WRITERSVIBE

Create a basic audiobook using Scrivener

2015-01-13T20:23:00.001-06:00

Over the years I've come up with a few tricks to help myself through the editing process. A sense of mental distance is particularly useful for me. One way I've achieved this is by creating audio versions of my works in progress. Listening to them on iTunes, I'm able to hear where words are missing and also pick up on places where my attention drifts--spots in the storyline that need fine tuning.

If you'd like to listen to your own work on iTunes (and you're a Scrivener user), here are some simple steps to follow:

Select all the text in the section you have chosen. I go chapter by chapter, making an individual audio track for each.
When your chosen text is highlighted, select "Services" and "Add to iTunes as a spoken Track" from the Scrivener menu.
At this point you can select the desired system voice and name your file. When naming, I always add the book title followed by the chapter title or number.
In iTunes, add relevant information under "File" and "Get Info." I add the book's title in the album field and add the chapter number in the track field. These two field are essential for creating a single book that is read in the correct sequence.

Here's an example of the record for a chapter:

Keep in mind, your audiobook is being read aloud by a computerized voice and not a gifted narrator. The cadence may sound off at times, and words will be mispronounced. This is not going to be an audiobook you would market but another tool to improving your work.

The Power of Collaboration - the Voice and the Words

2015-01-02T16:05:00.000-06:00

Voice actor, Tony Schmidt

A few weeks ago I had the joy of meeting with a very talented young man. This meeting occurred through the collaborative efforts of Phil Schupbach and Tom Ukinski who created the KZUM radio show, The Platte River Sampler.

If you haven't heard of this fantastic radio program, you're missing out. The Platte River Sampler embodies the power of collaboration by pairing writers with actors yielding raw genius.

Tom Ukinski

I was excited when Phil contacted me and said they wanted to use my short story entitled 'Medusa's Kiss' to air on their program, but nothing could have prepared me for the magic, young voice actor, Tony Schmidt created in the studio that day. At the age of twelve, Tony sent goosebumps coursing through me as he brought my words to life using his poised voice. To LIFE. My words lived through him; two artists wielding our talents joined by perfect understanding of our art form.

So often as writers, we work alone. We write alone wondering if our words will be perceived with as much love and care as we created them. That day in the studio I was renewed. Everything I've been working towards came into full perspective and reconfirmed my belief in the power of collaboration.

This is why programs like The Platte River Sampler, SPARK, and N Power Art are so important. Collaboration not only creates magnificent works of art but also fills all who participate with purpose greater than ourselves.

Click on this link to hear a sample of the Platte River Sampler featuring the reading of Medusa's Kiss. The entire show is filled with great talent, inspirational poetry and encouraging words for writers but make sure you listen to the the last reading to hear the voice of Tony.

Power of Collaboration - Spark

2014-12-16T09:41:00.000-06:00

You all have seen how much the WritersVibe (WV) appreciates collaboration. One of my favorite collaborative exercises is Spark. Spark is a an artist/writer/musician exchange. Partners exchange creative work and write/draw/paint response to the piece they receive.

Looking back at my posts on the WV, I found reflections from my first Spark round in 2012. I still enjoy the 10 day creation time and working with both artists and writers. I've learned some humbling lessons in the Spark rounds since then:

Standing up for my work: One of my partners posted my artwork on her website without proper attribution. I have a new respect for using other writers, artists and photographers work in my writing and on my own blog. The entire experience didn't feel good to me at all.
Creating from work I didn't like: What a different creating process this is. The worked turned out amazing every single time (and I'll never tell which ones they were)
Growing my artist wings: I never thought I was an artist. It turns out, I am

I have worked with some amazing artist and writers. This round, Traci and I teamed up. I speak for both of us when I say it was fun to team of with a partner we both know so well. Please enjoy the results of Traci's artwork (with her permission) and my response. You can see my poetry with Traci's repsonse here.

How do you play with other creative people?

Where We Buried Cammi Sue

Don't Open Your Eyes

by Jules Rolfe

Blue, blurred, harsh, and unclear

Don’t

Open

Your eyes

Promises of light shone

through the optimistic cracks

in your eyelids are lies told by strangers

Blue, blurred, harsh, and unclear

Don’t

Open

Your eyes

You are not

ready for how harsh,

how hollow truth can be

Blue, burred, harsh, and unclear

Not

Open

Your eyes

You do not want

to know the sadness, pain

despair, and ugliness of grief

Blue, blurred, harsh, and unclear

Do NOT

Open your eyes

Nothing becomes sharper.

or clearer. Please. Let me spare you

the vision. The fear. The disappointment.

DO NOT

open your eyes.

Let me lead you. Let me.

Let me lead you a few more miles,

1 more yard, 2 more feet, 1 more inch

These leaves,

this bark, these branches

are explored more gently with fingers

are better scrapped roughly against cheeks, against lips

are best rubbed up and down the vertebrae of a spine, one at a time

with feet anchored firmly to the ground, winding around

and feeding these roots, than ever seen

blue, blurred, harsh, and unclear.

Now open your eyes.

Wisdom of the Seasons: Spring

2014-12-07T13:09:00.001-06:00

What do you notice about spring?

I notice

The days get longer
Almost overnight the grass starts turning green
The comfortably warm dampness as the ground thaws
The trees start to bud (in many different colors)
The wind changes direction and becomes warmer
I see birds that I missed over the winter
I am restless and ready to start moving again
Suddenly the finches change their feathers back to yellow
My children grow out of all of their clothes
I see tulips, snow drops, crocus, and daffodils
The cats will not stay inside

In the Chinese tradition, spring energy starts in early February near the Celtic holiday Imbolc. You are likely familiar with many of the spring’s symbols: New life, blossoms and creativity. These are also found in the Chinese traditions. In spring, all of nature wakes up to frolic in the sun. Spring is also about decisiveness and putting winter’s plans into action. We can let go of the bow string now and the arrow flies strong and straight to hit its mark.

