Interview with Paulina Nelson, 3rd Place Finalist in the Summer 2011 Flash Fiction Contest

Good morning, Muffin readers! You're in for a special treat today. We'll be chatting with S. Paulina Nelson from San Diego. Her story, Seeds of Change, placed third in the Summer 2011 Flash Fiction contest. Check out the story, then get to know Paulina. We're going to dish about her story, Internet use, and teaching writing.

S. Paulina Nelson's love of the English language began with her immigration to the U.S. from Poland at age 6. She minored in creative writing, with an emphasis on poetry. Her poems have appeared in The Christian Science Monitor and have placed in the Dorothy Sargeant Rosenberg poetry prize. Inspired by her love of literature, Paula began writing short fiction last year. She teaches 7th grade English at Carmel Valley Middle School in San Diego, where she lives with her husband and son.

Grab that favorite morning beverage and sit a spell. You'll be glad you did. :)

WOW: Congratulations, Paulina, and welcome to The Muffin. As a teacher, I related to the plot of "Seeds of Change." One writing theory says that personal writing mirrors an author's life. Does your story resemble your immigration to the United States? If not, how did you come up with the idea for "Seeds of Change"?

Paulina: I have certainly experienced poverty and its way of stationing children at a disadvantage. In that regard, "Seeds of Change" resonates with me emotionally. To use an authorial cliche, I wrote 'what i knew,' but the main character and the exact setting were inspired by a video on educational funding shown during my credential program. It has stuck with me for 12 years, and influenced everything from the way I dress for work to how my classroom looks. The takeaway is: how do we expect kids to feel valued when everything in their environment screams that they don't matter?

WOW: A well-taken point. Students need to know they are valued. One of the interesting elements of the story is the dahlia, which symbolizes elegance and dignity. How did you weave that symbolism into the piece?

Paulina: The opening metaphor referencing weeds was already tucked in the back of my mind when I began writing this piece, and Meala aspires to be more than that. The seed she steals represents the tiny germ of beauty available to her and how desperate she is to cultivate it. Referencing the seed cycle project furthered the idea that something spectacular can emerge from almost nothing. Technically speaking, the short form doesn't allow room to mix metaphors, but in thinking about it, poems of mine that have been selected for publication all feature extended metaphors based on nature, perhaps because I believe that all living things are interrelated.

WOW: Personally, I like to see an extended metaphor woven through a story. It adds a cohesiveness that a lot of flash pieces seem to lack. I'm curious, I know you pen poetry. Is this your first contest entry and/or win?

Paulina: I have won poetry prizes, but this was my first foray into short fiction. I love it! In scene writing, I can focus on wordsmithing, and the plot arc falls neatly into place. Also, the end result is like a tightly wrapped package: one can imagine pulling the ribbon and having the piece pop open and expand into a novella (or longer). Overall, this has been a positive experience for me. I wrote four drafts in as many hours, sent the final off with zero expectations, and received such valuable feedback in return. I highly encourage others, especially those who have the tendency to speed toward the end result, to give this a try. You might find yourself enjoying the journey as well as the destination.

WOW: Agreed! Sure, it's nice to place in a contest, but the journey to that final destination offers so many lessons! I think the contest world has seriously opened up for writers since the Internet has grown in popularity. Do you think the Internet is a positive tool for authors? Why?

Paulina: Personally, I marvel at the on-hand nature of information these days. We no longer have to wonder; we just Google. While the impersonal aspect of that bothers me sometimes, for writing, the Internet is an amazing tool! Research at one's fingertips, the ability to submit pieces for publication electronically, storycrafting tutorials, query letter guidelines, online access to writer's groups, not to mention sites like WOW! that encourage writers to TRY . . . while it may isolate the writer a bit physically, it certainly eases and speeds up the business / technical side of the process, leaving more time for creative flow.

WOW: It's been an integral part of my freelancing business. I remember having to either fax or hand deliver stories to some of my former newspaper editors. Look how far we've come! Another thing I noticed is that you teach writing. I also have taught English and Journalism at the junior/senior high and college levels. It's fascinating to see how students learn and take that knowledge and make it their own. What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Paulina: The transformation. Seeing a student's face light up when we work together to take a sentence or paragraph from awkward to effective. When a child realizes the potential that resides in their writing, it's a beautiful thing, and I am lucky enough to witness this hundreds of times a year.

