Should I Join a Writer's Group?

Do you belong to a writer's group or association? If not, why not? I've heard excuses like 'I don't have time for that.' and 'They don't write like I do.' and 'I hate meetings.' 

Nothing is perfect, but I believe that writers' groups have enough benefits to give them a gold star. There are a variety of groups that offer different benefits. 

A. Online critique groups: I have belonged to one for many years, and I know that I am a better writer because of them. When others critique my work, they look objectively and point out things I never see, even when I am editing and revising. Besides improving my writing, the women in my group have become real friends. Where do you find a group like this? Go to your favorite SEO and use keywords like 'online critqiue groups' or 'online writing groups'. There are many different kinds. My group is for women only and open to International writers. It's relatively small, varying with 20-25 members. There are others that are quite large and can probably offern more because of size. Personally, I prefer the smaller size as it is more personal. 

B. Local in-person writing groups:  Many towns have groups like this. I found one many years ago through my local library. Way back then, a group of older ladies who liked to write met one Sunday afternoon a month. I learned a lot merely by listening to them chat and hearing them read pieces of their work. Now, our community has a few writers' groups that meet face-to-face. 

C. State organizations: Most states have a writers organization. I joined mine 26 years ago and have never been sorry. They offered me an opportunity to meet other writers, to attend workshops and an annual convention as well as monthly meetings. When Covid hit, we started having zoom meetings, and they were so well received that they continue to this day. My state is over 400 miles long from east to west border, so the zoom meetings allow everyone to hear guest speakers, attend meetings, and more. Once again, use a search engine to find your own state organization for writers.

D. Other online writing groups: There are other online groups that are not critique based. They offer information for writers, news about submissions, and more. 

By joining writing groups, I have connected with a great number of writers. I benefit from their understanding of the writing world, their successes, and their friendship. I have also found that the involved you become in a group, the more benefits you receive. 

One word of caution. There are writers who start joining writing groups in person and online to the point that they spend the bulk of their writing time with the groups, which leaves less time for actually writing. I encourage you to find and join a few groups, maybe even narrow it to one or two, but do remember to leave plenty of time to write. 
 

Aim for Strong Writing

Our photo today is of a man lifting a barbell, a strong man. He probably could not lift a barbell of great weight when he first started this exercise. He worked at it a little at a time, increasing the weight and his strength a little at a time. 

Like this man, we writers must work at being a strong writer. Strong writing doesn't merely happen.  

There are a number of things that will increase the strength of our writing. Here is a list of some of them:

A.  Getting rid of unnecessary words like very, usually, really. They clutter up our writing. Go through an old piece of writing and circle each unnecessary word, then delete it. These words don't help your writing. They become added clutter. We often use them in our everyday speaking but try to lose them when you write.

B.  Repetition of words and ideas can also give that cluttered look to your writing. When you edit, look for repetition of words close together and replace some of them. Also, watch for repetition of ideas. Sometimes, we writers think that the readers won't 'get it' unless we repeat. Don't do it.

C.  Overly long sentences can confuse a reader. They can often be cut into two separate sentences and become even stronger. 

D.  Be sure your verb tenses are consistent. If you are writing in past tense, make sure you stay in past tense. Or in present tense, keep it throughout. 

E.  Cutting words is a good way to be a stronger writer. Not only the unnecessary words mentioned above, but we can cut other words. We will often end with sentences that are more clear and stronger.

F.  As writers, we should work on increasing our vocabulary. By doing so and using the words we've learned, we will strengthen our writing. 

G.  Show don't tell. Every writing book you might read will emphasize this. A story in which a writer uses showing rather than telling will always be stronger and far more interesting.

H.  Use sensory details. When you show, rather than tell, you have a perfect platform for using sensory details like sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. 

I. Bring emotion to your writing. If the writer has emotion, so will his/her reader. 

J.  Writing exercises are not a waste of time as some writers contend. On the contrary, they help us as much as the weightlifter when he continues to increase the size of the bar bell he uses.  Daily writing exercises develop our writing muscles.

All the things listed above will aid us in becoming stronger, better writers. They take time. They require effort. In the long run, they will make you a stronger writer. 

 

Book Review: The Queen's Cook

 I recently read The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar, Historical Fiction that pulled me in quickly. Not only historical but biblical, as well. The bible brings us many wonderful tales. Ms Afshar has brought the Book of Esther alive in a fictionalized version of the well-known story from the Old Testament.

In the book, we see Roxannah, the daughter of a Persian Lord who has fallen on hard times, grow from a young girl to a young woman who works and thrives in the kitchens of Queen Esther despite the spiteful antics of the other cooks.

Her friend, Adin, is Jewish and a court physician who helps her get a job as an assistant cook when he sees the poverty her family lives in. They see one another daily, and their relationship grows, although neither wants the other to know their feelings.

The king, guided by his prime minister, sends out an edict that all Jews are to be killed on February 28. Queen Esther risks her own life by asking the king to change the order, that the Jews should at least be allowed to defend themselves. The horrible day leaves many lives changed forever. 

Roxannah worships the gods of the Persian people of that time, but her growing relationship with Adin opens her heart to the God he worships. We follow them as they uncover a plot to kill the king's other favorite wife, who is Esther's enemy, as they relate their knowledge to Queen Esther, and she rewards their loyalty. 

The book follows the story of Esther in the bible quite well, adding these two fictionalized characters. We see the culture of the times clearly, and also note that the jealousies, hatred, and tender hearts are much the same as today's people. We learn of the procedures of life at court from the king down to the lowliest servant. I found the descriptions of some of the foods made in Esther's kitchen most intriguing, as well as the interplay of the assistant cooks who made the girl's life miserable. 

The writing is excellent, and the pages turn faster and faster as you get into the story. Credit a fine author for that. Christian Historical Fiction at its best. A four star read.

Add Easter Memories to Your Family Stories

Me at age 3 on Easter Sunday

A repeat post for Easter weekend.

