Moving on Your Writing Journey

 Today's quote says 'I will take at least one step everyday towards achieving my dreams.' For writers, that dream may be writing a full length novel. Or having a poem published. Or being a columnist in a newspaper. Or writing enough good essays to create a book. Lofty dreams? Yes, but we all need to be working towards whatever our dreams on our writing journey happen to be.

The quote could well be one of the goals we all set at the beginning of this month as we faced a brand new year. A year full of possibilities and fulfilled dreams. That's thinking positive, of course, which is what I always recommend. Doing so will move you on your writing journey much faster than if you view your writing world as a Negative Nellie. 

The quote suggests taking one step at a time to reach your dreams. Too often, we are in a hurry. We have a destination in mind and we want to get there. Get there fast! It doesn't usually work that way. A baby has to crawl before she/he walks, must walk before running. What a wonderful world it would be if we could start our writing journey with a giant leap to stardom. That truly IS a dream

Instead, writers must start small and work their way along the writing path one step at a time. To do this, he/she should take at least one step each day. Write a full story or lengthy essay in one day? No. One step might mean doing a writing exercise, or writing a first draft for a short story or essay. Maybe the first six lines of a poem. It could be nothing more than writing Morning Pages, as was mentioned in yesterday's post. Or journaling. Write a letter! Write something every day. Each day is one step closer to achieving your dream.

Make no mistake. Being a writer is hard work. Success and achieving your goals doesn't just happen. 

When you start your writing journey, take small steps, then bigger ones as you gain experience and more knowledge of your craft. When you are published for the first time, it feels like a great leap instead of a step. With each succeeding publication, you move in larger steps. 

Remember my two keywords for our writing world. Patience and Perseverance. You need a large dose of each as you move step by step towards your dreams.

Julia Cameron's New Book for Writers

I read somewhere that Julia Cameron, author of the famed The Artist's Way, had a new book  titled Write For Life, subtitled Creative Tools for Every Writer. Coprrighted in 2022. I checked with my local library, but they did not have it. I put in a request for them to purchase the book. They did, and I was the first to check it out. 

I went through the book over the weekend. Ms Cameron divided the book into six sections, suggesting that the writer-reader work on each chapter, or section, for one full week before moving on to the next. 

Chapter titles are: 

Week One:  Priming the Pump

Week Two:  Begin Where You Are

Week Three:  Trust Your Process

Week Four:  Resist Your Resistance

Week Five:  Dismantle Your Perfectionist

Week Six:  Celebrate Your Achievement

At the end of each weekly section is a list of Tasks and another called Check-In which is pretty much the same questions after each chapter. 

This is not a book dealing with the mechanical part of writing, of how to write, and what writing tools are needed. Instead, the book explores the art and practice of writing. The author discusses the personal part of being a writer--how we look at the writing world, how we react to it, and what we might set our sights on.

Ms. Cameron is probably best known for an exercise she calls Morning Pages. It's a simple exercise that she suggests a writer do every morning, even if you must set your alarm clock for 30 minutes earlier than usual. Find a comfortable chair, 8 x 11 notebook and pen in hand. Then write in longhand whatever comes to mind. It might be what you see out the window, what happened the previous day, what is on the schedule for that day, someone you spoke to the day before. Whatever comes to mind. She suggests you write three full pages. Repeat the process each morning. Her theory is that this will release the writer in you and prepare you for writing that day. 

I must admit that several years ago, I tried Morning Pages, but I didn't stay with it for any length of time. I allowed life to get in the way. It takes discipline, but those I know who follow this program feel it is of great help to their writing life.

In Write for Life, Morning Pages take a starring role once again. Prayer and the spiritual part of being a writer are featured in the weekly program. Examples of one on one visits with other writers are also a segment the book. 

Many of the topics Ms Cameron covers are the same ones I have featured here on my blog. Things like trusting yourself, to stop being a perfectionist, handling rejection, to be positive rather than negative, stop resisting yourself as a writer, and being proud of your achievements. 

The author writes in an informal way, inviting you into her home and the places where she writes her Morning Pages, lunches and dinners with other writers which serve to illustrate a point, and more. 

This is not a book for someone wanting to learn the mechanics of writing, but instead, a book that reaches the personality and the soul of a writer to help shed negative habits. It's meant to help writers celebrate themselves as a writer. It aims to get rid of difficult personality traits some writers have so that they can be productive. 

 

Keeping and Sharing Your Family Stories

One way to keep your Family Stories

Today is the last day this week for our focus on writing your Family Stories. I've posted earlier on why, then where to begin, followed by format, and yesterday some of the tools needed to write your stories. Today, to wrap up this themed week, the topic is keeping and sharing your Family Stories.

Once your first story is complete, you need to decide where to keep it and the many others to follow. What are your choices? 

If you're writing on a computer, an easy choice is to save each story in a file. You could create a Folder and put each story in it. But, what if you're not computer savvy? You could slip that first story in a desk drawer. Then keep adding others as they are written. But that doesn't give you much organization. My preference is to use a three-ring binder with divisions to keep your stories organized. You can create the divisions in any manner you like. By age, by relatives, by years, whatever works for you. 

