Write From Your Heart

 Today is a repeat post from a while back. All about writing from your heart.

I have a coaster on my computer desk that says a lot in a few words. Words are the voice of the heart. I bought it several years ago while browsing in a gift shop. When I spotted it, I stopped to contemplate the saying and it moved me, so, of course, I bought it.

I keep it where I see it every day for a reminder of one of the reasons I write, and many of you, as well. I write what I feel and what I believe in. Our best writing comes from our heart. If you're only pounding out letters that become words that become sentences that have no heart behind them, you are less likely to have that work published.

If writing a memoir piece and all you do is report what happened, your memoir is not likely to win a contest or be published. Not will it move readers.

When we write from the heart, connecting with readers is much more likely. If we put some emotion into what we offer to readers, there is a better chance they they will also react with emotion. If our writing comes from the heart and shows feelings--note the show not tell--we're far more apt to get into quality publications.

I think readers love reading words that come from the heart, words that make them laugh or cry or feel warm and cozy. People read to be informed and to be entertained but they also like experiencing the emotions of the characters in fiction or the ones in memoirs or personal essays. When I read a book that appeals to my emotions, I usually remember the book for a long time. Sometimes forever!

In the newspaper world, writers must stick to the facts. They are to report an event, a crime, or a financial crisis without putting their own emotions into the story. The stories I enjoy most in the newspapers are the ones that are more akin to a personal essay where the reporter can write from the heart and include feelings. There was a great sports writer who worked for the Kansas City Star who could write a story about a player or a game or a series that appealed to the personal side of sports fans. Joe Posnanski let other sports writers give the facts of the game while he appealed to the human side. I don't remember those other sports writers but ones like this who write from the heart stay with me.

There is one small problem with writing from your heart. It's not always easy to bare our soul to others. As writers, we need to get around that. We must be able to dig deep into our emotional piggy bank and spend some of it by incorporating our feelings into our writing. The more we write this way, the easier it will become.

By Nancy Julien Kopp  - September 17, 2015 (original) 

By Nancy Julien Kopp--August 31, 2022

Non-Writers Can Write Family Stories

 

Today's poster says that a family is a gift that lasts forever. I definitely agree. One way you can enforce that 'forever' part is to write your family history, your family stories, and slice of life vignettes about what life was like when you were growing up. If all these things are written, they will be a treasure that generations to come will cherish. 

I would love to have some written family memories from my grandparents and great-grandparents. I know bits and pieces about some of them thanks to my mother who was a great storyteller. She often dropped small pieces of information. We were putting a tablecloth on our dining room table one day when company was coming for dinner. She casually said, "My grandma had a fresh white cloth on her table every day." I knew that her grandmother was head of a family of men who were coal miners, and it impressed me that having a clean tablecloth each day was important to her. Another time, my mother mentioned that this same grandmother wore a clean, white apron over her dress each day. I used that small tidbit of information in my middle grade novel for my protagonist's grandmother. 

My dad also told stories about his family. Often small things, but they stayed with me, and I have chosen to write about them so my children and grandchildren, and perhaps great-grandchildren will know some of their ancestors by name and place where they lived and what kind of people they were. 

Telling the stories is fine, but they are going to get lost as each generation moves on. If they are written, they'll last a lot longer. It's far easier to tell a story than to actually sit down and write, then save somewhere others know about. 

My husband's aunt never married. She was the youngest of nine children, so the last one left. She told us many stories about life with her German immigrant parents on a farm in central Illinois. She assembled a photograph album with family pictures, labeling most of them. She didn't give it to my husband or either of his brothers, or to any of her many other nephews in nieces. No. Instead, she presented that album to my then five-year-old granddaughter. How clever of her to skip our generation and move on to the next one in hopes she would carry on the tradition. She chose well, as this is the granddaughter whom I feel certain will carry on the family stories when I am gone. 

Who is going to carry the torch in your family? Will it be you? One of your siblings? A child or grandchild? You can do it. There is no need to be a professional writer. It doesn't matter how you write these family stories. The important thing is to get them written so those personal matters of your family are not swept away like leaves on a tree this fall. 

I have had countless people tell me they are going to write their family history and stories. Someday. "I just can't seem to get started." That's often the next comment. The biggest step is the first one. You must start and carry on a little at a time. You need not write pages and pages the first day. Start with your family history, as far back as you know it. Then add the stories, one at a time. 

It's helpful to make a list of the people in your family, the ones you have known in your lifetime. A second list might contain family farther back that others have told you about, ones you haven't actually met yourself. Making the list can trigger memories and help you get started writing your stories. 

If you are blessed with a family that keeps old letters, read as many as you can. So much information can be found in those letters. I never saved letters when I was younger, and I regret it to this day. My mother wrote me faithfully once a week from the time I left for college until she became too incapacitated to do so. My writer friend, Annette Gendler, taught a class recently that dealt with writing family stores using old letters. 

Commit to writing at least one story or bit of family history per week. Or per month. Whatever works for you. Leave it to be a month or longer, and you'll find it very easy to let the whole thing slide. Try weekly. Write in a journal or on your computer, whatever works for you. If you use the journal, you'll want to put your work into a better form such as on your computer so you can print a clean copy that is easy to read and to keep in a 3-ring binder. 

For those who feel they need a little guidance, there are online classes and articles that can help get you started. As I said earlier, there is no all right or all wrong way. Make it your way. Help your family be a gift that truly does last forever. 

Characters in a Book

 When you write fiction, character development ranks right up there with the plot. 

It's a rare book that has only one character, the protagonist. There will be several other characters that a writer must create as well. The Academy Awards give an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, which shows the importance of a supporting character in your stories and books. 

I finished reading my Book Club choice for September this past weekend. The book is a detective story set in Denmark with a bit of horror thrown in and some dark humor, as well. The author is Danish, and the book was on a list of books that our state library puts together. Books that are considered tops in their field, classics, and award winning. We can get book kits for X number of people through our library, so it's a good source for the person selecting the book. This time, it was me. When I read the synopsis, I thought it seemed a good possibility. The book is The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, and is Book 1 of a series. 

Once I began reading, I had real reservations as it moved slowly and didn't keep my interest. But, as I delved further, the storyline became more intriguing, and so did the characters. The detective has just recovered from a gunshot wound that killed one of his fellow detectives and paralyzed another. He is divorced, has a stepson living with him, as well as a man who rents the downstairs of his house. Carl, the detective, is sent to the basement of the police station to head a new department, called Department Q. He is given an assistant, an immigrant from Syria by the name of Assad. The cold case they work on is five years old. A woman, member of parliament, disappeared from the deck of a ferry. No sign of her body ever found. The how and why of her part of the story is very complicated, but her captors are three engrossing and repulsive, characters. The story becomes involved and frightening as we follow both Mercrete, the woman being held captive, and Carl, the detective, and his sidekick, Assad. I kept reading longer than I should each evening. 