Easter weekend is drawing near. Do you have a family story that revolves around Easter? Below you will find some questions that might trigger some memories.

A.  Are Easter celebrations different today than when you were growing up? 

B.  Did you have a family Easter Egg Hunt?

C.  Was your Easter Egg Hunt indoors or outside?

D.  Did your community sponsor an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt?

E.  Did your family go to church on Easter Sunday?

F.  What kind of clothes did you wear on Easter?

G.  What kinds of foods did you have for Easter dinner?

H.  Did you get an Easter basket filled with candy and maybe small toys?

I.  Did you color eggs?

J.  Did your family celebrate alone or invite other family members to Easter dinner?

K.  Did you always go to Easter dinner at one of your relatives?

L.  What was the weather like on Easter Sundays where you lived?

M.  Was shopping for new clothes for Easter important in your family?

Hopefully, the questions above will help trigger some memories for you. If you don't have an actual Easter story to write, write your 'memories of Easter.' Add it to your Family Stories book. That collection can have memories in it as well as family stories. 

Several years ago, I wrote some Easter thoughts with a small story within those memories. 

The photo with today's blog was taken at Easter of 1942, soon after the United States entered WWII. 

Easter Thoughts

By Nancy Julien Kopp

I’ve been thinking about the Easter celebrations of my childhood years in the Chicago area during the 1940’s. When Easter fell in March or early April, we donned colorful spring dresses and coats to walk to church in sharp north winds, even a little snow on occasion. 

On one of those bitter cold Easter mornings, I had a new aqua-blue spring coat and hat that I’d looked forward to wearing. Mother told me it was much too cold to wear it. “You have too far to walk to church. You’ll freeze,” she said. 

I begged and begged. “Please let me wear it. I’ll wear a sweater underneath.” Tears slipped from my eyes as I waited for her to give in. They were genuine, not a ploy. Wearing that new coat was a monumental need at that moment at age eight.

Mother relented, but I did have to wear the sweater I’d proposed underneath my lightweight, pastel-colored coat. I think I was very glad to have it as my brother and I headed to church to hear the Easter story once again. My parents never attended church with us. Theirs was a mixed marriage—Dad was Catholic and Mother Methodist, and neither ever gave in to the other. But we kids all attended the Methodist church and Sunday School. Dad polished our shoes every Saturday night so we’d look our best on Sunday mornings. He buffed them to a high shine and lined them up in the living room.

The day before Easter, we dyed eggs in glorious colors. Coffee cups filled with hot water, a dye tablet and a splash of vinegar covered the kitchen table. We arranged the eggs on a big platter with artificial grass as a nest. The Easter Bunny hid them while we slept that night.

The Easter Bunny usually brought us a few chocolates, jelly beans and a new comic book. He also hid the brightly colored eggs in our living and dining rooms. What fun it was to discover the decorated eggs, one or two of which we always found in Dad’s shoes left out overnight.

Later in the day, aunts, uncles and cousins joined us for a special dinner. Mother usually fixed a leg of lamb or a big ham, glazed with brown sugar and mustard, cloves inserted in the scored top. Many side dishes weighed down the dining room table-- scalloped or mashed potatoes, two or three vegetables, a jello salad, homemade rolls, pickles, olives and pickled beets, and a springtime dessert of some kind, cream pies, berry pies, or a cake with whipped cream frosting. The aroma of all these good things filled our small apartment.

When we were all too full to move, it was time to do dishes. No dishwashers, but all the women pitched in, and they were finished in no time. Maybe not all the women. I had one aunt who always announced she needed to use the bathroom as soon as the cleaning up began. Off she went, and she never appeared in the kitchen again! The clatter of dishes and the chatter of women filled the tiny kitchen. My cousin, Carol and I were drafted at an early age to dry the silverware, a job neither of us liked. We hurried through our task, so we could walk to the park to play the rest of the afternoon.  Occasionally, we finished our Easter celebration by going to the movies. We sat transfixed at the fabulous musicals starring Betty Grable or some other glamorous star of the 1940’s.

. The rebirth of springtime flowers, trees and bushes still symbolizes the meaning of Easter for me. Christ’s resurrection created a rebirth for all Christians, and as He taught us to love one another, I also think of the love of family as part of our Easter celebrations. It isn’t only the ones of my childhood, but for today, as well. When we spend the Easter holiday with our son or daughter’s family, going to church, having a celebration dinner, and being together. Not so very different than all those years ago. 

 

Our Introduction to Poetry

Nursery rhymes were our earliest exposure to poetry. Mothers and fathers have repeated them so often that children soon learn to say them, too. Mother Goose books are almost a must for every small child. Many of the rhymes have been set to music so we sing them as well as recite.

Children get a little older, go to school and learn rhymes to recite when jumping rope. It was mostly a girls' activity, so I'm guessing it's my women readers who can bring several to mind. Here's one we used often:

Down in the valley,

Where the green grass grows.

There sat Nancy 

Sweet as a rose

Along came Michael

And kissed her on the cheek.

How many kisses

Did she get? 

(And next, I would have to jump until I missed while the other girls counted)

Still in grade school, we moved on to rhymes to sign other girls' autograph books.  Ones like:

You are

 2 good

2 be true

(Then we signed our name beneath the rhyme)

Who can forget one of our early ventures into poetry with the following poem (and variations thereof)?

Roses are red,

Violets are blue, 

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you

All of these 'poems' had one thing in common. They rhymed. Besides that, the poems had a rhythm, almost sing-song for some. There have even been drinking rhymes composed, with mug in hand, most likely. 

We studied poetry in junior and senior high school. They were longer and somewhat difficult to interpret, but most of them rhymed. Unless you were an English major and took more than the basic English courses, you probably didn't become familiar with free verse or the Japanese forms either. 

My favorite poetry to write is free verse. There needs to be no rhyme or specific rhythm. You're free to write what is in your heart, what you want to tell the world. You're not hampered by all the other specifics. It's the kind of poetry all of us can write. Yes, you too. 