I noticed the startling truth Robert Frost's poem Nothing Gold Can Stay a few years ago (and almost drove off the road). Have you ever noticed that spring is the reverse of fall? Many trees show reds, yellows, and golds of buds, flowers, and seeds before they show their full green leaves. This reversal demonstrates the rising energy of spring that is spoken of in Chinese wisdom. This spring notice how the colors of winter change into spring.

On the western calendar and in many businesses we celebrate the new year on January 1^st. The Chinese new year and Imbolc, the spring, feels like a new year to me. It’s time to act. My creativity finds new levels—especially after I let it hide out for the winter.

The element associated with spring is wood. When you consider a tree, consider how deep the tree grows its roots and how tall and wide it grows its branches. The tree's roots and branches gives it flexibility allowing it to move with fast, strong winds without breaking. When a tree meets a barrier, it chooses a new direction and grows that way. If the new way doesn't work, it chooses another. This demonstratives the quality of decisiveness. Spring can also be about strong supports. Trees grow in groups. Have you ever noticed how trees support one another? In Maryland, trees must be cleared to make new roads. In some places where roads have been added in the last 25-30 years, trees often fall across these roads because they don’t have the support they need from the trees that stood with them.

The sense associate with spring is sight. I think about kittens opening their eyes. They come out of the darkness to the newness and clarity of seeing with their eyes. The color associated with spring is green. The plants and trees change from the neutral and grays and browns of winter to the bright greens of growth and life in the spring.

Winter (water) feeds spring (wood) by giving it the power and reserves to burst into action. Do you remember bow string analogy from winter? Spring cannot show up powerfully when winter has not given the trees time, silence, and a hard freeze to rest. Wood controls earth. A tree’s roots grow down into the earth to help the earth stay in place. Grasses and plants hold the top soil and keeps from drying out and blowing away on a windy day.

The metal of the fall controls wood. When a tree grows out of control, we use an ax to prune it. We can prune gently to encourage new growth, or we can cut a tree off at its trunk, so that it won’t grow at all. Both this gentle pruning and harsh dissection are necessary given both the time and the situation of the tree. Destruction (of the ax) can be essential for the sees and possibility of new grow.

The organs associated with spring are the gall bladder and the liver. The gall bladder helps us make decisions and wise judgments. Have you ever made a great plan and then not followed through? The gall bladder helps us follow through and put our plans into action. She is the part of us that takes small steps to work toward a greater plan or goal. She's practiced in seeing clarity--the way around and through--just like the branch of a tree will pick a direction and grow with it until it finds a way that works. The gall bladder appreciates fairness and will not hesitate to speak her mind. The liver is a strategist, visionary, and planner. The liver is like a military general. He knows the way to go and will hold his ground. He is both benevolent and firm in his ~~battle~~ creative space. He holds the power to say “yes” and also the power to say “no”. When the liver holds his ground, he means it. He will not be moved.

Your Challenge

Subtle parts of each season are present in all of the others. I know it is winter outside, and spring is far, far away. Your challenge is to notice where spring is showing up. Bundle up and go outside. Where is spring showing up? You might sit quietly and notice where spring is present inside of you.

Writing Prompt

What role would character showing up with wood/spring personality be in your story? How would this character speak? How would this character treat others? Where would this character go to be alone? Who would he/she be in a relationship with? What life lessons does this character need to learn? How would this spring character interact with your winter character? How would your character act in the hottest days of summer?

We welcome your comments and observations below.

*I learned about the WuHsing throughout my master of arts program at the Tai Sophia Institute (now the Maryland University of Integrative Health). I often reference the book Dancingwith the Ten Thousand Things by Tom Balles, one of my professors. The book carries the reader through the concepts of oneness through the elements of the WuHsing. I often reference this book when I need a reminder of words that describe each season. Tom’s book also includes practices and questions that are helpful in exploring myself or exploring an emerging character. I spend a week at a retreat Tom co-taught focusing on each element and how they show up in every season. He is one of the many resources I use in writing these post mostly from memory and my own observations and experiences.

Wisdom of the Seasons: Winter

2014-11-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

What do you notice about winter?

This is what I notice about winter:

Everything slows waaaay down
I sleep more
I want to be quiet
I eat heavier, warmer, and more filling foods
I see fewer birds and they don’t sing in the morning
The snow makes everything feel fresh, new, and silent
The cold air almost burns my nose
The wind is sharper
Bears hibernate (and also have their babies near spring!)
Darkness comes much earlier
The temperature is colder

When the Chinese Wu Hsing is in a circle, you will find winter at the bottom. Winter is a time low energy. It is about stepping back, being still, and assessing. In winter, we look at our options and noodle around without making any decisions. Winter is about touching our deepest wisdom—the wisdom that inhabits the deepest and darkest of water. We might be afraid to go so far into the dark and when we do we find our courage. Winter is stillness and silent like new snow. Winter’s snow reminds us to be silent and go deep within the well of ourselves. Winter is about taking stock of and building our reserves and our strength. Winter is about being comfortable in uncertainty and listening into the quiet found between the cold, naked trees.