The characters were engaging, sometimes intriguing. They, of course, move the plot along quite nicely. Being a writer, I greatly admired the characters this author created. As the poster quote says, he must have 'hammered and forged' each one quite well. It was obvious to the reader that the author knew his characters inside out. 

To do that, an author needs to complete a character sketch for each of the main characters, those who move the story from A to B to C etc. There are many helpful articles online about the way to go about doing this. Use your favorite search engine to find some. 

One of the first things will be physical characteristics, then some background, feelings, how they relate to the protagonist and more. It's up to the author to decide how detailed the character sketch is. The more important the character is to the story, the longer the sketch should be. 

The character sketch is merely a starting point. As the story progresses, the author might want to change things. Maybe give the man a slight handicap which fits in with the action of the story. Or change the background of another character. The character sketch is not set in cement; it's a starting place. We get to know the character in a story in bits and pieces, not a three page summary in one chapter.

When you're out and about, if you see someone who catches your interest, jot down a few things you noticed for a possible character to use in a story later. Many characters are based on people we once knew or saw.

There is no story without a plot. There is no story without a cast of characters. You, the author, can have a lot of fun creating the people who inhabit the plot. 

Writers Staring Out a Window

 

The mind is a wondrous thing. Our poster for today illustrates that. 'A writer is working when he's staring out of the window.' The body may be still, but the mind is on overdrive. 

A writer can be working out a story line when pushing a cart downt he aisle of the grocery store, or while commuting to work, or while sitting in front of a tv but not actually watching the program. 

A writer's mind is tuned into possible stories or a topic for an essay, or inspiration for a new poem. Thinking, thinking, thinking! That's what a writer does, or should do. We have lots of other parts of our life, but that writer's mind is always tuned in. 

I once wrote an entire children's story in my head while at a symphony presentation. I could hardly wait to get home and jot the main ideas down so they would not get lost.

Ah, there's a point. When your mind is filled with a story idea, don't rely on the fact that you'll be able to remember it later. You might, but it could also melt away as time moves on. So, do jot down the main points, or special phrases that have come to mind. We think we will remember, but that's not always the case. 

If you have a dream that appears to trigger story possibilities, write the main things on a piece of paper as soon as you wake. When you read that paper later, it should bring your dream back to you so that you can use it to write something new. 

A writer's mind is always working toward a new story to write. Don't let those ideas stay only in your mind. Act on it and start writing. 

Blessings in My Writing World

 

Yesterday's post centered on rejection and the reactions we have to that situation. So today, let's do a complete reverse and concentrate on the blessings in our writing life.

The one time of the year when most people count their blessings is Thanksgiving, and that's great. But there's a whole lot more of the year when we should do the same. That goes for our writing life, as well as the rest of it.

One of my writing world blessings is this blog. It gives me a platform to be able to give something to other writers. The blog has also given me a connection to writers around the world and allowed me to develop friendships with writers I've never met in person. Thank you Blog!

Another blessing in my writing world is my online writers' group. Oh my, I'm not sure how I'd get along without them. They are a fantastic sounding board. They give critiques on my writing to help me polish a piece and make it ready to submit. They allow me to read and critique their submissions which helps me indirectly, as well. I read the critiques on other peoples' submissions and learn from them. Thank you Writers Group!

I consider my writing world to have blessed me with keeping my mind sharp as I age. Many seniors stop doing things that are considered mental exercise as they continue to age. Instead, they sit mindlessly in front of the tv and do little to improve their minds. Those who read regularly and those of us who write have upped the odds for keeping mentally fit as the years slip by. Thank you writing world!

I feel blessed that my interest in writing has not faded with the years. If anything, it has increased. Thank you interest in writing!

What would I do without social media and search engines? I feel especially blessed with the help and connections I get from these two parts of the tech world. Thank you social media and search engines.

I've been fortunate to have been published many times in magazines, ezines, and anthologies. I've knocked on the door, and often have seen it open for me. Thank you publications!

I've also been blessed to have many rejections. Sound strange? Maybe. I look at each one as an opportunity to learn something that will help me be a better writer. So yes, thank you rejections!

My state writing organization is one of the stars in my writing world. I have gained so much from the meetings and conventions and conversations with other members. Thank you, Kansas Authors Club!

How about you? What blessings in your writing world are you thankful for all year, not just on Thanksgiving? Make a list and then smile big!

Handling Rejection in the Writing World

 

Every writer knows that rejection is a big part of the writing world. Our head tells us that it's something we will need to learn to accept. Something to live with if we want to get published. Our heart tells us that rejection hurts. No getting around that. 

As time goes on, and the rejections bounce back, instead of deep hurt, a writer can say they are disappointed. The mature writer accepts it and moves on. The immature writer moves beyond disappointment to feeling deeply hurt and maybe angry. 

Writers must face that most likely they will receive more rejections than acceptances. I have yet to meet a writer who has never had a rejection. That is, among those who submit their work for publication. One sure way to never receive a rejection is to not submit anything. But, if you're a writer, you probably hope to see your work in print somewhere, somehow. 

After your initial anger, sorrow, or disappointment--however you view a rejection--it's time to look for the lesson. Feel very fortunate if an editor sends a note of some kind to let you know why your piece was not accepted. If you know the reason, it's a lot easier to correct the problem. It's also possible that nothing was wrong with your submission, but the publication had recently used something very similar. If you do get a note from an editor along with the rejection, consider yourself fortunate. Most editors say they don't have time to write a note with the rejection. If you do receive an editor's note, it certainly leaves you feeling more encouraged than despondent. 

After you let a couple days, or more, go by after the initial rejection, read your piece as objectively as possible. Look for areas that can be improved, or ones that might be deleted for one reason or another. Work on minor revisions and submit to another publication. 

What about sending your work to several places at the same time? Some publications will accept these simultaneous submissions, others will not. If they do, it will be stated in their guidelines. The main problem with submitting to several places at one time is that, if one of them accepts your piece, then you need to notify the other places that your submission is no longer available to them. That means good record keeping and more time taken from actual writing. It's up to each writer whether to make multiple submissions or not. Personally, I choose not to do so.

The beginning writer is more likely to feel hurt when rejections come in. It's all new and it's a tough pill to swallow. The more experienced writer has learned to sigh a bit and move on. The beginning writer is also more apt to feel hurt and/or angry when they receive criticism of their work from someone whom they have asked to do a critique. You asked for their opinion, so be big enough to accept it for what it is--a means to help you be a better writer. 

If rejections still bum you, work on learning to see the lesson rather than the disappointment you feel.

