Are Your Writing Habits Beach Ready? Writing in the Summer

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t have to prep myself to write at the beach. Mountains? Yes. Forest? Yes. Beach? Please, no.

But I do have to develop a summer writing habit every year. My son is a swimmer who swims in the city summer league. This summer he is also working as a life guard and he graduated from high school. We’re the house where his friends gather so my schedule is . . . Variable seems like a kind way to put it.

How do you write with a highly variable summer schedule? Here are four tips.

Acknowledge summer. This is my son’s last year in the summer league. A lot of these boys are going away to school. Since they are people I genuinely like, I want to spend time with them. Step #1 – I need to acknowledge that. Check.

Acknowledge that you need to write. I have contracts for three books. I expected to be done with one of them by now but you know what they say about well laid plans. Add to this the fact that my writing income isn’t gravy. We need it. Don’t have contracts or writing income yet? If you’re a writer, you probably still need to write. Come on, say it with me. “I am a writer. I need to write.”

Acknowledge that something may need to go. That’s right. Clean house, starting with your desk or wherever you work. You don’t want to spend 30 minutes looking for an edited hard copy when you only have an hour to write. But also clean up your writing habits. This might mean not checking Facebook when you have writing time. It might also mean leaving a dysfunctional critique group or giving up a volunteer gig that stresses you out. Clean house and give yourself the time and energy to write.

Acknowledge yourself. Working women have a tendency to short change ourselves. Yes, I need to spend time with the boys and I need to write, but I also need to stay sane. That means taking some time to do things I enjoy. The boys took a road trip last weekend. Sadly, they didn’t have room for little ol’ me. I watched movies they don’t like, listened to an audio book, crocheted and ate things they don’t like. I wrote some, but I also quit by 7:00 pm on Friday so I’d have plenty of time to relax.

Balance is key even in a summer schedule.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins June 12th. 

A Card Trick for Memoir Writers

By Mary J. Breen

When I begin a memoir piece, I usually start by brainstorming. This helps me get to some of the important aspects of the story that I’m not yet aware of, and it helps me uncover forgotten memories that can get me closer to the story I want to tell. Best of all, brainstorming often shows me what the piece is really about.

At the beginning of the brainstorming process, I always feel overwhelmed by the number of words/ ideas/ images/ memories that arrive almost all at once. The first ones are usually aspects of the topic that I’m already aware of, but soon after, newer ideas, the ones I hadn’t predicted, start to show up. These ideas and images come all jumbled together, randomly linked and definitely not in a nice orderly fashion. In order to try to sort them, I used to use a Mindmap spread out over one large piece of paper, but that didn’t work very well. I realized that the diagram itself was restricting my thinking. It was pushing me towards finding an order and a plan much too soon. Now I use index cards instead. This way I can turn off the organizing part of my brain for a while, and just listen to whatever pops up. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it works.

Step 1: Brainstorming

• Get a bunch of index cards or small pieces of paper. You’ll probably need 50 or more to start with.
• Think about your topic, and start jotting down any thoughts and ideas as they come to you, one on each card/paper. Let your mind wander, and write down anything and everything that comes: feelings, memories, images, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings (both physical and emotional).
• Use few words and simple words.
• Don’t worry about repetitions. Just keep going.
• Don’t censor or judge your ideas as good or bad. If something comes up that seems to matter but you don’t know why, jot it down.
• Don’t think about which ideas are peripheral and which are central at this point; just keep going.
• Don’t rush. Keep going as long as ideas are coming.
• PS: You may notice that ideas and images will come to you later—when you’re making dinner or drifting off to sleep. Keep some blank cards handy so you can capture these too.

Step 2: Organizing

• Give yourself space to spread out: use a large table or the floor or a wall.
• Scramble or shuffle or throw your cards in the air to mix them up. Then spread them out, and start looking for ideas that fit naturally together. As topic areas emerge, choose names for them, and make a card for each group or category. You’ll probably find categories you knew would be there, as well as some you hadn’t predicted.
• Put your category cards across the top of your table, and start sorting all the cards into categories. If something seems to fit into two areas, make a duplicate card and put one card in each pile. If you find you’ve got an idea or two that don’t seem to fit anywhere, don’t discard them yet. Make a “What to do with?” pile, and decide on them later.
• Since this process often uncovers ideas and issues below the surface, a whole new major topic might emerge. If this happens, brainstorm that topic too.
• After you have the cards sorted, start putting the cards in some kind of order within each category; perhaps in chronological order, or according to the points of view of different characters, or perhaps reflecting an overarching theme. If you find that some ideas would fit better in a different category, just move the cards. Take some time and try to sort them well at this stage.
• Once you have sorted the ideas in each category into what seems like a good working order, read the cards aloud. Listen to whether or not the ideas flow naturally from one to the next. Keep going until you reach that point where you feel the little thrill of knowing you’re getting close to what you want to say. Then start typing.
• Don’t throw out your cards. If, after you start writing, the order doesn’t seem right, go back and rearrange your cards or the whole categories. You’ll find it’s much easier to move your cards around to produce a better flow than it is to reorder a long piece on your computer screen.

This method works well for me; try it and see if it works for you.

-----

Mary J. Breen is the author of two books about women's health. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in national newspapers, essay collections, travel magazines, health journals, and literary magazines including Brick, The Christian Science Monitor, Ars Medica, The National Post and Persimmon Tree. She was a regular contributor to The Toast. She lives in Peterborough Ontario Canada where, among other things, she teaches writing and is trying to complete a memoir collection.

What To Do When You Receive Conflicting Advice

When editing and checking resources for an upcoming article for WOW!, I happened upon a blog post, where the blogger was explaining another post he saw by a successful author and how he didn't think any of the tips she gave were correct. He then went through each tip from the woman's article (without using her name) and explained why she was wrong. I thought then and there: well, she has a lot of experience and she doesn't think she is wrong. And this guy has a lot of experience, and he thinks he's right. This is 100 percent conflicting advice.