We often fight with the wisdom of not knowing. How many times have you not been able something rest when you don’t have an answer? How often does your uncertainty of what’s next turn into blinding fear? How many people have you noticed saying, “I don’t know” without searching for some grain of knowledge, accurate or not?

What happens when you can let go of the not knowing and take stock of what you do know? This is where winter’s deepest wisdom and courage are found.

The element associated with winter is water. Water is soft and yielding. It takes on the form of its container. It can be a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Water can change the landscape in a deluge or spend years wearing through a crack in a slab of granite. Water does not know its own power or shape until it is in the moment of it. Water is subtle. Think about the process of bottom watering a plant, water can regenerate the earth through the long cold months and ensures the energy of spring will come shooting from the ground in daffodil and tulip form.

The emotion associated with winter is fear. We don’t know if we can make it thought the winter. If we run out of food or firewood we will die. This is the fear of winter—that fear of the unknown. Are our reserves sufficient? Can we make it?

On the other side of fear is courage. When we see through fear we find our greatest gifts and the courage to move on, even when we don’t know what’s coming next.

Winter’s color is blue. The sense associate with winter is hearing. When we listen a friend speak with the attentiveness and stillness of winter, we start to notice the tone of his words and the harmony dancing behind it. Is he happy and reserved? Is he unhappy behind his calm demeanor? When we are heard deeply, how does that change the way we speak? Practice this deep winter listening and notice the reaction of the speaker. Notice the reaction in yourself.

Water controls fire in the same way earth controls water. A river bank guides the water to the ocean. When there is too much water the river floods and the destruction can be devastating. Only when there is enough earth to expend water's energy, can water flow back into its banks. When someone is afraid, perhaps offering a hug or reassurance or even a piece of chocolate can bring the fear back to into its banks, so to speak. When a forest fire is out of control, a river or a well-timed rain can bring it under control. I've noticed when I am very angry, I don’t want advice. I want to spew the anger out. Like the fire is tamed by the water, listening to anger can ease it.

The organs associated with the winter are the kidneys and bladder. Kidneys, or the Minister of Deep Water, as Dr. John Sullivan calls the kidneys in his book To Come to Life More Fully, hold our life force or chi, and are our powerhouse. Kidneys are where we keep and build our reserves and touch base with the deep well of ourselves. This minister is like the moment when an arrow is tight in the drawn bow, and your arm wobbles at the strength needed to hold the bow until the right moment.*

The bladder, or the Controller of Water Storage, takes overflow from the kidney and is responsible for giving out the overflowing power of the kidneys. Its job is to conserve our resources. The bladder knows when we have energy to spare and when it needs to be held back. At times a bladder is agitated and can’t hold on to what the kidney gives it. What do you think happens when we can’t conserve our energy and power?

Your Challenge

We are just beginning winter. Put on your gloves and hat. Go outside and look for the qualities of winter. When you look at nature’s signs of winter, how does that reflect on who you are and where you are at in your journey?

Writing Prompt

What would a character showing up in a personality of water/winter look like? How would this character speak? How would this character treat others? Where would the character's favorite place to live be? Favorite restaurant vocation? Where would your character go a vacation? How would this character be with a brother or sister who was full of metal/fall? What is this characters fatal flaw? Strengths? Weaknesses?

We welcome your comments and observations below.

*The bow/arrow analogy was used by my teacher Allyson Jones many times to describe building reserves in the quiet of winter and waiting so eagerly for spring. You can’t rush the winter. If you let go of the bow to early, you don’t have a solid aim and you’ll miss the target. If you wait too long, your arm will be too week and you’ll also miss your target.

I learned about the Wu Hsing throughout my masters program at the Tai Sophia Institute (now the Maryland University of Integrative Health). Dr.John Sullivan wrote much the program I was in. He is one of the many resources I uses in writing these posts mostly from memory and my observations and experiences. Dr. Sullivan’s books To Come To Life More Fully and Living Large live on my bookshelves and I reference them often.

5 Writing (and life) Lessons I Learned from my Dogs

2014-11-21T14:22:00.000-06:00

Use your senses

I love walking with my dogs. They notice everything. We stop so they can sniff a pile of leaves. Ears perk at a scuffle, and we pause to watch squirrels chase around tree trunks. Side by side, the dogs brush against one another with an easy awareness of their own bodies. I take their cue, and thoughts that have been rampaging through my mind fall silent, replaced by simple observation.

Using your senses is more than a way to enrich descriptive passages in your writing. Clarity and fresh inspiration often arise in mindful moments, when senses are engaged.

Play

Rough and tumble wrestling. Jumping, running, games of tag. Those are my dogs' favorite types of play. And there's no doubting their joy when they're hard at it.

Movement keeps a body healthy and loosens up the mind. Play invites exploration and boosts you above self-editing behaviors that gum up the flow of ideas. Study after study has shown the continued importance of play to adults and the power of play in sparking creativity. Watch Stuart Brown's TED talk, Play is More than Just Fun, for some examples of its essentialness.

Rest

Dogs don't discourage napping. After all, a good nap gets you ready for the next romp or walk or day of work.

More than sleeping, rest is recharging. Even a five-minute stretching break away from your desk is rest of a sort. Your brain needs downtime to function at its best.

Treats are good

Treats=motivation for my dogs. Nothing gets them in the house quicker than the words "treat time," no matter how much fun they're having in the backyard.

Writing is hard work with uncertain reward beyond the joy you glean from the work itself. The treat, for me, is the act of creation--the feeling when ideas are flowing well. In tough times, when I'd rather do anything than put words on a page, the treat takes the form of chocolate accompanied by caffeine. Yes, I am a simple beast.