Even if you put the stories in a file on your computer, make a hard copy, too. If anything ever happens to your computer, and things do happen, you might lose all the stories. Having a hard copy is just a bit of insurance. You can also put those stories in file folders and arrange in a file drawer. 

After you've written several stories about your family, what will you do with them once you've figured out a way to save them? I had three younger brothers. Several years ago, I made copies of the stories I had written about our family, put them in three folders and mailed them to each brother in different parts of the country. I wondered if they would appreciate them or toss them aside. I shouldn't have worried, as all three were thrilled with my gift to them. As I wrote new stories, I sent them to each brother via email, so they could be printed and added to the book. 

You can also keep all of them and designate a younger family member to keep them after you are gone. You've worked hard on this project, so you'd like the stories to continue through the generations. That's one good reason to use dates or eras so that readers later will know approximately when the story took place.

If you would like to share the stories now, bring a few to a family gathering like a summer reunion or a holiday dinner. Pass them around or read them aloud. Each story will most likely trigger some lively conversation. 

I've read some of my Family Stories as examples when I've given a talk to a group about writing Family Stories. One question that often comes up is 'Do I have to write the stories in chronologicall order?' The answer is a simple NO. Write them as you remember them, no special order. When you have a lot of stories ready, you might want to put them in some kind of order, but even that is not necessary. 

I hope some of my readers have been inspired to start writing, or to continue writing, Family Stories after these past five posts about same. You'll have fun, and your family members and future generations will be most appreciative. Every family has good times and bad, happy ones and sad. Your stories should cover all of these. Why not start today?

 

Tools for Writing Family Stories

 

Get Your Ducks in a Row

Today, we will put the spotlight on the actual writing of your Family Stories. Those who are writers will have many of the tools needed to make the stories interesting and shine. People who want to leave a legacy with these stories but are not writers can use a few pointers. Maybe those who are writers can use a little review, as well.

The following list is to make you aware of what can be done when writing your stories. Is it a must to do all these things? Of course not! If you do make use of these suggestions, you'll end up with a more interesting read. As always, it's entirely up to you, but it's going to help you keep your ducks in a row!

A. Show vs Tell:  Yes, you are telling a story, but if you can show your reader what is happening, they will be drawn into the situation. This is not easy. You must work at it. You could say:  John was on his way to the store. Or, to make it more inteesting and show what he is doing, try:  On his way to the store, John ran three blocks, then jumped over a pile of logs someone had left in the way. He fell flat into a pile of leaves on the other side. Uncle Lenny came running.... 

B. Verbs:  It's a common practive to overuse the passive verbs like is, was, were, are. If you change them to an action verb, you will be showing what happened. And no, you do not need to change every single passive verb in your story. Just change as many as you can. ran, jumped, whirled are far more interesting.

C.  Tense:  For the kind of stories you will be writing, you'll most likely use past tense because it happened in the past. The important thing is to keep it all in past tense.

D.  Description:  Here is where you can shine. Take some time to describe a place or a person that is important in your story. When a reader can 'see' a place or person, they will continue to be interested. It brings your story to life.

E.  Tension:  You don't want to give away your ending too soon. Set the scene, introduce the people involved, write about what happened but keep the best part for last. Or close to the end.

F.  Repetition:  When we write, we all have a tendency to repeat words close together. It's something that can be changed when you go back to edit your story.

G.  Edit:  Edit? Oh yes, this is an important step. When you feel like your story is finished, put it aside for a couple days, or longer. Then, go back over it and check for the things listed above. Make your changes. You'll end up with a stronger, more interesting story. 

If the above seems like a lot of work, you're right. It is. But, it's also well worth your time and effort. When one story turns out to your satisfaction, you'll have the incentive to move on to another one. And another....

How To Format Your Family Stories

 

Today, let's take a look on how you are going to format your Family Stories. You could write them and toss in a drawer, or several drawers. That isn't a very organized way, however. But, before we get to this part, let's look at how you are going to do the writing and the format you will use.

As said previously, there is no all right or all wrong way to do this project. There are certainly better ways to use which, in the end, will be to your benefit. 

First, you should decide how you will write. Will you use a notebook and write in longhand? There are people who prefer to write in this manner. Do give consideration to your handwriting if you choose this method. Is it legible to others? Or will they have to play a guessing game as to what some of the words are? Also, writing large amounts in longhand can be hard on the hand. 

Another way is to use an old-fashioned typewriter. Typewriter? Yes, there are still quite a few of them lurking in closets in many homes.  If you know how to type and that's the machine available to you, go for it. If you're a hunt and peck typist, it will take longer, but if you're ok with it, so be it.

Yet one more way is to type on a computer keyboard. Again, if you're a hunt and peck typist, it will not be as fast as you might like. If you are familiar with using a keyboard, this may be your best choice. Some computers have the feature of being able to dictate rather than type. If you have that ability on your computer, you might give it a try. 

Choose what is available to you and what is the easiest for you to use. 

If you type your stories and use single spacing, put an extra space between paragrpahs. Do not indent. If you use double space, indent 3-5 spaces and no extra space between paragraphs. The indenting takes care of letting readers know you started a new paragraph. 

Number the pages as you go so you can put the stories together with 2 pages, 4 or 5. Whatever it may be. Each new story should have its own numbering. Story A has 3 pages. Story B has 5 pages. Story C has only 1 page. Don't run them together. 

