https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/submission-guidelines/
https://relevantmagazine.com/write/
https://www.guideposts.org/tell-us-your-story
Friday, November 23, 2018
Spiritual Truths
WHat's your default endgame?
Mine is, what spiritual truth is this experience teaching me.
Mine is, what spiritual truth is this experience teaching me.
Charles Dickens and His Writing Process
I am currently reading Great Expectations and at the same time trying to write a novel myself during National Novel Writing Month. Reading, while writing, gives me such a greater appreciation of the craft of writing, and the craft of published writers.
I wonder, then, what was Dickens's writing process like....So here's some digging.
I wonder, then, what was Dickens's writing process like....So here's some digging.
E.B. White: “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”
Monday, October 27, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
August 25, 2014 Check-In
How was your fiction writing/reading week?
The last week, for me, has been busy! I imagine some of you know the feeling. Fall is starting to pick up its pace. Wow. My creative writing and reading has fallen by the wayside and I didn't meet my 30 minute of each per day goal. But I'll try, try again! I did read part of Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Check out a description of the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Chains-The-Seeds-America-Trilogy/dp/1416905863
It's great so far---its historical fiction for young adults. For those who read historical fiction or young adult or both--you may like it. The narrator is a slave girl, the period is right before the Revolutionary War, the setting is colonial New York. I did make a note of the dialogue on one line--- it's very pretty. A character uses a simile that is just beautiful. I'm not sure if people talk that nicely! If you listen closely, people talk in clips, with half-formed thoughts all the time. Maybe in my writing, what will work for me is that I'll try to keep the pretty words for everything outside of the dialogue. Anderson is a very gifted writer and knows the period well. I'm excited to continue reading her work.
Creative writing has been zilch this past week. I have thought about the theme of war a bit (which is a theme in my novel) given the tragic and absolutely horrifying events concerning ISIS and James Foley and also the fighting in Gaza. It's so upsetting. I read about the response of the bishop that spoke at Foley's memorial in Rochester, NY. He quoted St. Francis saying that we must not seek vengeance but that we must try to live into (or something to that effect) the words, "Make me an instrument of your peace..."
I'm really turning this over in my mind a lot and want this theme to be addressed in my Marjorie novel. It really upsets me the violence in our world. I do think art has a place for addressing what upsets us and challenging our responses.
So it's ok that I didn't do the creative writing I keep on keeping on with the goal to creative write. I'll try to squeeze in some time today--maybe fifteen minutes. I can handle that! (Haha-I think.) I start a class this Wednesday evening on world civ. I'm so excited. The books came and the content looks fascinating. I have so much to learn! Yay! I might be able to weave in some facts in my Marjorie novel.
I ordered the book (used) Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan for good advice about descriptive writing---that's something that I've challenged myself to get better at. It will be neat to see what advice she gives.
Fiction readers and writers---hope your week is going well!
The last week, for me, has been busy! I imagine some of you know the feeling. Fall is starting to pick up its pace. Wow. My creative writing and reading has fallen by the wayside and I didn't meet my 30 minute of each per day goal. But I'll try, try again! I did read part of Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Check out a description of the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Chains-The-Seeds-America-Trilogy/dp/1416905863
It's great so far---its historical fiction for young adults. For those who read historical fiction or young adult or both--you may like it. The narrator is a slave girl, the period is right before the Revolutionary War, the setting is colonial New York. I did make a note of the dialogue on one line--- it's very pretty. A character uses a simile that is just beautiful. I'm not sure if people talk that nicely! If you listen closely, people talk in clips, with half-formed thoughts all the time. Maybe in my writing, what will work for me is that I'll try to keep the pretty words for everything outside of the dialogue. Anderson is a very gifted writer and knows the period well. I'm excited to continue reading her work.
Creative writing has been zilch this past week. I have thought about the theme of war a bit (which is a theme in my novel) given the tragic and absolutely horrifying events concerning ISIS and James Foley and also the fighting in Gaza. It's so upsetting. I read about the response of the bishop that spoke at Foley's memorial in Rochester, NY. He quoted St. Francis saying that we must not seek vengeance but that we must try to live into (or something to that effect) the words, "Make me an instrument of your peace..."
I'm really turning this over in my mind a lot and want this theme to be addressed in my Marjorie novel. It really upsets me the violence in our world. I do think art has a place for addressing what upsets us and challenging our responses.
So it's ok that I didn't do the creative writing I keep on keeping on with the goal to creative write. I'll try to squeeze in some time today--maybe fifteen minutes. I can handle that! (Haha-I think.) I start a class this Wednesday evening on world civ. I'm so excited. The books came and the content looks fascinating. I have so much to learn! Yay! I might be able to weave in some facts in my Marjorie novel.
I ordered the book (used) Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan for good advice about descriptive writing---that's something that I've challenged myself to get better at. It will be neat to see what advice she gives.
Fiction readers and writers---hope your week is going well!
Saturday, August 16, 2014
August 17, 2014 Check-in (A Day Early)
I hope you're doing well.
Fiction reading/creative writing is going well. I went to my book group last night. We read Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kiteridge. Have you read it? We sat out on one of the group member's back decks as the summer sun went down...I didn't budget enough time to read the entire book but managed to read some of the chapters. I wasn't totally prepared for the group, but it didn't matter...there was enough for everyone to talk about...and the important thing was we were together.
We looked out on two mountains and ate chocolate cake (with hints of cinnamon and allspice), cherries, and ice cream. We drank coffee. We laughed and shared our plans for the fall. The table was thoughtfully set with beautiful place mats and napkins. We talked about aging and relationships. We talked about the nature of reality and hope and finding a place in a community.