As a writer, what should you do if you read conflicting advice from successful writers? What should you do if members of your critique group disagree on a section of your manuscript? What should you do if someone is telling you NOT to do something that you are already doing and it is working for you?

1. Look closely at who is providing the advice. 

If you are a non-fiction writer and you are reading advice from a successful romance author, this is why the advice might be conflicting. The writer giving the advice has different experiences than the other one AND in a completely different genre. So the advice actually shouldn't be the same. You also should look at the career of the person giving the advice--what does success mean to him or her? Is it success because the person makes a 6-figure income or do they measure it by winning a literary fiction award? Read the bios of the writers and look at their websites--which one matches you more closely? That is the advice you should probably follow.

2. Listen to your gut. 

You know what you want out of your writing career. You've made goals and have hopes and aspirations. If you read a piece of advice that doesn't "feel" right for you and your writing, then it probably isn't. A writer who is freelancing as their full-time job is not going to follow the same advice or path as a writer who is a memoir writer, trying to get their first book published.

The same is true for the critique group problem I mentioned. If you have writers telling you completely different things in your critique group, then you should wait a few days and see which resonates more with you and your story. Actually, maybe none of the advice will work for your manuscript, or one may stand out more than the others. Regardless, sometimes I feel like writers worry too much about what people are saying about their writing and not trusting themselves enough.

3. Find more resources. 

Another thing you can do is find more resources that support one of the opinions. What are the majority of people saying in that field or genre? Do you think that will work for you and your work? If so, then that means it is probably good advice and pretty standard for the genre you are writing for. If one of the writers seems to be a lone wolf, then that probably means for whatever reason, that writer found this method to work for him, but it might not work for you or your writing (or most writers actually).

Conflicting advice can be frustrating. I'm sure many of you have heard something like: no one reads a prologue, and then someone has suggested a prologue for your book. Or another common piece of advice for children's writers is publishers will not publish children's books with talking animals as the main characters, and then a successful one comes out. In general, when you are a new writer, follow the standard advice--the one that seems to be more popular and the one that resonates the best with you and your work.

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, teacher, and mom living in St. Louis, MO. For more information about her books, please check out her website, where she also blogs about being a single mom and writer. You can also check out her novel writing course here in the WOW! classroom. 

photo above by Marlon Hammes on Flickr.com



 

Hidden Gems: Quotations Author's Use

There are different types of readers in this world. There are those who get the book and skip right to the first chapter, ignoring everything else. There are those who take their time to read the author's bio on the back flap, and who take in the intricacies of the front cover, before diving in to the story.

And then, there are people like me.

Books fascinate me. Not only by the content (which, undoubtedly, is the most important part), but also by how they smell. How they feel. The covers and the pages and the dedications. One of my favorite parts, however, is the quotations authors use after their dedication pages, and before their first chapters.

The quotations span all genres, time periods, and cultures. Some are from presidents. Others from poets. I’ve seen snippets of Shakespeare, Martin Luther King, and Robert Frost.

To me, each quotation is as much a part of the book as the characters and the setting. These quotations offer a glimpse into the heart of the story. The quotation is a clue – a small puzzle piece – which tantalizes me to unlock its meaning.

I read these quotations before anything else, and then revisit them once I’ve finished the book. This simple act is as delightful as opening an unexpected gift. They provide a deeper connection to the author’s purpose. It’s as if the author and I share an inside joke or a secret story to which others are not privy. The quotations connect us beyond the story and remind me that the themes in my favorite books transcend time.

I have my favorites, of course.

Stephen King’s Needful Things:
“I have heard of may going astray even in the village streets, when the darkness was so thick you could cut it with a knife, as the saying is . . .
                         – Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing:
In this decayed hole among the mountains
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel
There is the empty chapel, only the wind’s home.
It has no windows, and the door swings,
Dry bones can harm no one.
Only a cock stood on the rooftree
Co co rico, co co rico
In a flash of lightning. Then a damp gust
Bringing rain

Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
Waited for rain, while the black clouds
Gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder.
                          -T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling:
Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass, they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.
                           -William Penn, More Fruits of Solitude

And, lastly.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese:
And because I love this life
I know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out when
From the right breast the mother
Takes it away, in the very next moment
To find in the left one
It’s consolation.
                         -Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali


If you have never noticed these quotations before, try reading them first next time. I promise they will not disappoint.

Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here.

Moving Out of Your Comfort Zone

I'm so glad you're here reading this. There are plenty of people who took one look at the title of this post and decided it wasn't for them. Understandably so when you look at the definition of a comfort zone:

noun
a place or situation where one feels safe or at ease and without stress.


Pretty sure if we are honest with ourselves, given the chance to stay in a safe and stress free situation or wander into something potentially stressful and unsafe, we would choose that comfort zone. And yet...when reflecting on our lives, our writing, our careers, etc... the most amazing victories are those that began with that unsafe feeling. Moving out of your comfort zone is uncomfortable, but it is also where change and growth takes place.

I recently interviewed an author friend who admitted she disliked reading and writing flash fiction. She decided to take a chance and enter the WOW! Flash Fiction contest and she placed. She had that uneasy feeling in the beginning, but in hindsight the stepping out of her comfort zone helped her realize some talents and it has propelled her forward with her writing career. Without taking a risk, I wonder how many authors would still be writing in notebooks with their works laying unpublished and unread? Isn't that a very sad thought?

So, you're not a writer. Maybe you're a reader. Plenty of readers will tell you they surprised themselves by agreeing to read something out of their comfort zone. They tried something new and learned something about themselves in the process. I never really liked memoirs, until I fell in love with Judy Mandel's "Replacement Child" which I read as part of a WOW! Women on Writing Book Blog Tour. After that, I opened myself to memoir as a genre and have come to love memoirs by oh so many authors (including Donald Dempsey, Linda Appleman Shapiro, and Madeline Sharples). I've found that by learning about others, I learn something about myself as well. What a special gift. I wouldn't have received such a gift had I stayed in my comfort zone.