If you're writing in longhand, indent each paragraph to keep a separation. Number the pages as suggested above.

Consider putting a date at the top right hand corner of each story. It probably isn't important to you now, but it may be to a great-grandchild many years down the road. 

Choose a title for each story. Titles are helpful, but they are not always easy to select. Make the title something that will pique interest. Something like 'The Day Aunt Sue Chased Me' Readers would probably like to find out why your Aunt Sue chased you. Had you been naughty? Or was she trying to find you in a game? Or was she running after you with a home-baked treat? We won't know unless we read the story. You can also use something as simple as 'Fifth Grade.' or 'My Grandfather Peterson.' 

Now, let's go back to that first suggestion. Find a place to keep your stories. I would advise against tossing them in drawer or on a closet shelf. Keep them all in one place. My favorite way is to purchase a large 3-ring binder. Keep your stories in this notebook, and you'll never have to search the house to find them. They'll all be together in one easy place to find. You can buy dividers and separate the kinds of stories in sections. Not necessary, but if you're a very organized person, this might work well for you. If you use a binder like this, buy yourself a three ring hole punch. You'll be glad you did. 

Family History Before Family Stories

 

This week's posts are all on the topic of Family Stories, your own life story, as well. Yesterday, I focused on why we should write these stories. Today let's look at where to begin.

That's always a good question at the start of a new project. Where to begin? Someone once said, 'Where to begin? Start at the beginning.' A bit confusing to someone wanting to launch a new project. Perhaps the beginning would be to write about your family's make-up first. A short family history.

Include the members of your immediate family, parents, siblings, any other family member who lived with you--possibly a grandparent. Add dates of your birth and your siblings, even your parents. Many years down the road, those dates will have some importance. 

Add the place where you lived growing up. Or places, if that is the case. Children of military personnel live in many places over the rather short space of the years in which they were children and teens. As well as the actual place, you could include a descrption of your home or homes. 

You could add something about your ethnic background. That is usually something of interest to future generations as they will share part of that history with you plus others as marriages took place. We become real mixtures of heritages as time goes on. I am one of the rare people who have a half and half ethnic heritage. My father's family was all French, while my mother's was Irish. Perhaps there would be a few other things added in if I had my DNA checked, but the half and half is fairly accurate.

Make reference to what your father's job was. And your mother--was she a homemaker or did she work outside the home, as well? 

Finally, add something about your extended family--grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Did they live close to you or far away? Were they loved by your family or distant by choice? 

As you write this short family history, you will most likely trigger some memories. As they flit through your mind, take some time to jot a note to yourself. You'll have a list to choose from for your first family story. 

This is not a difficult task. Once you start, it's easier to continue. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how you can format your stories. 

No Right or Wrong When Writing Family Stories

 

I am happy to report that I have made the required days of isolation for those dealing with Covid. In fact, I am a day over that number. Fortunately, my husband and I both had a relatively light case. Two miserable days, then big improvements after that. That means, I'm trying to get back to my normal schedule. 

I plan to address the topic of Family Stories this week. Our quote for today says: 'Family is a gift that last forever.' The people don't last forever, but our memories are with us as long as we walk this earth, and, if we write them for others, they'll last even longer. 

What better way to leave some of those memories to future generations than to write our Family Stories? Some wonderful quotes illustrate this thought.

If you don’t recount your family history, it will be lost. Honor your own stories and tell them too. The tales may not seem very important, but they are what binds families and makes each of us who we are. Madeleine L’Engle

“It turns out that sharing family stories with adult children and grandchildren is more than a pleasant pastime. Research has found that a strong narrative helps build strong family bonds. .Passing down lessons and values through stories enhances a sense of well-being.” (Mary W. Quigley

“The best-loved stories are not from books or films, but those from our own families” Jane McGarvey“

Family stories casually chatted about at the dinner table, or regaled again and again at family gatherings can parallel great epics or notable short stories. The memorable stories of our lives and of others in our family take on special importance because they are true, even if everyone tells different versions of the same event. These tales are family heirlooms held in the heart not the hand. They are a gift to each generation that preserves them by remembering them and passing them on.” (Heather Forest)

When you write those Family Stories, both happy, funny, and sad, be sure to see that they will be handed down to someone in the family after you are gone. Be kind enough to let them know long before they're needed. I'm not addressing only people in their senior years regarding this, younger people need to give some thought to it, as well. 

My husband had an aunt who was the Family Storyteller and keeper of Family History. She had never married so had no children to pass these things on to. She made a large family photo album with information under the photos of Ken's mother's side of his family. Eight children all born in the USA to German immigrant parents. She didn't give it to Ken or one of his brothers, or any of her other nephews and nieces. Instead, she gave it to our, then five-year-old, granddaughter. The message that she was to carry on the family tradition was there for all of us. Our granddaughter was thrilled to be given this family gift, even though at that young age, she didn't realize all the implications. Today, I'm sure she does. 

I keep hard copies of my Family Stories in a large 3 ring binder type of notebook, so that I can easily add new ones as they are written. 

Read the quotes above again, and give them serious consideration. Remember this, as well:  You do not have to be a professional writer to write Family Stories. Anyone can do it. They can be short or long, detailed or just the facts. There is no right or wrong when writing your memories for generations to come to savor. 

