they don't ever pick up a book and read in free time.

Our society has bought into the speed factor. There is little time so let's do everything as quickly as we can. Zip through Facebook on the cellphone. I see calls for submission for Flash Fiction more and more. Why? It's a fast read for people. We have come to wanting our news in small bits, as well. Everything seems to be in the mode of getting it fast, make it short. Why? Maybe attention spans are shortening as well as the not having time factor.

Books are published on a regular basis, so we know there are readers out there. The problem is that there could, or should, be more readers. That begins with the children who are learning to read today. We want to pique their interest in books in every way we can. Playing games on a computer or phone is far more appealing to some. Who can encourage reading?

Teachers need to foster the love of books and reading. Parents should be doing the same. There are parents who read and ones who do not read for pleasure. I'm guessing that the children of those parents who are readers will become readers themselves. We learn by example. 

We can give books as gifts to children. Or take a child to a bookstore and let him/her pick our a book.

Talk to children about a book you've read and enjoyed. You don't have to tell them the story, just state your pleasure with reading the book. A child's mine might think If Aunt Sally likes to read, then maybe I should try it, too. At least, that is what we hope. We had a much-loved and revered football coach in our town whom every child recognized As I was walking through the library one day, I noted a new poster. It was a good-sized photo of the coach with one word at the top--READ. What a great way to encourage kids to read.

As writers, we need to help kids learn the joy of reading. Make school visits if you write for kids. Encourage your own kids and their friends to be readers. Opportunities present themselves to do this, so take advantage when that happens and do your part in teaching children the love and joy of reading a book.

Family Treasures Inspire Stories

My Grandmother's Dish

The small dish above belonged to my maternal grandmother. She was the daughter of a farmer and wife of a coal miner, so I doubt her house was filled with exquisite pieces of china. She and my grandfather had a quiet wedding. When she went to the General Store some days later, the owner told her he'd heard she'd gotten married. She affirmed what he'd heard. The man told her he'd like to give her a wedding gift. The little painted dish was that gift. Wherever Grandma lived, she took the dish with her. Later, my mother had it, and now, it is mine. A family treasure.

Most of us have something special that has been passed on through generations of the family. It's a perfect prompt to write a family story about the plate, or rocking chair, or cedar chest--whatever item it happens to be. My story about the dish was pretty short, but if I was writing a family story about it, I would have added much more, made it an actual story, and a true one. I would have told how it came to be in the family, what it meant to my grandmother, and what it meant to both my mother and me. I would have tried to add some dialogue and more description. It would be a story, but a true one. 

There is something else you can do with one of your family treasures. I wrote a fiction story for middle-grade kids using the dish as the focus point. It's historical fiction. The only truth is the dish being in the general store. Just Plain Sarah Jane was published in Knowonder! magazine. The editor also used the story as an example in the submission guidelines, which both surprised and pleased me. 

You can read the story below. Look around your home to see what family piece you now own might be the basis for either a true family story or one that is fiction but using the item as part of the story. I always tell you that stories are everywhere. There might be one in your china closet or out in the garage or the barn. Take a look around. 

Just Plain Sarah Jane
by Nancy Julien Kopp

Sarah Jane gasped when she spied a dainty white china dish in the display window of Owensby’s General Store. How many times had she heard Ma wish for something beautiful for their cabin?

The dish was only big enough to hold a few morsels of Christmas candy, or perhaps Ma’s special pickles. Shaped like a leaf, the scalloped edges were painted blue with fine gold lines curving and swirling through the color. Three ruby red and pink roses with soft green vines graced the center. Ma had nothing this pretty.

Sarah Jane slipped her hand into her pinafore pocket and fingered the smooth metal and tiny ridges of the pennies lying there. She pressed her nose against the window to see the price tag propped beside the dish. In bold black print, it said “19 cents.” She rubbed the pennies once more and marched into the store.

“What do you want, Sarah Jane?” Mr. Owensby said.

He was tall and thin with a mouth that turned down and eyes that watched the merchandise in his shop like a hawk guarding its prey.

“Ma needs some white thread, Mr. Owensby. She said to put it on the bill.”

“I’ll bet she did,” the storekeeper mumbled. His mouth turned down even farther.

Sarah Jane ignored the comment. She stepped closer to the display window.

“You want something there?” Mr. Owensby asked.

“No, just looking. That little dish is the prettiest thing I ever did see.”

“Huh! May be pretty, but it isn’t practical. Folks ‘round here needs practical more than pretty. Don’t know why I let that city salesman talk me into it.”

Mr. Owensby clamped his lips together and handed Sarah Jane the thread.

“Thanks,” she called as she sailed out the door. She started down the wooden walkway but backtracked for one more peek at her treasure. One thought came to her--The roses look so real I can almost smell them. She took two quick hops and turned toward home.

She could see Pa unhitching the horses from the plow when she neared their barnyard.

Sarah Jane ran to her father. “Pa, Pa, will you give me a penny every Saturday like you promised? Will you?

Pa grabbed hold of the harness. “Said I would. One penny every Saturday if you help me hitch up and unhitch. Hope you’ll save it, Sarah Jane, not go buying candy at Owensby’s every week.”

“Oh, I’ll save it, Pa. I’ve put aside fourteen cents already, and I’ve my eye on something special.”

“Must be mighty special to make your eyes shine so and set your feet to dancing.”

Sarah Jane stopped by Owensby’s window on her way home from school every day. In only five weeks she’d have enough to buy the dish for Ma.

Finally, the day arrived when Pa gave her the last penny she needed. She tied them up in an old handkerchief and ran most of the way to town. Out of breath by the time she reached the store, she stopped to take in great gulps of air. The familiar excitement bubbled up once more, but when she turned to the window, the bubbles burst. The dish was gone. Cold fingers of fear clutched at her stomach.

She ran inside. “Mr. Owensby, where is the dish, the one with the roses?”

“Ha!” Mr. Owensby said, placing both hands on the counter and leaning forward. “Finally sold it. Lowered the price this morning, and Johnny Ripple snapped it up for Annabelle Nelson’s birthday.” His mouth turned upwards a bit, then he frowned. “Why?”

