The Writing Nag

R.I.P. Frank McCourt

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:48:00 +0000

"I had no accomplishments except surviving. But that isn't enough in the community where I came from, because everybody was doing it. So I wasn't prepared for America, where everybody is glowing with good teeth and good clothes and food." Frank McCourt

Just read on Twitter that Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes died. Rest in peace, Mr. McCourt.
http://bit.ly/11WsG2

Writing the Carousel

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Download a FREE copy of the Artella eBook, Writing the Carousel: Going Full Circle in Colorful Poetry Writing!, which presents a progression of exercises that will help you uncover the surprising "turns" of phrases that make poetry effective, and then come full circle by using them in bold, colorful ways.Download your copy here!

The Tree of the Paper Still Grows

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

"Browsing the dim back corner
Of a musty antique shop
Opened an old book of poetry
Angels flew out from the pages
I caught the whiff of a soul
The ink seemed fresh as today
Was that voices whispering?
The tree of the paper still grows."
Pixie Foudre

Capturing an image in words, that's what drew me to poetry and why I continue on the path. What a beautiful image Pixie Foudre conjures in the line "the tree of the paper still grows."

Today using these five random words see how many poems you can write.

paper
ink
bride
approach
listen

Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Egg Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:46:00 +0000

One of my favorite poems by poet Denise Duhamel is called Egg Rolls. In it Duhamel uses food as a metaphor for many deeper issues. She packs a lot into this poem, so much that I seem to discover more on each subsequent read.

Today, read Egg Rolls and freewrite on a time when you have felt conscious of class, not having enough money and choices you made good or bad at that time. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Immersed in Verse

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Even though this is written for young adults I loved this simple, fun craft book on being a poet, creativity and learning to write poetry. The illustrations are great and the lessons are clear. There are also instructions for making your own poetry chapbook and taking a daily writing pledge which of course I think is wonderful. Author and poet Allan Wolf suggests you write at least "2 sentences a day." that's doable isn't it?

I wasn't into poetry as a young adult but if I had this book I think I would have been motivated to explore and write poetry. Full of prompts, lessons, poetic devices, tools for revision and reminders to "improve your eye for detail" I think I would recommend this to beginning poets whatever their age.

Lovingly,

The Writing Nag

On Business Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:12:00 +0000

One of the first writing conferences I went to, I ordered 250 free business cards from Vista Print. Having my name, my website and the word writer on a business card was an important step in telling the world, I am a writer. The cards are free if you want Vista Print's logo on the back which I didn't mind, but you can also pay a little more and design a unique card for your blog, website or just for your desk to remind yourself that you take yourself seriously as a writer. Vista Print has 42 FREE designs to choose from, the printing quality is great and the shipping is fast. They also have a section on their website with links to other free products to try because they know you'll be back to buy more of their great products.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Happy Bastille Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:12:00 +0000

No one says Happy Bastille Day better than hi monkey!

Creativity and Self-Esteem

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:24:00 +0000

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Author Unknown

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
Vincent Van Gogh

One more week and I will be done with school for this semester! So today only a couple of quotes. Often what separates the published writers from the unpublished is a healthy dose of self-esteem. What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? In the next two months on my break from school I will be sending out my work again, something I took a break from the last year while I concentrated on craft and discovering my voice. One of my favorite books on self-esteem for writers and positive affirmations is Eric Maisel's Write Mind Positive Affirmations: 299 Things Writers Should Never Say Themselves ( What They Should Say Instead)

Are you your own worst enemy? How would the next six months look if you started each day with a positive statement instead of the hundreds of negative ones that play in your head every day? Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Deep Sleep or Sleeplessness?

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:14:00 +0000

A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by
One after one; the sound of rain, and bees
Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas,
Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky -
I've thought of all by turns, and still I lie
Sleepless...

William Wordsworth, "To Sleep"

While William Wordsworth writes about sleeplessness... the last few nights I have slept so deeply that when I awake I have remembered the most vivid dreams. In my dreams, which are always in color, people are having conversations, traffic is going by, things are happening. They seem to be not disconnected but real stories. People say dreams are only interesting to you. But often my dream world ends up in my writing especially my poetry. I have never been able to capture much in my journals but the ones I have written about seem to be much more connected to my subconscious than my current writing.

In rereading Bernadette Mayer's epic poem Midwinter Day this morning, maybe because its so hot this week I think that reading about a Midwinter Day will cool me off... I find this wonderful passage that seems to be tapping into this sort of subconscious writing.