Even in free verse, we have some concerns. Choice of words is important. Active verbs show while passive ones do not. We also consider things like alliteration, onomatopoeia, and senses to bring the poem to life. Similes and metaphors enter the picture, too. Not sure what some of these are, check them out on your favorite search engine.

If you're a prose writer, have you attempted to write free verse poetry? Give it a try. It's not that difficult, and you might find you enjoy it. I learned that the more I wrote, the more I wanted to keep going. You don't need formal training (although I'm sure it helps) to write free verse. I say that from my own experience.

During this National Poetry Month, think about the place poetry has played in your life, from early childhood on. If you're one who claims you 'don't like poetry,' make an effort to read some this month, reading with an open mind. No one is going to like all poetry, just as no one likes every kind of prose. We try this and that until we find what we like. 

I saw a sign in a gift shop once that amused me. It said:  Wine is poetry in a bottle. That probably appeals only to those who sip wine now and then.

Celebrate this National Poetry Month by reading some poetry. Read a poem more than once. Once is merely an introduction. With each reading, you'll see something more in the poem.

 

Writers, Don't Place Limits on Yourself

 

Writer A hits a rough spot in the novel he is attempting to write. He sighs, sits back, and tells himself to quit trying to write this book. You know you can't finish it. You know you can't make the words sing. He gives up.

Writer B has a problem in the middle of the novel he's working on. I know I can figure this out, he tells himself. What's the best way to do it, he wonders. He knows that walking away from the work in progress for a few days, or even weeks, might help him find an answer. Or he'll go for a walk, sit in some quiet place and think about the difficult spot he hit while writing. Sometimes that silence opens his mind enough to find a solution. 

The difference between these two writers is that Writer A gives up pretty easily. Writer B doesn't limit himself. He is willing to work on the problem in one way or another. 

I once worked for a man whose favorite saying was "Success comes in cans, not can'ts". I got tired of hearing that phrase multiple times, and so did the other women who worked in his dress shop. Even so, as the decades have gone on, I've thought of his adage many times, especially in my writing life. 

If you think you can do something, you'll probably be able to accomplish it. If you fear you cannot, you probably will not have much success. 

Our poster today says, 'There are no limits to what you can accomplish. except the limits you place on your own thinking.' I have said multiple times on this blog that _______ is up to you. You are the one in charge. You are the one who decides what you can or cannot do. You are the one who does or does not put limits on your thoughts about your writing life. 

We all know that quitting, or giving up, is by far the easiest road to follow. It's much more difficult to take the road that puts no limits on your thinking about what you can accomplish. That road is longer with more than a few bumps, but it will take you better places in your writing world.

If you give up, will you always wonder what you might have accomplished in your writing world if you'd approached it differently? Would you rather be the one who wonders, or the one who kept working until he found some success? With the second choice comes hard work. No one ever said writing was easy. It isn't. 

Yep, 'success comes in cans, not can'ts".

Ronda Miller's Poetry Lives On

The poster quote today is from a writer friend of mine whom I met in our state organization for writers many years ago. Ronda Miller was a person you noticed in a crowd, and later, you were drawn to her poetry. Ronda was a good person as well as a fine poet. Always there to help others. She passed away this past December after a courageous battle with a serious health condition. She lives on in the words of the many poems she wrote over a lifetime.

Ronda loved her family and friends, she loved the Kansas prairie where she grew up, and she shared that and much more through her poetry. Her books of poetry include:

Going Home: Poems from My Life

MoonStain

WaterSigns 

Winds of Time 

I Love the Child 

Ronda wove stories of life, death, and love in her poetry. most of which was narrative. To read one of her poetry books brought her to you as though you were having coffee with one another in a cafe, preferably one filled with books. Or perhaps it brought the reader to her, as well.

I have several of Ronda's poetry books, but the poem I like best is the one that is the title of one of her first books--Moonstain. Ronda's mother committed suicide when her two daughters were quite small. A tragedy that affected Ronda's life in many ways. The poem, Moonstain, touched me deeply, and still does every time I read it. You can read it below.

MoonStain

Barn doors pushed shut

an indication something worth

investigating was within. It took

all my strength to open, slide

to close again. New birth

in pungent urgency led

me to the still born calf

quite warm. I nestled

in the hay beside it, placed

my arms around its neck.

I knew what death was, heard

whispers of my mother's

not long before. I could hear

the mother cow's loud bawling

from outside the back barn door.

I felt the spirit of the calf lift,

swirl around me, disappear. It

grew cold. I felt damp fear.

I sat in the caliginous stall

until my sister came, took

my hand, ran with me past

my grandmother's moonlit

garden of hollyhocks,

strawberries, rhubarb and iris,

past the spot where a rattlesnake

soaked up water from

a sprinkler one August day,

past the rotted elm

where fire ants swarmed

in balls before they

tumbled to the ground.

We opened the rusted

screen door and

tiptoed to bed,

where I lay crying,

because it felt so wondrous,

because it felt so good,

until the moonstain

no longer spread

across the floor.

          (c) Ronda Miller

Ronda Miller has left our earth in body, but she lives on through the myriad numbers of poems she wrote. A family member, a friend, a mere acquaintance, and even one who never knew her can feel her living yet in the words she left. 

Her books are still on sale at Amazon and Meadowlark Press.

Keep Truckin', Writers!

 

Today's poster has some good advice for writers, and perhaps for others, as well. How often do writers have failures and doubts? Myriad times! 

There are groups of writers who give up when they are faced with another failure or doubt themselves as a writer. After all, it's much easier to quit than to carry on, isn't it? Easier yes, but if you have a passion for writing perhaps not the exit door you should select. 

What does it take to continue when the rejections pile in faster than the acceptances, and you begin to doubt your ability as a writer? Every writer has been in this situation at some point in their career. 

