Pinpoint The Sense of Smell in Your Writing

As a writing exercise today, let's concentrate on using the sense of smell in your fiction, personal essays, family stories, and poems. We all know that some things smell wonderful while others can literally turn our stomachs.

Write two paragraphs showing your character dealing with a smell. One should be with a pleasant smell and the other one should illustrate something that smells bad. You might use the same character in both paragraphs to show how he/she reacts to both a good and a bad smell. Or create two different characters.

Use descriptive language and active verbs. Be sure to show the reader how the character reacts. Don't just tell them.

An exercise like this one helps only in details of your writing, but by making those details come alive, your story can only benefit. Doing this by showing will bring your reader into the scene.

I thought about giving you a sample paragraph but decided against it. I would rather you come up with something entirely your own, uninfluenced by anything else.

Give it a try.

Believing In Yourself Is Important For Writers

You'll see a lot of articles and essays by writers who tell you to believe in yourself. Do that, they say, and you'll have a much better chance of success in the writing world. 

I agree but would also add that you'll enjoy your writing journey more if you truly believe in your ability to be a writer. With belief comes self-confidence. The more of that you have, the better writer you can become. You'll be willing to venture into writing spots you might have shied away from previously, to tackle writing projects you might never have thought you could do.

I have two short stories to tell you about the power of believing in yourself. Many years ago, a writer in my town told me she had this great idea. "Let's put on a conference for mystery writers who write small town mysteries." I looked at her like maybe she'd been drinking a bit too much or some wire in her brain had come loose. Marilyn kept floating the idea to me and to others in our small critique group. Most of us thought a town of 50,000 population could not put on a conference that would draw writers from all parts of the USA. Marilyn persisted until she had convinced the group to give it a try. She believed the conference would be a success, even with the many Doubting Doras on her committee. We worked hard on every facet of creating and running a conference, still having reservations. Long story short--it happened and was so successful that it repeated for a few years. It happened because Marilyn believed in herself.

Another writer friend has dealt with health issues for some time. About a year prior to her 80th birthday, her doctor made the declaration that she would not live to see her 80th birthday. She didn't snivel and cry. Instead, she told him that, yes, she would see 80. She began a countdown to that day in April when she'd hit that magic number--magic for her. Her friends noted the days that went by, too. There was no hesitation on her part. She believed she would celebrate that birthday, and she did. Her health did not get miraculously better, but neither did it get worse.

It's obvious to most of us that having that belief in self is a big factor in accomplishment. The bigger thing is how do you get it? One way is to work on achieving a positive attitude in all things. No Negative Nellie is going to believe in herself. People like that are more apt to put themselves down at every turn in their journey. You can train yourself to think positive. Whenever a situation comes up, pick out the good things first. Make them your priority. You can develop a habit of searching for the good. 

You can also keep a list, mental or real, of the positive things that have occurred as you move down the writing path. Don't tell me that there have been none. Every one of us has some pluses in our writing life. If you think there are none, open your eyes and look again. No matter how small, add to your list. And be proud of those good things you've done. 

Believing in your own ability as a writer is something no one else can give you. They might, however,  be of some help if they compliment you on some aspect of your writing. Even so, it's you who must be the believer. 

The first year of the conference I referred to above, I was the person to welcome the group and to introduce Marilyn--the woman who believed. I asked if those present remembered the movie Field of Dreams in which a man believed in doing what seemed impossible. Marilyn, I told the audience, had a belief every bit as strong. I said, "All of you sitting here this morning are proof of her belief." As Marilyn came to the podium, she received a grand reception from the audience. As for me, I went to my seat with a great big smile. 

Writers Should Subscribe To Newsletters and Blogs

Reading a Newsletter

Do you subscribe to newsletters or blogs about writing? If you don't, you should consider doing so. I receive several and find lots of good information and tips on where to submit my writing, as well as listings of contests that are open. Also, calls for submissions for places seeking new writers.

Many successful authors, or publishing houses, offer these missives to help other writers. They are also adding to their brand.  If you receive something from Susie Smith on a monthly basis, you're going to remember her name and know a lot about her writing. The same goes for a publishing house. The ones we are familiar with are the ones we're most likely to submit to. 