The pack has your back

Surround yourself with trusted friends and family. They will be honest with their criticism and sincere in sharing your good fortune. Be this for them, in return.

Ideas grow through conversations. Drafts improve through suggestions. And the hard times become bearable because the load is shared.

Sadie's bonus tip: Greet the world with an open heart.

Wisdom of the Seasons: Fall

2014-11-08T17:44:00.000-06:00

In my first WuHsing blog posts with the Writersvibe, Law of the Five Elements, I wrote briefly about how traditional Chinese Medicine views everything through observing nature—namely each season.* After thousands of years of watching the seasons change, generations of observers made some assumptions based on what they noticed and passed down to one another. I find them very helpful in understanding how I feel, how other people react, and how to teach myself patience and compassion.

Using this lens for viewing the human condition can also be helpful when we write or play in whatever creative medium we choose. Through the month of November, I’ll go through each of the seasons. Some of the words are from my own observations and others are from the many resources I've been introduced to over the last five years.

Let’s start with the season we are in and probably the most difficult season for western cultures to understand.

Fall

What do you know about fall?

This is what I notice:

The leaves change color and the sap retreats down into the base of the trees
The grasses turn brown
Most plants and vegetables that grow above the soil die or go dormant
The wind gets colder (in many places!) and may come from a different direction than it did in the spring and the summer
The air smells different. Sharper
The days get shorter
The sun and the moon rise and fall in a different part of the sky
The birds move to warmer places or change the color of their feathers They stop laying eggs and let the last of their young go into the wild world
The squirrels play hid and seek with every nut and acorn they can find
Bucks grow antlers and strike out on their own to find does to mother spring fawns
The whole of nature snuggles in for the coming winter

Now, think about how humans are like nature. Don’t you get sleepy too? The foods you want to eat are hardier and denser. If you have a garden you are digging potatoes and pulling up carrots. You are storing for the long winter months. You might feel sad at the passing of the warmth. You might notice that you put on a few pounds—to make sure you have the fat stores to live through the winter. You might find yourself letting go of things that just don’t matter to you anymore: Relationships, clutter, feelings, maybe even life. Maybe you are feeling especially low and a bit melancholy.

Fall is all about letting go and retreating. Americans are the worst at this season! We want sunshine and go-go-go. We hang on as tight as we can until we've spun ourselves into a tizzy.

Fall gives us the opportunity to keep what is sacred and precious. It gives us the space to cry and to grieve our losses. When the leaves fall from the trees, think about all of the things we can see that we couldn't see before: Squirrel and birds’ nests, the shape of each tree branch, the neighbor’s house. When we let go of our leaves, what do our branches reveal?

In the Chinese tradition, the grief is the emotion associated with fall. We are sad to let anything go that is precious to us—even the things we are happy to be rid of have a sadness in their passing. Color of fall is white. Notice when someone is sad, the undertone of her skin. You might notice that she is as white as a sheet. Every speck of dust is noticed on a white plate much like when the leaves fall, all of a tree’s secrets are revealed. Fall can be a time when we feel naked with nothing standing between our hearts and the harshness of others. Yes, fall, loss and grief is why white is worn during mourning in many Asian cultures.

Each season in the Chinese tradition has an element associated with it. Fall’s element is metal. Metal includes rocks where many precious metals are found and gem stones. Fall is a time to find, refine and cut our rubies and gold. What’s precious? What do we deeply appreciate? What are our deepest gifts begging to come forward?

Metal can also be sharpened to point. It can be ridged and firm. A tree can be cut quickly by a razors edge. Pay attention to how you discipline yourself and others in the spirit of fall and metal. When we prune a tree too much, its growth is stunted in the spring or may have a new shape.

Each season also has two to four organs associated with it. In fall we can think of the large intestine and the lungs. The large intestine gets rid of the stuff we don’t need. When we consider that our bodies are connected to our emotions, we can be constipated when we are stuck in an emotion. When we can let go of that emotion things get moving again. The lungs are reminder that we inhale for inspiration and exhale for expiration and letting go. We can inhale and exhale to let go of anger.

Your Challenge

Go outside and notice the wisdom of fall. What does he tell you? What did you learn about yourself and the character in your stories watching the leaves sweep the sky as fall swirls around us?

Writing Prompt

What would a character showing a lot of metal/fall look like? How would this character speak? How would this character treat others? Where would the character's favorite place to live be? Favorite restaurant vocation? Where would your character go a vacation? What pets would your metal character have? What is this characters fatal flaw? Strengths? Weaknesses?

We welcome your comments and observations below.

*You can find these early posts under the WuHsing label: Parts One, Two, Three and Four.

It's NOVEMBER!

2014-11-04T17:04:00.002-06:00

It's that time again, time to write a novel in November. It's not too late to sign-up for Nanowrimo. What?! You've not heard of Nanowrimo. It's the equivalent of running a marathon for writers. Thirty days of writing to produce 50,000 words filled with pep talks, writing buddies and personalized statistics to keep you on track. It's fun, it's hard, it promises to be a good time and who knows, you might create a masterpiece. I did it back in 2009 and even though I didn't finish on time, I used Nanowrimo to write my second novel. Give it a try.

The Fifty Word Biography

2014-10-26T17:12:00.000-05:00

Every time someone asks me for a biography I freeze. How do I write a brag about myself? What does the asker want to know of me? Do I open myself up to discovery and stalkers by sharing where I live and the name of my child? Do I include where I went to school, all the places I have been published, my personal mission statement?

I give up. The task of writing a biography is overwhelming.