We have choices to make. Should we exit the writing world? Should we try to figure out the why and the wherefore of our situation? Should we persevere? A lot depends on serious you are about being a writer. Newbies can get discouraged rather easily, and those who have put in a great deal of time and effort need to give serious thought to the consequences of giving up. 

What if you do decide to give up? Will you always wonder what might have happened if you had continued like the fairy in our poster? She continued despite problems. You can, too.

Maybe you need to consider getting some help to improve your writing enough so that you'll have a few more acceptances. Sitting in your chair and hitting the keyboard all alone might not be the best way. There are scads of books about writing. Read some of them! There are many writing workshops and conferences, a lot on zoom so you can attend in your jammies. Sign up for one or two or three! There are successful writers that you probably know. Visit with them! 

We can't merely wallow in our worries about our writing world. It's up to us to do something about it. The fairy was unstoppable because she carried on despite her failures and doubts. Surely you and I can do the same if we truly want to continue being a part of the writing world. 

Inspiration to Write

 My online writing group does a Random Word exercise each week. The person responsible for a month sends a new word each week. She can close her eyes and point to a word in a book or make up the word or use a word that ends up being related to the others in that month. Yesterday, I sent the word for this week.

 

 One of the women wrote to me saying she would love to have a full writing prompt, because, she said, a word along does not inspire her. 

I got to thinking about what can inspire us to write, and I looked back in my files to see if I had ever addressed the topic previously. Surprisingly, I had written several posts on this topic. The following is one I liked and perhaps you will, too. 

 A Jack London website mentions that he wrote fifty books in a sixteen-year period. Many of his books were based on his own experiences on the sea and in the wilderness. He's famous for his quote on finding inspiration. He said, "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." His quote impressed me. He didn't sit inside a warm, toasty house waiting for inspiration to strike. He created his own inspiration, or so it seems.

Perhaps too many writers sit in front of the computer each morning and wait for inspiration to come floating by, then drop down into their lap. Oh, if only it could be that easy. Where do we find inspiration for our stories, poems, essays and other writing? It is rarely found in your desk chair in front of your laptop.

I once had a friend comment that she couldn't understand how I could be a writer. You're such a social person and writers are introverts and often recluses. That was her personal interpretation of a writer. She went on to say she thought I'd be lonely spending so much time alone writing. I never consider writing time as being lonely. After all, I'm with the people I'm writing about and thinking about the ones I'm writing for. I can't say I've ever felt lonesome while writing.

Yes, I truly am a social person. I like being where the action is--with my friends, at meetings or conferences, with family, at sporting events. Besides the joy of being with others, that is often when I find inspiration to write. Something I see or hear will trigger an idea. There have been times when I've grabbed a piece of paper and jotted down a few words to jog my memory later on.

I imagine Jack London spent time with others who, like him, led an adventurous life. They must certainly have been an inspiration to him and I'm guessing that many of his characters were based on people he'd actually met or observed somewhere.

People-watching in a coffeehouse, at a sporting event or in an airport can inspire a writer over and over. Think of all the people you see in situations like that, all the little slices of life you witness. Sitting in a pub listening to the tales others at the table are telling can be inspiring to a writer, too. We often rely on our own memories to help get us in the writing mode, but the memories of others can also be an inspiration.

If you want to write a baseball story, where is the best place to get inspired and find background? Needless to say, it's a ballpark. Looking to write a story about the life of a monk? Visit an abbey. Where are you going to find inspiration for an article on learning to be a chef? Maybe at a culinary school.

In other words, don't sit at home and research the topic on google. Get out there and find your inspiration. Nobody is going to come along and drop it into your lap. It's up to you.

NOTE: put inspiration to write in the search box at the top of this page, and other articles I've written on the topic will pop up. 

Writing Perspective

Which side of the writing line are you looking from? You're probably going to answer that you're a writer, so your view is as a writer. In many instances, that is true.

But what if you turned things around and looked at your own writing from the reader's view? After all, your readers are the ones you're hoping to reach, the ones you want to hook with that opening paragraph. 

One thing you might strive for is to bring emotion of some kind to your reader. Fine, but if you write with no emotion, your reader won't 'get it' either. We need to feel what we write. If you're writing a story about a hero who has multiple brick walls set up in front of him, you want your reader to be cheering him to go on. If you write a story with a sad ending, you hope your readers will finish with a lump in the throat or a tear in their eye. Write so that readers feel something as they read your words. 

What about writers who truly enjoy writing long descriptions? They might love them, but do their readers? Consider how the reader will feel if you spend one entire page describing a place where the characters are having a picnic.

How about writers who write in far too much detail? Readers get tired of reading about a woman making a sandwich, step by painful step. Writers sometimes create too many details instead of giving the reader the benefit of the doubt, that they know how to make a sandwich. 'Mary made herself a ham and cheese sandwich.' is enough. You don't want to bore your reader.

I would suggest that, as a part of your editing process, you try to look at what you've written from the readers' point of view. Do it after you've done your normal editing and revision that has left you satisfied. Then, try to step into the shoes of a reader as you go through the process again. 

I'm reading a book right now in which the author jumps around constantly from character to character within a chapter, and it's driving me crazy. To the point that I may give up on the book before I'm halfway through reading it. I don't think the author gave much thought to his readers. Even so, his book was published, but I think it could have been a better book if he'd given a bit more thought to his readers. 

As our poster for today says, 'Sometimes, all you need to do is look at things from a different perspective.'

 

Editing Polishes Your Writing

 

Look at these shelves of books. Every one of the authors who wrote them spent a good deal of time editing their manuscripts.  Rare as a red rose in the snow is the book that stands ready to be published on its first writing.

Let it never be said that writing is easy. Anyone who has tried it will attest to that. I'm a person who likes to get a project done and then move on to the next one. I could do that when making a quilt or sewing a dress for a little daughter but not so with my writing projects. Those must be revisited many times before I can call them finished. Don't forget to let the project simmer a few days or more before you do the editing. That's key to the process.