If you visit an author's website, you're likely to find a place to sign up for a newsletter or a blog to be sent to you on a regular basis--daily, weekly or monthly. If you find the website of interest, go ahead and sign up. Give it a try. If you decide it's not as good as you thought, all you need do is click on the Unsubscribe link. Couldn't be simpler.

One caution--don't subscribe to more than you time to read. It's quite easy to find yourself mired down in myriad publications. All that does is eat into your writing time. Make your own writing the priority, the reading of others secondary. It's easy to fall into the trap when you see a newsletter that is interesting or inspires you. 

How do you find them? Rely on the search engines you like best for help. Use keywords like newsletters about writing or blogs on writing. Ask other writer friends for suggestions. If you have indicated on Facebook that you're a writer or interested in writing, writing-related articles will start popping up. 

A few of the newsletters/blogs that I have found of interest regarding writing tips and have been helpful in finding places to submit my work to are listed here:

• Aerogramme Writer's Studio
• Submishmash by Submittable
• Erika Dreifus  
• Annette Gendler

There are many others which you can find on your own as suggested above. 

Has Your Writing Improved?

Ready for another rainy day!

Here in the Plains states, we are bracing for another round of thunderstorms, some possibly severe. We're pretty waterlogged already with some areas dealing with flooding and the aftermath of tornadic activity. The umbrellas in today's photos might be of use once again.

I have read at least three articles by writers recently that speak about the embarrassment some of their earliest writings have brought them. They each wondered how they could have written the pieces that had been published by websites and blogs that were content driven. Those editors needed something to publish daily and were wont to accept less than perfect offerings. 

The writers then went on to tell of how much their writing had improved, that they were selling far more now than ever. Isn't that as it should be? Aren't we suppose to get better at whatever it is we do as we continue on our journey? I would certainly not want to tell people that my writing has become worse and worse over the years. Not the way it should work, is it?

Athletes, artists, carpenters--all of these people most likely get better at what they do as they ply their profession or trade. Why? It's as simple as the fact that we learn as we work at what we do. We pick up little things that, when applied, make a difference. We become aware of the errors made and work to correct them.

One way we learn as writers is by reading what others have written. The more we read, the better writer we should become. As we read, our subconscious gathers bits and pieces about the method of writing, then stores them away. Sometimes, while reading, we have a very conscious 'aha!' moment when we note a device the author has used that impressed us.

What if you're a beginning or newbie writer? Is what you're writing now the highest level you can achieve? I hope not. It may be alright, even good at times, but we always need to strive to continue to improve as writers. 

As a beginning writer, I know that, while my content may have been quite alright, my mechanics were not always the best. I used cliches. I relied too much on passive verbs. I felt like adverbs had to be added to dialogue tags. I repeated words too often. These 'mechanical errors' were minor, but as I learned to correct them, my overall rating as a writer increased. 

Hopefully, you write with more depth as you continue your writing career. That, too, makes you a better writer. Beginning writers might only skim the surface of a topic or of a character. The longer you write, the better you become at reaching farther.

Don't judge yourself as a writer on your earliest efforts. Instead, look at what you've achieved, how you've improved. Have you reached the pinnacle of your writing journey? I would hope not, but that you continue to write better and better. As for those early attempts in your writing life, don't be a bit embarrassed. Instead, be pleased that you have made a significant improvement over the years. 

Memorial Day--Remembering A Special Cemetery Visit

Chapel Mosaic at WWII Rhone American Cemetery

This is Memorial Day weekend, a time when we recognize and honor those military men and women who died while serving in one of our Armed Forces. In 2010, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit an American cemetery in the south of France near the area where the Allied invasion took place. We are more aware of the D-Day invasion on the Normandy beaches on the northern coast of France. Visiting the cemetery with our tour group proved to be a very moving experience. I wrote about our visit after we returned home. The story was published in The Best Times, a monthly newspaper in the Kansas City area. I am sharing the essay here for the holiday weekend. Enjoy your picnics, games, reunions and more but do remember what Memorial Day means.

Soldiers and Angels

On a two week visit to France, I didn’t expect to be moved to tears and left with a memory etched on my heart forever.

