A Cake of Portable Soup

A page of my journal is like a cake of portable soup. A little may be diffused into a considerable portion.
James Boswell

I continued with my journaling last semester. When you find something that works its hard to give it up, and I'm not saying that all writers should journal I just find it to be an invaluable tool. First, it gets all the stuff out that I'm worrying about that has nothing to do with creative writing, kind of a dumping ground for my brain. Next, it gives me a focus for the day. If I just sit and write in my journal than everything else seems doable. And lastly, the journal entries are really fun to read months and years after you wrote them. These little bits of personal history tell me a lot about where my head was not only as a writer.

At the writer's conference Jeffery Deaver gave a very funny talk using his past journal entries. I think some of them were embellished, creative license he is after all a writer, but because he is a very successful writer it was fun to listen to his entries when he wasn't so famous. It was all in there self-doubt, self-deprecation, humor, stories about the ways he procrastinated.

I recently found my own journal from 1993 that gave me some interesting story and poetry starters. But it also gave me detailed memories of a time 16 years ago I would have never remembered.

Today, if you have no idea how you would start journaling take one of Bernadette Mayer's ideas and just begin. This is a great list I found online when I was researching her poem, Midwinter Day.Now get back to work!

Lovingly,

The Writing Nag

Don't forget today, April 30th is National Poem in Your Pocket Day! Share poetry.

Win a Front of the Line Pass to Manta!

Did you know a group of manta rays are called a fever? That the manta ray is one of the five largest species of fish? That manta rays have blue or green eyes? That you could experience the thrill of the newest flying roller coaster and learn all about this amazing creature at Manta?

Opening May 22, 2009 at SeaWorld Orlando Manta is much more than just a thrilling roller coaster ride it's also a one-of-a-kind educational experience for everyone. Visit Ride Manta and see how you can participate in 6 different activities for your chance of a "front-of-the-line-pass" to the only flying roller coaster of its kind. These easy and fun activities include Twitter, quizzes, YouTube, filling your row and more!

Experience being strapped to the belly of a giant manta ray as you and 31 of your closest friends glide and spin through the air at high speed. Witness a giant Pacific octopus, a Southern Stingray, a Spotted Eagle Ray be immersed in a world of schooling tropical fish, sea dragons and amazing rays many rarely seen. Floor-to-ceiling aquariums offer a view of an exciting underwater world. SeaWorld Orlando is the only place you can experience this ride! Visit their site for photos, video clips, and the chance to win your "front-of-the-line-pass" at Manta!

Food for Thought

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. Voltaire

I just handed in my 1st packet of work which concentrated on food and poetry so I thought this quote was appropriate. And my semester continues...

I came across A Food Lover's Treasury which is a compilation of food in literature. I think its worth a read even if only to see how other writers write about food and how it can tell so much about place, setting, character, the times and so much more. One of my favorite quotes from the book is from P.J. O'Rourke's Bachelor Home Companion:

A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot it turns into wine, something Brussel Sprouts never do.

On that note I'll be back tomorrow with a writing prompt. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Take Up the Pen and Write

There are thousands of thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen and writes. ~William Makepeace Thackeray

Because I'm supposed to be finishing up my work for school I am doing everything else instead...organizing my pens, paperclips and papers, surfing the Internet, checking in with Facebook and Twitter etc. It will take me a couple of days to process all of the information of the conference but all in all it was a good weekend.

James N. Frey's 10 Rules of Writing

James N. Frey, award-winning teacher, author and most noted for How to Write A Damn Good Novel! was the keynote speaker last night at the Pikes Peak Writer's Annual Conference in Colorado Springs. A good choice. His speech was funny, honest, a little self-deprecating, but most of all inclusive. He welcomed all writers into the writing world and gave everyone some good words to ponder as they continue on their writing journey.

I found his 10 Rules of Writing online.


Today, if you were to write a list for newcomers to writing what would your list look like? Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

When you can call yourself a writer

And as to experience--well, think how little some good poets have had, or how much some bad ones have.
- Elizabeth Bishop

I'm taking a break from the writing conference to write this post. I usually enjoy conferences, the workshops, the new people, the different points of view, a group of people coming together and talking about one of my favorite subjects, creative writing.