Newer writers might wonder if editing their work means only checking for typos, punctuation, misspelled words and proper capitalization. That part is proofreading. While all those things should be looked at, there are others to be added to the list to do actual editing.

A.  repetition:  This is bigger than you think. When I critique in my online writers group, one of the things that jump out in someone else's story is repeating words or ideas. If you use the same word in two consecutive sentences or, gasp, even three, you risk boring your reader. It may sound foolish but it's true. Same with ideas that are repeated even though you may use different words. Most readers will pick up on the fact that you're telling them the same thing twice. Writing book authors will tell you not to do it, they'll say you must respect your reader's intelligence.

B. sentence length:  When you look at your first draft, pay attention to how long or short your sentences are. Too many lengthy ones make the reader wear out and maybe even give up reading. Alternate short sentences with long ones, and I don't mean exactly every other one. Do consider tossing in a short sentence between a couple of long ones. Occasionally, a writer will use several very short sentences together for emphasis, and that's fine. There are exceptions to every rule or method. Think about those many short sentences in early reading books. As an adult, they'd irritate you if all the sentences were only a few words each.

C. clarity: When I write a story, especially a memoir piece, I know exactly what the situation was, I know the backstory, I know the setting. Readers do not know these things so you must be certain you write in such a way that all those things are clear. As you journey through the editing process, ask yourself if things are as clear as they should be. This is one thing that having another person go through the manuscript is invaluable. Anything not clear will jump out at them immediately. A good case for editing on your own, then asking someone else to do another edit.

D. unnecessary words:  Once upon a time, I was dubbed the Queen of Unnecessary words. I awarded myself this honor (or dishonor) early in my writing world. In the first online critique group I belonged to, using too many unnecessary words was the item marked most by those who critted my work. The moderator of the group did not use the finesse others did when pointing it out. She acted like a mother who had been disobeyed and read me the riot act more than once. It was good for me as the importance of not using words like just, very, that is, why, who is, which was and others (depending on where they land in your sentence) appeared very clear. By getting rid of these redundant or superfluous words, your remaining sentence will be much stronger. We use a lot of those unnecessary words when we speak to one another, but in our writing, we need to be more concise.

E. passive verbs: Watch carefully for overuse of passive verbs--those that show no action--words like was, is, are. They're used by a lazy writer. Make it a habit to find active verbs, words that show us what someone is doing. Jump, run, batted, smashed, darted are words that bring the reader an instant mental picture. They are also far more interesting. I once pointed out in a critique that the writer had used a passive verb in every sentence in a lengthy paragraph. Boring! Practice using active verbs and it becomes a habit.

These are only some of the things to look for when you do an edit. Plot changes deserve another special editing process. Doing the ones I've listed will strengthen your writing, will make it more interesting to the reader, and make it more likely to be published.  

Writing is a step-by-step process. If anyone ever tells you it happens easily, don't believe them. Capture the publishing prize by working through the process until you deem the work ready to market.

Book Review: A Little Burglary in Bibury

Christina Hamlett's newest book in her series of Cozy Mysteries is titled 'A Little Burglary in Bibury'. It's number six and brings the reader, once again, into the lives of Rochelle (Rocky) Reid and her now-fiance, Jon Tapping.  

Cozy mysteries are not violent nor are they filled with explicit sex scenes or cursing. Nevertheless, they offer a good story for mystery lovers. 

In the earlier books, we have followed the romance of these two and their involvement in many a mystery. Rocky seems to be drawn to helping solve crimes, and Jon is her back-up and rescuer in many cases. 

The pair live in London, but the mysteries involved happen around the UK, in both England and Scotland. The reader is treated to a taste of armchair travel with each book in the series set in a different place. 

In 'A Little Burglary in Bibury', Rocky is deep into wedding plans but confused about many of the decisions she must make. Marrying the son of Lord and Lady Tapping requires a special wedding and reception. Her friend, Cybbie, suggests they make a weekend trip to a small village called Bibury. Cybbie's aunt is a master baker, she says, and would love to make the wedding cake. Despite misgivings, Rocky agrees, and her concern proves valid. 

Shortly after arriving, the local bakery, a rival of Cybbie's autnt, is burgled and the owner found dead. Of course, Rocky finds herself becoming involved in finding out who broke in, who killed the bakery owner, and why it happened. 

Soon after, Jon joins her in Bibury, to help her turn down Aunt Eugenie's offer to make the wedding cake. Before they can deliver the bad news to Cybbie's aunt, the mystery at the village bakery draws them in. 

Many new characters are involved, plus some of the ones the reader has met in the earlier books. Despite being number six in the series, the book can be read on its own with plenty of backstory to bring the reader into the tale being told. 

Besides local color of the village and its hotel and restaurants, the reader is treated to the description of culinary treats at Aunt Eugenie's home, the rival bakery, and a few appealing restaurants. 

Christina Hamlett is the author of 52 books, 276 stage plays, and 'squillions' of articles and interviews. She is also a gourmet chef, thus the inclusion of culinary treats in her books. She draws her readers in effortlessly with a good mystery story and a bit of humor. 

Buy this newest book about Rocky and Jon and their adventures at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online sellers which you can find via a search engine. 

A List of the books in this series:

Book 1:  A Little Larceny in Lynmouth

Book 2:  A Little Scandal in St. Andrews

Book 3:  A Little Drama in Dunster

Book 4:  A Little Poison in Paisely

Book 5:  A Little Tumble in Tintagel

Book 6:  A Little Burglary in Bibury

Writers Should Be Readers, Too

I made a visit to my local library today. Whenever I enter, I feel a sense of peace and joy. In fact, the library feels like my second home and has since I learned to read all those years ago. 

When I started writing, I learned the importance of also being a reader. Yes, a writer should read many books about the craft, but it's also important to read what others have written. Novels. How-To books, History, Home Decor, Travel and more. With our writer's mind, we note more in the books we read than others might. 