Blog Announcement

 

No more posts this week  I was bitten by the flu bug. Hope to be back Monday the 23rd  

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Making Time to Write

 

Many writers don't write full-time as their means of support. A good number write part-time, some to supplement income, some for the sheer pleasure, some to fulfill a desire to write. These writers are often battling time problems. "I want to write, but I can't find the time." 

As our photo poster for today tells us, 'It's not about having time. It's about making time.' How do you do that? It takes some discipline and dedication. How important is writing in your life? That's one of the first things to determine. 

If you truly do want to have time to write, you might have to give up some other things in your life. Maybe those coffee dates with friends might have to be reduced to once a month instread of twice a week. Or you might need to say no when a friend asks you go to a movie. Instead of an all-day shopping trip, you could cut it to a couple of hours. You'll have to decide how important your social life is in comparison to your writing life. I don't advise cutting all social ties. Those times are important, but reducing the number and time spent is doable.

What about those who are busy rasing children? Anyone who has done so knows how much time is involved. You don't want to shoo them away so you can write, nor do you want to scold them for disturbing your writing time. A lot depends on their ages. If little ones take naps, make that hour writing time. If they're in school all day, carve out a certain part of the day to write. 

Stay up an hour later than usual or rise an hour earlier. Either time is usually when your house is quiet, and you won't have interruptions. My choice would be the early morning before others in the family get up. You're probably fresher and your brain clicking better than after a long day and you're ready for sleep. 

If you're a dad who works full-time and also has kids to spend time with, you'll have to be pretty creative. Some moms work full-time, as well, so writing time might not happen every day. In fact, making time to write could be a real chore. If you commute on public transportation, bring a small notebook with you, and make use of that time to write. Waiting in a dr's office is down time, too. 

You can find small amounts of time through your day, whether you're at home or working. The time to write may not be in great amounts, but if you truly have the desire to write, you'll make time here and there. 

Retired people are fortunate as their time is not taken up by all the duties of younger people. Even if retirees lead a busy social life, they can still find blocks of time to write. Some retired people are happy to spend their days at home, so they have no problem blocking out a period of writing time. 

It doesn't matter what your situation is. It's up to you to make the time to write, if that is truly what you want to do. Stop and think how many minutes a day we waste on silly things. Wouldn't you rather be writing? 

If a Writer Waits Too Long...

 

Today's photo poster is one that's pleasing to the eye. It also has a valuable piece of advice. It could be used in many parts of our lives, but since this is a blog for writers, I'm going to narrow it down to that group.

Writers often have good intentions as to what they plan to do while on their writing journey. Special stories that are swirling in their heads that they want to write. Conferences they want to attend. A poem about a sight they witnessed--they are going to write it. Soon. Maybe. Someday. 

We plan to write our goals for 2023. We want to finish some stories that only need a bit of polishing before submitting for publication. We are going to clean out our files. And the top of our desk. This is the year we will write those family stories told around the holiday dinner table.

Yes, we all have plans for our writing life. Too often, they get put on hold. The intention is good, but the action might not be. Why? 

Some writers, like some non-writers, are career procrastinators. If a writer starts putting things off, it becomes easier and easier to continue in the same vein. The longer we avoid some action on our intentions, they begin to fade until suddenly we don't even think about them anymore. That is a sad state of affairs.

The list of things writers have not gotten around to grows and grows. When that happens, the writer truly feels defeated. She/he might even give up. A good story idea might float away, never to be found again.

Lists are good aids. Make a list of what you want to get done in your writing life. Go through it agan and put a star by the most important ones. Those are the tasks you should work on first. When you complete one, draw a line through it, or put DONE n caps next to it. Seeing those stars or DONE should give you a sense of accomplishment and spur you onward. 

I'm well aware, and you are, too, that other parts of our life often throw a monkey wrench into our writing plans. Deal with what you must, then get back to your writing world.

What about the writer who writes short stories, personal essays, and a few poems, but he/she has a deep desire to write a full-length novel? Someday. The longer you wait, the older you'll be. Just like our poste says. Why wait?

Fear that you might not be able to accomplish writing an entire book is one reason that writers hold off. You'll never know unless you try. You don't have to write an entire book in a week or a month. Give yourself time. You've waited this long, you have no real deadline, so take it slowly. 

There are writers who have files filled with stories, essays, articles or poems they've written but never had the courage to submit to an editor. Why wait? You'll never know what response you might get unless you start submitting. It doesn't have to be scary. Either it works or it doesn't, and if it doesn't, you keep trying. 

If you're a writer who waits on many parts of your craft, heed what the poster says:  If you wait, all that happens is you get older.  

Encourage Other Writers

 

One of the reasons we join writing critique groups and writing organizations is to receive inspiration and encouragement from other writers. In the same manner, we serve to give the same to them. 

When I attend my state writing organization's annual convention, I come home inspired to write, I am also encouraged by the many success stories I hear from those in attendance and the speakers. 

When I interact with the women in my online critique group, I am encouraged by the positive comments they give my submissions when they critique my work. Yes, they point out the places that need more work, and I appreciate that, too. But the fact that they let me know the places they liked in my sub encourages me to keep working on the piece and to keep writing. 