Book Review: Poetry Collection

I spent a good portion of my afternoon yesterday reading Tom Mach's latest book of poetry, titled Poetry Collection. Mach is an author and poet who lives and writes in Lawrence, KS. He has written historical novels as well as five books of poetry.

This newest volume includes a few of his poems from the first four poetry books he published as well as many new ones. You'll find several types of poems including sonnets, haiku, rhymed verse, free verse, lyrics, odes and more. Definitely a variety.

He has no overall theme, as the title of the book might indicate. There is a thread of Christianity running through this collection, as well as humor, sadness, and history. Many of his poems reflect nature and love. Even an occasional surprise.

There is a simplicity to his work, no deep metaphorical poetry. Many people say they do not like poetry because they can't understand what the poet is talking about. You'll not have that problem with Mach's poems. 

A few of the poems I particularly liked are A Beethoven Symphony, Another Sunrise, and Hush of Winter. Selecting titles for poems can be as important as the poem itself, and this poet does a good job with naming his poems.

The cover of this new book is quite nice, as are the covers on his previous books. His poetry books are The Uni Verse, The Museum Muse, So Runs the Water, AMERICA! and this newest one, Poetry Collection. 

Mach has won awards for his historical novels and some of his poetry. He writes from the heat and who could ask for more from a poet? 

You can purchase Poetry Collection by Tom Mach at Amazon. Kindle or paperback version. 

 

Write Travel Essays

 

Saturday's Wall Street Journal had an entire section titled Travel. Besides the articles, a few pages had short travel vignettes from several people. I found them of great interest, and apparently the people who produce this fine newspaper must have thought travel was a worthwhile topic. There are entire magazines devoted to the subject of travel as well as anthologies and ezines that center on travel.

The photo for today is a group of penguins, known as a raft if they are in water, but on land, the term used for this group is a waddle. We were fortunate to see a waddle of penguins at the Cape of Good Hope in South Aftica. Located about 50 miles south of Capetown, it's a fascinating spot to visit. I wrote a few lines in my travel journal, but silly me did not think to focus on this one spot for a full travel essay. A missed opportunity. 

Unless you happen to be a travel journalist, most of us write little or none about some of the places we've been, especially the foreign spots. If you're a writer who would like to be published, or published again, travel essays are ones that editors are often looking for. 

One of the ezines that has published two of my travel stories is Dave's Travel Corner  About halfway down the Home page, you'll see a place on the right hand side that says Submit an Article. Click on that, and you'll get full information needed for submission.s You'll also find a page of al those who have written for this ezine, in alphabetical order by first name. I checked, and sure enough, my name is listed. I clicked on it, and both my article/essays came up. It'a an interesting site. 

Use your favorite search engine to find places where you can submit travel essays. Many appreciate, or even require, photos to accompany your piece. Try keywords like 'submissions for travel essays' or 'where to submit travel essays.'

You may have noticed I use the term 'travel essay' rather than article. The reason being that an article is filled with facts about a place--the topography, places to stay, places to eat, touris sites and more. A travel essay has much of the same but is more personalized. The 'human touch' is within the essay. It might contain the reason for your visit, the people you met, how the place and the people affected you. 

One of my favorite travel essays has been published in the USA and in Europe. It's about a special trip my husband and I took with an interesting person as our host. You can read it below. The next time you travel here or abroad, take good notes and write a travel essay when you return home. 

Joe’s Castle

As soon as the iron gates came into view, the conversation in our rented van ceased. All six of us leaned forward for a better view while we drove slowly onto the park-like grounds of Zbraslav Castle. Huge trees stood guard over various sculptures on either side of the lane we traversed.

“There it is,” Joe told us.

'It' was Joe’s boyhood home, a home that had been occupied by enemy soldiers during World War II, then taken over by the communists, a home that Joe had fled over fifty years earlier. Joe is the Baron Joseph Barton-Dobenin, the oldest of three sons who were raised in a thirteenth century castle that sits in all its majesty a few miles outside of Prague in what is now the Czech Republic.

We pulled up in front of the colorful castle and scrambled out of the van while Joe spoke to the guard on duty. Our visit here started in jest at one of our Dinner/Bridge sessions. Joe’s wife, Elizabeth, had said, “You know what? We should all go over to Prague and play bridge in the castle.” Six of us nodded and laughed and agreed that we should do that. Sometime. Little did we know that Joe and Elizabeth were serious, and the next time we were together, plans for our trip began to gel. Between January and May we made air and hotel reservations, rented a van, and prepared for a week’s stay in Prague, a city justifiably known as The Jewel of Europe.

We’d heard a great deal about the castle ever since it had been returned to Joe’s family when the communist government fell during The Velvet Revolution. Now, we were to see it. What had been mere words would soon be mental pictures to file in our memories and see again and again once home in Kansas.

When the communists seized the castle a few years after World War II, they turned it into a museum. Consequently, everything in it was left exactly as it had been, and the entire building was well maintained. People flocked to tour the castle, to exclaim over the masters’ paintings, the porcelain, the sculptures and antiques throughout.

Today, one end is a national art gallery. Joe’s niece and her children occupy the lower floor of the remainder of the castle, and Joe has kept the upper floor private. It continues to be furnished exactly as it was in his childhood.

His mother’s portrait still graces a wall in a salon. I gazed at the portrait for a long time. Painted in the years just prior to World War I, the woman looks regal and feminine in a froth of a dress, but her strength of character comes through as well. When Joe was only fifteen, his father died, and his mother became head of the family. Hitler had come to power, and before long, Czechoslovakia proved to be one more prize in his collection of European countries. What stories this woman might tell were she alive today.

During the war, German officers lived in the castle at Zbraslav with the Barton-Dobenin family. Joe inherited his father’s title, but he and his brothers were sent to work in the fields with other Czechs. Joe tells a wonderful story about the surrender of those same German soldiers.

When the end of the war was imminent, two American lieutenants drove a jeep, with a white towel on its antenna, up the castle road. They asked to see the officer in charge, then informed the German they were authorized to take him and his men prisoners. The Germans agreed but asked for time to get ready. While they talked outside in a courtyard, Joes’ mother joined them, carrying a large, oversized book in her hands. “Gentlemen,” she said, “would you sign my guest book?” The two Americans readily agreed, and each man signed his name. One of them wrote that he hoped they might visit again under better circumstances.

Later that day, the two Americans in their jeep led several thousand German enlisted men, who had camped on the castle grouds, and officers on foot to the American lines. Why had it been so easy? The Germans chose to surrender to the Americans rather than to the Russians who were close behind.

We wandered from room to room admiring the murals that graced the ceilings and the oriental rugs that rested on the floor. White porcelain stoves in the corner of many of the rooms provided heat on cold winter days. Large windows in every room afforded views of a winding river and dense forest that surrounded the castle and courtyard. I lingered at one such window admiring the view. Long before this, Joe and his little brothers must have done the same.