Olive, in the book, is a flawed character. She's abrasive, sometimes vindictive, and critical. She is harsh to her very kind husband and tough on her son. And yet, and this is a pivotal yet, there are moments in the book were Olive also unknowingly helps others---lonely widower Jack, her former student, and the anorexic girl come to mind. We talked, too, about how God accomplishes his work (healing, for example) in the most flawed characters---the apostle Paul, Moses (who I thought was just a stutterer but the group reminded me also murdered an Egyptian), Peter, Noah, Jonah, David...
This gathering was inspired by a piece of fiction. That's pretty neat in my book. I remember taking a literary theory class in school and how we spoke about the purpose of art...and one purpose is to act as a catharsis--- it is a vehicle for helping us heal and work through things in own lives or work through universal themes that each of us experiences--- loneliness, aging, death, identity and loss of identity.
I would also like to think that art acts as a social lubricant---it helps bind people together. It helps draw people together as if they were all huddled and gathering warmth around the same fire---and the artwork is that fire. This carries hints of romanticism---but I don't mean for this to be a sweet notion...
Today, I had writers critique group. I submitted my fifth chapter for the Marjorie novel. I got some really helpful critiques. Things that I didn't catch in my own writing, like my disregard for point of view in the latter part of chapter 5, were pointed out to me. My very smart critique partner also pointed out that radios (which I have a boy listening to in the chapter) weren't really popular in 1907 (when my story is set). I would not have known. What an anachronism. Oopsie daisy. I might as well have put an ipad in the scene. I have to go now to research what exactly boys did in 1907 for recreation---marbles, baseball, lacrosse? Goodness knows...
The chapter uses "astronomy" imagery. It's a novel in free verse, heavy in imagery...I'm working with the idea that each person is tied to something from nature---Marjorie scenes use astronomical imagery, scenes about Henrik (a Civil War vet) use river imagery, her father's scenes use rock imagery...
My smart critique partner suggested that I tie the astronomy imagery with Marjorie's educational ambitions---one of the conflicts for Marjorie is that she needs to decide whether or not to go to college. So perhaps she could be interested in pursuing astronomy in college....This would add a layer to the imagery...the imagery would serve a purpose...I think of my Marjorie as a dreamer (and thus associated with things celestial) but I never thought of her as interested in astronomy...This was a really great suggestion.
I offered some critique too and I'm really excited for my smart writer friend's novel. It's really neat to see her process over the last year and a while. I really like her main character, but I can't tell you more about it...you'll have to wait until it's published and get a copy!
Fiction reading/creative writing is going well. I went to my book group last night. We read Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kiteridge. Have you read it? We sat out on one of the group member's back decks as the summer sun went down...I didn't budget enough time to read the entire book but managed to read some of the chapters. I wasn't totally prepared for the group, but it didn't matter...there was enough for everyone to talk about...and the important thing was we were together.
We looked out on two mountains and ate chocolate cake (with hints of cinnamon and allspice), cherries, and ice cream. We drank coffee. We laughed and shared our plans for the fall. The table was thoughtfully set with beautiful place mats and napkins. We talked about aging and relationships. We talked about the nature of reality and hope and finding a place in a community.
Olive, in the book, is a flawed character. She's abrasive, sometimes vindictive, and critical. She is harsh to her very kind husband and tough on her son. And yet, and this is a pivotal yet, there are moments in the book were Olive also unknowingly helps others---lonely widower Jack, her former student, and the anorexic girl come to mind. We talked, too, about how God accomplishes his work (healing, for example) in the most flawed characters---the apostle Paul, Moses (who I thought was just a stutterer but the group reminded me also murdered an Egyptian), Peter, Noah, Jonah, David...
This gathering was inspired by a piece of fiction. That's pretty neat in my book. I remember taking a literary theory class in school and how we spoke about the purpose of art...and one purpose is to act as a catharsis--- it is a vehicle for helping us heal and work through things in own lives or work through universal themes that each of us experiences--- loneliness, aging, death, identity and loss of identity.
I would also like to think that art acts as a social lubricant---it helps bind people together. It helps draw people together as if they were all huddled and gathering warmth around the same fire---and the artwork is that fire. This carries hints of romanticism---but I don't mean for this to be a sweet notion...
Today, I had writers critique group. I submitted my fifth chapter for the Marjorie novel. I got some really helpful critiques. Things that I didn't catch in my own writing, like my disregard for point of view in the latter part of chapter 5, were pointed out to me. My very smart critique partner also pointed out that radios (which I have a boy listening to in the chapter) weren't really popular in 1907 (when my story is set). I would not have known. What an anachronism. Oopsie daisy. I might as well have put an ipad in the scene. I have to go now to research what exactly boys did in 1907 for recreation---marbles, baseball, lacrosse? Goodness knows...
The chapter uses "astronomy" imagery. It's a novel in free verse, heavy in imagery...I'm working with the idea that each person is tied to something from nature---Marjorie scenes use astronomical imagery, scenes about Henrik (a Civil War vet) use river imagery, her father's scenes use rock imagery...
My smart critique partner suggested that I tie the astronomy imagery with Marjorie's educational ambitions---one of the conflicts for Marjorie is that she needs to decide whether or not to go to college. So perhaps she could be interested in pursuing astronomy in college....This would add a layer to the imagery...the imagery would serve a purpose...I think of my Marjorie as a dreamer (and thus associated with things celestial) but I never thought of her as interested in astronomy...This was a really great suggestion.
I offered some critique too and I'm really excited for my smart writer friend's novel. It's really neat to see her process over the last year and a while. I really like her main character, but I can't tell you more about it...you'll have to wait until it's published and get a copy!
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