WOW: Isn't that such a wonderful feeling?  Still, teaching isn't always easy. As a writing instructor, what do you see as the biggest mistake student writers tend to make?

Paulina: Well, that transformation I mentioned? Unfortunately, sometimes it's a hard sell. Students today tend to think writing is a one-off and not a process of drafting and polishing. Also, I have to temper their desire to be creative all the time and help them meet the purpose of the writing first, then re-introduce their voice and style. And if I want to nitpick, passive voice runs rampant.

WOW: Grrr! Passive voice continues to be a problem for many writers. It's a hard habit to break, even when we age! You obviously keep busy with school and writing. What current projects would you like to share with our readers?

Paulina: This 'win' has given me the courage to resume working on my first novel, a piece about a runaway finding redemption. If I stay on track and do my best to honor the subject matter linguistically, it should be finished by the summer and hopefully see the light of day shortly thereafter.

WOW: Wonderful news! Good luck with your novel and reaching your deadline. And again, congratulations on sharing your thought-provoking story with us.

Interview conducted by LuAnn Schindler. She shares her work at luannschindler.com.

Your Book Tour: Seize the Opportunity to be Memorable

Somewhere in between the fun-yet-exhaustive work of writing your book and the dreams of it being on the bestsellers list lays the land of marketing. In our dreams we tend to gloss over that part…unless it’s a fantasy of signing a stack of books at Barnes and Noble. That is definitely a fantasy that will never come true…without some marketing. This being a broad subject, today I’d like to focus on just one aspect--the blog tour, and how to make the most of it.

Your blog tour is a big opportunity to connect with a willing audience and make such an impression that they are compelled to share your book with all of their friends. Create a buzz—that is the purpose of a blog tour. Yes, you ultimately want sales to increase but for that to happen there needs to be buzz. With so many book tours out there how do you stand out? Simply saying, “here I am, please read my book” won’t spread very far. You need to engage with your audience. You are meeting a few hundred new friends and you want to develop a relationship with them so they will introduce you to all of their friends…and remember you when your next book comes out!

Write engaging posts and give warm, chatty interviews to draw in the reader:
Consider each stop on your tour as a first date—if you want there to be a second date you need to open up. Your readers want to learn about you and gain a feel for your personality. They want to read about your view points and experiences and will be looking for a common ground. Invite comments and respond back.

Have an enticing website with additional information about yourself and your book:
Create a space that invites readers to stay awhile and makes them want to return. A pleasing template, a personal blog page, behind-the-scenes information on your characters and sneak-peaks of your upcoming work will keep your audience interested.

Use your social media:
Whichever social media accounts you enjoy using, make them part of your tour. Announce your tour dates, thank your hosts, and congratulate the people who win your giveaways. Connect with the new friends you meet on your tour while you are touring to get the relationships rolling.

Offer creative and memorable giveaways:
When Kristina McMorris toured with her book Letters from Home she created a special “prize box” for one of the giveaways during her tour. In keeping with the theme of her book she purchased a storage box that looked like a travel trunk. Inside were a signed copy of her book, some “victory garden” seeds, a chocolate bar wrapped in a vintage wrapper, and a CD of music from the WWII era. This might seem extravagant but it actually paid off.

The reader who won the prize was so impressed that she recreated the entire package as a gift for her mother. Then, she turned around and bought two additional copies of the book for her sisters. She also brought the entire box to work with her to show the other ladies in the office. Kristina may have spent twenty or thirty dollars on that prize but the winner purchased a total of three additional books and shared the experience with an office full of women who undoubtedly ran to their computers to check out Kristina’s website. Then the mother shared with her friends and the sisters’s with theirs. Talk about a ripple effect!

Do you have to be that extravagant? No. Even small touches will make you memorable:

• Include a bookmark (with your web address of course) when sending a signed copy of your book.
• If your story is prominently set in a city, include postcards or tourist maps of the area; you can usually purchase these from the local chamber of tourism.
• Even if you are touring with an eBook you can make a memorable impression by including a personal note to the winner. Invite them to let you know how they like the book. You might even include an additional electronic file of deleted scenes, questions for reading-groups or background info on your characters.

