In the beginning...Once upon a time...There once was a boy... Although many stories begin with interesting beginnings, it seems quite easy for a storyteller to get caught up in the "and then" action that propels the hero into the battle that faces him and the victory (we hope) that he enjoys at the end of the action. I want to talk about the concept of setting up…
How in the world am I supposed to write, rewrite, edit, market myself, blog, find an agent, network and find time for the seemingly hundreds of things that writers are "supposed to do" in order to establish themselves and win the great trophy of the title published? (For those of you who can relate to this, it may be an appropriate time to tear at your hair).…
Looking at the world through another's eyes can be enchanting, funny, disturbing or profound. Christopher Boone's avid attention to detail in this first-person canine murder mystery makes this story both funny and heartwarming. A dog is discovered brutally skewered with a garden rake in the yard of Christopher's next door neighbor. His investigations follow the logic of Christopher's revered Sherlock Holmes and continue dig up more trouble than answers, but he does not…
All right everyone, put on your thinking caps. I'm considering the ways we prefer to be inspired. At a WOTS steering committee meeting last night we were debating the theme for our next year's writing contest. Entrants are given a word or phrase which they must use to form their work of fiction, poetry or non-fiction. Last night we narrowed our choices down to two words, which for now shall be locked away in my secret…
I'm rooting for the hero. I'm hoping to learn some deep truth, even at the cost of emotional pain for the hero and also for myself, because I tend to read with empathy. I reach the final page and I realize the story has ended without any resolution of the sorrow. The ending has no consolation to offer me. I've just finished reading The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, a…
It's more than just an creating entertaining story, it's building a story that resonates. If this new book by Brian McDonald is anything like his Invisible Ink, you will blown away by the structure he reveals for how to write a story with maximum impact. The best stories are not those that simply dazzle us with a car chase or wow us with clever dialog. There…
A fellow literary mind approaches with the frank question--how much experience do you have in your field? "Oh well, I've been writing since I was ten." Which means, "I definitely know what I'm doing." Any past success, whether it's a published story of mine, or encouraging feedback from a reader, easily lures me into the trap of thinking that I've "arrived" and finally know exactly what…
Writing and life are inseparable. I think this is why Natalie Goldberg applied the Zen lessons she learned to the practice of life, art, and writing. This morsel of wisdom, the third and final in the list she shared at WOTS, reminds her audience to "make positive effort for the good." I almost seems too simple, too transparent. Practically speaking, Natalie used the example of forcing herself to…
"We're sorry to inform you that your submission was not a good fit for our magazine. Best of luck finding a place for it elsewhere." Haven't we all been there? There's no way I can avoid being refused or ignored when I take my art and show it to the masses. Rejection is a fact of the writing life. How in the world do I find ways to keep my…
I was entranced by the candid, encouraging and graceful presence of Natalie Goldberg earlier this month. She spoke as the keynote at the Write on the Sound Writers' Conference in Edmonds, WA the first weekend of this month and the theater was packed. Natalie is very famous for her book Writing Down the Bones. She began her talking by jumping right into her process of discovering herself and becoming…