Not having a short bio is also holding me back. Anywhere I would submit to publish or to blog, requires a bio. To be showcased as an artist, the audience wants....a bio.

I googled around and most of the advice I see comes from other bloggers. Blogs can be a great source of information. Many blogs are based on personal experience or individual research. Each blog has something different to say. So, really is there an expert in all of those googles? Maybe, maybe not.

I took my pondering to the WV. Here's what we have to say about writing a biography:

Traci: Think of yourself in third person
Lila: Have an alter-ego and write from that place
Me: Writing a short biography is like writing poetry. Every word counts.

We could apply all of these suggestions to writing a personal or business mission statement too.

Oh, and here's what another author says about writing a bio. I say it's solid and well written.

What are your recommendations for writing a self biography?

Something Wicked this Way Comes

2014-10-08T19:08:00.002-05:00

Ten years ago I embarked on a journey with one of my best friends. We were directionless but not lost because we were bound by a common joy--writing. At first, we wrote for pure enjoyment, holding 'meetings' filled with wine and laughter as we critiqued each others' weekly work. Years passed, our skills sharpened, and fun became work. But, a labor of passion.

We attended seminars, joined groups, and created the Writer's Vibe; doing anything to better our skills, learn the industry, and share our joy and knowledge with beginning writers. Then, my friend took the leap. She cut her hours at her job, deciding to sacrifice financial gain for the gift of time, which she spent crafting her novels.

The friend I'm referring to is the author Traci Robison.

And so it is with great pride and honor that I introduce the arrival of her first two novels from her Tales of Malstria series: book one, The Taking and book two, Tangled.

If you read Traci's blog, Jots Beyond the Margin, you know she is a modest, shy sort of person, but what her blog failed to mention is her meticulous personality. She gets things right. In other words, if she's writing about the dark ages, she researches every detail. If she's designing a book cover, she observes others' work and studies what works and what doesn't. If she's editing, she attends courses, reads books, and enlists friends in order to produce the best product possible.

When you read a Tales of Malstria novel, you are mentally transported to medieval England. Splash the plot with Traci's vivid imagination and a dash of horror--voilà, instant thriller.

Even though we at Writer's Vibe do not feel that publication justifies you as an author or likewise that being unpublished makes you less of a writer, we do celebrate our great accomplishments, and no one has worked harder at perfecting her novels then my friend Traci. Her memorable characters propel layered plots, filled with profound themes but always staying true to the characters themselves.

If you'd like to support her work, please download Kindle onto your tablets, Ipads, smartphones or computer and create a Kindle account. Then, Click here for the Tales of Malstria link to Amazon, where you can purchase your copy of either or both novels. Your purchase will automatically be placed into your kindle account for your literary enjoyment--just in time to put you into the Halloween spirit.

Or looking for a Christmas gift for that Gothic friend on your list? Amazon offers gift purchases. Not sure which novel to choose? The Taking is poetically crafted from a romantic young woman's point of view. It's dark and mysterious, revolving around themes of love, lust, and morality. Tangled is from a swashbuckling young man's point of view. It's filled with action, pain, love and explores what is means to be a true hero. I, however, favor the series' third book, which is still in the polishing stage and not yet available for purchase, but Gates the Hours Keep is a literary masterpiece.

No matter which novel you choose, Traci has done an expert job of connecting the two tales together yet, each book has the ability to stand on its own. If you choose to journey into her world, you won't be disappointed--just like my journey ten years ago.

The Power of Collaboration - the Painter and the Poet

2014-09-30T19:57:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I began exploring the power of my google plus account. I discovered several writer communities and joined, eager to participate. It was fun swapping ideas with strangers and soon I noticed I was creating my own following. Struck with brief success I began to build a platform, using my account as a way to get my name out there. Hoping that when I submit my query letter, the publisher will view me as an asset and not a business risk. It's a cutthroat market, and often as writers, we have to face the negativity of the world. Which is exactly what followed. One of my not-so-adoring followers posted some harsh words about my Challenging Perfection Blog. His words cut. And I bled.

It was at that moment I discovered Tony O Connor and Erin Hanson. On my computer screen this picture appeared.

The beautiful collaboration between a painter and a young poet inspired me. Collaboration. That was the reason I'd joined the writers' groups. To be bigger than myself. A testing ground. After all, if I am to become famous, I will have to face much worse criticism. So I faced his negativity with my words--after all, I am a writer, so wielding words is my superhero power. I was polite but firm. I refused to belittle him. I believe that positivity prevails in the end. I'm not, however, a push over, and if I'm not willing to stand up for myself, then why should anyone else?

The next day when I checked my account, several writers had sent me personal messages, complementing me on my remarks. I felt victorious.

It was a hard lesson but one I needed. If we want noticed in this world we have to accept both the good and the bad publicity. Our creative works deserve recognition--deserve being shared even if we as people are not comfortable being in the spotlight. Negativity can befall us at any moment, and no matter how strong we think we are, we can all use some inspiration--a group of friends and some collaboration.

Rising like a phoenix, my creative juices drove me to create a new facebook group. I hope it will become a place for inspiration and collaboration used by artists of every kind.

Working Through Tender Hearts & Criticism

2014-09-24T21:55:00.003-05:00

What I know about writing is that I put a piece of my soul in every word. In the community of a writers' group, like the WV, I found my wings and confidence in my writing. We talk craft, encouragement, and edit each others' work. It's a safe place.

Putting your work out to an agent or publisher is not such a safe place. I joined the 12 X 12 picture book challenge in 2012 and watched several children's authors become successful. I also learned how much work it takes to become a published author. I queried a few publishers and agents. I never heard anything back about my work (Sometimes you have to wait FOREVER before you can resubmit a manuscript.) Wondering what was wrong with the story of my heart, I submitted the story to Rate Your Story.