And what if you aren't a writer or a reader? How can stepping out of your comfort zone be a positive experience for you? Could you sign up for a wine and canvas event near you instead of staying home saying "I'm not artistic"? Could you stop at a different coffee shop and strike up a conversation with someone new instead of chatting with the barista you've come to know and love? Getting out of that comfort zone allows us to meet new people, try new things, and learn a little something new about ourselves.

A little bit of stress is good for our bodies, so next time you're faced with a choice regarding personal comfort, take the road less traveled and see where it leads. Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Now, as you know, we love hearing from you. So the questions are:

When is the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? 

Was it a positive experience? 

Tell us about the situation and what you learned from it?

Crystal is a secretary and musician at her church, birth mother, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 10, Andre 8, Breccan 3, Delphine 2, and baby Eudora due this fall), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff here, and at her personal blog dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade! 

Friday Speak Out!: How to Publish Travel and Outdoor Guides

by Kathy Schrenk

Writing travel and outdoor guides can be a rewarding experience — emotionally and monetarily. If you have passion for a particular place or activity, sharing that with others makes your work seem like play. And it can yield small but steady pay in the form of royalty checks.

Find your Niche

The world doesn’t need another guide to the top tourist sights in Chicago or to the best hikes in Yosemite National Park. But smaller niches in your geographic area might be waiting to be filled. When I moved to St. Louis with my three young kids, I was pleasantly surprised by how many beautiful hikes lay just outside my new hometown. Then I realized that no one had published a book about hikes for kids in the region.

Find a Publisher

There are book series that cater to hobbyists and adventurers of all types: travelers who have dogs, travelers who have kids, travelers with disabilities, mushroom hunters, kayakers, rock climbers, the list goes on. If you are passionate about something or have a special perspective you want to share with the world, search the Internet for guides that cater to your niche.

I had used the “Best Hikes with Kids” guide for the San Francisco Bay Area when I lived there. I found that there were a dozen regional guides like that one in the series, so I sent the publisher a proposal for a St. Louis version. It was accepted, and before long I received my first advance check.

If you don’t find an existing series that your book idea fits neatly into, check the Travel section at your local bookstore and make a list of publishers to query that published similar books. Check with your state parks department, travel club, or local chapter of a national club or society that focuses on your niche; they often publish how-to guides.

Follow Instructions

Once you’ve identified a publisher, get a copy of at least one of the books from the publisher that’s similar to yours. Familiarize yourself with the style. Then carefully read the proposal guidelines on the publishers website—then read it again to make sure you don’t miss anything! Keep the guidelines at your side, along with the sample book you want to emulate, and write with passion. Be professional in your emails and phone calls with the publisher.

Be Confident—But Be Humble, Too

You’re the expert. By the time you get around to sending a publisher your proposal, you should know that you are the best person to write this book. You’ve found thousands of tasty mushrooms in the woods around your city, or you’ve explored half the kayaking routes nearby and you’re ready to paddle the rest and share your knowledge with the world. But don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. In the course of writing my hiking guide, I’ve consulted geologists, wildflower experts, historians and countless park rangers to fill in my gaps in knowledge about the region.

Most important, have fun with your research and your writing. Your enthusiasm for your subject will come out in the finished product.

* * *

Kathy Schrenk writes fiction and non-fiction from her home in the St. Louis area. She hikes with her three kids (ages 11, 9 and 4) and husband as often as she can. Her first book, “Best Hikes With Kids St. Louis,” will be published by Mountaineers Books in Spring, 2018. She hopes to publish some fiction shortly thereafter. 
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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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The Third Place

“We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.”
— Winston Churchill


Earlier this evening I sent an email to an editor about the ending of my story slated for fall publication in Kansas City Voices (yay!). She had suggested developing an ending that ties together the beginning, which is a great idea, but I'm having trouble coming up with a way to do that. Without thinking, I told her I would go to Starbucks for a change of scenery and work there to get the creative juices flowing. After I wrote that, I wondered if it's really true, do I have better ideas when I write in a different place?

Last night I was watching the 80s/90s television show Cheers, starring Ted Danson. Cheers was the name of a local hangout/bar for several lovable, eclectic characters, which is epitomized in the theme song "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." Sociologists would call Cheers a third place. First is your home, second is your workplace, and the third place is where you gather voluntarily to socialize while enjoying the atmosphere.

A third place can be where people hang out and eat or drink coffee (cafe) or alcohol (bar). A barber shop or hair salon also might be considered a third place, depending on the customers. Although some argue that a third place is not a place you would work, for creative folks like writers, I am going to include it.

Earlier this week I met fellow writer and friend Sheree Nielsen, publisher of Folly Beach Dances, at a local cafe. When I walked in, there were several people working alone on laptops, and others engaged in conversation while eating or drinking. A third place.

I asked Sheree where she liked to write, and she said she likes the Starbucks by her house. I also frequently grade papers or write at one close to mine. I like one table in particular because it is out in the open and I can hear others talking, which offers a background noise that I find comforting and familiar. In St. Louis we have The St. Louis Bread Company (known as Panera in many other cities) which also could be considered a third place because it provides a welcoming and relaxing environment for visiting or writing. I also work there on a regular basis.

What is it about a public place that makes us feel more creative? Is it the hip baristas, or the comfortable chairs and delicious coffee? I have never thought about analyzing my work to discover themes, ideas, or creativity while working in a cafe, but I'm going to start. But first, tell me, where do you write when you aren't at home? What's your favorite third place?

Mary Horner is a freelance writer and editor, and the author of Strengthen Your Nonfiction Writing. She teaches communications at St. Louis and St. Charles Community Colleges.

Two Little Words Used Incorrectly

Okay, y’all, I’m not going to beat around the writing bush, I’m just going to say it: I’m tired of seeing the same writing errors in almost everything I read. Errors that I didn’t see even just a few years ago.