Sarah Jane’s voice trembled. “It was mine. I’ve been saving my money.” She held up the cloth bundle. “See. I have the nineteen cents here.”

“Nineteen cents! Now, look what you’ve done.” Mr. Owensby’s mouth turned down farther than ever before. “You should have told me you wanted it. I sold it to that boy for twelve cents.” He pounded his fist on the counter. “You made me sell that dish at a loss. Boy got himself a real bargain, and it’s your fault, Missy.”

Sarah Jane slipped out the door and headed straight for Annabelle’s house. All the boys liked Annabelle, but Sarah Jane knew none of the girls at school felt the same.

She bounded up the steps of Annabelle’s house and rapped on the door. Her thumping heart kept time with her knocking. When Annabelle answered, Sarah Jane lost no time in small talk. “Annabelle,” she said, “may I see the dish Johnny gave you?”

“How did you know about that?” Annabelle put her hands on her hips and stamped her foot. “He only gave it to me today.”

Sarah Jane eased by the other girl into the house. “Where is it? I want to buy it from you.”

She surveyed the room. “Annabelle, look at all the pretty things you have. You don’t need the dish, but I do. It’s for my ma. Please. I’ll pay you nineteen cents, exactly what Mr. Owensby wanted. ‘Course Johnny didn’t pay that much. He got a bargain, a big sale.”

While she talked, Sarah Jane moved toward Annabelle until she had the girl backed up against the flowered wall.

When Annabelle could move no farther, she put her hands out. “Wait? You can have the dish. I don’t even like it.” She smiled and narrowed her eyes. “For twenty-five cents.”

“That’s not fair,” Sarah Jane shouted. “You can’t do that.”

“Oh, yes I can. It’s my dish.” Annabelle stuck her tongue out. “Well?”

Sarah Jane figured quickly in her head. “I can have the money for you in six more Saturdays.”

“Perhaps. I suppose I will. I’d rather have the money than the dish. Now go away and don’t bother me until you have the money.”

The weeks dragged for Sarah Jane. Annabelle tossed her curls and darted mean looks every day at school. Sarah Jane bit her lips, counted her pennies, and kept quiet.

Six Saturdays passed, and Sarah Jane presented herself at Annabelle’s door, the twenty-five pennies tied in the handkerchief in her pinafore pocket. She knocked firmly.

A smiling Annabelle answered the door. Her smile vanished. “Oh, it’s just plain Sarah Jane. Whatever do you want?”

Sarah Jane held up the clothbound pennies. “I have the twenty-five cents for the dish.”

Annabelle shrugged. “I don’t have the old dish anymore. I traded it this morning for something better. Besides, what does a plain person like you want with something so fancy?”

“But, who…what?” Sarah Jane could barely get the words out. She balled her hands into fists, her face turned red, and she shouted, “You are the meanest person I have ever met!”

She whirled around to leave, and her hand holding the pennies hit the railing so hard that the cloth tore, and the coins flew across the porch.

Annabelle laughed as Sarah Jane crawled on hands and knees picking up pennies. Annabelle slammed the door, still laughing.

Halfway home, she came across a horse, hitched to an empty wagon, standing in the road. The black horse shook its head and stomped its hooves.

“Are you alone, old boy?” She patted the horse’s nose, looked right and left but saw no sign of life among the trees, rocks, and wildflowers. Then a faint sound caught her attention. It came from beyond the stand of trees.

“Anybody there?” she hollered, walking past the wagon full of boxes and sacks.

“Help me! Help me!” The voice was weak but distinct.

“Where are you?” she called.

“Down here.”

Sarah Jane ran to the edge of a deep ravine, bent over and searched. Sitting on the ground, about halfway to the bottom, was an old man. His clothes and beard were covered with twigs and leaves.

He moaned and said, “My leg, I’ve hurt my leg. I fell down the ravine looking for firewood. I thought no one would ever come.” He put his hands over his face, and his shoulders shook.

Sarah Jane studied the injured man, then looked back at the horse and wagon still on the road. She cupped her hands around her mouth and called down to him. “I can’t pull you up, but maybe the horse can.”

She raced back to the horse and unhitched him as Pa had taught her. Sarah Jane walked around the wagon looking for something to use for a lifeline. She spotted a long piece of rope coiled on a nail.

She led the horse to the ravine and fastened the rope to the harness. Next, she threw the other end of the rope as far as she could. It landed only a short distance from the injured man.

The old man inched himself toward the rope. “That’s a smart thing to do,” he said breathing hard. He inched himself closer and grasped the rope with both hands, his leather gloves allowing him a firm hold.

Slowly, Sarah Jane led the horse away. Little by little, bump by bump, the old man moved up the ravine until he reached the top. She helped him try to walk back to the wagon. She found a fallen tree limb for him to lean on, and with her help, they made it halfway to the wagon.

“I can go no farther,” the old man said, weariness in his voice. “Let’s rest a little while.” He smiled at Sarah Jane, and his dark eyes brightened. “Who are you? A beautiful angel, perhaps?”

Warmth worked its way up to Sarah Jane’s cheeks, and she lowered her head. She studied her shoes. “No, I’m just plain Sarah Jane—not beautiful anything.”

“Ah, but to me, you are very beautiful. Wait here.” The old man scooted to the wagon and pulled himself up. He searched among the many items it held until his hand grasped a burlap sack. “Ah, here it is. Something special. An old peddler like me comes across many beautiful things, but this I got only today.”

He removed his gloves and pulled something small out of the sack. “Here—here is something beautiful to help you remember your kindness to me.”

In his gnarled and dirty hands, he held the dish, Ma’s dish. The roses looked real enough to smell. Sarah Jane’s twenty-five pennies jingled in her pocket as she reached out to accept the gift from the peddler.