A few weeks later, I was devastated to learn that in the eyes of a book agent that my story was rated almost as low as it could go. I didn't write a word for months. When I finally returned to writing, I gave up publishing through a traditional publisher and enjoyed the way words flow on to paper.

Eventually, I was able to give the story of my heart and the critique, an open mind and a distant heart. The truth: My story didn't have a plot. It was too long to be considered a picture book. The concepts and vocabulary in it could be seen as too advanced for my target audience. (I disagree. Children are much more capable than many adults give them credit for.)

I rewrote it. I added a new character and a stuffed hippopotamus. I am less attached to the story and its outcome. I queried a few more agents and stumbled on an art student who is also a gifted illustrator. She re-inspires me every time we meet. I write for the joy of writing. Are we anywhere near published? Nope.

Recently, with encouragement, I've gotten so brave as to join SCBWI, and signed up for a conference. I might even be serious about publishing and writing. I'm still scared of the critics. I suspect I'll be doing a lot of deep breathing and crying into my pillow at night as I move forward.

Here are my tips to surviving an honest critique:

Breathe
Let the writing and critique sit until you can look at it without an emotional reaction
If you change your writing to fit someone's ideal, you'll probably lose some of the heart. Choose to be okay with that or don't change your writing
Remember writing basics: Character development, plot (beginnings, middles and endings), rhythm, and style
Get more feedback--everyone reads differently for elements of a story and has likes and dislikes.
There are a million and one agents and publishers (and writers)
Stay close your Writers' Group. Share the critique and ask for everyone to read your manuscript again with the critique in mind
Sometimes it takes 10 years to polish a manuscript. Don't get attached to the time it takes
Writing and publishing are two different functions of the craft. Don't let one rule the other
Keep writing

Self-publishing is always an option. Don't publish poor writing so you can feel good about yourself, and listen to what your beta readers, editors, and group are telling you about your story.

What I've learned about writing and publishing: You get out what you put into it. If you want to write, spend time writing. If you want to be published, learn what that means, make connections, and listen with an open mind and quiet heart to comments on your work.

Going APE Over Self-Publishing

2014-09-14T13:17:00.001-05:00

I just finished reading APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur—How to Publish a Book written by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch. APE contains 300 pages on how to publish a book, with an emphasis on self-publishing. Though it doesn't promise success, it's full of well researched strategies to help you get the most out of self-publishing, without making novice mistakes.

APE goes into every detail of self-publishing, from start to finish, including how to format your book, how to promote it, and how to price it. What I especially like about APE is it gets right to the point. I don't have to read endless paragraphs of ego boosting and flat jokes before finding something that's actually useful. Nothing gets missed in this book. It's an absolute must read for anyone considering self-publishing.

The book starts off by helping you determine if you should even write a book. Though several reasons are given for and against, the one that stuck out the most was don't write a book “to make money”. I know someone who had the “I’m going to write a book, make a ton of money, and retire” plan and it didn’t work. I asked her years later what ever happened with her book and she said she finished it but it was awful. I don’t know if it was truly awful, I didn’t read it, but I do know she went from thinking it was revolutionary to thinking the pages weren’t even good enough to wipe your butt with them. I think that's what happens when you write for money instead of the intrinsic rewards that Guy writes about in APE; you lose the passion that drives you to do your best work.

The chapter I found most useful in APE is "How to Sell Your E-book Through Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google, and Kobo". If you watch Mad Men or have taken a marketing class, you'd know that marketing is about the 4 Ps: product, pricing, promotion, and place. You can have a well written book at a reasonable price and even offer a limited time discount but that's not enough to sell it. You have to put it where people will buy it. Sure you can sell your book on your website, where all the profits go to you, but your website isn't going to get as many eyeballs as Amazon. Unless your already famous, Amazon will get more traffic in an hour than your website will see in an entire year. The drawback to selling your e-book on Amazon is that they take a big chunk of the sale. But, when you’re selling a product that cost you zero dollars to mass-produce, does that really matter?

Overall, I highly recommend reading APE before you begin on your road to self-publishing. It will save you months of Google searching-- which means more time for writing.

Write Like a Girl! What!?

2014-09-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

Not to add flames to the gender debate, but recently I found GenderAnalyzer.com --a site that boasts its use of artificial intelligence to determine if a writer is male or female. So, naturally, I played around and received various results until my curiosity grew.

A few years back, I posted a blog debating the gender argument: What "Type" of Writer are You? and since then, I've been fascinated by the topic.

I find it hard to believe an algorithm exists that can determine an author's sex. However, I do believe that writers are mirrors of our world's perceptions, not only of our sex, but also of the era we live (no one chooses to write like Hawthorne anymore). Of course, a good writer, notices these tell-tales and works with them either to enhance or suppress her identity--or his. We write to share our personal perceptions or lace them into one of our character's. Like stage actors, some writers are Character Writers and transform into the character by thinking, perceiving, living as a different person. Other writers have a writing niche--playing the same role over and over to perfection.

I've found it interesting how science is trying to understand the differences between the sexes. One article, NPR's Weekend Addition: Gender Writing, explains some of the science and findings behind gender analyzers. It discusses the use of prepositions and how each sex seems to favor the use of different prepositions. I'm not sure how accurate the results are, but any tool or knowledge I can acquire to strengthen my writing is something worth investigating.