I have a couple of theories as to why I keep seeing these errors, but this isn’t really about the why. Instead, let’s just tackle one of these problems today and perhaps in our own little way, we can fix the writing world.

So, on to the pesky proper use of “affect” and “effect.” They sound alike, don’t they? Especially if you happen to be Southern like me. But they are not alike. And nothing makes me cringe more than when I see these two words used incorrectly. (When I hear these words, I automatically hear the correct one, thus giving the speaker the benefit of the doubt. The poor writer who uses these words incorrectly is not so lucky.)

Now, here’s what I find interesting. The spell check function will point out when one of these words is used incorrectly. Yes, it’s right there, underlined in red; all one has to do is correct it. And yet, still it remains, in all its glaring inglorious wrongness in blog posts, essays, even newspapers.

Clearly, people are ignoring spell check and deciding that they know the proper use of these words better than a computer program. Of course, there are plenty of times when a computer cannot be trusted; this is not one of them.

But for those of you who still need convincing (and help), let’s review quickly—and simply—about “effect” and “affect.”

The word “affect” is usually used as a verb, and “effect” is usually used as a noun.

“Affect” means to bring about a change, and “effect” is the result of a change.

“Oh,” exclaimed Cathy, “I was terribly moved by that play! But the effect of sitting for three and a half hours and enjoying adult beverages has affected my ability to stand.”

See? It’s just verbs and nouns, people. And yes, fine, it can be more complicated than that, so if you want an entire lesson then go see what Grammarly has to say about it here. But really, nine and a half out of ten times, it’s just remembering that the verb is “affect’ and the noun is “effect.”

And before you say, “For cryin’ out loud, Cathy, it’s not that big of a deal,” I’m going to stop you. If you are a brain surgeon or an astronaut or a fashion model, then you can possibly get away with using these two words incorrectly. But if you are a professional writer, then editors and other professionals in the writing industry have certain expectations. Namely, that you know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

So, fix it, little grasshopper, and err no more.

Cathy C. Hall is a kidlit author and humor writer. She's not really fanatical when it comes to words, but if you use "their" for "they're" then chances are good that she'll scream.

Meet Fall Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up Karla M. Jay, Author of "The Thaw"

Karla M. Jay is a runner up in the WOW! Women on Writing Fall Flash Fiction Contest with the very touching story The Thaw. Karla M. Jay introduced us to her protagonist Marleigh Benning in her debut novel, Speaking in Tungs, May 2015. Speak of the Devil, published May 2016, is the sequel to Speaking in Tungs. Raised in Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania, Karla M. Jay has worked as a speech pathologist since 1982. When she is not home in Utah gardening or writing, she is traveling, trying to see as many countries as possible—in particular, those with good coffee, ancient history, and great beaches. Find her at www.karlajay.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorKarlaJay.


Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule for today's interview. Congratulations again on your many accomplishments but most recently as a runner up in the WOW! Fall Flash Fiction Contest! The Thaw seems like a very personal look into a very real life. Do you care to share where the story or idea came from and/or which parts of it mirror your own reality?

KARLA: When I was in high school, in Northern, Pa., a friend and I found a frozen waterfall on her parents' property. We were able to squeeze inside, staying dry with the water rushing around us, which was a very cool (pun intended) experience. That stuck with me all these years. I turned it into a story I felt many families could relate to; the disintegration of sibling relationships as life shapes them into adulthood.

WOW: As an only child this is sort of new to me, but as a soon to be mother of 5, I'm hoping my children will have relationships into adulthood. Thank you for giving me an interesting look into such relationships.

What role do flash fiction pieces play in your writing life? Do you have advice for other authors as far as contests and flash fiction pieces are concerned?

KARLA: I took this contest on as a challenge since I always think in novel-length stories. It's HARD to tell a story under 750 words but now I know I can. I highly encourage all novelists to write short stories and flash fiction pieces and to enter contests. It's a win/win experience. You stretch your writing talents and possibly win something!

WOW: 750 words sounds simple until you start writing, doesn't it? That's how I first found WOW! too - these contests are fun, but they aren't as easy as one might think!

Many authors struggle with time management. That does not seem the case for you as you are working on your 4th novel. What is the key to your success and what advice would you pass onto others who may find time management and writing to be a challenge?

KARLA: I treat my writing like a second job. I work full-time and I have a life like everyone else, so I have to be selfish with the time I schedule for writing. It's mostly on the weekends but I squeeze in an hour or two some mornings. I also have learned, and this only took fifteen years, to write the first draft without going back to fuss or edit everything I wrote the day before. Believe me—it moves a lot faster that way. My biggest challenge is when the weather turns nice and then I have to fight the urge to be outside.

WOW: Speaking of the outside...and warmer weather, you are passionate about gardening as well as writing; do you find they tie in well with each other? Do many of your writing ideas come while gardening? What advice would you give to other writers who haven't yet found that perfect place for inspiration?

KARLA: I do love gardening and it is THE siren call that lures me away from writing. So, I use it to plot and play with new ideas for the next part of the book I'm working on. My love for dirt and nature come through in my stories, I think. Gardening is not for everyone, but I find that walking alone, sitting in a park or wandering through a bookstore also work.

WOW:  Speaking in Tungs was not the first book you wrote - what ever happened to that first book
Grasshopper Soup?


KARLA: Oh, my. I spent ten years writing and rewriting Grasshopper Soup. Lesson learned. Stop pitching after a year and move on! I love that story, especially since I interviewed men who had survived the Bataan Death March as I was writing it. I need to rewrite the manuscript since my writing has grown up all these years later, but I will get it out!

WOW: Sounds like exciting things are in store for you in the future as well! I have a feeling WOW! readers will be hearing from you again (maybe even this fall...wink wink). Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Karla! Congratulations again on The Thaw and best wishes to you all your future projects!


Our Spring Flash Fiction Contest is OPEN
For details and entry, visit our contest page.