 After a day and a half exploring Nice, our group of forty-two Americans boarded a motor coach to travel to a river cruiser for the next leg of the trip. Our program director announced that we’d be making a stop at the WWII Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan where 861 U.S. soldiers are buried. These soldiers were ones who died in this part of France during the August 1944 invasions.

The southern invasion of France is not so well-known as the D-Day invasion along the beaches of Normandy in northern France. The invasion from the Mediterranean Sea began in August of 1944 and holds its own important place in the history of the war and with the French people.

We were informed there would be a wreath-laying ceremony for our group of seniors, many of whom remembered those war years as either veterans or children of vets. I was a small child during those years, but I still remember many little things about our life at the time, and I have read a great deal about this period in history because it feels personal to me.

We filed silently through impressive iron gates. The brilliant blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the sun warmed us. The rustle of leaves in the many stately trees that surrounded the cemetery proved to be the only sound as we gazed at the rows of white crosses and Stars of David. No one spoke as we moved between the graves on the pristine grounds, reading names until the cemetery director arrived.

The Director told us the soldiers’ families all had the option to have their loved one’s body repatriated or to have them buried near the place they had died in battle. How difficult, I thought, such a decision would be. Sometimes, there were no parents left at home, or a young wife had already moved on with her life and needed no reminders of an earlier marriage, and so the fallen soldier never went home, staying in France where he died.

Everyone strolled slowly along the path that led to a large stone memorial depicting an angel. It served as one outside wall of an open-air chapel.

Inside the chapel, a stone altar was dwarfed by the huge mosaic picture that towered above it. The mural-like picture, done predominantly in shades of blue, featured an angel in the center. My eye was drawn to her first, and though I studied the other, smaller figures, my gaze kept returning to her. The angel was seated. She cradled the body of an American soldier. The artist managed to capture pure love in this figure. He succeeded in drawing visitors’ eyes to this central theme. Gazing at the two figures, I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Yet, I could not stop looking.

I thought about my uncle who flew missions over Germany but came home. I thought about my friend’s uncle who spent half of the war in a prison camp. I thought about my dad’s cousin who died in a plane that exploded on a runway. I thought about the memorial plaque at my grade school that listed the names of graduates who had not come home. The angel and soldier in the mural spoke for all of them.

Our program director held a large bouquet of fresh flowers. She asked if there were veterans of any war present who could participate in the wreath laying. The red, white and blue ribbon tails on the floral piece fluttered in the soft breeze that swept into the chapel from the two open sides.

Three men stepped forward. I learned later that two were veterans of WWII, having been very young men in the final days when they were called up. The third appeared to be a bit younger, although all had gray hair. He had been a pilot in the Korean War. Their shoulders were a bit rounded, and wrinkles creased their faces. As they neared the altar, they stood side by side, the rest of us gathered behind. The trio marched forward and laid the floral tribute between the Christian cross and the Star of David.  The three men snapped to attention, standing taller than they had in years and saluted the soldier lying in the angel’s arms. For one magic moment, they were young soldiers again. Even these many years later, they shared a common bond.

The gentle breeze of only moments earlier turned stronger, and the now-frantic rustling of the leaves surrounded us on both sides of the open-air chapel as we were invited to sing our national anthem. One or two people began slowly, and soon others joined in.

I tried to sing, but the emotion of the moment rose up and blocked my throat so thoroughly, I could not have sung had my life depended on it. Instead, I listened to the strong words of the song that is the pride of our nation.

As we retraced our steps through the cemetery, passing row upon row of graves, I thought of what so many Americans had sacrificed during the war fought on foreign shores during my childhood years. Lives were lost and families grieved, but others lived freely because of it.

I thought of a well-known quote that seemed to fit this small cemetery. All gave some, some gave all. 

Proofreading Help--Reading Your Work Aloud

Sometimes the simplest solutions to a problem are overlooked. When a story we've written doesn't feel right, won't come together in the way we'd hoped, we look for ways to help us see the light, find the little errors that act as roadblocks to a satisfying piece. 