Like every industry the publishing industry has rules and if you want to be published conferences are a great way to meet agents, editors and industry professionals. But its not the only way to be published. If you're persistant and passionate about your work you will succeed. Maybe all you require to be successful is a finished page in a journal no one will ever see. Or a poem on your fridge or a children's book you wrote just for your grandchild. I meet all of these people at the conference, people who will probably never seek commercial fiction publication but they are all still writers.

If you write you're a writer, you don't have to prove anything to anyone. When and if you are ready for publication don't let anyone stand in your way, writers write. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

FREE STUFF for Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

Goblin Market

"Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy:
Apples and quinces,
Lemons and oranges,
Plump unpecked cherries-
Melons and raspberries,
Bloom-down-cheeked peaches,
Swart-headed mulberries,
Wild free-born cranberries,
Crab-apples, dewberries,
Pine-apples, blackberries,
Apricots, strawberries--
All ripe together
In summer weather--
Morns that pass by,
Fair eves that fly;
Come buy, come buy;
Our grapes fresh from the vine,
Pomegranates full and fine,
Dates and sharp bullaces,
Rare pears and greengages,
Damsons and bilberries,
Taste them and try:
Currants and gooseberries,
Bright-fire-like barberries,
Figs to fill your mouth,
Citrons from the South,
Sweet to tongue and sound to eye,
Come buy, come buy."
Christina Rossetti

This is a small excerpt from Victorian poet Christina Rossetti's epic poem Goblin Market. You can find the whole text online. I am using this poem in my essay on food in poetry.

WOOF Contest Winners

WOOF Contest – Top Picks

Fiction

Jena Isle – “Was Love Meant to Last Forever?” - Is there such a thing as eternal love? A story of love's imperfections.

About Writing

Roy – “Getting back to poetry... my real reflection” - Rediscovering my love for poetry writing...

Izzy Daniels – “Maximizing Your Writing Time: Ideas! I need Ideas!” - Ways to come up with ideas for your writing, and maximizing your outline in order to avoid having to go back.

Poetry / Poetic Fiction

Zorlone – “Ancient Cities” - We are awed by the presence of astounding skyscrapers, sturdy bridges, and majestic monuments. They are in one way or the other influenced by the ancient cities from all over the world.

Deeptesh Sen – “Time Travel” - It's the creation of a surreal city which you can reach through your mirrors by means of time travel.The vehicle for this telepathic transport is a symphony.

Dragon Blogger – “Unlikeable” - A random word poem about a person who is simply unlikeable.

Gabriel Gadfly – “Shelter” - Two creatures cross paths at the junction of life and death.

Zorlone - “A Gentle Touch” - An intimate beauty of lovers sharing their passion for one another.

Brought to you by PlotDog Press with the Serial Suspense Screenplay "Intervention"

Presenting the finest of the writer’s blogs by the bloggers who write them. Highlighting the top posts as chosen by the April 17, 2009 WOOF Contest participants. Want in to join the next WOOF? The next contest ends April 24. Submit a link to your best writing post of the last 3 weeks using the form on this page.

Thoughts on the Subconscious-Part II

“It is only through your conscious mind that you can reach the subconscious. Your conscious mind is the porter at the door, the watchman at the gate. It is to the conscious mind that the subconscious looks for all its impressions.”

Robert Collier  (American motivational author, 1885-1950)

If you read part 1, I am using S.L. Stebel's book, Making Your Subconscious Your Partner in the Writing Process and Double Your Creative Power!

This morning I took out my piece of writing from April 9th.

Here's part II. Take a pen, pencil or highlighter and read your work, circling the words or words that leap out from the page.* When you are done, put the circled words on a new page and repeat the first process, writing at white hot speed without stopping to think. The words you have circled Stebel calls "trigger words' "messages from your subconscious from stories struggling to get out." Again when you are done put away the writing for at least a week. Repeating the process until you recognize when you should stop. At the end of the process, weeks or months you should have themes or story starters deep from your subconscious, words that need to be written.