Should you lie when a fellow writer asks you about a story he/she has written and tell them it's quite nice if it really isn't? Is it encouraging to them to hear you trying to make them feel good? Maybe for the moment, but it doesn't help if they submit what you said was a good story only to find rejection after rejection when they submit to a publication.

Instead, point out the things you liked, but please let them know what areas need more work. You can do so in a nice way. Encourage them to keep working on the story. 

If you've been on a writing journey for any length of time, you should have learned to take some constrctive criticism about your writing. If you haven't, you could be in for a world of hurt when others critique your work. Remember this--they are not criticizing you, the person. They are pointing our places where you need to revise or edit something you've written. The aim is to help you attain publication.

Use caution in the way you critique someone's writing. Don't say something like: This part is a mess. You need to completely redo these last several paragraphs. Instead, use words that encourage, such as: I think this would work better if you _____ and then ________. The latter method can be encouraging to the writer whereas the first ones will do nothing but tear them down, make them feel terrible. 

We all respond to encouragement from other writers, and we should all do what we can to enourage other writers. No one understands a writer better than another writer. Help one another.

If You Want to Write a Book...

 

There was a comment from a man on my recent post on first drafts. He wanted to know how I might help him start writing a book. It would take a book to learn that, not a few words in a post. I remembered a photo quote that was in my files. The advice it gives writers is pretty succinct. Yet, it has merit. 

It's quite true that any writer must sit down at the keyboard (or whatever you write on) and put one word after another until it's done. Then the author tells us that it is that easy, and that hard. Yes, it is both. 

There are many writers who want to write a book. I admire them and would cheer them on in any way I can. One of the first things I would tell a writer with this goal is to read as many books that others have written as you possibly can. You'll want to get a feel for the way others write. Not that you should write in the same way. Absolutely not. You must find your own voice, not copy another's. As you read, use a writer's eye; note the way each author presents the story, how they draw you in, how they keep you interested and more. 

Next, I would suggest that you not set out to write a book for your first writing project. If fiction is what you want to write, start with short stories, or even flash fiction. If you want to write a memoir, write many slice of life pieces or personal essays. Write many of these shorter pieces before you attempt a book length project. 

A mountain climber doesn't tackle Mt Everest for his/her first try. It would be madness! Instead, the mountain climber begins with small mountains or ones more easily ascended.  With time and practice, he/she moves on to bigger mountains. So it is with writers. Start with the shorter pieces, and when you feel you have had success with them, then start plotting that book you've always wanted to write. 

A person wouldn't try to swim the English Channel on their first time for distance swimming. Of course not. He/she would try many shorter swims first, working on enduarance and strength needed for the Channel swim. It's the same with writers who want to write a book. Go little by little and increasing the length you write. Start with 1,000 word stories and increase to longer ones of 5-10,000 words. If you do that successfully, you are probably ready to begin a book. 

A good exercise for those wanting to write a book is to write numerous character sketches. After all, you're going to build your characters in a book length story. Practice with short character sketches. 

Learn how to build tension in a short story first, as you'll have to do this all through a full book. It's the way to keep your reader turning pages. Here's where reading books about writing can be helpful.

Do exercises where you describe a place or an event or a tragic happening in the best way you can. Do it many times, so that, when you do write that book, it will be second nature to write good description. 

All of this boils down to the fact that you learn as you write shorter pieces. The more of them you write, the stronger writer you will become. Don't only write these shorter pieces. Submit them for publication. If you have a few successes, then maybe it's time to write that book. If you don't get any acceptances, then perhaps you need to continue writing short stories a bit longer before you jump into the pool of book writing.

I don't say all this to discourage the burning desire a writer might have to write a book right away. It is meant to help you reach the point where you are truly ready to write a book. 

Pondering on Books

 

Today's photo is of two things I love. Books and flowers! I post a floral photo on my Facebook page every morning. They give me a lift, and judging from the response, others feel the same way. 

My blog, however, focuses on the books rather than the flowers. I have loved books ever since my mother read to me when I was a toddler. I have a vivid memory of sitting next to her, as close as I could get, while she read me a picture book about a character named Mr. Flibbertyjibbet. I don't remember what the story was about, but I do clearly remember Mother reading and and the name of the character. One that would appeal to a small child, for sure. 

My mother took me to the public library when I was in kindergarten and had learned to write my name. To get a library card then, you had to be able to sign your name on a card the librarian produced. It must have taken a bit of time to print Nancy Julien in the space given. But, once that was done, the librarian at the desk held my hand and showed me where the books I would like were shelved. Another very clear memory. In fact, I have a personal essay about that experience, including a detailed description of the librarian, who became my friend through the years I used our local library. 

I don't think I ever thanked my mother for taking me to the library at an early age, but I certainly should have in later years. She introduced me to a life long love of books.

As I grew older, books became an essential in my life. I moved from the children's section in the library to the books for teens, now known as YA. Then, it was on to the adult section where I found untold wonders waiting for me. It was there that I found a book by Pearl S. Buck, became a devout follower, reading as many of her books as our library held. 

There has never been a time in my life when I didn't read for pleasure. Even as a working adult, then a busy mom later, I found time to read. No, I made time to read. I have often said in a blog post that writers who claim there is no time left for them to write should look at the problem in a different way. You can make time to write, just as I did with reading. Now, in my senior years with fewer must-do parts of my life, I have more time to read. 