Sentence Length and A Book For Writers

A friend posted a quote by the late Gary Provost on her Facebook page yesterday. In two short paragraphs, this fine teacher of writing makes a terrific point about sentence structure. I googled his name and found that this quote has been used on myriad websites. Then, I checked out the books this man wrote about the craft of writing. Why I am not familiar with him is a mystery to me. I plan to order the book shown above. I found the updated version on Amazon for a mere $6.49. The reviews made me think I needed to have this book. 

His famed quote deals with sentence structure. Your story is of prime importance, but how you write it ranks high on the list of Things To Remember When Writing. (That topic is mine, not his.) Mr. Provost's quote says it perfectly. When I googled the quote, I found that it had been used on many blogs and websites. Most likely, writers who present workshops at conferences have used it, too. With thanks to Mr. Provost, who died in 1995, here is the quote: 

One of the things my online writing critique group notes in their critiques is sentence length. Most often, they tell the writer that they are using overly long sentences. I seldom see anyone say that the sentences are too short, but when short sentence follows short sentence one after the other, as in the first paragraph in the quote, it becomes boring or monotonous. Mr. Provost states that thought quite clearly. 

I believe strongly in the premise that sentences of varying lengths are the most pleasing to the reader's ear. This is something to add to your list of what to look for when you edit and revise your first drafts. 

Finding Stories When You Travel

We were out of town for six days last week. Two of those days were spent in airports and on planes. Long days but interesting, to be sure. The remaining days were spent in Florida with friends, and a grand time was had by all.

But back to the airports and planes--On travel days like this, we spend hours getting to the airport, checking in, then waiting at the gate area. More time on the airplane itself. We had to connect both coming and going, once in Atlanta and Baltimore on the return trip. On those two busy days, we were around a myriad number of people. Some were polite, some very friendly, a few rather rude. 

The writer in me looked at each of those people wondering what kind of story they had. Where had they come from? Where were they going? What kind of life did they lead? Who was important to them? Were they happy, depressed, angry, eager, anxious, or just plain numb? 

About ten men wearing Green Bay Packers shirts, jackets and caps were on our plane headed to Kansas City. Surely they were going to the Chefs-Packers game. But why were they getting on the plane in Baltimore? I would have loved to know the story.

A young man using crutches, clutching a tiny plastic bag such as you'd get in a store when shopping, sat across from me on one plane. Sadness showed in his eyes, and he held tightly to that small bag throughout the flight. What was his story? I wondered during the entire flight. 

A lovely young woman with a beautiful toddler daughter caught my eye in one airport. Both mother and child were beautifully dressed. Then I noticed the mother had a tattoo of a snake that wrapped around her arm from forearm to shoulder. Definitely a story there. But what was it? 

The point is that there are thousands of stories around us when we travel. Engage a fellow traveler in conversation, and you'll learn some of his/her story. Some of what you hear can be something to put into a fiction story. Other things could be the start of a personal essay. 

We flew Southwest on this trip, and nearly every employee we encountered was friendly, helpful, polite and seemed to be enjoying what they did for a living. Granted, the airlines all want travelers to have a good experience so they'll choose that airline again sometime. Even so, I felt a genuine sense of satisfaction among the employees we encountered. Every one of them had a story. I wish I could have heard those stories. I'm sure many would be most interesting.

Travel essays usually involve the destination spot you headed for. But why not write a personal essay on the actual travel experience, whether it be by bus, train, plane, ship or your own car.         

Do you have a family story to write that involves the time someone traveled by one of the methods above? 

The next time you travel, use your writer's eye and observe the people who work on the train or plane or whatever conveyance it might be. Look carefully at your fellow travelers. The stories are there. It's up to you to find them. 

Blog Announcement

 I'm going to be away the week of the 21st of October. Next Blog Post will be Monday, October 28th. 

Keep writing and reading!

Writers Have Cares and Woes

Would you like the carefree life of a butterfly? I don't truly know if a butterfly's life is totally calm, but I doubt they have the ability to worry, just do what instinct tells them. 

But you have chosen the life of a writer. Some of you are hobbyist writers while others are pros who are trying to either supplement their income or live full time on what they earn writing. It doesn't matter which group you fall in. Your writing life is far from carefree. A poet could begin a poem like this: 

    O, what cares and woes have I, the writer who...

Let's look at a short list of what those cares and woes might be: 

• Lack of time
• Ignore writing exercises when you know they are helpful
• Not enough experience
• Lack of confidence
• Fear and doubt
• Never submitting what you write
• Deadlines
• Poor knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Not understanding things like plot and theme
• Information overload ion your stories
• Not being able to hook your reader immediately
• Unsatisfactory conclusions
• Worry about publishing
• Not understanding the submission process
• Not being able to find a critique group or partner
• Knowing how to write a good synopsis, a cover letter, or a query

There are more, of course. Go through the list and check off the ones that you do not have to worry about. If you can mark more than you don't, you're in pretty good shape as a writer. If more apply to you than don't, you've got some work to do. 

For those who need to improve, start by reading a few of the top books about the writing craft. Ones to start with are On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird by Anne LaMott, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and Beginnings, Middles and Ends by Nancy Kress. There are many others that speak to specific parts of writing, but these will give you a good overall picture of things a writer should know. 

The life of a writer is far from carefree like the beautiful butterfly pictured above. Even so, a writer's life can be rewarding,  will fulfill a passion for the written word, and allow you to grow as a writer, and perhaps also as a person. 

Take Time in Devloping A New Story Idea

When I get an idea for a story, poem or essay, I've learned that I shouldn't sit down immediately and start to write the first draft. If I keep the idea simmering in the back of my mind, more info comes to me, bit by bit. The time will come when I feel ready to go to my laptop and finally start that initial writing.

Some people will say to 'strike while the iron is hot,' to start writing as soon as the idea comes to you. Maybe that works for some writers. Others of you might be more like me, waiting for the idea to develop more before actually working on it. I do jot notes because I know how quickly an idea can pop up and then disappear like the morning mist over a river. Sometimes, I don't follow my own advice and write the first draft too quickly. I am soon reminded of how much better it is to take more time before writing.