*For me this was amazing, I didn't remember writing many of these words.
Today, if you haven't done this exercise I encourage you to do this. I've had this particular handout for at least 3 years, and I'm pretty stunned what words came up in part II. I will continue on with the exercise so look for updates. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Spring Snow Doesn't Last

Friday Morning




Sunday Afternoon

Underwood typewriter keys

Underwood typewriter keys
Originally uploaded by 3fold

Making Money with YouData

Because I'm on the Internet a lot, I hear about and dismiss many of the making money online sites, many of them are not worth the time or hassle and yes, I'm supposed to be writing! Many are scams or you have to give them personal information. So far my favorite has been eHow, they pay monthly through Paypal on time with no hassle and the minimum you have to make to get a payout is only $10.00 every month. This is unlike many of the writing sites where you have to make $25-$50 before they pay. On eHow I just read about this new site Youdata where you get paid to look at advertisements and a little bit more if you click through to the website...I just started yesterday but the word online is you make around $7-10 a week not very much but really easy money. I consider it coffee or new book money.

If you decide to try it please use my name because of course they have a referral program. I already got paid through PayPal today and I started yesterday. I just read they pay every Friday. I'll let you know after this month if its worth the time.

Spring Snow Storm

A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together! ~Author Unknown

We are in the middle of a spring snow storm, not unusual in Colorado but hard to believe its the 17th of April.Of course, I am grateful for the moisture but worried about the sweet pea, radish, spinach, and lettuce seeds I already planted. Hopefully they are tucked in safely. I imagine them huddled together wearing their Polartec and striped wool caps waiting to stretch out their slim green arms the next sunny day.

I am also working on my food/poetry essay and reading Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons, food poems. They are challenging to say the least. When I first read these poems I dismissed them. I didn't understand them and they frustrated me but my adviser encouraged me to go back and read them and to include them in this paper. My favorite this morning is Asparagus. Maybe because it reflects the day "wet wet weather wet."

Today, if you're not familiar with Gertrude Stein take a look at her food poems. Then try to write a food poem in the style of Gertrude Stein. Play with language, rhythm and sound. Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

All speckled with stars

"We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened." Mark Twain

For most children their first rhyming poem is "twinkle, twinkle little star". Looking up into a clear dark night, counting stars and finding constellations is a fascinating glimpse of our universe. Growing up in a city it was hard to see all of the constellations but the first time I went to a planetarium I was enthralled. Years later, on trips far away from the city lights I again experienced the wonder of the dark skies. With the help of a friend's telescope I saw constellations I only read about or saw at the planetarium many years before. At any age, a dark sky is both mysterious and exciting to explore. Studying astronomy brings us closer to understanding our world.
A recent essay in National Geographic spoke about the "light pollution", or the overuse of artificial light in cities that now causes many Americans to not be able to view the stars in the sky.
In Harmony, Florida the Dark Sky Festival brings the wonder of Astronomy to all of its visitors.
The festival includes speakers, scientists and astronomers, exciting exhibits, a Cosmic Kids Zone and of course the most important part a dark sky, perfect for stargazing. Harmony, Florida was specifically chosen because of their low "light pollution" rating. This free admission, free parking event is a great way to introduce your family to Astronomy and to celebrate the beauty of the stars. So if you're anywhere near Harmony, Florida on April 25th, 2009 join in on the fun!

Dark Sky Festival in Harmony Florida

Susan Boyle

There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, "Yes, I've got dreams, of course I've got dreams." Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yep, they're still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, "How good or how bad am I?" That's where courage comes in.
Erma Louise Bombeck

Susan Boyle had a lot of courage...

Never give up on your dreams, never, never, never.

The chasm between

Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression. The chasm is never completely bridged. We all have the conviction, perhaps illusory, that we have much more to say than appears on the paper. Isaac Bashevis Singer

When I do any kind of art work I feel this chasm the most. In my head my vision for my art piece is complete and beautiful...on the page it falls flat. Recently, I bought some new water color pencils, maybe I just need the right tools and then my art will be better. The pencils are beautiful but still the finished piece is lacking. Talking to my brother-in-law about this he says you just have to keep working on it, like writing the more you do it the better you become. It is hard to think he ever drew flat pieces like I do. But I think he's right. Practice, practice, practice...and on that note a prompt. Whenever I am stuck with the blank page these prompts seem to get my keys and/or pen in motion.