Healing through Poetry

2014-08-31T22:19:00.002-05:00

As much fun as I have with poetry, it also serves a deeper purpose. Poetry can allow us to speak in a voice that would otherwise stay silent. We can embrace our Inner Poet and let him or her speak.

In his book, Escape to the Homeland of the Heart, Michael Dale shares his personal journey of healing through poetry. For Michael, poetry was a way to discover he had emotions and beauty underneath a lot of other stuff. Michael includes all kinds of inspiring quotes and stories in his book. (which is free and includes a variety of fun iPad goodness, like music and poetry reading).

What grabs me about Michael's poetry/healing prompts is using poetry to remember moments in time. The time you walked on the path and saw a doe with her speckled-back twins; how you felt the day you got promoted; and those sweet moments with friends, lovers, or children that you want them to remember through your eyes. He's a bit of a chronicler, like me.

The best thing that Michael reminded me of is that poetry isn't about writing the perfect combination of words. It's about finding your truth. So, write and refine. Refine. Refine. Refine. Catch the essence of yourself, of your words, of your Inner Poet.

Michael encourages us to record ourselves reading poetry out loud, so I did. I'm not yet brave enough to put myself in the day light and putting myself in the shot and even in the dart, I'm going way outside my safe place.

I encourage you to stretch a little beyond your comfort zone...if it's just picking up the pen, do that! Let your Inner Poet out. If you write something and want to share it quietly, send the WV an email. If you are ready to share in a group and want a safe space, join Michael's Facebook group. You'll find me there, too.

So You Want to be a Poet?

2014-08-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

psssst...I'll tell you a secret.

You already are a poet.

Shhhhh. Don't let anyone know.

You might disagree with me.
You might say it takes a rhyme to make a poem.

It doesn't. It takes rhythm.
and if you speak
if you write
if you dance
if you sing
if you breathe

you already have the rhythm of a poet.

There was that guy Shakespeare
He's dead now.
He wrote a few plays
in iambic pentameter
It sounds hard and it is.
Iambic pentameter is the rhythm of
English--the language I speak right now

We speak differently than we write

Capturing the magic of speech
means reading out loudly while composing
or filling up clouds of thought
in poetry that never sees the outside of your skull
to kiss the ear of its lovers

Let it out, Poet, let out!

If you've ever made up a word,
you're a poet:
Stupendulicous
Absotagous
Infriendalovely

Put one on. Write a line or two
Tell me what they mean
I've granted you poetic license.

Use a pen, use a pencil, use a brush on slick paper
Fly your fingers across the keyboard
Write in big chalk letters on the sidewalk

Writers' block?
Start here with seven lines
Ask "What is it?" on the first
Sandwich the answer down the middle five
End where you began

It takes no time
Look up and you'll see mine.

Yeah, you're a poet. I know it.
Let me hear your rhythm
Don't worry the rhyme

We are Here for YOU

2014-08-09T10:04:00.000-05:00

A group of beginner-writers approached me seeking advice. They were on fire, excited and ready to jump into the world of writing with both feet - only they weren't sure how. "How do we become writers?"
My personal journey as a writer had begun in a similar way and their question made me reflect upon my own growth, but life is often rushed and due to time limitations, the best advice I could give them was:

Writing is work - you must write every day.

Read - read books with a writer's eye - paying attention to how other writers construct sentences and develop characters and plots.

Find a community - join a writers group, take a class or Check out our Blog and Facebook page. We created these sites to help writers improve their craft as well as swap ideas. We are here for you.

The Writer's Vibe is an open community with writers of every level and background. Feel free to send us an e-mail or write in the comments for personalized help. Also utilize our search feature to find past blogs posted on topics to fine tune your skills as a writer. Some of the basic topics I recommend are:

Characters : Developing Characters, Round Characters VS Flat,

Plot: Novel Ideas

Setting: Setting a Scene, Beyond Setting

Perspective: A different Perspective, Exploring Point of View

Dialog: How to Write Better Dialog

Style: Finding Your Style, Word Play (part one), Magical Realism, Word Play (part two)

Publishing: To Publish or Not to Publish, E-books, On-line Marketing Tips, The Agent Fit, Effective Query Letter

And Poetry!: Word Play Poetry, Five Minute Poetry

Writer or Cronista?

2013-08-17T21:14:00.002-05:00

We've been talking a bit about writing slumps lately. Many times, the wonderful, amazing words bouncing around in my head come out pale and then I slump. Last week my professor labeled me a chronicle writer chronicler, or, as it is said in Spain, a cronista.

Becoming a cronista changed the way I look at words. The stories we write are the history of the time we live in or a time not yet even thought of or maybe its a time in another universe only you have been given the knowledge of. We live in a time with unlimited capacity to store every day events and, in theory, the will last as long as if not longer than the beauty of the Book of Kells. We choose the histories we write. They are magic.

Stop being a writer for a minute and be a cronista. Explore the wonder of cronistas with the movie The Secret of Kells.

What history are you telling in your Book of Kells?

Slumping a Stuck

2013-07-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

Last week Lila wrote about writing slumps on the Writersvibe and talked about how she moves through them. I put my creative efforts toward gifts for other people to move through a creative slump. When I turn that creativity to someone else, the pressure's off because the writing or creating isn't about how much I'm producing anymore. Being creative becomes about what I want my audience to get out of it. Right now, I'm making a baby blanket.

~~I avoid writing when ever possible~~ Sometimes I step away from writing all together. Making collages was a great way to ~~avoid writing~~ thaw word freeze recently, and I could make collages with the Jumping Bean. (Double bonus!) I gave all the blah and jitters and whatevers to the images, and the images wrote about themselves. I was only the fingers on the keyboard.