Taking a walk leaves you with no distractions so your mind is fully ready to do some thinking. Wouldn't it be great to desert your chores and cares as you meander through these yellow woods? The sunlight slipping through the trees, the soft sound of your feet on the fallen leaves, the crispness in the autumn air--all of this allows your mind to reach out for those further pieces to develop your story idea.

If you're writing an essay, taking time to let more ideas evolve will help you see the topic from more than one angle. You have your set idea as to what you want to write about, but, if you wait a while, you can come up with perceiving it from more than one angle. If it's fiction, you'll be able to decide what problems and helps your characters will have.

Yesterday, I talked about writers needing to learn patience. Allowing yourself time to let a story idea develop takes a good dose of that patience. Sometimes, I am too impatient and want to start working on the actual writing immediately. I don't always wait to write the first draft, but I do wait for days, even weeks, before doing the editing and revision. It's during that period that the new thoughts about that piece of writing float through my mind.

Have you ever been so eager to finish and submit a piece that you work rabidly on it, then immediately submit it? The next day, you start thinking about something you forgot to add, or you wish you had put in another example or happening. Too late after you've submitted the piece. Another dose of that patience thingie will avoid situations like that.

I used the example of taking a walk to clear your mind and allow the thoughts needed to bring your story idea to fruition. But those thoughts that will help you develop your story can come while you're folding the clothes from the dryer, or sitting in your car waiting for kids to come out of the school, or while watching a ball game.

The main thing is to listen to those thoughts because they are going to help you write a better story. 

Finding Places To Publish Your Poetry

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

and so are you.

Who doesn't know the poem above? It's one of the first ones we learn in grade school, and there are myriad variations of it. Read aloud, it is a sing-song rhythm. 

This isn't the kind of poetry adult writers hoping to be published write. If you're drawn to poetry and enjoy writing it, you might hope to see your work published someday. The question is where and how?

Literary journals are a good target for you who want to publish your poetry. Be forewarned, however, that they don't accept poems like the one above. They look for high quality from poets who have had some success. Of course, if the poem is good enough, a first-time submitter has a good chance.

A poet needs to match his/her kind of poetry to the publication. If the guidelines tell you they are looking for sci-fi poems or horror poetry and you send a love poem, your chances are about zero. You need to know the publication before you submit. That takes some time and effort on your part. But I just want to write poetry and have it published. If you say something akin to that, then you'll be disappointed. It's well worth studying the journals and other publications that accept poetry. 

I googled to find out if there was help for poets looking to publish. There were many articles listed. I read through a few. One suggestion that almost made me laugh was to start a blog and publish your poetry on it. Well, sure, that would work, but how many readers will you have? Especially at first? And there will be no payment. If publication only is what you're seeking, not caring about being paid, then maybe it's one way to be published. Two of the articles I checked suggested starting a blog and posting your own poetry there. It would then be up to you to promote your blog to increase your number of readers.

Here are a few links to advice on publishing your poetry and places to submit to: 

• Advice for self-publishing your poetry
• 3 ways to publish your poetry
• FAQ about writing and publishing poetry
• 20 paying markets for poetry
• How to publish your poetry
• Make money publishing your poetry
• Get paid to write poetry
• Finding Literary magazines and other markets for poets

Contests are another place where you might get your poetry published. I have had a few poems published in my annual state writing contest. Monetary prizes are often given to the top three who place in each category. 

Maybe you're a poet who doesn't give a twit about having your work published. Many people write poetry that is meant strictly for themselves. That's perfectly alright, but, if you're a poet who would like to share your work with the world, look at some of the links above and see if anything their might be of help to you. 

Two Keywords for Writers

NOTE:  Before beginning today's topic, I have a request. The only people who are seeing this blog now are those who have signed on as Followers. Facebook is still blocking me on all their pages, which is where many of my readers come from. If any of you are willing to share the blog posts with other writing friends, I would appreciate that small favor very much. Scroll down to find the box to sign on as a Follower to receive the blog via email. It's quite far down on the right-hand side. Meanwhile, I am still waiting for Facebook to reinstate this blog. I can post anything I want except for my blog.

The poster today should be of some comfort to those who are writing, submitting, receiving rejections and repeating that process. It means you are working at writing. You haven't given up. The poster brought to mind my two keywords for writers. You've heard them before from me, and you'll hear them again and again. The reason? Because they are very important. 

Patience:  When little children want something, they want it NOW! Are we writers any different? When we want to be published, we hope it happens in a flash. Our head tells us things in the real world don't work that way. Our heart says It can happen. We must take time to learn our craft, to hone our skills, and to practice our writing on a regular basis. 

I've always been a rather impatient person. I sometimes wonder if God decided to teach me how to patient by giving me some skill as a writer. It's worked because my patience is much stronger now than it was in my earlier years. I had to learn that waiting to hear from a publisher was part of this writing game, that sometimes weeks and months might go by before there was a response. Same way with writing contests. Monts of waiting. Dare I say 'waiting patiently?' 

Patience is a trait that, for most of us, must be learned. Those people who come by it naturally are blessed. Those of us who must learn may be blessed, as well, but it takes a whole lot longer. I have learned not to dwell on whatever it is I am waiting for. I try to move on with other things. 

Persistence:  While we're practicing patience, we must be persistent in working toward the personal writing goals we've set. We can't try once or twice. Instead, we have to try over and over again until we succeed. The other day, I mentioned two writers I know who tried 70 & 80 times to find someone willing to publish their novels. Through all that rejection, they didn't give up. They persisted and self-published with fine results. 

You can't be a successful, published writer if you write one week, then not again for two months. Part of persistence is to write on a regular basis. One of the reasons I started this blog ten years ago was that I knew it would make me write five days a week. I had made a commitment to my readers, and I wanted to fulfill it. 

If you persist in learning and refining your writing skills, you're very likely to find some success. You can't go to Walmart and buy persistence. You have to dig deep within to find it and then use it. 

I don't think any writer will be sorry if they use both patience and persistence as they move along in their writing journey.