Even if subconsciously, we take note of the way dialogue is presented, the method the author uses to bring a character to life, how the writer creates tension, the use of sensory details, the beauty of language and so much more. Perhaps, as writers, we are more aware of these kinds of things. If not, we should be. 

If you're a mystery writer, should you only read mystery books? Should a romance writer immerse herself in nothing but romantic books? Should a travel writer ignore books that bring history to life? Of course not! No matter the genre we write, we should be wide read, expanding our horizons. We'll still pick up bits and pieces about our craft as we read.

More than once, when I have read an especially lovely sentence of paragraph, I stop and read it again to savor those beautiful words. My admiration for the writer goes up a notch or two, and I wish I could write like that. 

Read not only books but newspapers and magazines, online newsletters. You learn, you enjoy, and you also pick up tips on how to write, even if that is not your original purpose. It's a very nice side-effect. 

As writers, I hope we don't fall into the trap of watching tv and movies but seldom pick up a book to read. Some of each is fine. Find a balance that works for you. Be a writer and be a reader. 
 

Writers and Achievement

Today's poster gives us food for thought. Consider the number of years you have been writing. Is it 5, 10, 15- 30? Are you the same writer today that you were when you were a newbie writer filled with dreams and desires to be the best writer ever? 

I hope you're a better writer now than when you started. No matter what we pursue, we should grow as our experience increases. Athletes are much the same. The more they pursue their sport, the better most become at it. Of course, they have coaches to help them make progress. Writers are on their own, although we do have workshops and conferences to attend to help us become better writers.

It's something we probably don't think about too often. How many times have you actually asked yourself "Am I a better writer now than when I started writing?' In your heart, you know the answer, but you don't give it a great deal of thought. 

An interesting exercise for you to consider is to go back through your files to some of your earliest writing efforts. Read through each one entirely. I did this recently when I was looking for something and ran across a folder with some of my very earliest writing. What a surprise it was. I realized immediately that I have made a lot of progress in my writing life since those early days. A few stories appeared to have potential, but I knew they needed to be rewritten using the knowledge I've gained over these many years. In fact, I'm quite enthused about one in particular. 

Take some time to consider what you have achieved in your writing life. You should be a better writer on this end of the spectrum. As our poster says, be proud of what you have achieved. 

 

Are You a Last-Minute Writer?

 Today's poster made me laugh. I think there are two groups of people. Those who plan way ahead and get things done early and those who wait until the last minute. If a poll was taken, I wonder which group would be the largest. 

There are things that are best done at the last minute, well, maybe not the very last but close. When company is coming, you don't want to dust and clean floors a week ahead. You'd only need to do it all over again the day before your company is due. If you're going to serve a cake on Sunday, don't make it the preceding Sunday. Not gonna taste very fresh.

My son was a last-minute kind of student. He always got it done but seldom ahead of time. There are people who work best under pressure. They might have to stay up late the night before an assignment is due, but that's their choice.

What about writers? Yes, there are two groups of these people, as well. One group notes a deadline to submit a piece of writing and has it ready way ahead of that date. Others wait until the last minute and get their submission written and sent. Pros and cons to both.

The writers who work well ahead of deadlines have one real benefit. There is more time for editing and revision, so they are going to be sending a polished piece of writing. They also don't have the Worry Pixie riding on their shoulder. Some contests take only X number of entries, so the early bird can rest assured that theirs will be among that number. Those who work ahead have peace of mind.

What about those last-minute writers? They run just the opposite of the other group. That Worry Pixie has a permanent spot on their shoulder. They probably get the piece ready by the deadline, but there is little time left for editing and revision, so they are probably not sending their best work. They could be the 1012th entry for a contest that accepts only 1000 entries. There are writers who find they do their best writing when under pressure. 

Each writer probably learns which way works best for them. If working ahead is best, he/she should stay with that method. If doing a slam-bang job at the last-minute produces results, then go for it. We're all different. Some of us like the peace of mind that working ahead allows, while others thrive on doing a bang-up job at the last minute. 

It's your choice as to which way you choose to work, which way produces the best results for you, which way brings satisfaction and good results. 

Writing About Love

 What better time to write about love than during Valentine celebration week. Look at all the choices you have. There's boy-girl romantic love, the love of family members, the love of certain foods, love of your country, and many others. 

There are even different kinds of love in each of those mentioned. The boy-girl/man-woman kind of love can produce sizzling, sexy stories, or the simple coming of age love stories. Or even the quiet love stories of those in a longtime marriage. 

Parents love their children and vice-versa. Siblings, even though bickering at times usually love one another. I didn't realize how much I loved my three younger brothers until two of them passed away. 

If you love specific foods, you can probably write a love story about whatever it happens to be. Or a poem--An Ode to ...! 

When we feel deeply about our country, we can surely write an essay about out patriotism. You might write an essay about the love and joy gardening gives you. Or quilting or writing or painting!

Your 'love stories' can be warm and fuzzy, or they might be funny, or deeply serious. As writers, we are in charge of what kind of story to write. On a Monday, you might feel like writing a serious love story, but on Wednesday, you might be in the mood for a funny tale. 

As I've said about so many things in our writing world, 'It's your choice.' Isn't that wonderful? You're not meant to heed rules and regulations about what you write. 

I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day. Give some thought about what you can write about this annual day of love, cupids, chocolates, and flowers. Or about some other kind of love as written above. Wear a big smile as you write about someone or something you love!

Finishing What You Write

 

Starting a new writing project is fun, inspiring, and even exhilarating. We've taken a bit of an idea and began enlarging on it, bringing it to a fuller thought than when that snippet came to us. Writers who write by the seat of their pants, often referred to as 'pantser's, enjoy seeing where the original thoughts will lead them. 

But what about finishing what you started? Most writers have a number of unfinished stories, essays, and poems in their files. Why? Isn't the idea of writing to start and then finish so we can then jump into the submission process? 