Zbraslav Castle boasts two large dining rooms for entertaining. Eighteen guests can dine at one table, while the other seats even more. Each table stretched longer than any we’d ever seen. Long white linens covered the top, and stately chairs were lined up on either side. I tried to imagine the table adorned with china, crystal, and silver, the chairs occupied by invited guests, and animated conversation and laughter filling the room. A dinner party in the castle was easy to picture.

After our wonderful tour of Joes’ castle, we got down to the business we’d come for—playing Bridge. Joe took us to the rooms he’d been given when he turned eighteen. To mark his entry into an adult world, his mother had a lovely bed/sitting room and bath redone for him. The tall windows looked down on a small courtyard and the verdant forest beyond. We toasted our hosts, with a small glass of Becherovka, a local liqueur that slid easily across the tongue. The cards were dealt, and laughter and conversation rang in the castle once more. Another memory had been etched into our lives because of our friend Joe, his warm heart, and his beautiful castle. 

(C)

Zbraslav Castle

All Can Write Slice of Life Memories

 

"Write what should not be forgotten." This quote by author, Isabel Allende, gives some good advice. 

It's why we write memoirs and family stories. Your Family Stories collection does not always have to be full stories with a beginning, middle, and ending. You can write a 'slice of life' as it was when you were growing up. These are bits and pieces, a small part of your entire life. Those things would be of interest to future generations. Before too long, no kid will believe that we had telephones attached to the wall in our day. Or that there was no texting or email or...

Here's a list of slice of life topics you can write about and include with your family stories:

A. The kind of place where you grew up--rural, urban, small town

B.  How you got to school

C.  Your siblings, number and order

D.  Your aunts and uncles

E.  Your grandparents, on both sides

F.  Your cousins

G.  The kind of clothing you wore to school, church, parties, to play

H.  What your family kitchen looked like (or any other room in the house)

I.  Your pets

J.  What you did for entertainment

K.  Did you get an allowance, or did you have to work for spending money?

L.  What you loved about your growing up years

M.  What you hated about your growing up years

N.  What was going on in the world when you grew up? Wars, inventions, politics, etc.

O.  Sports--playing them, watching them, favorite teams

P.  Your physical characteristics as a kid

This is a pretty extensive list, but you might come up with a few more topics to write about. Some of these might be one paragraph, while others might go on for a full page. Once you start on a memory, it seems to trigger more memories. 

The weekend is here, so maybe you'll have time to get started on your slice of life writing. Go through the list and start with the one that appeals most to you, then check it off once completed and on to another. 

This kind of writing is easy, and it can be fun, as well as nostalgic. You do not need to be a professional writer to do this. Do it for your family, do it for yourself, as well. Memories can be treasures. So, do 'write what should not be forgotten' as our poster for today tells us. 

Special Moments in Your Writing Life

 

Have you had some special moments in your writing life? Are they wonderful, and then disappear like morning mist on a river? Or do you relive them now and then? 

I look at each publication of something I have written to be a special moment. The obstetrician who delivered my children once told me that every birth was a thrill for him, that bringing infants into the world never got old. As a writer, I can relate to that.

Do you share those special moments with others? Are you afraid they'll think you're bragging? You're not. Selling yourself is part of being a writer, and mentioning your publications is a part of building your platform. Don't ever feel that you shouldn't tell others when something good happens in your writing world.

I also consider a special moment when a story, essay, or poem you've been working on suddenly comes together just as you envisioned it in your head when you first got the idea. That doesn't always happen. What is in our head might not look the same in print. 

When I've had special recognition at my Kansas Authors Club convention, I count it among my special moments. One year, I was selcted Prose Writer of the Year. A surprise and a thrill. Another time, I received a Service Award for things I'd done for this state organization. Yet another year, I was recognized as being an Octogenarian. That one left me with mixed emotions, but even so, it was a special moment. 

How about the first time you had the thought that you'd like to be a writer and decided to pursue that idea? That's definitely a special moment. 

Those of you who have had a book published must feel it is a special moment when you hold it in your hands and know that you were responsible for all the words between the covers. If your book wins some kind of an award, that, too, has to be a special and memorable moment. 

There are many special moments in our writing life. When things aren't going as well as you hoped, take some time out and list those special moments, either in your head or write a list. Maybe the problem time will not feel quite so heavy when you mark those special moments. It also can help you believe in yourself.

13 Years, But Who's Counting?

 

On August 14th, three days ago, this blog and I celebrated thirteen years together. Many of you were here from the beginning, while others started reading Writer Granny's World later. Each and every reader is appreciated. This is what I wrote to begin the first post on August 14, 2009:

I'm starting a new adventure, becoming a blogger. At age 70, I'm not about to let the world pass me by. I intend for this blog to be concerned with the writing world and also my personal world, now and then. Maybe others can learn something here, find a subject that they can relate to, or just enjoy getting away for a short visit.

I noted today that I have published 3,361 posts since that first day. That boggles my mind! The best part is that I've enjoyed being a blogger. Somehow, I come up with a topic day after day. Sometimes, it's something I've seen, or read. Sometimes, I go to my photo gallery and find a quote from a writer, and let it inspire my post for that day. I've posted stories and poems that I've written along with the 'tips and encouragement for writers' that my sub-banner promises. 

I've had many fine Guest Bloggers, one just yesterday. They are all people who have a lot of history in the writing world. I appreciate each and every Guest Post they have graciously agreed to write. 

In the thirteen years since I started this blog, I have become older. That's a given! I've also gained more experience in the writing world. In this length of time, some topics about writing have been repeated, but we learn through repetition, so I feel that is alright. I try to do the repeated topics with a new slant, but sometimes it is necessaary for the sake of time on a very busy day to repost an older post that is still relevant. 

One of the best benefits of writing this blog for so many years is that I have met many other fine writers and have formed friendships, even though we've never met in person. We learn from one another, and we understand one another, as well. Another benefit is that we help each other when asked.

I have always been one to try to be of service to others in some way. First, was my short teaching career (stopped after five years to raise my children), then many years as a hospital volunteer, and finally, the blog to be of some help to other writers.

I'm not sure how many more years my blog has, but my inspiration has not waned, and I'm still coherent, so on we go for year fourteen.

Guest Blogger: Sensory Details and Creativity

 

Christina Hamlett is with us today with some thoughts on using the five senses when we write. Sensory details can make your prose come alive and your poetry sing. 

USING YOUR SENSES TO INSPIRE CREATIVITY

By Christina Hamlett

 Are your own senses holding you back from producing your best writing? The following exercises are all about putting them to work in ways you might not have imagined.