This is your red carpet walk so smile, shake hands, and put your best foot forward!

By Robyn Chausse

World Book Night

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Time is ticking away! You only have three days left! Tuesday, January 31 is the last day to register to be a part of World Book Night.

What? You've never heard of World Book Night? World Book Night is a celebration of reading that was started last year in the UK and has spread to the US this year. The idea behind World Book Night is to encourage people who aren't regular readers to pick up a book and enjoy. And what better way to do that than to give them a free book! Thanks to book publishers, sellers, lenders and more World Book Night is prepared to give away ONE MILLION free books on Monday, April 23.

One million.

That is a lot of books. So they need a little help in the form of 50,000 volunteers willing to stand on street corners, in grocery stores, or anyplace in their community where they think they could find a few folks willing to take a free book. Check out the list of books being given away on World Book Night: memoirs, novels, horror, mystery, YA and tween here.

Think you can talk 20 strangers into accepting a free book? Then sign up for World Book Night and join the fun.

If you become a World Book Night volunteer, where would you give away books in your community?

Jodi Webb is a WOW Blog Tour organizer and writer. She often gives books she reviews to her family, friends, and local library. If chosen, she'd like to give away books at her local donut shop -- the place she worked before deciding she was a writer. Read about her World Book Night adventures at Words by Webb.

What's the Best Book You've Read in One Day?

I read. A lot. As a reviewer and writer, it's part of perfecting my craft. I once had a student ask me how many books I've read in my lifetime. (Hey, I'm not that old!) I couldn't even begin to come up with a number. But I'll make a guesstimate: I usually read between 10 and 15 books a month.

So last week, when I noticed the #1daybook hashtag on Twitter, I had to find out what all the fuss was about.

Looks like it started over at Reddit when someone posed the question: What's the best/most unusual/longest/most enthralling book you've read in a day?

It got me thinking. What's the best book I've read in a single day? What book has kidnapped me, held me for ransom, and refused to let go until I closed the back cover?

My answer: Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt. She had me on page one, and by the time I finished a few hours later, I was a blabbering book reader, tugged in multiple directions by conflicting emotions. I felt such a connection with Isabelle, the photography, the sense of place.

I think about that book often, pull it from the shelf and reread snippets - a snapshot of descriptions and characters - that beg to be read once again.

It takes a special book - and writer - to create that sense of empathy with readers. And Caroline's words and story formed that bond for me.

What's the best book you've read in a single day?

by LuAnn Schindler. When she's not reading, she's writing about Nebraska at luannschindler.com.

Friday Speak Out!: Feeling Fulfilled through Fiction, Guest Post by Brooke Williams

Feeling Fulfilled through Fiction

by Brooke Williams

I spent 12 years of my professional career in radio. I have to admit, I enjoyed aspects of it. But it was never my true passion. When my daughter was born in 2009, I left the industry to become a full time mom. Though I love my daughter with all my heart, after a year of the daily ins and outs of being a stay at home mom, I was ready to place a claim on my own life. I wanted something of my own. That’s where writing came in. I always wanted to create an at home business, but I had no idea what to do. Writing became the obvious choice because it was something I truly loved, and could actually do.

I began searching websites and was amazed to find that there are tons of writing opportunities out. Honestly, had I known about these jobs before, I would have made the transition years before my daughter even came onto the scene. For the most part, I write web content. That is not always very exciting. For example, I recently got a job assignment for 27 articles on various aspects of kitchen counters. I have written about deer hunting (a topic I do not particularly enjoy), time shares (a topic I would love to enjoy in person), and plenty of other things. I found that as my fingers flew over the keyboard each day during my daughter’s naptime, I was finally fulfilled as a professional.

Writing strange articles on topics I did not often know much about was weirdly fun. The real fun began, however, when I discovered a website that was just about to launch. This website, called chainbook.com, was asking writers to create the first chapter of books. After the website launched, another writer would write chapter 2, a third person chapter 3 and so on until the book was complete at 24 chapters. I had always wanted to write in a creative manner so off I went. I wrote 67 first chapters. The ideas kept me up at night.