"The bed is like a typewriter, sometimes I think the bed's a refrigerator with the holographic head of a man in dichroic color to be seen in ambient light on the door, I mean the cover of the book the bed is, you do look all the time at some of the same things until the names of objects might as well fall off"

This morning take some time to write about sleep or the lack of sleep as Wordsworth so eloquently does. How does sleep figure into your writing? Do you write better or more interesting with no sleep, does your dream world find its way into your writing? What does a good night's sleep do for your creativity?

Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Archive of Chapbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:04:00 +0000

We just opened our blog to anyone if you're interested in seeing the chapbooks myself and my fellow students have been working on this semester. This was a great exercise in self-publishing and creativity. You can also read about our process and see how self-publishing can open doors.

http://bit.ly/uv0LD

The best writing advice I ever received

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:24:00 +0000

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.”
Anne Lamott

There is a meme going around Facebook right now...The 15 books that changed your life. Although I didn't participate it did get me thinking about all the writing books that kept me on the path of writing the last twenty years. The first book I recommend to all beginning writers is Natalie Goldberg's classic Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. Although she went on to write many more books including a new one on memoir writing I still think this first one was the most influential to my writing. On Amazon right now there are quite a few negative reviews of this book but in 1986 when it was first published, no one was writing this time of "writing craft" book. This book introduced me to timed writing and many other writing exercises and made me feel that my journal writing was valuable at a time where I questioned why I needed to write. Eight years later Anne Lamott published Bird by Bird-Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I reach for this book more than any other when I'm discouraged about many things. When I struggled with finishing an essay last month...I thought again of "bird by bird" a story in the book where Lamott's older brother is overwhelmed with the "hugeness of the task ahead." This simple advice of taking things "bird by bird" is the best writing advice I ever received. Writing a book is overwhelming but if you take it page by page or paragraph by paragraph or even simpler, sentence by sentence a story begins to unfold. You can take this advice into almost every area of your life.

Today, think about the best writing advice you ever received. Take time to write it down, post it where you will see it when you feel discouraged. And now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Thoughts of the moment

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:55:00 +0000

Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable.
Francis Bacon

On Friday, we decided last minute to go away for the Fourth. Colorado Springs canceled fireworks this year and although there were neighboring towns that we could of visited it seemed like a good excuse to go to the mountains. These pictures are from Breckenridge and surrounding towns. I'll be back this afternoon with a writing prompt.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Sweet Summertime

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Happy Fourth!

I'm taking a hiatus from blogging for three days! Enjoy the holiday.

Art of Personal Letters

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:59:00 +0000

The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.

Walt Whitman

When I was growing up we were encouraged to have pen pals. In grammar school we were taught how to write the different styles of letters and we practiced regularly working on our penmanship and our creative writing skills.

I have almost every letter I have ever received. Last week going through some of them I came across one from my aunt, in the letter she relived my last visit in details I had long forgot. What a gift this letter was, twenty years later I can read it and remember how special the day was. She passed away about a year after the letter was written but in her words I can clearly hear her voice. My letters from my sister were filled with drawings and funny stories that I was missing since I moved away from home. As she grew up her handwriting changed as did her vocabulary.

Although I love technology and use email daily I think it would be wonderful if letter writing had a resurgence. Who doesn't love to receive a hand-written letter? Part of the reason this semester was so special was because we mailed two chapbooks to the other members of our small group. This meant that I looked forward to getting the mail...tucked into the mailbox between the junk mail and the bills there was a connection with another writer.

One of my favorite postcards in my collection is the one pictured in this post. On the front "Pauline" has underlined my True Love so hard that is has worn away the gold tone. On the back addressed to Mr Fred Koppin Stewardson Illinois she writes "How about what I underlined? answer.

What a story! More so because the postcard was never mailed. I wonder if Pauline and Fred ended up as husband and wife. And because of the style of the postcard (a penny postcard) I know it was written in the early 1900's. Quite a question for a Victorian woman to be asking.

Today, consider taking fifteen minutes and writing a personal letter...reconnect with someone, a family member, an old friend, a writing buddy. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Letters Nag

Poetry Window

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:24:00 +0000

My poetry blog is Eat Poetry, although I've been pretty lax in posting lately. I should have some new posts towards the end of the week. Today here is my poetry window which hangs in the garden and will soon hold words.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Woof Winners for June 26th

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:13:00 +0000

WOOF Contest – Top Picks

Poetry

Zorlone – “Under the pale moon” - Events that occur to our mortal lives have been witnessed by the light of the pale moon. A poetry challenge to myself, inspired by the words of Robin of Robin's Nest.