Three Helpful Newsletters and Sites for Writers

She might need to subscribe to some writing newsletters and sites

A lot of the online ezines and blogs we subscribe to turn out to be worthless. Why? Maybe the content isn't geared to what we originally thought it would be. Perhaps it's too lengthy, taking up too much of our time. Or the information might be outdated if the person publishing the blog or ezines does not update regularly.

Even so, there are many that are very worthwhile. One I especially like is Authors Publish. They send a list of places to submit to on a very regular basis, usually grouped by theme or type of publication, such as Literary Journals, Blogs that pay for Guest Posts, Magazines that pay $200 or more. It doesn't take much time to skim through each list and find the publications that interest you.

Another plus for this subscription website is that they offer free books on writing. They are free in a PDF download or, if you want a hard copy, there is a fee. It's quite easy to get the free download by putting your email address in the proper box.

I have mentioned this next newsletter before, but it bears repeating. I find many interesting bits and pieces in  Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity They send new calls for submissions quite regularly. The entire website offers many different resources for writers. Start here and click on the many pages offered.

The Writing Cooperative is a website that is all about writers helping other writers. There are numerous articles written by writers for writers to select from. Scan the entire page and find the ones you want to read. We'd all pick and choose rather than read each article. Who has time to do that?

If you are not already subscribed to and using these newsletters and websites, take a look, sign on to see if you feel they're worthwhile. It's not necessary to read every word on each one. Your brain will focus on the ones that are just right for you. There are many more to choose from, but you don't want to subscribe to so many that you end up using too much of your writing time reading them. It's one of the traps writers fall into. 

A Puzzlement For This Writer

That's me feeling frustrated and somewhat irritated. I post my blog link each weekday on several Facebook pages that have a writing theme. For all the years I've done so, I've never had a problem until yesterday.

I received notice that those blog posts on Facebook pages for the past 3-4 days were blocked. I could see them, but no one else. I wrote a short note in the box given telling the Facebook people that my posts had no profanity, no political views, nothing that would go against their 'Community Standards' which was the reason given. I should have added that there was nothing sexual or controversial at all.

I had to leave for the afternoon soon after discovering this revolting situation. When I returned, I found something that led me to the Support page where I found a long, very long, list of my posts that they had banned. One by one, I had to go through the list and click several times to request a review of each one. By the time I returned from dinner last evening, 3 had been reinstated while the others were 'under review.' Still 'under review' this morning. 

I have been a Facebook member for years, have posted my blog essays there with nary a problem. Why now? Out of the blue? Computer filters are part of the problem, I'm sure. They may help but also create trouble for individuals like me, the innocent victim. I am very careful to never post anything that could be a problem. That includes my personal posts as well as the blog posts.

I am a writer, just like the majority of my readers. I want to reach my readers, just as any writer does. Facebook is making it feel like scaling a 20-foot wall, slipping and sliding back all the way. 

If anyone has any thoughts on how to make sure this never happens again, I would love to hear about it. The people who have subscribed to this blog will still receive it via email. That has nothing to do with Facebook. But I have many other readers who read on those writing themed Facebook pages. 

This certainly shows how vulnerable and reliant we are on technology and social media. When it works, it's great. When it doesn't, you're gonna look like the guy above.  

I'm going to post now to those writing themed pages, but I wonder if it will work. Has Facebook forgiven innocent me or still out to punish?

A Very Popular Writing Exercise To Release Creativity

I noticed at my writing convention last weekend that one book on writing was mentioned several times. Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way popped up in one workshop after another. The big factor that was referred to is something Ms. Cameron has termed Morning Pages. It's a form of journaling to help writers free creativity in their minds. I have read another book by Julia Cameron titled The Right To Write. She repeats the Morning Pages exercise in this book also. I've written several posts that mention this particular writing exercise. Since so many writers I listened to this weekend talked about her book and Morning Pages, I decided to share a post from 2013. It was titled Three People, Three Opinions. Unbelievably, when I posted to other Facebook pages concerning writing, Facebook would not allow it as it 'goes against community standards' so I have changed the title hoping to be more user friendly to Facebook. If you think this disturbs me, you are right. Three People, Three Opinions. Same title worked just fine in 2013. Many changed in our lives today. Hoping the new title goes through.

Note the three writers and their opinions on Morning Pages. 

September 22, 2013
Here we are at the very beginning of fall. Thus, the picture heading today's post. Lovely autumn colors although some of them appear a bit unrealistic. Still--they are very pretty.

Friday I told you about a writing exercise called Morning Pages. The idea is to write up to 3 pages in longhand each morning before you begin your usual activities. You're to write anything that comes to mind, not necessarily anything related to being a writer. Often, nothing about writing will come forth but once in a while, perhaps your thoughts on what is going on in your writing life may spill onto those pages. Or you could end up with a grocery list. I'm certain that each day brings something different.

I spoke to two writer friends who have been doing the exercise and received their permission to tell you what they think. A reader also commented on Friday's post.

Harriet Cooper, one of my guest bloggers awhile back, likes doing the Morning Pages. She said:

   when i do them regularly, i find they simply keep me in the mood. even if i do no other writing that day, i can point to my morning pages as an accomplishment. i use them for many things. i write down ideas so they're all in one place. i write drafts of articles and then i staple the finished article on that page. i write general stuff that may have nothing to do with writing. i put down my feelings. i'm beginning to also put down lists of what i want to accomplish for my writing. and i'm starting to glue in pictures or short articles of things that interest me. i may also jot down some notes about the picture or article that i may one day turn into my own article. for me, the pages are like a safety deposit box. i put my thoughts in it and can come back later to look through them and pick out the jewels.

Joyce Finn is the moderator of my online critique group, writersandcritters. She has also tried doing the Morning Pages exercise. She told me she is erratic in her effort and it makes her angry at times, Joyce added that nothing good seems to be coming from them and that she is only doing 1.5 to 2 pages, not the suggested 3. She conceded that the one good thing is that she is writing.