Once the website launched, I was sure I would leave my work behind and move on to the paying jobs. Articles about internet services were waiting to be written, after all. But I found the fiction world still calling out to me. I cannot add on to any of the 67 books that I started, but I can look for other writers to help. There isn’t any pay involved, but once the books are published, each writer can say they are a published author. Their name and words will be in print. In an actual book! Plus, it’s just plain fun to see where my ideas go.

I feel like I’m a better mom because I have a creative outlet. If you want a little extra creativity in your life, feel free to contact me about writing in one of the books I’ve started. I’d love to see where you take it!

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Brooke Williams is mom to a 2 1/2 year old and a freelance writer who has articles all over the internet. She wrote chapter 8 in the recently published "ShadowLake" novel, a publication of chainbooks.com. You can view some of her fiction work at http://chainbooks.com/AuthorDetails.aspx?Authid=43 or contact her for the change to write a chapter in one of her books at djforjesus@hotmail.com.


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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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What Chekhov Knew about Sitcoms

By Christina Hamlett

His heyday was long before the advent of film and television but I often paraphrase Anton Chekhov whenever an aspiring screenwriter suddenly throws a contrivance into the third act that had nary a passing reference in the first or second. The objective is always the same: to try to jumpstart a floundering plot with a last-ditch surprise in order to keep it from dribbling off with a whimper. What’s interesting is the correlation to TV series that – when faced with a waning (or yawning) audience – will do almost anything to stay on the air.

Is there a TV idea up your sleeve that’s just itching to be written? If so, you'd do well to first heed this quote of advice from a playwright ahead of his time: “Any idiot can face a crisis – it’s day-to-day living that wears you out.”

There are three major differences between crafting a plot for the movies and coming up with a marketable premise for episodic television.

The first is that a movie is a stand-alone product that delivers an entire story in the space of 120 minutes or less. In contrast, a TV series is a succession of weekly installments that – if the ratings are good – can unfold over the course of multiple seasons. As is often quipped about M*A*S*H, for instance, the series actually lasted eight years longer than the Korean War it was depicting.

Secondly, movie characters are forced to take actions predicated on reward, revenge or escape in response to a major external conflict that has placed their lives and hearts in jeopardy. This meets the criteria of a character-driven tableau in which it’s the players themselves who push the storyline forward to resolution and, in doing so, experience emotional growth. In contrast, TV sitcoms are plot-driven wherein random acts of weirdness keep occurring that everyone predictably reacts to on the basis of their internal angst. Accordingly, they never evolve past whatever traits they projected when first introduced in the pilot episode. The exception? Finally declaring their feelings for the person we the audience have known they should be with from the very beginning.

Third, movie protagonists often have bigger-than-life jobs that the rest of us wistfully envy. They’re archaeologists, scientists, adventurers, spies, pirates, etc. While TV drama personas often embrace occupations such as detectives, doctors and lawyers, the career paths of TV sitcom characters are more mundane - waiters, office workers, teachers, servants and political lackeys. (On the plus side, however, the majority live in New York apartments that are larger than any flats inhabited by heroes on the silver screen or, for that matter, anyone who actually lives in New York.) Since there are only so many workaday scenarios that can revolve around ordinary people in ordinary settings, the chances for them to shine are limited. You can always tell a sitcom is sliding when its main players suddenly take a trip to Hawaii, Europe, or go on a cruise; it’s their day-to-day living that has driven them – and us – to the brink of boredom.

Former actress/director Christina Hamlett is a professional script consultant and ghostwriter whose credits to date include 26 books (3 of which are on the craft of screenwriting), 141 plays, 5 optioned features, and hundreds of articles/interviews that appear in trade publications throughout the world. She is also the screenwriting editor of Writers Journal, and has conducted workshops on scripts and the performing arts for over 30 years.


Christina's's new online class for WOW! Women on Writing starts on Monday, February 6, 2012! Sign up now for HOW TO WRITE A TV PILOT: An Introduction to the Craft of Creating a TV Show while there's still space available. For details and enrollment, visit our classroom page.