Our Duty as Writers

We have a duty as writers. If we're writing nonfiction, we have to write it true. If we're writing historical fiction, we have to make it ring true--the way people dressed, the way they spoke, the trains of thought popular in that era, and so on. If we're writing fiction? Well, if it doesn't ring true or if it leaves the readers unconnected to the characters... well, heaven help us.

My WIP focuses on Tulsa, Oklahoma...

Case in point: I loved Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. Loved it. Or more accurately, loved 95% of it. Rode that roller coaster of a novel all the way to the end. And then it was like the ride came to a screeching halt--before the ride had ended--and then somebody threw a bucket of cold water on me.

I believed in all the twists and turns until the very end. There was no way a husband would do that in real life.

At least that's my opinion.

Three years ago, I got hooked on season one of the show American Crime. Each year, most of the same actors are part of the ensemble cast, but they play different characters and it's a completely different storyline.

This season, the episodes focuses around migrant workers. Human trafficking. Teenage prostitution. It's one of the most moving and sorrowful things I've ever seen... every week.

Richard Cabral is positively chilling. He played a fairly "normal" guy last season, and portrayed a criminal in the first year. This year, he plays a "procurer" of migrant workers. Curious about him as an actor because of his electrifying presence on the screen, I discovered Cabral spent 27 months in prison. The tattoos that cover his neck look like the real thing. Great writing + life experiences to draw upon = acting that rings true, I imagine.

As a writer, I watch this character with especially-alert eyes. His facial expressions usually show nothing. He looks calm and is speaking in a soft voice... and then an instant later, he's beating and kicking a farm worker until the worker's almost dead. And yet from his body language, the audience knows he's powerless and had no choice but to dole out this violence.

Benito Martinez, who plays the father of a migrant worker, expresses a bottomless sorrow with just a glance or a slight movement of his mouth. I watch him too. How would I paint such subtle changes using ink and paper? I wonder...

Currently, I'm pouring my heart and soul into a historical fiction piece. Slang. Typical dinners. Clothing. What the neighborhoods looked like. The gum that was popular back then. I want to get it as accurate as possible, along with portraying the historical event my story focuses on, because when (not if) it gets published, I hope that:

• readers connect with my characters
• readers feel like they're transported to the year 1921
• readers are in an uproar over what happened
• the book sells like crazy (of course I had to put that one in)

How about you? Have you dabbled in writing historical pieces? What's your advice to a writer who's trying to get everything to ring true? Did you like the ending of Gone Girl? And if you're an American Crime fan, what is your favorite season/character?

Sioux Roslawski is a wife, a mother of two, a grammy to one talented granddaughter, a middle school teacher, a National Writing Project teacher consultant, a Listen to Your Mother performer, a freelance writer and a dog rescuer for Love a Golden Rescue. If you'd like to read more about/from her, go to Sioux's Page, her blog. 

Mine Your Relationships for Writing Material

I have a great book full of writing tips and techniques by author Christina Katz called The Writer’s Workout. It organizes the 366 tips into small, manageable chunks of information the reader can digest throughout the year—and I like that it is broken up into seasons as well. When flipping through the spring season the other day, I came across this tip: “Mine Your Relationships.” The tip points out if we are running out of ideas of things to write about, we should look at our relationships with parents, our children, our neighbors, our hometown, etc.

At first I started to bypass the section. My problem isn’t that I run out of ideas to write about—I usually run out of the time to work on them first. But then I paused, thinking about a YA manuscript I’m working on and how the main character is good, but still not full developed. Something is still missing that makes her relatable. I want her to be more than just the usual “angsty” teen that is portrayed in these type of stories.

I thought back to a big blow-up at my house the other night. I have two kids—one of them a daughter who is about to turn 14—so there have been plenty of those lately! I had already been feeling badly about my daughter, who in no way, shape, or form is interested in the usual make-up, clothes, pop music, and gossiping about boys that most girls her age discuss and obsess over. I know as a mother that shouldn’t concern me, and I should let her continue to enjoy computer coding, watching anime, wearing athletic clothes, playing the violin and other musical instruments she enjoys playing, but I also sometimes wish her interests were more mainstream so she would have more friends. All my nagging finally came to a head when she expressed to me that she feared I didn’t like her the way she was, and that I wished she was different. She doesn’t want to be different—she is comfortable with who she is and doesn’t care if she goes to big parties. She has a few close friends, and she is happier being with them than large groups. I felt like a terrible mom. Just because she isn’t into the things I was at her age doesn’t mean she’s wrong.

In my manuscript, the protagonist has a nagging mother, and I turned the nagging mother into a personal trainer, mostly to add a humorous piece. Isn’t that every teen’s worst nightmare—to have a mom who decided to get fit after a divorce and then turns the exercise into a career? The mom nags the protagonist constantly, even though she’s not out of shape. But she tries to control her diet and drag her out to jog, and the nagging amps up when the protagonist lands on the Homecoming Court at her school. After this experience in my own life, I definitely see some changes I can make in the manuscript. I need to make the daughter have some off-the-wall hobbies that clash with the mother’s sensibilities even more. I can also have the daughter finally bond with the mom after the main event (no spoilers!) happens, but it would be neat if she found a type exercise she liked that the mom hadn’t thought of but also helped her in the story in some way.

My daughter has been begging me to let her read this manuscript (heck, even one of our dogs is in it, with her name changed, of course!) so I have a feeling she can also add some valuable insight into the character development.

I know for some of us, mining our relationships for writing material can be tricky territory. Have you ever done it? Do you have any tips for how to make the most out of real-life stories creatively?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who hopes her loved ones appreciate this whole "mining relationships for material" business one day when she sells a novel.

What To Do When You are Burnt Out

Writing is a solitary career--well, somewhat. The actual writing (not marketing or trying to get published) is between yourself and your writing instrument: pen and pad, fingers and keyboard, or voice and recorder. And sometimes we can get burnt out. Being burnt out is different than having writer's block. Burnt out refers to the fact that you still have ideas, but you aren't writing because you have no energy or desire to do so. I have found the cure for being "burnt out."