 *****

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SMELL

 Memory and smell are deeply intertwined, an imprint relationship starting at birth but diminishing as we age or if olfactory receptors are impaired by disease. The brain’s ability to associate smells with emotions, events and people is why the faintest whiff of perfume, cookie dough or burnt rubber can transport us to the past and trigger memories of a lost love, Grandma’s kitchen, or a car accident we were lucky to walk away from. 

 How does your neighborhood smell? Take a long walk and breathe deeply, making note of the various aromas emanating from gardens, garbage, industrial sites, bodies of water, restaurants and playgrounds. Compose flash fiction stories in which each scent is associated with a character or event.

Follow that nose! With the exception of fresh seafood, coffee blends and certain fruit, you probably don’t pay much attention to supermarket smells. For this exercise, have a trusted friend blindfold you and walk you through the aisles of a grocery store. Each time a distinctive aroma hits your nostrils, describe how the scent makes you feel. Next, remove the blindfold and visit the aisles which sell packaged/canned goods as well as cleaning supplies. Assess whether the label designs/colors influence your expectations of what a product smells like (i.e., do you assume a detergent in a yellow box will smell like lemons). Create a series of advertising slogans in which scent is the key “hook.”

Non-Scents. Many elements such as colors, emotions and household appliances defy olfactory association. For each of the following, describe its attributes in terms of a smell: grey, warm towels, clouds, melancholy, jewelry, tax returns, superstition, red, mist, microwave.

 TACTILE TECHNIQUES

A. Feeling a hooky coming on? The art of a convincing call-in to tell your boss you’re under the weather is all in the right staging. It’s more than just having props within reach which make you repeatedly sneeze; it’s about working up a breathless, heated sweat, plunging your hands in ice water for 45 seconds, and donning your rattiest bathrobe. Whatever you can make your body feel will manifest in the way you describe your symptoms to a listener.

B. Borrow a page from Halloween. Have a friend set out bowls containing cooked pasta, crumpled potato chips/crackers/cereal, buttermilk, mud, mashed potatoes, grapes, seaweed, a wiglet, wet sponge pieces, a cold lumpy soup, wet socks, cottage cheese, candy corn, mashed bananas, gummy worms and rubber bugs. Wearing a blindfold, put your hand into each bowl. Give your imagination free rein to envision something horrifying (i.e., a bowl full of squishy eyeballs). Write a flash fiction story based on the most lingering of these tactile sensations.

C. Put on a silk blouse/shirt and soft pants, sit in a comfy spot, and compose a short romantic scene. Next, put on something scratchy and too tight, sit in a straight-back wooden chair and rewrite the scene. Experiment some more by writing the scene in a room that’s too cold, followed by one that’s too hot. Write barefoot – first by wiggling your toes into a deep plush rug, then by putting your feet in a box lid full of gravel.

 A MATTER OF TASTE

 There’s a reason it’s called “comfort food.” Whether it’s a favorite sandwich, pasta, a pot pie, meatloaf or a bowl of oatmeal, comfort foods are those which evoke sentimental thoughts, are easy to prepare, relieve physical ailments (i.e., chicken soup), or lower the emotional stress of a broken heart, a bad hair day, or feelings of guilt from overspending. Interestingly, studies have shown that what triggers the craving for a comfort food differs between the sexes—men being drawn to it because they’re feeling positive and women because they’re feeling negative. 

A. Write down your favorite comfort foods. Describe your earliest memory of each, including who fixed it, the occasion, setting, what kind of plate, what you drank, and what the weather was like. 

B. Barring allergies or food restrictions, commit to expanding your culinary margins by trying one new food each week and distinguishing the individual flavors that comprise it.

C. For each of the following, assign a musical instrument which best captures its personality: baked potato, carrots, gelatin, steak, bran muffin, popcorn, fudge, champagne, tofu, marmalade.

 DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

 Your ears serve two important functions: to let you hear/distinguish sounds and to assist in keeping your balance. Hearing is believed to be the last of our senses to go—a useful tidbit to remember if you’re in the presence of someone who’s unconscious. Hospitals have no shortage of stories in which patients who awakened from a coma could recall everything their visitors said, including secret confessions and fractious debates about how to divvy up the estate.

A. Mute the sound on your TV and watch a show you’ve never seen before. How do you use the visuals you’re observing—body language, facial expressions, backdrops, recurring colors and patterns—to figure out the plot, the relationships and what’s being discussed? Watch the show a second time to evaluate your accuracy. Make note of how the inclusion of music and sound effects influence the mood, especially in a horror film.

B. Put in a pair of earplugs at a noisy park. (Be mindful of personal safety, of course.) Write a flash fiction piece about a character who can no longer hear birds singing, children laughing, dogs barking, or people playing sports.

C. Write a letter describing a concert experience to a recipient who has never heard music.

 SEEING IS (SOMETIMES) BELIEVING

 Vision is generally considered the most complex of our senses because of the volume of data it receives and processes to enable us to distinguish colors and shapes, judge distances, navigate in different levels of light, and recognize familiar sights. Although the majority of information we have about the world tends to come to us through our peepers, the eyes can also play tricks on us through mirages, mistaken identity, and brain-teaser optical illusions. 

A. If you always sit in the same spot at your dining room table, on the couch, or in your home office, switch things up for a week and sit in a different chair. How many things do you notice from this alternative perspective? How does your dog or cat see the world? Spend half an hour crawling on the floor, then write down your observations. 

B. Close your eyes. Using a tape recorder, describe every detail about the room in which you’re sitting. Then review how many you left off the list, possibly because you’ve seen them so often you no longer “see” them at all.

C. Sit with your back toward the TV and listen to a show with which you’re not familiar. Write down your impressions of how the characters look, what the setting is, and what time of day based on a strictly auditory experience. 

 Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award-winning author whose credits to date include 46 books, 266 stage plays and squillions of articles. She is also a script consultant for stage and screen and a professional ghostwriter. www.authorhamlett.com.

A Writer's Musings

 

Summer Flowers

Today's post has nothing to do with the photo, nor is it one topic. Instead, I'm writing about some things that have struck me as relevant from other blog posts I've read, and also some things I've noted in my own writing recently. Maybe some of it will trigger some thoughts for you, as well.

One of the blogs I read today was written by a woman who said she is always early or on time when she has someplace to be. But her writing world is altogether different. There she hurries to finish a piece rather than wait and revise later. It's a common failing that writers have, I believe, as we are often really pumped up about something we've written and want to hurry up and find a home for it. 

Experience shows that letting your work sit for a few days, or even longer, then read and revise will allow for a stronger piece of writing in the end. If time is short, even a few hours before you do that final edit is worthwhile. You'll see errors and places where you might rewrite or enhance a thought or strike out as it's redundant. 