Change Your Life with Lori the Change Agent

We have a real treat for you today. Lori Anne, the Change Agent, is here to discuss her book,  Who Am I? How to Answer the Single Most Important Question You’ll Ever Ask, her audio series, and her life coaching business.

For almost ten years, Lori put her own interests and dreams aside telling herself she was doing the right thing because it paid the bills, helped provide for her kids, and was a good career. Thing is, she was miserable, stressed out, and overwhelmed – she just wasn’t admitting it to herself.

Then her 49-year-old mother suffered a brain aneurysm, and she realized how precious each day really is. Coming face-to-face with her own mortality at just twenty-seven years old pushed her to reevaluate the life and choices she'd been making. She wondered, “If I were to step out my door today and not come home, would I at least be proud of the life I’ve lived so far?” At that time, the answer was “No,” and she vowed to take one step every day until she could answer, “Yes” each night. It took years to transform her life, but it took her years before she realized she needed to transform herself first.

Lori received a degree in English and women’s studies in 1999. A constant explorer of how people think and create their lives, she trained as a life coach in 2005 and began working one-to-one with women who felt torn between the reality of their lives and the dreams they ached to create.

WOW: Hi Lori, welcome to the Muffin! We are so pleased to have you with us to share your knowledge and your work with us today. So, let's get started. You have built a business around what many of our readers need help with. To quote you when we discussed this interview: "my business itself is all centered around helping smart, savvy moms bridge the gap between their realities and the dreams they ache to create. It's about looking at ourselves, our beliefs, our habits, how we think etc., and changing from the inside out in order to achieve our dreams." What are a few ways you help moms or women in general do this?

Lori: Whether it’s a one-to-one life coaching session, my book, my audio program, my blog or Facebook page, or the even the free video coaching series I offer on my website, the core of everything I do centers around asking powerful questions that help women reconnect with their inner wisdom. You see, I believe each and every one of us already has everything we need to achieve any dream we have–but sometimes our own thinking and beliefs about ourselves or our situation gets in our way. Our emotions are the voice of our inner wisdom trying to break through. When we feel drained and exhausted, that inner wisdom is trying to tell us to slow down and take care of ourselves. When we feel lost, our inner wisdom is trying to tell us we’ve gotten off track from our personal life’s purpose. When we feel joy, our inner wisdom is letting us know that we’re on track and need to do more. It sounds simple, but so many of us have been taught to put our own feelings aside for the sake of others and keeping the peace, we no longer hear the messages or know how to interpret them when we do hear them. I help women get back in touch with their Self, so that they can build the life THEY dream about. I support them through the inevitable challenges that come up when we go through transition. I challenge their assumptions and beliefs, so that they can uncover the hidden road blocks as well as the obvious ones. We can only truly change our lives when we first change ourselves. So I help women become the person they want to BE, so that they can DO and HAVE what they dream about.

WOW: That sounds WONDERFUL, and I'm sure many of our readers are nodding along with me right now. So, tell us about your book, Who Am I? How to Answer the Single Most Important Question You’ll Ever Ask. What is the main focus of your book? Who is your audience? How can it help?

Lori: To live the life we dream about–to really feel that sense of fulfillment and purpose so many talk about–we need to learn one very fundamental thing: how to make, and stand by, decisions that honor who we really are. Unfortunately, many of us have been taught to make decisions based on what someone else thinks we “should” do, rather than what is really right for us. My book focuses on discovering who we really are, why those parts of ourselves are so important, and how to start using that self-awareness to make decisions that re-shape our lives into what we really want, instead of what we wound up with.

I wrote it particularly for women because while all of us are shaped by other’s desires for us, women are taught more explicitly to take care of everyone else first and ignore their own needs and desires. We’re taught that it’s selfish or needy to even HAVE our own desires for our lives. Yet, the opposite is true. It’s far more selfish, in my opinion, to undermine yourself to the point that your children only see you exhausted and stressed out at the end of the day, to feel like you’re not really present with them when they just want to feel loved. What kind of role model is that being for them? We want what’s best for our children, our families, and our friends; so why not find the best in ourselves and learn how to share that?