Theresa Hupp, a novelist, is the person who commented on Friday's post. I appreciated the fact that she took the

time to comment. Her remark on yesterday's post was:

   I have been writing "morning pages" for close to seven years now. I confess I don't write them as soon as I wake up, but I do usually write them before I do anything else productive in my day.

I'm not sure if the practice makes me more productive or creative, but it has definitely made me more self-aware. I see themes repeating themselves around what I worry about. I also see evidence of long-term progress when the daily progress seems so slow.

There you are--three people, three opinions. After learning what these three people think about doing the exercise on a reasonably regular basis, I felt inspired to try the exercise myself. No more good intentions gone astray. What I saw in each of these people, even though they all had different things to say, is that Morning Pages was a good tool to keep them writing. And I noted that even Joyce, who wasn't overly thrilled, has kept up the practice even if not on a regular basis, so she has gotten something from this project.

6 QUALITIES NEEDED TO BECOME A WINNING WRITER

The state writing convention I attended this past weekend ended with awards given to those who had placed in the annual writing contest. Members and non-members entered several categories before the deadline date in mid-June. Then they waited until this first weekend in October to hear the results. In the interim, they could not submit the same pieces for publication. No, they could submit, but the piece could not be published prior to the awards ceremony. 

To send your work and know that it would be months before you knew if it won or not and had to wait to submit for publication is something that takes some pondering before committing. Takes a bit of that patience thing.

I watched as winner after winner was announced, and if the writer was in attendance, he/she went forward, received their certificate and check and then had a photo taken with the winners of that category. I noticed that some names were called multiple times. I pondered a bit on what made them winners. Several of the winners this year had won in previous years, too. (Yours truly won first place in the Memoir/Inspirational category.)

Admittedly, they would not have won if their writing was not in an excellent frame. I think there were other things that made them winners, as well.

1.  Determination:  If you want to be a contest winner or have your submitted work published, you have to be determined. You need to set goals and work toward them. Keep them in mind day after day. 

2.  Passion for writing:  You need to find a passion for writing and keep it alive day after day. None of this, writing for a week, then quit for a month. There can be no wishy-washy writers who can claim to be winners.

3.  Patience:  Victory in war is not won in short times. Athletes don't reach their prime performances at the beginning. Writers don't start gathering prizes and publications as soon as they start writing. It takes time, and we are often antsy waiting for something good to happen. 

4.  Believe in self:  Our poster quote today fits here. I attended a panel of writers who had published novels. They all told of the extreme number of rejections they'd had before publication finally happened. I'm not talking 10 or 15, some were using numbers like 70 and 80 as the number of rejections they'd received. What made them keep submitting? They believed in the book they'd written. They believed in themselves. I cannot stress how important this is. If you believe in yourself and are patient, good things will happen. 

5.  Submitting:  You cannot win a contest or accomplish publication if you do not submit your work. What is the worst thing that can happen when you submit? Not placing in the contest or receiving a rejection from an editor. Your feelings are a bit hurt, but life goes on and so should your writing. Writers need to develop a hard shell. Let those losses and rejections slide off your back and move on.

6.  Good Writing:  Besides all the things noted above, you need to acquire the skills of good writing. You do that by reading about writing in books and blogs, doing writing exercises, and writing on a regular basis. You need to note what qualities successful writers show in their work and work at doing the same. 

The list above shows what you need to be a winner in a contest or to win publication. You can't wave a magic wand and be showered with all of them. It takes work and time. Grade yourself on the 6 qualities above. Where are you the A student and where do you need to improve?  

FISHING FOR WORDS

I'm pleased to Have Sara Etgen-Baker as my Guest Blogger today. Sara has some encouraging words for us.

Sara-Etgen Baker

My father was a devoted fly-fisherman who couldn’t seem to resist the almost masochistic urge to wake in the quiet predawn hours and stumble, blurry-eyed with his loaded thermos out of the house.  He’d drive to a nearby icy cold stream or lake where he lowered his boat into the water; cranked the outboard engine into action; and navigated through the murky waters taking note of the invisible currents and the direction of the wind blowing across the water.  He eventually anchored his boat near the shoreline, disembarked, and stood at the water’s edge casting his lure into the open water never knowing if he’d reel anything in.
 
Often he gazed at the water for hours believing he could get a fish to bite on the lure and then pull that fish from the realm of the mysterious water into his eagerly-awaiting fishing net.  But many times, he came home with nary a fish in his cooler only to return to the same spot the next day, the day after, and the day after convinced that he’d nab a big one.  “This is a good spot.  I can feel it in my bones,” he’d tell me.  When his bobber finally zinged under the water, he leaned back pulling the fish toward him until it erupted through the water, glimmering in the sunlight.   “I knew it! This IS a fishable spot,” he’d exclaim, his face beaming.
 
I certainly thought my father was rather fanatical about fishing and often wondered what drove him to be the angler that he was.  That is, until I became a writer. 

Suddenly his fanaticism made sense to me.  I, too, possess a similar masochistic urge to wake in the quiet predawn hours and stumble blurry-eyed with a loaded cup of coffee out of the kitchen into my office.  I lower myself into my chair; crank my laptop into action; and navigate through the scattered papers, journals, scrapbooks, and photographs strewn across my desk taking note of the invisible currents and the direction of the ideas blowing across my mind.  I eventually anchor myself to my desk and stand on the precipice of creativity casting my mind onto the blank screen never knowing if I’ll reel anything in.  Often I stare at the glassy screen for hours believing I’ll pull something from the realm of the mysterious onto the eagerly-awaiting empty page. I catch a phrase or two, nab a paragraph here and there, and sometimes even write an entire manuscript.  “This one is a keeper,”  I tell my husband.  “I can feel it in my bones.” Even when it’s rejected, I submit it again and again sometimes even to the same editor, convinced of its value.  When it’s finally accepted, I dance around my office proclaiming,   “I knew it! This IS a publishable piece.”
 