Dragon Blogger – “Doggy Day Dream” - Whimsical poem about what dogs do when left home alone.

Jennifer M Scott – “Wicked Victory” - A surreal poem.

Jennifer M Scott – “At the Lake Haiku Series” - A series of haikus about swimming at the local lake.

Fiction

Romeo -“ Memories in the Shadows” - A short story about the past, the love one can recieve from a loving mother, a caring sister, and the onset of a terrible medical conditon- all linked together by a river flowing freely through an open field.

Presenting the finest of the writer’s blogs by the bloggers who write them. Highlighting the top posts as chosen by the June 26, 2009 WOOF Contest participants. Want in to join the next WOOF? The next contest ends July 3. Submit a link to your best writing post of the last 3 weeks using the form on this page.

Other WOOF Contestants for 06/26/09

About Writing

Writing Nag – “How Else Could We Discover the Stars?” - What is story and how can you add the elements of good fiction to your writing. A short piece of fiction is discussed.

Poetry

Zorlone – “I am my father's son” - "This little tribute, to one of such great importance in your life, points out many things that you must have been taught from his word and deed. Such as the connection that you have to your ancestors, the responsibility that you feel towards upholding your family name, determination and education and perhaps you hint that life has made difficult the upholding of his ideals, yet he has persevered to be a great man and a great father." - Strawberry Girl

Romeo – “Memories of the Past” - A elderly man recalls the love of his youth, battling the ever-present loneliness that comes with age.

Dragon Blogger – “Rescue From The Witch” - Fantasy poem about hunters rescuing a girl.

Growing Old

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:03:00 +0000

If you haven't seen these animated virtual movies on You Tube by Poetry Animations they're quite good. There's quite a few. More than 300. Here's just a sampling.

Summer afternoon, reflections on haiku

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. Henry James

Although this post might be more appropriate for my poetry blog I think that the lessons that haiku teaches can apply to all writers. Writers are deep observers and this book reminds all writers to look for moments of haiku in their life and their writing.

The first sweet pea blossom

Donegan, Patricia. Haiku Mind : 108 Poems to Cultivate Awareness and Open Your Heart. 1st ed. Boston: Shambala : Distributed in the United States by Random House, 2008.

morning glory in the evening

Poetry editor and poet Patricia Donegan presents a haiku anthology that celebrates and attempts to explain the ancient Japanese poetic form and “haiku mind.” Haiku mind is defined as being present, mindful and aware, something I believe is necessary to write all kinds of poetry. 108 haiku’s are listed by themes including adversity, sorrow, children’s innocence, dreams, war experience, sacred food chain, letting go and greed. With simple language but her obvious expertise in this subject, Donegan leads the reader through each poem with in depth analysis, spiritual reflections, history, and story of some of her favorite haiku’s from ancient haiku master poets to contemporary Japanese, American and Canadian poets. Donegan reminds readers that “as is taught in Tantric Buddhism” the haiku poet should “lean into the painful points as a way to acknowledge and transmute it.” Donegan invites the reader to experience the varying styles of haiku including free verse haiku, haibun, renga, renku and Jack Kerouac’s style of haiku “American sentences.” This book reminds all writers to express “simple moments in a profound way” and asks readers to slow down to notice the simple things that life offers. Written for beginning or experienced poets or anyone who enjoys this poetic form this book gives insight into the haiku writing process that made me appreciate haiku as I never have before.

An excerpt from the book under the theme of "Fearlessness" by Buson Yosa (1716-1784) considered to be "one of the three greatest male haiku and renga poets"

the piercing cold-
in our bedroom stepping
on my dead wife's comb

Today, consider writing some haiku. Why not slow down and become more aware of the simplicity and beauty that surrounds us. You may be surprised by what you write. Now get back to your meditation.

Lovingly,

The Writing Nag

lamb's ear

beginnings of Concord grapes

How to grow a summer garden

RIP Farrah and Michael

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:26:00 +0000

It's hard to write about such icons of my generation. When I first saw that Michael passed away my first thought was he couldn't have because Farrah Fawcett just died. There are great tributes to both of these icons on the web today as well as in print. All the news channels did wonderful coverage last night and I'm sure it will continue all week. I hope they both rest in peace.