Another blogger who is also a nonfiction author who writes food/travel books makes it very clear in her posts that people are of great importance in her writing. The interviews she has with various people in foreign countries serve as the base for her books. She doesn't do an interview with a Q & A. Instead, she visits with the person over a glass of wine, or a lunch, while both are relaxed and conversation comes easily. 

One other blogger writes about her childhood experiences. What she remembers and what these memories mean to her today. Our memories give us fuel for memoirs and also bring story ideas based on the things that happened to us long ago. It's all there for you to use when you dig deep into your memory bag. 

Yesterday, I worked on a draft I'd done a few weeks ago to submit to a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I read it over and felt pretty good about the story, with only a bit of editing. Then, I glanced over at the word count. 1286 words. Oh-oh! Chicken Soup has a max of 1200. It was time to get to work and cut those 86 words that spilled past the max, and maybe a few more. It wasn't difficult as I looked for areas where I could cut something not totally relevant. Or I might change a phrase of four words into two. A snip here, another snip there, and I whittle the story to 1192 words. 

The other day, I posted about the August WRITE-A-THON my online writing group is pursuing this month. I've written something to submit for that each day since August began, and I have read most of the other members' offerings. One of the things I noted was that we all have a different style of writing, but all wrote someting interesting. We're a group, but we're also individuals. Just as you are a writer that no other writer can duplicate in style or substance. Isn't it wonderful to be part of a group but still be yourself? 

How about you? Have you learned anything about yourself as a writer lately? Have you been impressed by another writer's blog post? 

 

Writers Need to Face Their Fears

 

Are writers a bunch of scaredy cats? Yes and no. The fear of failure lurks in the back of nearly every writer's mind. There are a few egomaniacs who never have these feelings, who think they will be winners every time they write something new. Oh, how the rest of us envy them!

There is more than one kind of fear that writers face. Some are all-encompassing and debilitating. Everything that person writes gives them moments of agony over how good their writing is, if it's publishable, if any editor will even get past the first two paragraphs. This kind of fear should tell the writer that maybe writing is not for them. 

Then, there is the bits and flits of fear that we all experience. Work hard on an essay, revise and edit, polish until you thnk it's ready, but you suddenly begin to question whether your essay is polished enough to be submitted or not. 

Is it ready to be sent to your writing group for critique? Is it ready to be sent to a publication?  If you to ahead and send it, it's not an unreasonable fear. By submitting, you're in control and can overcome those little fears you have. Keep in mind that you are in charge. 

The fact that you are in control of your writing life is an important one. It can only be helpful in overcoming any small fears you might have. 

Even seasoned writers who've had several books published deal with fears. Read a biography about a famous author, and you'll find elements of fear in their writing life, too. Many wonder if this new book will be as good as the last ones. Will the public clamor to purchase, or will the sales be dismal? It doesn't matter what stage of writing you are in, there are niggling fears to be dealt with.

If you find yourself facing a fear in your writing life, face it head on. Don't merely try to push it away. Think about it. Ask yourself why you have the fear and then what you can do to move it out of your life? Some soul searching will be needed. Talking with another writer can be helpful, too. Stepping away from writing for a short time could have some benefit. A lot depends on how big or how small that fear happens to be.

Ask yourself why you have this fear. Then, think about ways to overcome it. You might need to give yourself a pep talk, listing your successes.  My take is to always accentuate the positive in any situation. Don't let the negatives pull you under.  

Our poster today tells us to keep our goals in mind over the things we fear. Good advice. I would add that we should meet our fears head-on and work on them a little at a time. 

What's a WRITE-A-THON?

 

My online writing group, writersandcritters, is in the midst of a WRITE-A-THON  for the full month of August. We did this last year, and it was a great success, so onward again in 2022. 

Normally, we are each committed to sending in two submissions per month and four critiques. At least, we aim for that. Life and what it delivers sometimes makes it less than that or more, depending the circumstances. But for August, we do not need to sub or crit, unless we want to. What we are doing is writing something every single day. No length requirements, no time limits. A prompt is given which can help some members get started, but it is not necessary to use.

We head each email to the group with something like Nancy's THON #11, which means it is my offereing for the 11th day of August. We shortened the full name which works just fine.

It has been interesting to read what other members have sent. Sometimes, it is a poem. It can be a paragraph, or a full page. It's whatever the writer wants to do. I've never had a problem finding a topic. 

A few have selected a theme to follow. One member is traveling through Germany with her husband and daughter, so she writes every day about their travels. Another is writing about culture differences. One is writing about how she met her husband in a continuing story. One is writing childhood memories. Some have no theme at all, something different each day. That's my category, although many of mine have been memory pieces. 

It's nice to do this with a group, but you can do it on your own, as well. You can start tomorrow on August 11 and go through September 10. A full month. Or wait until September 1st and run through that 30 day period. There are no real rules. The direction is to write something every day. Write with abandon. Write with passion. Most of all, don't worry about time limits or deadlines or commitments. The WRITE-A-THON is for you. Just write and enjoy!

I have already found a few of my daily THON offerings that could be expanded into a personal essay. I am keeping each day's writing in file folder, so that I can go back later and work on the ones that seem of interest. 

So how about it? Will any of you accept my challenge to participate in your own WRITE-A-THON? If you belong to any kind of writing group, draft the members to do this with you. If not, do it yourself. You might be surprised at how much comes from this. The pieces often start with fluff, and then the good stuff starts coming forth. 

Book Review: Peach Blossom Spring

 

Recently, I read Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu, her debut novel published in 2022. I was mesmerized by this generational family saga novel. 

The story opens in 1938 when a young wife, Meilin, and her 4 year old son, Renshu, live in luxury in a family compound in China. Her husband and brother-in-law are away fighting with the Chinese army as the Japanese forces begin their march across China. When her husband is killed, her brother-in-law returns home directing his wife and two daughters and Meilin and Renshu to pack what they can as they must flee for their lives. Meilin packs only necessities but also includes an ancient silk scroll that becomes more and more treasured as the family makes their way by train, boat, and finally on their feet. Meilin entertains her tiny son with stories from the scroll. Stories that give them strength to go on. The journey is fraught with problems and loss. Meilin and Renshu eventually set out on their own away from the family. They finally land in Shanghai, and when China becomes a Communist country, they escape to Taiwan. Life is hard for mother and son, but they survive with the help of friends. 

Renshu finishes high school and college and is awarded a chance to do his graduate studies in America. He ends up staying there, marrying an American Caucasian girl. They have one child, Lily. Around age 10, Lily begins to question her heritage, asking her father many times about his life in China and Taiwan. He refuses to talk about any of it. Meilin comes for a visit, and Lily and she bond, despite the language barrier. When her grandmother returns to Taiwan, Lily is more determined to learn about her father's childhood and family. The rest of the story focuses on Lily's long quest to learn about her heritage.