Indeed, anglers and writers share some similar behaviors.  Both enter into a staring contest with potential, a challenge devoid of guarantees.  When an angler stands at the water’s edge gazing at a glassy pool or a river proceeding with the freedom and discipline only the natural world can finesse, he’s scrubbed clean of life’s trivia and distractions.  Watching the water, he’s confronted with the unconscious as surely as the writer who stares into the humming blank screen each morning, praying that from the fathomless gray, prose will surface.  Both fishing and writing are largely acts of faith—a belief that there is indeed a rich run of fish or ideas lurking below.  The angler’s false casts and hooked branches, as well as the writer’s convoluted first drafts, are all part of some ritual designed to seduce a shiny gem to the surface.
 
So, why do anglers and writers persist in what seems to be such fanatical pursuits?  I can’t speak for anglers; I can only speak for myself.  If I don’t write, I’m unhappy and suffer a type of melancholy defined only by its absence.  So, I must have a need to write.  Perhaps that need comes from the thrill of getting a nibble, playing with an idea, and reeling it in.  Maybe I like staring at that glassy screen, scrubbing myself clean of life’s trivia and distractions.  Perhaps I need the adventure of taking that seemingly fearless, intuitive leap of faith onto a higher ground rich with ideas and imagination, never knowing what’s going to happen or what I’m going to reel in. Mostly, I like fishing for words and netting a publishable story, one that glimmers on the screen and warms readers’ hearts. 

BIO:  Sara’s love for words began when, as a young girl, her mother read the dictionary to her every night. A teacher’s unexpected whisper, “You’ve got writing talent,” ignited her writing desire. Sara ignored that whisper and pursued a different career.  After she retired, she re-discovered her inner writer and began writing memoir vignettes and personal narratives.

Many of her manuscripts have been published in anthologies and magazines including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts, Good Old Days Magazine, My Heroic Journey, The Santa Claus Project, Wisdom has a Voice, Finding Mr. Right, Table for Two, and Times They Were A Changing: Women Remember the 60s & 70s. She’s also writing her first novel, Dillehay Crossing.

Sara enjoys her affiliation with Story Circle Network, the National League of American Pen Women, and her local historical society.  When not writing, she cherishes the time she spends with her husband, Bill. 

 

Convention Notes

Posting Sunday evening instead of Monday morning...

We might not become a full master, but sometimes we get close. This weekend's convention was filled with many 'apprectices' who are very close to becoming a 'master.' 

My friend, Grant Overstake, had his book rejected by 70 agents and editors, so he formed his own publishing company and published The Real Education of TJ Crowley on his own. Last night at the Kansas Authors Convention Banquet, Grant received the award for the Best Book of the year and the Best Cover Design. 

I interviewed Grant about his writing journey in a post a while back. You can read it here. I was so pleased that my friend received a well-deserved recognition for his outstanding YA novel that deals with the Civil unrest in Wichita, KS in 1968-69. Learn more about the book at Amazon. Grant may not be a master yet, but he's awfully close. I think he'll make it.

There were others at the convention who won awards in the writing contest, as well. I received first place in the Memoir/Inspirational category. I also received a Merit Award for service to those in the organization, as well as certificates for a 20-year membership and one recognizing my age. Imagine!

One of the women at the convention stopped to visit with me last evening. She reads this blog and said that a suggestion I had posted about the Calls for Submissions Facebook page encouraged her to submit to a place she'd found there. Sounded like a longshot, but she ended up having her work accepted. She also received several awards in the annual writing contest today. I love hearing about the success of my readers. She may be in that Apprentice category, like me, right now, but she's well on her way to Master status. Well done, Julie.

The workshop speakers were great. My head is swimming with information which I must sort out tomorrow. I came home inspired to work on some old stories and start a few new ones. This is why I attend this state convention every year.

We may all be apprentices, but I think we can reach Master status with a great deal of hard work, patience, and persistence. 

Pros and Cons of Writing Conventions

Later today, I'm leaving for our Kansas Authors Convention, held in Wichita this year. The lineup of speakers from morning to late afternoon on Saturday looks terrific. I'll be on a panel of four bloggers at 9 a.m. that day. We'll each present a short bio of our blogging life, then have a Q & A session.

Saturday evening, a banquet and keynote speaker will round out our day. Awards will be given for best cover design, best published book, best published poetry book, best history book, and best children's book. On Sunday, there will be some business meetings and a few more workshops, then lunch and the awards presented from our annual writing contest. I entered a few things, so I'll be paying close attention.

Besides all the opportunities for learning, I'll be able to spend time with writer friends I've made over the 20 years I've belonged to the Kansas Authors Club. I wish we didn't have the word 'Club' there because it sounds like all we do is have tea and cookies and maybe an occasional speaker. Far from it! Our 7 districts meet at different times throughout the year and around our state. We maintain a website and a Facebook page, and lots of us email back and forth about this and that.

We'll all be doing some 'active listening' this weekend. We'll listen and talk and trade stories about our writing life. Those who have published books this year will have them on display, and for sale, in our Book Room.

I try to attend this convention each year. I come home inspired to write each time. It's my habit to keep a small notebook with me to jot down ideas as they pop up in the various workshops.

Like most things, there are pros and cons to attending writing conventions and/or conferences. A partial list for each is below.

Pros: 

• Connecting with other writers, sometimes editors and agents (depending on the size of the convention)
• An opportunity to hear speakers from your own area and from distant places, as well
• A place to become inspired to write
• Immersing yourself for 2 or 3 days in a world of writers
• A place to market your own published book(s)
• A place to sell your published book(s)
• A place to find help for your writing problems

Cons:

• Can be expensive figuring registration, transportation, hotel and some meals on your own
• Can be intimidating if it is a very large convention/conference
• The workshops might not be geared to your special interest writing field
• If you're an introvert or a very shy person, it might be a bit overwhelming
• You can feel like an outsider if there are groups of old friends conversing all around you, leaving you on your own
• Getting away for 2, 3 or more days might be difficult

I'm looking forward to our convention this weekend. There are a great many writing conferences/conventions throughout our country and even abroad. You can use your favorite search engine to find ones near you. I would urge you to check to see if your state has an annual convention. Start there and move on to others if you enjoyed that one. Some are geared to all kinds of writing while others zero in on only one kind of writing--mystery, romance, sports and many more. Whichever one you choose, be an active listener.