A Cup of Joe

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:31:00 +0000

The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
"Over the Teacups" 1891

In my interview last week about Social Spark I noted that they needed to attract more food/beverage advertisers. I try to find advertisers that fit with my blog demographic which according to Alexa is college educated women with children age 32-45 but what Alexa doesn't know...they are writers and coffee drinkers. Or at least I think they are because every writer I know drinks a lot of coffee. I check Social Spark this morning and find Coffee For Less!

Coffee For Less also sells coffee brewers, espresso machines,french presses, coffee syrups, hot chocolate, Keurig K cups and all the familiar brands of coffee, Millstone, Starbucks, Dunkin'Donuts, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Tassimo, Gloria Jean and all the popular coffee pods.

Follow Coffee For Less on Facebook or Twitter for discounts and coupon codes. A top 500 E-Retailer. Coffee of the month clubs, coffee gifts and much more including all the products you need for coffee service.

Free Shipping On Orders Over $50

A morning without coffee is like sleep. Author Unknown

Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that. W. Dayton Wedgefarth

I am sitting at my desk a lot this week I have a packet of work due Monday so little time for posting. My constant companions. Cocoa at my feet

and the doves on the other side of the wall.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

How Else Could We Discover the Stars?

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:24:00 +0000

I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude that the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?
Nancy Willard

This week I am reading Sandra Cisneros' Woman Hollering Creek and other stories on the advice of my adviser. Published in 1991 many of these stories were first published in literary magazines including Americas Review, Story and Grand Street. What I'm enjoying about this collection is it is redefining what a story is to me. One example is the first piece in the collection, My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn. In this piece Cisneros writes a descriptive engaging short piece that defines friendship and sisterhood for a young Mexican-American girl. In three short pages I am immersed in the culture, voice and time the story was written in. After reading this collection I wonder how many of my short pieces that I had thought were unfinished deserve another look. How do you define story? In How Fiction Works Oakley Hall writes that "fiction lives on the specific, the particular. It dies on the abstract and the general, such as: "Local man appointed to post." With Cisneros' opening paragraph (one long sentence) in My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn, the reader is introduced to a very specific character there is only one Lucy Anguiano:

"Lucy Anguiano, Texas girl who smells like corn, like Frito Bandito chips, like tortillas, something like that warm smell of nixtamal or bread the way her head smells..."

Engaging dialogue and dialect reveals character. "Have you ever eated dog food? I have." And descriptive sensory images put the reader immediately into the action and the characters in this south Texas border town. "Fat couch on the porch" "Screen door with no screen" "...pin the pink sock of the baby Amber Sue on top of Cheli's flowered T-shirt..."

All of this in three short pages. Strong writing is story.

Today, look at short pieces that you have written. How can you add or take away from your paragraphs to make the writing "work." Does your dialogue give information? Do you use powerful verbs? Are your characters unique and specific? Does your writing include sensory details? What would improve the piece? Is it part of a larger piece of work or can it stand on its own? Now get back to work!

Lovingly,

The Writing Nag

What's Your Opinion?
Journalism is Dead

To My Dear Father

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:42:00 +0000

"When a child is born, a father is born. A mother is born, too of course, but at least for her it's a gradual process. Body and soul, she has nine months to get used to what's happening. She becomes what's happening. But for even the best-prepared father, it happens all at once. On the other side of a plate-glass window, a nurse is holding up something roughly the size of a loaf of bread for him to see for the first time."
Frederick Buechner, 'Whistling in the Dark'

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Images from Vintage Holiday Crafts

Having Imagination

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Having imagination, it takes you an hour to write a paragraph that, if you were unimaginative, would take you only a minute. Or you might not write the paragraph at all.
Franklin P. Adams, Half a Loaf, 1927

One of my list poems last week started with the line if only I had _______ than ________.

Write at least one page of lines that start with this prompt. Try for two pages. Don't try to think too much, you might be surprised with what comes up.

Do any of these ideas make a good starting point for a short story or another poem? Now get back to work!

Congrats to Colorado Springs artist, photographer, and writer/editor, Rhonda S. Van Pelt for getting her Artella site online, it looks great! Stunning nature and travel photographs, vintage inspired cards and original greeting cards made with vintage materials and more!

Creative writing resources from Artella

I'm Not a Famous Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Writing Nag) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:29:00 +0000

I hope you stop by and read my interview this morning. Thanks Drew aka Ben Spark. I'll be back this evening with a creative writing post. Now get back to work!