There are a few reasons that writers abandon a writing project. One is fear that, once completed, you're going to have to do something with what you've written, and maybe you're a bit worried about finding a place that will publish your work, concerned about the whole submission process. Another fear is that maybe your idea didn't turn out as well as you'd hoped. 

Another problem can be that you get stuck in the middle of what you're writing and don't know where to go next. In fiction, maybe you've set up a problem for the hero, but you have no idea how to get him out of it. So, it's easier to quit, telling yourself you can work on it later. If it's a personal essay, you start with an experience that you've had, but you don't know how to bring it to the point where you've learned something along the way. 

There's always the problem that you didn't have time to finish. With the busy lives we lead, time sometimes becomes our biggest enemy. Maybe you started writing a story but had to set it aside because of family or work obligations that seem to go on and on for way too long. There sits your unfinished story, not completed only because you haven't had time to work on it. 

Sometimes, you don't finish a writing project because you don't like the way it's turning out. More than once, I've thought to myself--'This is pure drivel.' and I either throw the partially written piece away or put it in a file. We shouldn't throw our work away; put it in a file and go back to it someday. Time away can give you new perspectives when you do look at it later, sometimes much later. 

Yes, there are myriad reasons we don't finish some of the writing projects we start. It's not a crime. Maybe this wasn't the right time to finish the story idea you had that at first seemed so great. It's alright to have unfinished writing in your files. The important thing is to go back now and then and look at them. Six months later, you might have a better idea how to finish what you had started. Pull out that poem that you stashed before ever doing any editing or revising. 

Finish what you start is good advice, but you don't have to finish in one fell swoop. 

Writers--Learn to Cut Your Precious Words

 

Today's post is a repeat regarding cutting words. Such a necessary but difficult thing for writers to do. 

Two posters suggest cutting words. ...cut it to the bone Stephen King tells us. The anonymous author of the second quote tells us we are going to have to delete much of our first draft. He/she says that is when we know we are a writer, but it might take us a long time to accept that.

Or maybe you don't agree with what these two quotes tell us. Maybe you are averse to cutting words or deleting entire sections of something to which you gave time and effort. You love some of the phrases or you are extremely proud of the way a certain section turned out. Cut? No way! 

I think this is when our ego and our talent as a writer get tangled. Those words we write are precious. We wouldn't take one of our children and toss them out, would we? That's how some writers feel about cutting parts of the story or deleting unnecessary words. They end up with wordy, dreary writing.

The cutting process will leave you with a much stronger piece of writing. If you edit with an objective eye--keyword here being objective--you can find areas that may be lovely prose but add nothing to the story itself. Or the essay or poem--whatever you are writing. 

In my first online writers' group, our moderator was a fine writer and a tough taskmaster. She was hard on all the members over one bad practice or another but she broke many of us of bad habits. One of those was being too wordy. She would cut huge chunks of a submission. That often hurt the writer but she always added a valid reason for what she suggested. Some people only needed unnecessary words cut but with others, it was entire paragraphs or even sections. I always read the critiques that this woman gave to other writers because I learned a great deal by doing so. As time went by, I could see that her suggestions on cutting were very beneficial. 

Here's a little problem with slashing our words. We're writers. We're word people. We love words and phrases and sentences. We don't want to get rid of any of it. Still, one of today's quotes suggest we are not real writers if we cannot make peace within as we slash, dice and slice some of what we've written. I know that, when I do this, I end up with a stronger piece of writing. 

Some of us tend to be redundant. We repeat the same idea with different words within the same paragraph. Part of the reason we tend to do that is to make sure the reader 'gets it.' Give your reader a little more credit for being able to 'get it' with only one try. When you edit your work, look for those areas where you have repeated yourself in some way and cut until you have made the point with one sentence. 

A fine poet in my online group frequently suggests cutting a lot out of a poem that has been subbed. That old less is more comes into play here. When she tells me to cut something, I pay close attention because I know she is a gifted poet and sees more than the average person. 

Don't be concerned with those many words you end up cutting. Put them away in your mental file box to use again someday. Those precious words aren't gone forever. 

Writers Can Find Story Ideas Everywhere

 Have you ever run out of story ideas, not just fiction but nonfiction, children's stories, articles, and poetry? You're not alone. This situation is not Writer's Block. It is something that happens to writers. They can write, but they need more ideas on what to write. Throughout this post, I will use 'story ideas' to mean all kinds of writing as stated earlier in this paragraph. 

Many things trigger story ideas, but it's up to the writer to act upon them. 

There were lots of family gatherings over the recent holidays. Lots of conversation, and many times people saying, "Do you remember when...?" Fuel for the writer's furnace!

Take a walk on a summer evening. You'll most likely pass others doing the same. Which ones intrigue you? Which yards have kids playing games? Who is walking a dog? Who is dressed in a weird get-up? These can all be triggers to help you find a topic for your next writing project.

Go to a concert and look around you. Or at church, a play, a board meeting, or a parade. These places are rife with story ideas. Airports or commuter trains or buses. Almost anywhere there are groups of people.

Are the stories going to jump up and holler "Here I am!" Of course not. Instead, work on training your writer's eye. Practice by asking yourself what that mother and child that are having an argument might mean for a story to write. How about the altercation between the bus driver and a homeless person who wants to ride for free? Or the group of dogs traveling together down the middle of the road. 

Work on thinking about story ideas wherever you are. In time, you'll do it automatically. Your writer's eye will be experienced and able to find story ideas wherever you go. 

Our poster today says: Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any.

Those writers who see five or six story ideas are the ones who have worked at training their writer's eye. The stories are there, and it's up to you and me to find them. 

Writers--Don't Give Up

 When we read books by prolific authors, or see the names of writers in anthologies numerous times, or recognize the name of an author when reading a book review, all we see is the result of their writing life, the part that makes them happy. 