There is, of course, much more to this story of three generations covering the years 1938-2000. We see the strength of Meilin, the love Renshu, turned Henry in America, has for his mother. The pull of family as Meilin's brother-in-law shows up in her life once again. The history we see of both the Chinese and Taiwanese people is a large part of the story. With the conflict between the two today, it was enlightening to learn the past history. The silk scroll and Meilin's stories that tell of life and how we meet its tragedies and difficulties are also an excellent part of the book. 

Besides a very fine story, the prose itself was beautiful. Other reviewers used descriptive words like: magical, powerful, beautifully rendered, richly described, deeply compassionate, a brilliant multigenerational tale. Reviewers gave the book 4 1/2 to 5 stars, mostly 5. I will also give it 5 stars. 

There are books that leave us as soon as we close the cover after reading the final page. Others stay with us, keep popping up in our mind as the days go on. This is what Peach Blossom Spring has done for me. 

Thoughts on Personal Narrative

 

Writers often give other writers a helping hand. My helping hand today is Marlene Cullen who gives us some interesting suggestions gleaned from a workshop she attended. Yes, one writer helps another. 

Thoughts Personal Narrative by Marlene Cullen

I attended a writing workshop where the teacher, Susan Bono, talked about personal narrative as documents of transformation.

She talked about writing the big story, then take one small action or decision that altered things. 

Another way to look at this: Something happened and the narrator was not the same after. 

It might take years to understand and realize what happened. Sometimes we need the perspective of distance to figure out that we were forever changed after an event.

How to get that place in your writing . . . where you write about the pivotal moment your life was changed.

One way is to write about the event and drill down to the precise moment, or inciting catalyst that changed you

You can also use this method to flesh out your fictional characters.

An example is my Texas Parking Lot story in “The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing.”

I wrote about our family cross-country car trip. I narrowed that trip down to an incident that happened in a motel parking lot in Texas. 

Then I drilled down and focused on an argument in that parking lot.

Then I drilled further down to something my mother said. 

It took years to discover the epiphany. She was not capable of emotionally caring for her daughters. She could no longer be the mother who had admirably raised her daughters without the support of a husband.

Your writing prompt: Write about an emotionally charged situation.

Look at the scene as if you are hovering in the air, looking down. Then focus closer, telescope in to see the fine details.

Details to help see this scene and remember what took place:

Who is in this scene?

Describe what people were wearing.

Describe the scenery if outdoors, or the room if indoors. 

What was the weather like? 

Was there food or drink involved?

What happened immediately prior to this scene? What happened after?

For perspective:

Write from the point of view of years later. Write what you remember.

What happened to the people in this scene?

Start with one scene and go from there. Just write!

Marlene Cullen is a writing workshop facilitator. She hosts The Write Spot Blog and Writers Forum, treasure chests of inspirational gems for writers.

The Write Spot anthologies, edited by Marlene, are collections of short stories, poems, and vignettes that entertain, with prompts to inspire writing.

The Write Spot: https://www.thewritespot.us/ 

Submit Poetry to This Anthology

 

Dragonflies and Fairies published by the Southern Arizona Press is available for free as a pdf download. You can download the book of poems, along with an earlier one titled The Stars and Moon in the Evening Sky. My poem, Fairy Kisses, is included in the newest anthology. Go to  http://www.southernarizonapress.com/downloads/. to get your free copy. 

There are two more anthologies by this press in the works. The paragraph below gives you information for submitting:

We thank you again for your submissions and hope that you will continue to consider submitting works for future anthologies. Our next anthology is a Halloween edition titled Ghostly Ghouls and Haunted Happenings and a very special project anthology for 11 November titled The Poppy: A Symbol of Remembrance. For more information on these upcoming anthologies, visit the Current Submissions page of our website - http://www.southernarizonapress.com/current-submissions/ 

Perhaps you have a poem in your files that would work for one of these upcoming books of poetry. Or try writing a new poem geared to either theme. The poet gets his/her poem published, and a photo and bio which will be printed above the poem(s). I noted that some people had more than one poem accepted. There were a few poems that had been previously published.

As for me, when I saw the theme of Dragonflies and Fairies, I immediately thought of a poem I wrote quite a few years ago, meant for a children's magazine. Somehow, I never did anything with it, but suddenly, there was a place to send it. 

There is no payment, nor do you receive a print copy of the book, although print copies are for sale. 

I plan to write a poem for the book on The Poppy:  A Symbol of Remembrance. Maybe you can, too.

My simpe little poem in the latest Souther Arizona Press book is below:

Fairy Kisses 

Fairy kisses float

on soft summer air.

Tiny little folk send

them soaring high.

Catch one feather light.

Drop it in a glass jar.

Save it for another day

when you feel a bit blue.

Remove it, treasure the love

a fairy’s kiss will bring.

Then send it on its way.

(C)            ...Nancy Julien Kopp

Strength Through Writing Exercises

  

Today's poster shows some young, limber person exercising. There was a time I could do this, but not now. Instead, I choose writing exercises which strengthen my writing abilities. 

A couple weeks ago, I attended a writing workshop moderated by Marlene Cullen. ( www.thewritespot.us) She lives in California, and I live in Kansas, but thanks to the miracle of zoom, I was able to join her group. Marlene is the lady of writing prompts. She has ever so many good ones. 

That evening, she gave those who attended one prompt that I particularly liked. We all spent a few minutes writing whatever popped into our minds when we were given the prompt. Then, several read their efforts. One prompt, but all wrote about something different. That's the beauty of writing to a prompt. 

I have three writing prompts for you today. With the weekend upon us, perhaps you can set aside a little time to respond to them. Note that I didn't say that you might find a little time. Instead, I asked that you set aside some time. Two different things, aren't they? 

Now to the prompts:  (# 1 is the one Marlene gave us)

Prompt #1:  My mother told me...

Prompt #2:  My father told me...

Prompt #3:  My teacher told me...

Use the freewrite method. Look at the prompt, then start writing and don't stop to think. Let the words flow until you run out. Or set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and stop when time is up. 

Physical exercise is aimed at muscles and flexibility. Writing exercises work on your writing muscles and flexibility. Do both kinds, and you'll be a sensation!

My August Hopes for Writers

 

I am a little late to welcome August, but it's only the fourth day of this eighth month of the year. Besides the Hello August greeting, the poster says 'To All Those Who Are Reading This, I really Hope Something Good Happens For You This Month.'