Reading your story, essay or poem out loud will be a big aid in finding places that need attention, mechanical errors that you've overlooked when proofreading by means of silent reading. Your eyes flit across the page and catch many bits and pieces that need correcting. Those same eyes also pass right on by other trouble spots.

Give your ears a chance to find more places that you need to revise or correct. Reading silently is fine, but adding another reading by actually speaking what you've written will be an additional help.

I'd suggest that you don't do this at the dinner table, on a bus, or sitting in a crowded coffee shop. This exercise is one to do all by yourself in a quiet room or outdoors in a place where it's you and nature. Stand up. Straighten up. Begin reading in a normal voice, as if you were reading to an audience. Side note:  When I am going to be reading my work to a live audience, I do read it aloud at home first. It helps to make you more comfortable when actually reading to people.

You can do it once through or try it a second, even a third time. Poetry, especially, benefits from more than one reading. 

What kinds of things are you apt to find when you read your work out loud? 

• Sentences that are too long--if you must stop and take a breath while reading one sentence, it's probably too long. You might not see it reading silently, but you will hear it reading orally.
• Missing periods--you will read with one sentence running into another.
• Overly long paragraphs
• Too many dialogue tags--you needn't use one with every bit of spoken conversation. In a back and forth between characters, use the tag sparingly. Readers can figure out who is speaking.
• Repetition of words
• Repetition of information
• Poor opening--no hook
• Blah ending
• Rambling

There could be others, as well. The more you read your writing out loud, the more your work will benefit. Like so many good practices, you need to establish a habit. I read some of my writing aloud but not everything. I'd like to increase the times I do this and to create a set habit. One of the reasons I, and maybe you, don't always do it is that it takes more precious moments that we're not always willing to give up.

I read this post out loud, and guess what? I found several places where I changed bits and pieces. If you've never tried the oral reading as help to editing, give it a try. If you've done it only occasionally, try to do it more often.If you do it all the time, pat yourself on the back.

Call For Submissions For An Anthology

Chicken Soup for the Soul has extended the Call for Submissions on a new anthology that has the theme of forgiveness. The new deadline is June 30, 2019. The title of the book has also been changed. It's now The Forgiveness Fix. 

This is not the first book this popular anthology series has published on forgiveness. I have a story in another one published a few years ago. 

Forgiveness is powerful and allows us to mend broken relationships, find peace within and move on from a troubling situation. There's even self-forgiveness which can be as difficult to accomplish as forgiving someone else. 

I've been mulling some ideas for a story to submit for this new book. It took me quite some time to decide on what I would write. I've got the first draft finished, have submitted it to my online writing group for their opinion and suggestions. While waiting for that, I've had more thoughts about what might be added or omitted. Writing one 1200 words or less personal essay is not a swift process. The writer who dashes off a first draft and submits it immediately is not going to be sending what we term 'best work,' at least it's not going to happen except in a very few cases. 

Here is a list of suggested topics that the publishers have given to help you come up with an idea: 

 • Making the decision to forgive
  • Setting yourself free by forgiving
  • Apologizing if you were the one who caused the hurt
  • Letting go of anger and resentment
  • Adjusting your attitude
  • Healing and compassion
  • That first step — reestablishing contact
  • Working it out
  • Helping someone else forgive — how you did it
  • Forgiving yourself
  • Understanding the motivation and the issues behind the hurtful actions of others
  • Learning not to take things personally
  • Forgiving parents and grandparents
  • Forgiving children
  • Forgiving siblings and in-laws
  • Forgiving spouses or partners
  • Moving past crime through the power of forgiveness
  • Lessons from strangers about forgiveness
  • Role models who helped you access the power of forgiveness for yourself

Remember to study the guidelines section on the Submit Your Story page. I sense that the reason the publishers extend a deadline is that they are not getting the quality of stories they want to see, or perhaps the quantity either. You have well over a month to write, edit and revise a story to send. If your story is accepted, you will receive 10 copies of the book and a check for $200.

From my own experience, I have learned that Chicken Soup for the Soul editors like humor, dialogue, and stories that are heartwarming and inspiring. They like emotion by the writer that brings emotion from the reader.

While you're on the Submit Your Story page, check the Possible Book Topics as there are other books that need your stories, too.