What we don't take note of in the above is the many down times these writers and others have experienced. A fellow writer once cited a statistic that has stayed with me. He said, "The average acceptance rate is one out of every twelve submissions." That statement could make many a writer throw up their hands and swear they'll never write anything again.

I certainly hope very few will do that. As writers, we need to accept the fact that we will have more rejections than acceptances. At least, most of us will. I'm very proud of the number of stories I have had in the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology books, but there were many more stories I submitted to them that never saw print. 

Is it terrible to become discouraged? Of course not! We're human and trying over and over to be published and not making it hurts. It hurts us, it angers us in some cases, and it helps us stop believing in ourselves at times. 

One trait a writer needs to develop is Determination. Maybe an attitude of 'I'll show them!' would help foster that trait. 

Our poster today says: 'Go over, under, around and through, but...never give up.' It's easy to say, but more difficult to put in practice. One thing that factors in here is how determined you are to become a published writer. 

Those rejections tend to knock you down for a bit, but the determined writer picks himself up and moves on. If one publication rejects you, move on to another. We've all heard stories about famous authors who received multiple rejections for a book that eventually became a best seller. Keep in mind that an editor is one person, or a reading committee is only a handful of people. If they say no, maybe somebody else will say yes. You'll never know that unless you keep submitting. 

Rejections come for a variety of reasons. Perhaps, the publication has already published something similar, or it doesn't fit their theme, or you send a horror story to a romance magazine, or the writing lacks something. This last is one you have control over. If you feel your writing is not up to standards editors expect, one of the best things to do is to join a writing critique group. But do it with an open mind. Expect that your work will be criticized but that those doing it are trying to help you become a published writer. The criticisms are to help you, not hurt you. A good attitude on your part is necessary if you are to gain something from a group like this.

The road writers move along can be a rocky one, but if the writer is determined and pledges to not give up, it can be rewarding. Keep today's poster advice in mind: 'Go over, under, around and through, but...never give up.'

5 Truths for Writers

 

It's time for us all to be true to ourselves as we pursue our writing journey. Do any of the following Truths fit you? Are there others that might be added to this list?

Truth #1:  Do you ever try to fool yourself into thinking you're a good enough writer without continuing to learn more about this business? When I started teaching, I was surprised when I had to attend in-service meetings on a regular basis to continue learning more about my chosen profession. A new college graduate often steps into the first job thinking they are well-trained after 4 years of college. I figured out pretty quickly that those college years gave me a base to build on, no more. It's no different with writers. Learn a little as a base and then keep adding knowledge as you move along. Are you ever finished? I don't think so. We can always learn something new.

Truth #2:  Do you have lots of valid excuses for not submitting your work for publication? Or are you not submitting because you're afraid of rejection? Afraid you might find out you aren't good enough to be a published writer? Or because you know you can do better if you put more effort into your writing? We often make up reasons to avoid doing something--like submitting--because it's easier than admitting to the truth.

Truth #3:  When you get a negative critique of your work, do you become defensive and ignore the suggestions given by the person who did the critique? If you want to succeed in your chosen field of writing, you will need to be open to suggestions from other writers. You don't have to agree with everything they tell you but give real consideration to what they point out. Especially if several people find the same trouble spot. Then you know you must work on that area.

Truth #4:  When there is a deadline to meet, do you procrastinate and then have to do a rush job? If you own up to this one, you are your own worst enemy. In many of my posts here, I urge writing more than one draft and I suggest that you let that first draft simmer a few days before you revise and edit to create another draft. Maybe even a third one. Guess what? That takes time, and if you wait too long, you write in a hurry and it's not going to be your best effort. As a beginning writer, I was always excited when I finished a story and wanted to send it out immediately. I hadn't learned the benefit of taking time and writing more than one draft. When I did, it proved to be beneficial.

Truth #5:  Do you avoid writing groups because they take up too much time? Or do you turn away from them for fear of being judged harshly? Or do you fear that your work might not measure up to others in the group? Maybe several in the group feel the same way you do. What everyone needs to do is to remember that the group purpose is to help one another. It's to continue learning this craft. No one likes to be judged unfairly but when it's done with the spirit of helping you become a better writer, how can you fault it? Take a deep breath and join a writing group. Someday, you'll be glad that you did.

I don't like to say that we lie to ourselves, but we do tend to avoid the truth sometimes. Be honest in evaluating your working habits. Make a list of places in your writing life where you could use some improvement. Keep it somewhere that is visible, so it serves as a regular reminder. It may be more comfortable to avoid the truth in your writing life but if you face it head-on, you'll reap the benefits as time goes on.

A Writer's Word For 2025

 There seems to be a new trend lately. You're to pick your 'word for the year' and keep it in mind as you navigate through the end of January and the next eleven months. Maybe a word is easier than making a list of resolutions that seem to take wing and fly off into the stratosphere. 

With that in mind, the word I'm proposing for writers to claim as their own in 2025 is ACTIVE. It's a word that can cover a good many bases in the writing world. Let's look at a few.

A. Write something every day. It doesn't matter if it is 25 words or 2500. Just write!

B. Get your writing files in order this month. 

C. Go through your files to see what pieces you might work on and submit for publication.

D. Give yourself regular pep talks. Do all you can to boost your confidence in your writing ability. 

E. Be ACTIVE in the writing groups you belong to. (If you don't belong to any, find one!)

F. Spend time with other writers. Nobody will understand you better than another writer.

G. Make a list of writing projects you would like to pursue during this year.

H. Spend time on a regular basis researching possible markets that fit your writing.

I'm sure there are other things you can do to be active in your writing life, but the ones in my list will be a good start. The important thing is to remember to be ACTIVE on a regular basis, not just now and then. 

Today's poster let us know that we shouldn't sit back and do nothing. We need to be ACTIVE to make progress in our writing world.

I am using ACTIVE as my word for 2025. Won't you join me and adopt ACTIVE as your word for this new year?