I received that first library card when I was five, and now I'm an octogenarian, and I still use the library on a regular basis. I do occasionally read books on the Kindle, but I prefer making a visit to the library every 3-4 weeks, searching the New Book shelves, then back to the stacks where myriad books await for a reader to select them. For me, there is a feeling of comfort when I visit the library. I sorely missed it when the library was closed to the public during the worst months of the pandemic. 

The first time I ventured back for a visit, I was moved to write a poem about the experience when I returned home. 

Lost in the Land of Books

I went to the library today,

just now opened again

after this pandemic calamity.

Lights ablaze, the stacks hushed,

staff ready to help, but distanced,

sanitizer stations like sentries.

And then, I was completely lost

in the land of books, where perverts 

and pirates, heroes, and heroines

reposed on sanitized shelves.

mine for the choosing.

Imagination my companion

as I read one frontispiece

after another, slowly studied myriad

book covers to see which called to me.

Losing track of time, I pulled

book after book from 

the shelves and returned some, 

kept others to take home.

from this land of books.

I went to the library today,

the anticipation of what I’d

find there bringing warmth 

to my literary soul, 

soothing in these tough times.

I noted the librarian’s smile

in her eyes above her mask

as she checked out my books.

“Nice to see you again,” she said.

I replied, “So nice to be here.” 

                    --Nancy Julien Kopp (c)

Yes, flowers and books are two of the joys of my life. I would be totally lost without them. How about you? What are two of your greatest joys in life? 

The All-Important First Draft

 

We often find story ideas swirling in our minds. Something we saw or heard triggered the beginnings of a story, or an essay, article, poem, or even a novel. The bits and pieces float through our head until we know we need to sit down and write that all-important first draft.

Why all-important? If you never write it, then there will be no happy ending for you. Those things you'd been thinking about will finally disappear into the great beyond, and you'll be trying to come up with a new story idea.

Today's poster quote makes a good point. Author, Terry Pratchett, tells us: 'The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.' What you're doing is putting those many story parts that have been floating in your head together in a coherent way. 

Writers often question whether to do the editing as they go along when writing the first draft. My feeling is that it is better to write the entire first draft. Read it over when you finish and put it away for a few days. Even if you're eager to continue working on the piece. Why? If you wait and read it over in a few days, or even longer, you're going to see the overall picture in a different way, and you'll also see errors that you never noticed when you read the draft as soon as you finished writing. Stepping away for a short while is to the writer's benefit. 

The same thing happens when you read that draft aloud after you pull it from your files. Silent reading and hearing it spoken give you two different perspectives. You'll catch many small errors by speaking the words, not only silently reading. 

The first draft is merely a beginning. It's the first step in the making of a story. You might consider it a springboard that moves you forward. 

Once the first draft is completed and has rested quietly in your files, you can move on to the editing and revising steps. That can be done more than once. If you do this step multiple times, let the story rest in your files for a couple days before each new revision. Once again, you'll see things with more clarity and will find errors more easily. 

Rejection Times Two!

 

It is only the 9th day of January 2023, and I've already received two rejctions. Whew! Not the way to begin a new year, is it? 

Nevertheless, it is part of the writing world and to be expected. The editor did mention that there had been more submissions than usual, and it had been difficult to select the ones they would use. Nice words from an editor do soothe the ruffled feathers a bit. 

Remember the many times I've told you that when receiving a rejection, we need to look for the lesson? One lesson I gleaned from this recent submisison is not to hurry the process. I wrote one close to deadline and did not devote enough time to letting the draft sit and simmer, or didn't take enough time to edit and revise. Lesson here is to write long before the deadline approaches. The sooner the better.

It may be that both pieces were well-written, but others topped what I sent. That happens, especially when a publication receives a great many submissions for one issue. 

I can still use the two pieces I had submitted by revising and editing a little more, then find another publication to submit to. I'm certainly not going to dump them. If a story doesn't work the first time it is submitted, keep working on it and resubmit elsewhere.

Our poster photo for today gives some good advice: ' Life always offers you a second chance. It's called TOMORROW' Simple but wise words for those of us in the writing world, and maybe for everyone else, as well. 

Every 'tomorrow' gives us a fresh opportunity to begin something new or to work on something already written. Polish it until it shines, and you have the feeling that it's finished and ready to submit. Then, begin looking for a place to submit. 

Both pieces that received rejections were written and submitted in 2022. So, I will put a big NO next to each one on my 2022 Submissions Record. Maybe the result will be different when they land on my 2023 Submission Record. 

Keep in mind that when you receive a rejection, or even two on the same day, life goes on, and it's up to you to keep going, too. 

Read Writing About Writing

 

 Our walking graphic today shows a person, no doubt a writer, with a large stack of books. And a shiny, red apple on top. 

Why is that writer carrying myriad numbers of books? I'd like to think that they are all books dealing with the craft of writing. That this is a writer who knows the more he/she reads about the craft, the better writer he/she will become. Consider the amount of knowledge that can be gained by reading that stack of books.

I've known writers who say they don't need to read books about writing. They just do it. Of course, no one must read these refernce books, but those who do are going to move much faster on their writing journey. 