You must get yourself around other writers.

I'd been somewhat burnt out for a while. Part of it was just a busy life, but part of it was I had the ideas for a couple novels, parenting essays and my blog, but I wasn't making the time to write. Then I went to a writing conference. After one night, I was working on a novel I hadn't worked on since November!

Other writers make you want to write!

I know that it's not convenient or possible for every burnt out writer to go to a writing conference every time they feel this way. But besides a writing conference, here's how to find other writers--in real life. I'm not talking about a Facebook group. I'm talking about real, face-to-face contact with other writers for a period of time.

1. Go to your critique group

Sometimes, when we're burnt out, we tend to avoid our critique group because we have nothing to share. We haven't been writing, and so we are embarrassed, and we hide from the very people who want to help us become better writers. There's still tremendous value in going to your critique group and participating in critiques. It will usually inspire you to write; and at the very least, it keeps you in the game. It keeps you listening to other people's writing and discussing strengths and weaknesses.

2. Find a local writing group

In the St. Louis area, we have several chapters of national and state organizations that have regular meetings with speakers and other writers to encourage writers to continue in this sometimes lonely field. There are romance writers, St. Louis writers, children's writers, sci-fi writers, and more. Depending on how their parent organization works, some groups have inexpensive to no fees.

My point is you can attend these groups cheaply, and the rewards are invaluable. If you live in a rural area, I know it's harder. But contact a chapter nearest to you, and see what you can discover--maybe there are one or two writers that live near you and you can have your own small meetings. Remember the goal is face-to-face contact with writers in person on a regular basis.

3. Check out your library events

I've been preaching about this one a lot lately. But it is so true! Your local library will have authors in to speak. Some host writing events, especially during NaNoWriMo. They also are a good resource to discover if there are writing groups that meet there or other writers who are looking for a group.

Soon after the writing conference, my critique group was scheduled to meet. Being a single mom, I could not work it out to attend in person, so I was just going to skip it. But then I thought, doing Google Hangouts is better than nothing, so that's what I did. Even then, I was motivated and inspired to keep working on my projects. It's so true--writers need other writers--we understand each other on a different level. So if you are feeling burnt out, seek a writer you know or find a group and get re-inspired!

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, teacher, and mom living in St. Louis, MO. For more information about her books, please check out her website, where she also blogs about being a single mom and writer. You can also check out her novel writing course here in the WOW! classroom. 

Photo above is my critique group a few years ago at a writing retreat.

Friday Speak Out!: Where Are My Darned Glasses?

by Barbara Studham

Our writers’ circle gathered around the table with pens and paper at hand. All eyes turned to the teacher.

Striving to get us writing, she displayed a large photograph.

“My husband is the photographer,” she proudly announced. “But this session is not about him. It is about you. Getting you writing. So, look at this photo and write down the first thing you see.”

I reached in my purse for my reading glasses. As I rifled through its contents, my heart fluttered. Where are my glasses? Darn it! I forgot to bring them! I stare hard at the photo, but it’s a blur. I see shadowy, colorful objects but little else.

Our teacher continued. “What do you see; an object, a landscape, an event?”

I try to focus. There appears to be something hanging from sticks. Is it water? Yes, I’ll write water. Oh no, here comes a second photo and I see even less. Lot’s of pink, I get that, but what is the subject?” Glancing discreetly to the floor where my purse now sits open, I pray my glasses will glint back at me.

“And how about this photo?” she asks She puts down the pink photo and raises the next. “What do you see?”

I glance around the table. All I see is the group furiously writing their answers. I stare at the new photo. There is a lot of orange, but I can’t make out the scene. I’ll write orange. After all, orange is the first thing I see, so orange it will be. For several agonizing minutes my ordeal continues. For each photo, I write a color. Purple… blue… green; darn it, how could I have forgotten my glasses?

Fifteen photos later, it is time to share. “I’m sure your answers are diverse,” the teacher says. “Who wants to share what they wrote?”

Not me. I shrink back in my chair and think. I need to appear I am not interested in sharing. I glance at the table and see my coffee. A long, slow sip will cover my disinterest, but as I reach for the cup, something from behind glints at me. It is my glasses! I must have laid them on the table when I first arrived. Darn it!

* * *

For the past twenty years, Barbara Studham has parented four grandchildren, all diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Her two memoirs: Two Decades of Diapers and, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, The Teen Years, describe her challenges during their toddler years, and teens. She has also written fiction, including a six-book series titled, Under The Shanklin Sky; set in the seaside town of Shanklin, on the Isle of Wight. 

www.amazon.com/author/barbarastudham
www.barbarastudham.com
www.challengedhope.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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Testing Tension: The Dot Test

I’m not a huge true crime fan but I couldn’t pass this one up. Reviews outlined events with everything needed for a fast-paced, exciting read – murder, illicit love, deceit, and the fact that the murderers are walking free among us.

Events had everything you need. The book itself? Meh. Somewhere along the way, the tension evaporated.

The earliest chapters weren’t part of the problem. Using carefully chosen details to create a scene, the author led up to the murder telling us about forbidden love and an impending separation brought about by a move to another continent. If only this one person didn’t stand in the way. A long walk, an isolated hill side and a brick took care of that particular person but when the police were called things didn’t add up. Tension grew as, in an act of betrayal, one young lover implicated the other.

Honestly, I expected my husband to hide the book so that I’d get something done, but then I turned the page. Plop.

Yep. Plop. That’s the sound of carefully constructed tension falling flat on its face. From here the author preceded to give us each main character’s family history for the ten years before the murder took place. Ten years of what this relative or that relative was doing could be exciting but in this particular instance it was not. In one chapter, all that carefully constructed tension melted away. I returned the book without finishing it.