Don't Overthink Your Writing Problems

We talk about story ideas being everywhere. They are, but once you have the idea, you have to move on to the next step--the actual writing of the story, essay, article, or poem. That's where trouble can begin.

Yes, in our mind we see it all so clearly, but putting it into actual written words might be a problem. So we think and think and think, and still, it isn't coming out the way we'd visualized. That's where today's poster should be our biggest help.

Let's face it. Albert Einstein is known to be one of the most brilliant men to have ever walked our earth. Who are we to doubt his sage words? The best part is that his advice is so simple. It's so easy to do. I love his phrase ...swim in silence,... What do we tend to do when a story isn't working? We mumble and mutter, stamp our feet, either literally or figuratively. We rant a bit to others, gnash our teeth and more. 

Why not step away and ...swim in silence,... letting the solution find us instead of the other way around. Those of you who have made clothing with your trusty sewing machine, or have done various crafts, know that it's time to walk away when things go wrong. And they do go wrong. Writers aren't the only ones who deal with that frustration. 

When the piece of writing you're working on is full of knots, leave it. Go for a walk. Do some errands. Dust the tables if nothing else, but get away from the writing that is not working. While you're doing other things, a solution may very well come to you. 

It may not happen within an hour. It could take days, but the answer usually comes through somehow, somewhere, someday. 

Difficult writing makes us appreciate those times when things fall neatly into place. We're delighted when that happens. If only it happened every time we sit down to pour our hearts out through what we write. When it doesn't, just ...swim in silence,... for however long it takes.

Reading Books Twice and Editing Your Writing

My Book Club is reading a book for this month that I had read when it first came out. Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale was a bestseller for a very long time. I decided I'd skim through the book to refresh my memory, but once started, I was hooked and I read the 400+ page book in entirety. For anyone who has not read it, the book is about occupied France during WWII, the misery, deprivation, and cruelty the French people endured for the many years of war. A fine story about two sisters and the different roles they played in that period of France's history and also beautifully written by Kristin Hannah, who has had many excellent books published. If you haven't read it, I would definitely recommend it, but be prepared to have your heart hurt.

I found that I not only got the story again but noted more details than the first time around. Have you ever seen a movie more than once and noted that you 'saw' so much more on the second or third time? It's the same with books that we read again.

All of this brings me to today's topic. As I was finishing the book last evening, I thought about the idea of seeing more in the story this second time. It's no different from the things we write, put away and then read and work on again. 

How many times have you read in this blog that you should put a first draft away to mellow a bit before you proofread, edit and revise? I guarantee you will see things that totally escaped you when you read it over once after the first draft was completed.  

You'll find mechanical errors such as spelling, punctuation, spaces (none or too many)between words, and more. Sentences that sounded just fine when you wrote them might suddenly look far too long and involved. Clarity might need working on. Dialogue, if there is any, could need some revising. Characters might need further development.

So, why didn't you see it when you wrote it in the first place? Your brain was concentrating on getting the story down, the idea across or whatever your main aim was in writing the draft. After you have ignored it for a few days, or even longer, you 'see' it in a different light. 

Just for fun, go into your files and pull up something you wrote five or ten years ago. Read it. You may be surprised, even dismayed when you do. When I look back at some of my old stories, my first thought is always that I could write that so much better now.  Maybe the idea of what you wrote is still fine, and parts of it are most likely written very well, but you'll most likely find plenty of places where you could have done a little better. 

I believe that the more we write, the stronger writer we become. Looking back at your early writing and comparing it to what you write now will probably show this. 

When I urge you to put the first draft to bed for a few days, it's not just an idle suggestion. It is meant to help you produce the best piece of writing that you can. 

What Can You Write About in October?

There is something satisfying about turning the page of a calendar. It feels like a new beginning, 31 brand new days for us this month.  It doesn't mean everything from September has been finished. Far from it. We probably all have unfinished pieces of writing that we started in September, or August, or earlier than that. 

Seeing that new page always makes me feel uplifted. If you're a writer working on a deadline, you might feel panic instead. For those who are looking for story ideas, a new month can trigger thoughts and memories for new stories and poems. 

What comes to mind in this tenth month of the year. A few things that might help stir your creativity are listed below: 

• Columbus Day
• Halloween
• Jewish New Year
• school parties
• parades for Halloween or Columbus Day
• falling leaves
• autumn colors
• raking leaves
• burning leaves
• preparing for winter--animals and people
• fall crops--squash, pumpkins, gourds and more
• attention to fire prevention
• fall foods your mother made
• weather changes
• different clothing to wear
• football games

If you're so inclined, you can find lists online of National ____________ Day that fills every day of the month. For instance, were you aware today is National Coffee Day? Personally, that's every day for me! 

Looking at the list above, the first thing that comes to mind when I see Columbus Day is not what we learned in school about Christopher Columbus. Instead, it is the movement afoot today to abolish the holiday because of the way Columbus and his men treated the native Americans they encountered upon landing in America. Perfect for an essay in which you can argue either side or just present both sides and let the reader decide which way to go. 

The differences in the meals our mother made in this fall month are significant. No more fresh fruits from the orchards or corn on the cob, potato salad, and fresh homegrown tomatoes. Our October foods are heavier. Mothers made soups and stews, pumpkin pie instead of strawberry. Our diet during this month is filled with stick-to-your-ribs kinds of foods. Lots of baked goods used spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and ginger. Yum!

Did you celebrate Fire Prevention Week when you were in school? I remember teaching about fire prevention and fire safety when I taught fourth grade in the early '60's. My children learned about the same every October when they were in grade school, and I suppose my grandchildren has also been instructed on fire safety. Great possibility for a children's magazine. 

What about football games? That topic provides many a sub-topic--cheerleaders, players, fan, clothing, bands, games, coaches and more. 

With every new month, we can find story ideas. Ponder on the things in today's list and then come up with a few of your own. You've got 31 days in October to write.