Will you soak up every bit of information in each of those books? Probably not, but you will get a great deal of it, especially when it comes to the kind of writing you do. If an entire book doesn't appeal to you, read the sections that pertain to your writing, but at least skim through the rest. You might be surprised at what you find. 

There will be writers who say they can't afford to purchase all those reference books. So, they don't read any of them. You need not buy these books if you have a library in your community or area. The library carries all kinds of reference books, including many on the writing craft. Find that section and start checking them out one by one. Keep a list of the ones you've read. Put a star by the ones you liked best and might consider buying to have on hand at home. 

You can also find the books about writing on Amazon and purchase the less-expensive kindle copy. Or do a trade with other writers. 

Use your favorite search engine to find the 'best' books about writing. I experimented and found many places that give you a list of what the editor/author of the article considers the 'best.' I noted that many had some of the same titles. When you see a title over and over, that's a sure sign it's one to check. 

My own favorites are:

On Writing by Stephen King

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress 

The books above are aimed at fiction writers, but all writers can gain something from them. There are many others that deal with specific types of writing--memoir, essays, scientific articles and more. 

Another excuse writers give for not reading books about writing is that it takes up preceious writing time. Yes, it does, but it is still beneficial to you, the writer. Soaking up the information in books about writing will make you a better, stronger writer. And perhaps one that can add more publishing credits to their resume. 

Looking For a Writing Critique Group?

 

We all need a helping hand now and then. Writers can reach out to other writers for some support or help in critiquing what they have written. 

I joined an online critique group many years ago when I was a newbie writer. There were no real requiremennts in the group. The leader was a wise and knowledgable and no-nonsense woman. I learned a great deal about the craft of writing. One day, Kate literally disappeared, never to be found again. All the members were beyond sad. Devastated might be the right word. One of the members decided to start a new group, and she invited a few of us, whom she thought would be right for her group, to join.  She named it Writers and Critters, the latter being short for critique. 

Wac, as it was known, became an International Women's Writing group, running 25-30 writers. A few members left for various reasons, and others came on board. The numbers in groups like this vary all the time. We've had a few members who left because of happenings in their lives but came back a year or so later. A few left after publishing a novel and spent more time marketing. 

At one point, we began discussing (onlilne) an in-person conference. With a lot of discussion and a great deal of planning, our first in-person conference was born. We met from various places at a lovely state park in Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. One of the greatest parts of that conference was hearing our writng friends actual voice, instead of readiong everything they said online. The conference was so successful that there were a few more planned and enjoyed. In place of that, we now have a zoom meeting every few months.

The group is made up of various kinds of writers--poets, fiction, essayists, memoir, and nonfiction articles. The numbers vary as new members arrive and some old ones move on. 

Right now, we have several openings for new members. Let me be clear:  This is NOT a group for newbie writers. I would consider the members to be in the Intermediate category. We have had members whose novels have been published, many of the poets have been published, as have those who write creative nonfiction. Some are still waiting to be published. Publication is not a requirement for membership. What is required?    

A. A willingness to help other wirters as well as seek help for your own writng

B. If you submit something, you are expected to critique two pieces

C. You are expected to give fair and honest critiques, but not harsh ones.

D. Members accept that a critique is meant to help them polish their writing, never to hurt.

If you are interested, you can apply for membership by sending me your email address, which I will send on to the moderator, Joyce Finn. She will contact you and ask for a writing sample and a brief history of your writing career. She will forward same to the membership, and they will vote on accepting you as a new member. It's not as harsh or scary as it sounds. 

Benefits of my membership in wac: 

I learned a great deal about wiritng and critiquing by reading the critiques others made.

I have made friends with writers from all over the USA, Canada, and other parts of the world. (our international members are only a few at this time)

My writing improved.

I received help in polishing my writing so that it was ready for submission for publication.

I had writing friends to answer any questions I might have.

There is no cost involved, only my time.

Interested in applying for membership? For those reading this post via my blog, send me your email address in the Comments section below. It will come privately to me, and I will not publish it, just send it to Joyce Finn, who will contact you.

For those reading on a facebook page, PM me your address at NancyJulienKopp on Messenger. I will forward it to Joyce, and it will be private. 

Questions? Contact me the same way as mentioned in the two paragraphs above.

Writers: Musing on Submissions

 

Call for Submissions

Today's photo is a stretch considering our subject, but it also fits the topic of Submissions. Writers are always looking for Call for Submissions pages on facebook and emails and newsletters. Or via a search engine, and even poring through those huge marketing books the library keeps. We also find some calls for submissions through other writers. 

The beginning of a new year is a good time to look back and see what we accomplished these past twelve months via our submissions records. If you keep a submission record--and I hope you all do--open it and study your track record for this year. Does it give you a feeling of satisfaction, or are you feeling grumpy? Only yesterday, I read a short essay written by a woman who had made 53 submissions last year. With not one acceptance. However, she did sign two book contracts which encouraged her to keep writing.

Some things to consider about Submissions:

A.  Look at the number of submissions. How do you feel about it? Is it minuscule or way up in the double digits? What do your numbers say about you, the writer? I'm working my butt off. I could do better. I didn't give my writing much effort this year. I'm satisfied with the numbers.