Whether you are writing a murder mystery or piece of true crime nonfiction, you have to carefully build the tension in your story. Fail to do this and your would-be reader will go weed a flower bed or fold laundry. Believe me. I know. To help your reader avoid chores, perform the dot test on an early draft of your story. You can see an example in the graphic above.

Step 1: Take a sheet of paper and draw a horizontal line. Add a dot on the left end of the line and label it 1. This marks the level of tension in the first scene or chapter of your story.

Step 2: Now read the second scene or chapter. Does the tension remain the same? Then make a dot on the line to the right of #1. Label this dot 2. If the tension goes up, the dot should be slightly above the line. If it goes down, below the line.

From Step 3 through the end of manuscript. For each scene place another dot higher, on the same level as, or below the previous dot depending on whether the tension in your story increased, remained the same or decreased.

When you are done you will have a graph of the tension in your manuscript. If all is well, it will closely resemble a story arc graph with a consistent rise but also slight drops whenever your story changes direction.

If it doesn’t look like a story arc graph? Fix that tension! You don’t want a would-be reader to take your book back to the library unfinished.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins June 12th. 

Naughty Words

Did you know you might be using "naughty" words in your writing?  I'm not talking about the four letter words I hear throughout the hallways of my high school. I'm talking about the words that will make your editor cringe.

When my editor sent me a list of words to reduce and their counts, my jaw hit the floor. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed these little words could be such a huge problem. Below are my biggest offenders.

1. Look

This pesky little word showed up over 300 times in my original manuscript. Phrases like “he looked surprised” or “she looked away” ran rampant. Though it hadn’t occurred to me at the time, this word is indicative to telling, not showing. Instead of using it, try to describe the character’s reaction using facial expressions or verbal reactions. Description makes for a more engaging scene.

2. Very

Luckily, I didn’t use this word quite as often as I used the word “look,” but I still had to wittle it down. The only way my editor let me keep it is if I couldn’t find any other alternative. When you think about it, it’s not needed, anyway.

3. Just

I used this word – a lot. It popped up everywhere. I used it the most in my character’s dialogue, however, so I discarded it as often as possible and only kept it in when my character needed to use it to make sense.

4. Adverbs

Not the word "adverbs" - I'm talking about all adverbs. Why say “she quickly ran” when you can use a more effective adjective like “sprinted?” Let the verbs speak for themselves. She didn’t “thoughtfully pause.” She paused. Try using terrified instead of “horribly scared.” Out of ideas? A thesaurus is a writer’s best friend.

5. Began

“Amy began to sweat.” Eh. “Sweat beads glistened on her skin.” Better.

6. Felt

Unless I used the word for something the character could literally feel, I had to get rid of it. So my main character couldn’t feel sad, but she could feel the soft fur of her cat. Get it? We often use the word feel to describe emotions but, again, it’s a showing vs telling issue. Instead of writing “she felt sad,” have your main character throw herself on the bed and sob into her purple pillow.

7. Was

The word “was” was (ha ha) my biggest transgression. I used it over 800 times. I’m not joking. For days, I poured over my manuscript, eradicating the word. Each time I took out a “was” I had to re-work the sentence to make it more effective. Trust me, once you’ve been through the trauma of eliminating the same word over 800 times, you’ll never overuse it again.


Word elimination is torture. It is also eye-opening. I keep a list handy, now, so that I can eliminate the majority of my “naughty words” ahead of time - before I submit my work to agents or publishers. Everyone is prone to using certain words. If you’re aware of your favorites, try to keep their numbers down.

Feeling brave? Try searching for some of the words above. You might be surprised how often they appear.


Bethany Masone Harar is an author, teacher, and blogger, who does her best to turn reluctant readers into voracious, book-reading nerds. Check out her blog here.

Interview with Roberta Anthes: 2016 Fall Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

Roberta’s Bio:

Roberta lives in Fairfax, California with her boyfriend, Wil, and his daughter, Zoe. She tutors part time at The College of Marin and is a caregiver to her mother, Dorothy. She has previously published non-fiction in The Southern California Review and fiction in The Writer’s Digest Show Us Your Shorts Collection.

Before she ran off to California with Wil, she was the Head Women’s Cross Country, Track and Field Coach at Rutgers University in New Jersey for twenty-three years. She also taught Expository Writing at Rutgers, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 1982. An avid runner herself, she was the first woman to compete in the sport at Villanova University as an undergraduate. Her novella, My Bo and Me, was based on her experiences as a coach and athlete and placed in the Miami University Novella Contest.

She is grateful to Tom Centolella and all the writers in his creative writing class for their insights and ongoing support over the years.

Take the time to read Roberta’s story, "House Rules," and then come back to see what she has to say about writing this story and writing in general.

WOW: What was the inspiration behind “House Rules”?

Roberta: First, I’d like to thank you for recognizing my story in your wonderful contest.  I’m thrilled to have taken part and to be recognized among such fine writers.  Your staff has been so encouraging as well, and that means a lot to a novice writer.

Two things inspired the story:  the character of my former landlady when I was in my twenties and a break-up with my then-boyfriend.  In real life, my boyfriend left a stuffed animal in the vestibule with a note.  My landlady called me up right away to let me know.  But I wondered what would’ve happened if she had chosen not to call me!  I decided to write the story to find out.  I didn’t know the ending, really, until I wrote it. I just got into her head and let her talk.

WOW: How do you decide which details to include and which to leave out? For example, we learn the dog’s name but not the boyfriend’s name.

Roberta: This is a great question. I tried to stay in character, so to speak, and chose details as I thought she would’ve chosen them.  Cuddles, the dog, was integral to her life and someone she would acknowledge by name. The boyfriend was someone she wanted gone, and by not naming him she could, in a sense, deny his existence.