The book breaks down the process of learning who we are into simple steps, asks powerful questions through journaling and meditation exercises, and helps women create a purpose statement for their lives that’s based in what is truly right FOR THEM. What’s incredible to watch in this process is how tapping into what we’re most passionate about and bringing more of that into our lives really gives us more energy, empathy, and the ability to give even more to all those we love. It’s not selfish at all! It’s incredibly beautiful.

WOW: I feel like you are describing me exactly when you describe your readers and women's beliefs. I'm sure I'm not alone. What format is your book available in? Where can people find it?

Lori: The book is available on my website at http://LoriTheChangeAgent.com. It can be downloaded as a pdf file for immediate access or purchased as a soft cover bound book, also available through my website, as well as on amazon.com.

WOW: You also have a monthly audio series. Tell us about these audio programs and the special deal you are currently offering with your book.

Lori: I’m really excited about the new audio series this year! It’s called Conversations with Lori Anne, and it’s nutrition for the mind. Each month, I’m being interviewed one-to-one on various topics. Each of the topics are coming right out of a survey I did in the fall, where I asked women what their biggest challenges were to achieving their dreams. The first topic, which has just been released, is "Stopping Dream Killers & Receiving Support," in which I talk about what a dream killer is, how to recognize them, and how to stop them, so that you can receive the support you need and deserve to achieve your dreams. It was a lot of fun to record, and I’m thrilled to be able to offer it!

To introduce the series, I’ve created a limited time offer. When someone purchases my book, they can receive the audio program at over half off!

WOW: What a great deal! You call yourself a change agent. What do you mean by this? How can you help women change if they have a different picture for their lives?

Lori: If we want something we don’t already have, we have to change something about ourselves – become the person we need to be in order to have those things. For example, if someone is a workaholic but wants to spend more quality time with their family, then they have to first look at the reasons for the choices they’re currently making that made them the workaholic and begin to shift those. This can be a real challenge!

As a change agent, I help my clients identify a clear vision of where they want to be as well as develop their own inspiring WHY they want to get there. The why is the most important part. It’s the why that motivates us to keep going through the challenges, and it has to be tied to who we really are, or it won’t sustain them. There is a specific process that we all go through when we’re recreating our lives, and I help my clients navigate that process, so that they can complete the changes that they want to make. It’s easy to get lost or even give up; but with support, it becomes much easier.

If someone has a vision of her life that she wants to realize, I can help her figure out where to start, figure out how to go about the process in a way that works for who she is, and support her all the way through it. Together, we build the bridge she needs to get from where she is to where she wants to be.

WOW: If any of our readers are interested in the topics you are discussing and the products you are offering, what should they do?

Lori: There are several things they can do. They can visit my website at http://LoriTheChangeAgent.com and learn more about who I am, the products I’m currently offering, as well as the limited time offer that we talked about earlier. They can even take advantage of the free coaching video series that’s available.

I’m also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheDreamineer) and love interacting with the fans there. And if they’re ready to start building their bridge and want one-to-one support, I’m happy to talk with them about coaching. They can e-mail me at Lori (at) LoriTheChangeAgent (d0t) com about receiving a complimentary thirty-minute coaching session, in which they can experience what it’s like and learn more about it.

WOW: Thank you, Lori, for sharing your business with us today. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Lori: I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity to be here and share a few thoughts! My mission is to see women everywhere living their own purposeful and meaningful life. I know what’s it’s like to do everything we think we “should” and wind up feeling lost, overwhelmed, and frustrated. I’ve been there! And while there are still the day-to-day challenges, living a life that’s fulfilling is an incredible experience–one I want to give to as many people as possible!

So I hope there’s something here that makes a difference, and I would be honored to hear from the women out there–their thoughts, their challenges, their feedback, their hopes, their stories… I want each of the women to know that no matter what it might look like today, their dreams are entirely doable, realistic, and absolutely worth pursuing!

WOW: Lori, you are an inspiration, and we appreciate everything you have said here today. Muffin readers, don't be shy. If you have a question or comment for Lori, you can leave it here or check out her website or Facebook page. Remember, she gave you her e-mail address, too. OR start with her book and audio series by going to her website!

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