B. Look at the SOLD or ACCEPTED comments next to the submissions. What was the percentage of submissions sold vs those made? Are you satisfied? One thing to keep in mind is that very few writers sell everything they write. I was once told that the average sold is 1 of each 12 submissions. Pretty discouraging. It seemed to me a lot of good writing was being overlooked by some editors, but I was a newbie and should have given thought to the writers not submitting to proper markets as one reason for failure.

C. Look at the column that tells the places you submitted to. Do you see a pattern of any kind? Are you top heavy with one or two places? Ask yourself why you tend to submit so often to the same market. It could be that you and the editor have a good relationship and you know you'll get special attention. You may have had lots of work published in one place, so why not keep on going there? You might be afraid to venture from the secure into scary new markets. How varied is the list of markets where you submitted? Maybe one of this year's goals should be to try markets new to you.

D. Look at the money you made. How much becomes far more relevant if you are trying to make a living as a writer. If you're writing on the side or a hobbyist writer, the amount you made is not as important. Important yes, but not as much as for those trying to keep food on the table. Rate yourself as Satisfied or Dissatisfied, Euphoric or Damn Mad. It could be any one of those.

E. Look at the overall picture of your Submission Record. This is your starting place for your 2023 goals. When you make up a new Submission Record page for this year, consider stating your goals at the top of the page. At the end of the year, you can check to see which ones you accomplished and those that never got off the ground.

If you're happy with your 2022 submissions and acceptances, congratulations to you. If you're mumbling and grumbling about them, I sympathize. No, I empathize. I've been there more than once. This year was just ok for me, not great. What I have to figure out now is the why and what I need to do to increase the numbers for next year. 

Maybe the mantra you choose for this year is Send it in! You cannot be published if you don't submit. Don't let fear hold you back. What's the worst that can happen? Rejection! All writers get rejections, and we learn to handle them. 

At the start of this new year, study your submission records, resolve to up the numbers this year, and keep writing.

Cleaning for Writers

 

The beginning of the year is a good time for writers to set some goals in their writing life, but it's also the perfect time to clean up your writing area and your writing files. 

I hesitate to say writers are messy people, but it is very easy to let things in your writing area pile up, or spread all over. We all mean to get to those bits and pieces of paper where we wrote ourselves notes. They become buried pretty easily. I would be a bit embarrassed if you saw my computer desk and the little stand next to it. On the whole, I am a person who likes order and things kept neat. But I seem to lose the ability to do that in my writing area. 

So, early January seems a good time to sift and sort, put away and toss. It's on my agenda for this week. Because of other obligations, I'm aiming for Friday. I might do it in dibs and dabs through the week, which might make the chore seem no so overwhelming. 

The other place where we need to do some cleaning is in our writing files. We can approach that job with these thoughts:  

A.  Make a folder of unfinished projects that you promise faithfully to work on later

B.  Delete things that have no relevance any longer. Be select with this. If something is in your files that you have worked on over and over, submitted unsuccessfully over and over, maybe it's time to get rid of it. If you have trouble doing that, put it in the Unfinished Folder and tackle it again someday.

C. Make a list of the pieces that you want to submit this year. Work on the list a little at a time.

D. If you have duplicates, get rid of one. 

If you end this month with your writing area cleaned up and your files reorganized, you should feel pretty satisfied. You'll be ready to get on with writing projects and submitting your work. 

Tomorrow's topic will be Submitting Your Writing. 

Goal Setting for Writers

 

It's a brand new year. Yesterday, I put a calendar on the wall in my office,and another on my desk. That's the one where I keep all our appointments and social events marked. I've never had to purchase a calendar as they pop up in the mail long before year's end. The hard thing is to choose which ones to use. 

Last Friday, my post centered on reflections of the past year. Today, we need to consider goal making for 2023. I would far rather come up with goals instead of resolutions. Everyone talks about the resolutions they made and promptly broke. But what about goals we set for our writing life?

Will we break those just as easily as the resolutions? I hope we will take them more seriously. 

Goals give us a sense of direction. They are also motivators and give a sense of control to us. 

I ran across a simple explanation of a goal that I liked. 'A goal is a dream with a deadline.' If you make your list for 2023, you are hoping to achieve your choices by the end of the year. Thats twelve months, or fifty-two weeks, or three-hundred-sixty-five days that you have to work on them.

Some things to remember when making goals: 

A. The fewer the better. Far too many people create a super long list of goals, then wonder why they all seemed to fade away. Maybe, there were too many to keep track of in our minds. 

B. Make realistic goals. If I make a goal of getting a novel published in one of the top publishing houses in America, I'm fooling myself. I'm not at that level. At least, not yet. 

C. Make them general rather than too detailed. 

D. Put the list somewhere you see it on a frequent basis. Out of sight, out of mind!

E. Give thought to what part(s) of your writing life you want to improve. Then set one of your goals in that direction. 

Goal setting comes with an assessment of your writing life. Look back to see where you were, where you are now, and where you hope to be by the end of this year. 

Make your list as soon in this month of January as you can. Put it off a day, or a week, and you know what will happen. Do it now!

If you made a list of goals last year, take a look at them. How many did you achieve, or even partly achieve? How many came to no fruition whatsoever. If you had a goal that you didn't accomplish, there is nothing wrong in repeating it on this year's list.