I should confess that this story was 1250 words when I first wrote it. I was stuck for something to write for my writing class and looked up a random prompt online.  The prompt said to dig out an old story that somehow didn’t make it. Then, without re-reading it, reduce it to its essence.  I decided to take a shot at it with this story.  When I finished, I could not believe that I had cut out approximately 750 words!  When I finally did re-read the original story, I also couldn’t believe that I once thought all those other words and details were interesting.  What was I thinking?!  In this case, less was definitely more.  I’d kept Mrs. Bradley’s character intact and was able to tell the story without the irrelevancies that had somehow charmed me in the first draft.  Perhaps the fact that the story had sat in a drawer for several years made it easier for me to give those details up.  I was less attached.

WOW:  That’s quite a reduction in total word count. Great job! But you are also an academic. What did you learn working towards your PhD in English that our readers would find helpful?

Roberta: Hmmmm . . . certainly I read lots of incredible literature and that gave me some insight into what it looked like.  Analyzing great writing made me realize how important each word is, what the rhythm of a sentence did for the flow of a work, how form and punctuation helped define meaning. It brought me in very close to what it meant to compose.

But writing about literature and actually trying to create it feel very different to me.  I’ve never viewed myself as a very creative person; academia, although quite difficult, came more easily.  I felt more comfortable (and maybe less exposed?) when reviewing someone else’s writing than when trying to put my own on a blank page. 

The other aspect of grad study that helped me, and would help anyone trying to write, is the discipline required.  Earning the PhD was an endurance exercise.  I wish I could marshal more of that focus now when trying to write fiction.

WOW: Tell us about your writing routine.  How has it changed since you retired?

Roberta: Well, I never had any routine before I retired because I was always working and had no time to write.  I think I wrote one creative piece in 23 years!  As a college track coach, I recruited in the evening and traveled on the weekends. And as a teacher I was always grading papers.  So my writing only began once I retired.  

At first, I was pretty dedicated and would write each day.  I got up each morning, went for a run, ate breakfast, and then sat down for a few hours to write. I attended Tom Centolella’s writing class at The College of Marin and loved, loved, loved going back to school and having someone else teach me.  He was and still is an inspiring teacher.  

But now, as a caregiver to my mom, I find less and less time and energy for writing. I remember reading about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s experience at Brook Farm, where a community of fabulous writers thought working the land together would enrich their writing. But real life on the farm was exhausting, and they found it very difficult to be creative after a hard day’s work.  I find that to be true now as well.  Caregiving is enriching in its own way and I wouldn’t trade it, but it leaves little room for pondering and ruminating—which I find necessary for writing. So, these days, I try to improve some old pieces like House Rules and write short pieces when I can.

WOW:  A lot of our readers are probably in the same position, trying to squeeze writing in around family responsibilities.  Like you, they might find that writing short and rewriting might be the way to go.  What final words of advice do you have for anyone who is new to writing flash fiction?

Roberta: The “flash” is important, so the prose can’t have much heaviness.  Put it all down on paper and then re-work and distill.  Put it aside for a while and then come back to it.  You’ll be a bit more ruthless once you’ve let go of those favorite phrases and details that may be weighing your prose down.  Also, read it to your friends and fellow writers.  If they don’t “get it,” believe them and review your story.  I had a lot of trouble understanding why my friends didn’t grasp my 1250 word version of House Rules.  But they were right and I’m glad they were honest.

WOW:  Thank you for your answers!  Using POV to determine what details to
include would also help strengthen my characters.  Thank you for the advice.  I’m looking forward to reading more of your work.

Interviewed by Sue Bradford Edwards

Finding Balance

Do you struggle to find a balance in your life? Or do you feel like you're part of a busy circus just trying to stay on top of everything? Maybe it's not in your writing life...maybe it's just life in general. Mother's Day yesterday got me thinking about how unbalanced my life has become lately. I decided to get back to basics to find that stability once again.

My life didn't become unbalanced over night, so before I share some tips for getting back on track, I need to remind you (and myself) to be patient as you navigate this process.

*Look back and figure out when things became unbalanced. Were you saying yes to too many people? Did you take on too many projects? Did you make your garden too big? Did you go shopping too often and now you have a large debt to pay so you decided to work too many hours? ( the answer to this question is going to be different for each of us; take some time to reflect on the last time you felt truly balanced and peaceful then jot down a few ideas about when it was you got off track)

*Get back to your goals. If you have them written down, pull out your goals and put them somewhere easily accessible. If you don't have them written down - WRITE THEM DOWN (the bigger the better).

*Make lists. Make a few lists, one list should be the things you absolutely love doing and must do to make you feel complete (ie: spending time with your children, volunteering at the food pantry, date night with your loved one, etc...) and the other list should be the things that have become "have to" chores for you (ie: that monthly moms meeting that leaves you feeling like a failure, the board you agreed to join just because you couldn't say no, the writing project you accepted that is absolutely a bore, etc...)

*Compare your lists. The items on the I LOVE list are going to renew and inspire you, the items on the HAVE TO list are going to exhaust you and are the ones adding to your unbalanced life. Decide which things on the I LOVE list you should be doing more often, and decide which items on the HAVE TO list could be excluded easily. (You likely still have to put away laundry and scrub floors, but that once a month board meeting for the Tea Drinking Sisters of Walworth County could likely be eliminated without any angst).

*Quit. Quit doing things that suck the joy out of your life. Make your decision and stick to it. There's going to be someone who will try to talk you out of eliminating the joy sucking activities out of your life, but stick to your guns. As soon as you start doing more of what you love and less of what steals your joy you'll find your balance.

*Enjoy! Feel free to keep your lists front and center (hopefully with your goals). You can cross off items as you stop doing them. As your HAVE TO list shrinks and your I LOVE list grows you'll get back to the joy of a balanced life. For most of us reading this, that means time to read, time to write, time to daydream and be creative. Spring is a great time for this new start - ENJOY!


Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal is a secretary and musician at her church, birth mother, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 10, Andre 8, Breccan 3, Delphine 2, and baby E due in fall 2017), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff here, and at her personal blog.