I will second that sentiment. I have hopes for you, too. A list of my hopes for you this month follows:

A.  I hope you find joy in writing.

B.  I hope you will submit at least two pieces of writing to a publication.

C.  I hope you will do one writing exercise at least three days a week.

D.  I hope you are inspired to write.

E.  I hope you attend one writer's meeting, either in person or via zoom.

F.  I hope you work on the negatives in your writing life.

G.  I hope you have at least one conversation with another writer.

H.  I hope you can overcome any fears you have about writing. 

I.  I hope you get one acceptance from a publisher this month.

J.  I hope you will share my blog posts with other writers.

K.  I hope you will consider joining a writing group of some kind.

L.  I hope you writing becomes stronger day by day.

M.  I hope you can use a rejection as a learning experience.

N.  I hope this is a topnotch month of writing for you.

This is a long list, and not every one of my hopes will come true for you, but perhaps some will. One way to make sure is to give writing everything you've got this month. No slacking, no excuses, and no whining. I truly hope August is a very satisfying month for each and every one of you. 

5 Tips for Writers

 

(This is a post (slightly revised) from a few years ago that I felt was worth repeating)

If you've been looking over what you did or didn't do, in your writing world this past year, you might be feeling a bit down. 

Some questions you are asking yourself could be:  Why the heck didn't more of my stuff sell? Why is my rejection pile so much higher than the acceptance stack? Why don't I have more readers for my blog? Why do my contest submissions seldom place? Why do I continue writing?

Instead of giving up, let's take a look at today's poster points, one by one. The poster urges us to quit these five things. And to do it 'right now!'

1.  Trying to please everyone:  Our hearts want to please all but our heads know this is an impossibility. There is no way we can reach all people in a completely positive way. Writers have opinions, and they come through in our stories, essays, and poems. Not all people are going to agree with your opinion. So be it. Of course, there are those who do not agree and are completely rude about it. Feel sorry for them, then move on. Instead of pleasing all readers, make sure what you write pleases you.

2.  Fearing change:  It's a human failing to fear change. It's so much easier to stay in our comfort zone. It's a warm, cozy nest of our own making, and we like it. Make an effort to try something different, to change your method of some phase of your writing. You could be surprised that it is actually okay that you've learned something new. We grow as writers when we make some changes and try new things.

3.  Living in the past:  Older writers are probably the guilty ones here. I have done it this way for decades and it works for me. Maybe so, but perhaps you can also learn new ways to please new and younger readers. The past is comfortable, the future (or changing your ways) is rather scary at times. We've been in the 21st century for over twenty-one years now. Make sure you're in it.

4.  Putting yourself down:  Of all people, writers are ones who must build themselves up, not put themselves down. A writer has to sell him/herself to editors and to readers. Toot your own horn; don't tell others why you are not such a good writer. The more you put yourself down to others, the more you're going to believe it yourself. We try to encourage our writer friends, and that's fine. Now, it's time to encourage yourself. Give yourself a pep talk every day. And believe it!

5.  Overthinking:  Maybe we spend too much time doing this when we should go with our gut feeling or first thoughts. Especially on a first draft. Let the words flow and do the thinking part when you start revising and editing what you've written. We can dig ourselves into a hole if we 'overthink' a simple situation.

These five things cannot be changed overnight. Work on them a little at a time. Maybe choose one of the five and work on it for a month, then try another. Trying to do it all at once can be pretty overwhelming and then we might throw up our hands and use that awful word again--quit! So, take the 'right now!' part with a grain of salt.

These five things cannot be changed overnight. Work on them a little at a time. Maybe choose one of the five and work on it for a month, then try another. Attempting to do it all at once can be pretty overwhelming, and then we might throw up our hands and use that awrul word again--quit! So, don't take the 'right now' part to heart. Go at your own pace.

Words, Words, Words

 

As writers, we deal with words. Thousands and thousands of words. If you hope to have your writing stand out above others, you must choose your words carefully. 

When we write a first draft, our intent is to get the story written with the basic idesas, or the essay, or your article. The first draft is the bones, and later we edit and revise in order to flesh it out. Our aim is to polish the piece until it shines enough to be ready to submit for publication.

One of the things we do in our revision and editing process is to check for words that can be changed from mundane to magnificent. Well, maybe not magnificent but words that have a little sparkle that will enrich your story and appeal to the reader.

The poster for today shows a lengthy list of synonyms for the palin word 'want.' Using one of these synonyms is going to bring a bit more sparkle to your story. A few examples below:

A.  I want to go to the concert.

B.  I yearn for going to the concert.

C.  I have a great desire to attend the concert.

D.  I'm dying to attend that concert.

E.  I have a yen to attend the concert.

Sentence A is a simple one using 'want' while the other four are telling us the same thing but in a stronger, more interesting way. 

When you go through your first draft, look for simple words that can be changed. You might not simply insert one word for another. Instead, you can change the sentence around a bit in order to use better words. It's not a matter of pluck this one out, pop that one in. Look at the five sentences above and see how eliminating 'want' can change more than one word. 

If you write something like '...the green grass...' try something like '..the verdant prairie grass ...'  If you wrote 'He saw a river when he reached the top of the hill.' try 'He spied the silver ribbon of water from atop the bluff.'

We often hear advice to change passive verbs to active ones. When we write a first draft, we are quite apt to use far too many of those passive verbs. Many can be changed to active ones. It takes a bit of thought. The more you do this, the more it becomes habit, and your mind will start coming up with the active verbs even as you write the first draft. 

The more we do something, the easier it becomes. We establish habits even for something as simple as changing a generic type of word. Do a word search on your first draft with words like 'he, was, want, she, they' and other simple words that we often overuse. When you have a 1200 word essay, and you used 'was' a hundred times, fix it.' 

Writers should be the master of words, but sometimes we fall back on old reliable words. Instead, we should venture forth into the land of exciting, beautiful, descritpive words. We are like artists, but we paint with words instead of chalk or oils. 

Submit Holiday Stories Early

 Today's photo is of Christmas bells. Christmas in August? Not really. They are featured to remind you that if you want to submit a December holiday themed story, article, essay, or poem, now is the time to submit.

Magazines and ezines work way ahead of an issue, so they are selecting those December holiday stories during the summer, even as early as May or June. It depends on the publication how far ahead they work.

The same goes for stories dealing with Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, St. Pat's Day, Easter, Passover, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Flag Day, Halloween,Thanksgiving, and Hanukkah. For each one, you should try to submit around six months prior to the holiday. 

The one problem some writers have is writing about a winter holiday in the heat of summer. How do you get in the mood? Maybe listening to Christmas music would help a bit, or looking through winter scenes in your photo collection or those found via a search engine. Try reading a Christmas story which might trigger one of your own.

Something else you can do is to write the story at the time of the holiday, whether December, February, or May. Then hold it in your files for about six months and submit. The problem with this method is that you must remember that you have that great Valentine story ready to go. If you're in the habit of writing notes to yourself, that would help, or put a note on your calendar when the submission should be sent. I would suggest doing one final edit before sending. After the piece has been resting so long, you might see places that can be changed for the better.

Plan ahead when you write a holiday story.