At Challenging Perfection, Lila decided to let what comes up guide her gardening. If you are a planner, do something different and let yourself be uncomfortable. Surprise! You've been jolted right out of your stuck.

How do you get out of your writing slumps?

Stuck in a Slump

2013-07-13T15:23:00.002-05:00

This past month I’ve had a terrible case of creativity slump. Every time I sit down to write or edit I feel as if I’d rather be doing ANYTHING else. In my Challenging Perfection blog I posted about my new way of dealing with life’s rhythms but somehow I’ve not figured out how to apply it to my writing. After all I’ve been stuck in this kind of rut before. Sometime the creativity slump only last a couple of weeks to which I say let it run its course but it’s the times when it hangs on for over a year that I’m concerned about.

Every writer has ways of dealing with creativity slump. In the past, preforming writing exercises especially with a friend helps me get the creative juices working again. Also, I’ve found listening to music, watching a movie or reading a book can spark the writer inside me back to life. Finally, if all else fails, I like to get back to nature – spend some quiet time in the woods or amongst the prairie grasses – let nature in all her divine wisdom nourish my mind and ground me to my soul. Now, I just have to find the time. Keep an eye out for postings on writing prompts - as I try to revive the writer within.

Emotion of Sadness

2013-06-16T10:07:00.002-05:00

Sadness

Lila mentioned in her post on happiness that the American culture sees happiness as the normal desired state. What about the opposite? Sadness.

In the Chinese tradition sadness and grief are part of the fall season. The time when we let go. Giving our characters grief and sadness make them more like us.

This week, put your character in a scene where he or she is sad. You might rewrite the happy scene or poem from last week. What would it look like if your characters were doing everything possible to be sad? What would happen if we didn't understand sadness or grief? You might also show how your characters move from sadness back to happiness. Writing from the Chinese traditions you could move the characters from sadness act of courage, putting them in a place of fear, or letting them be confused. You could also imbuing the scene with a moment of humor.

Emotion of Happiness

2013-06-08T10:45:00.002-05:00

Emotion is a powerful part of writing. Without emotion, writing feels flat but understanding emotions is a complex process.

Recently, I tried to force happiness upon my unsuspecting family and it blew up in my face. Rising from the ruins, I've become wiser and more resilient but still, I find myself searching to understand 'happiness'. What does it mean to be happy? How is it achieved? Is the feeling the same for everyone? Our society seems to place great importance on the emotion. It even seems to be a measurement of success. What do you believe?

Try writing a scene or poem where happiness is the theme. Are your characters trying to achieve happiness or does the whole concept elude them? For further inspiration check out my blog, Challenging Perfection or check back to this blog for more postings about emotion.

Drawn by Art: Challenge and Response

2013-05-02T14:36:00.002-05:00

In March we blogged about art. Traci (Jots Beyond the Margin) challenged me to write a poem from the (amazing) painting below in her post Drawn by Art:

Here it is:

Divine Distraction

With carelessly,

careful steps,
she calls the divine.

Her feet

Slip

Between spirals and centers

She stops.

Savoring

the turquoise on her right

Giving

red bloom of her left

To strums the lyre and cords of the harp

Half moons

swirl
about her hips

Lost

in a nebula of stars

Doves follow the

Spin

of her hair

In the center of center

On the edge of edge

She dances.

Her foot

hovers

and

strikes

Pause

at the end of breath

passes

And the boredom of man moves on

For more poetry, prompts, and practices you can check out my blog: Rhyme's a Rhyme Found in Time and now back to children's lit and picture books...

The Reading Snuggle

2013-04-23T09:14:00.002-05:00

My fondest memories of my mother are reading with her: My sister and I would sit on either side of her and my brother sat in her lap. Reading to the three of us was the one way my mother could get us to all sit still at the same time. She read us countless book picture books, the Little House on the Prairie series, the classics, fairy tales, and American history children's stories (they came with our full set of encyclopedias). When she reads to my son, I still find a way to listen around the corner and take comfort in rhythm and inflection of her voice.

Of the many lessons my mother taught me, passing along the tradition of snuggling up to read to my son, is the lesson I cherish the most. Reading to him reminded me of all the books my mother read to us. Reading Tikki Tikki Tembo to my son the first time reminded me of the rhythm that rolled off my mother's tongue when she read it to us and when she us if she had to read Tikki's entire name AGAIN. I cherish my mother's wisdom because, yes, reading is almost the only way to get a creative, enthusiastic six-year to stop, slow down, and be still.

You'll find a few of our favorites below. Most of them I remember from childhood, and some are new traditions from my family.

What's your favorite childhood story? What memories come to you when you read them now? When was the last time you let yourself be read to?

The Truly Amazing

2013-04-16T08:31:00.004-05:00

Awhile back, I found myself engaged in a simulating conversation with a six-year-old who managed to convince me that Jan Brett is the best author in the world... in the world. My usual self conscience awkwardness around children was quickly dissolved by this girl as she articulated an iron clad argument. But her strongest selling point wasn't what she said, but how she said it. I was amazed by the magnitude of passion existing in someone so young. Jan Brett must be truly amazing to inspire passion and loyalty from the youngest of readers.

Under the well informed advice of the six-year-old, I purchased The Mitten and was transported into a visual world of wonder. The girl was right. Jan Brett not only writes culturally rich stories but masterfully illustrates her books. The best of both worlds and a perfect transition from our writervibe art month and into our new topic: picture books and poetry. Feel free to check back during the next few weeks for farther postings about these topics.