• I remember (in the style of Joe Brainard)
  
• I have eaten-(in the style of William Carlos Williams poem This is Just to Say)
• I am
• I believe
• I forgot
• I want
• I need
• I love
• I hate
• The last time
• The first time
• I felt
• I was about to
• In________ fill in the blank with a place or a year
• On Fridays
  

Today, take one of several of these prompts and freewrite for thirty minutes. In October a freewrite of "I remember" for Halloween yielded 3 pages and many amazing memories. Try it! Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Happy Easter!

For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born. ~Alice Freeman Palmer

How to be a Poet

Poetry is the journal of the sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air. Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the unknown and the unknowable. Poetry is a phantom script telling how rainbows are made and why they go away. Carl Sandburg, Poetry Considered

In honor of National Poetry Month I wrote my 30th article for eHow.

How to be a Poet.

I'll be back Monday with a writing prompt.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

More Thoughts on the Subconscious

"Any thought that is passed on to the subconsious often enough and convincingly enough is finally accepted."
Robert Collier

I did this exercise yesterday really early in the morning, before work, coffee or consciousness. Should be interesting. Give it a try tomorrow a.m. And check back in a week for step 2 of the exercise.This exercise is adapted from S. L. Stebel's book, Making Your Subconscious Your Partner in the Writing Process and Double Your Creative Power!

My subconscious and I had an agreement this year, I'll stop bad mouthing my writing and he'll step up and get my writing done. I feel pretty confident he's working hard for me right now.

Today, plan for step 1 of the exercise.

Step 1. As soon as you wake in the morning hit the keyboard or grab a pen and a notepad. Sit down where you normally write and without stopping to think, write at "white hot speed" put down everything. No editing. No censoring. Do not read back what you are writing, keep writing, let one word flow from another. Do not try to make sense. If you do the writing flow might be interrupted. Do not reread. Write fast and furiously, let one word trigger the next. Shut your editing and judging brain off there will be time for them later. It's time to let your subconscious take over. Keep writing until you feel a natural stop. Do not force it. The absolute minimum should be a page and a half, no maximum. If you find yourself in the flow keep writing until you feel the need to stop. This is not as easy as it sounds, you will want to reread, you will want to fix mistakes, you will want to edit. DON'T. Ray Bradbury calls this "vomiting on the page." Stebel suggests you don't take him literally. Just get everything out. And then do not read what you have written. If you want to follow this exercise it's important not to read what you just spewed on the page. Tuck it away. Let it sit, work on other stuff...until next week.*

*I did this yesterday and I really have very little recollection of what I wrote, it will be very exciting to take it out next week for Step 2 of the process. Go Subconscious!

Now get back to work!

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Clocks Slay Time

Clocks slay time...time is dead as long as it is being clicked of by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life. William Faulkner

I forgot how much effort it takes to fit in 26hours of school work in an already full work week. So it's Thursday and I don't know where all the days went. I hope to post this afternoon or this evening on a writing exercise from S.L. Stebel's book I referenced in an earlier post. It's good stuff so please stop back. Now I'm off to do two caterings.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Repetition and Emotion

"Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality."Earl Nightingale

I'm thinking my move to my new domain might take awhile so while I'm designing, adding, figuring out the WordPress world I will mirror the blog here. It feels like moving to a new home and I keep coming back here to check the drawers for missing socks and making sure that my neighbors know my new address and will come to the Open House. Weird how an online space can feel like home. Comfortable, cozy and difficult to break the ties.

During the residency I attended a workshop on novel writing. Even though I'm not currently working on a novel, I was curious what advice author, Ryan Boudinot would present. It was a motivating hour and a half. Not only to hear about his success, his novel will be published this September, but to hear about his failed novels the ones he wrote that will never be published and the lessons he learned from the process of writing a novel. He also talked alot about the subconscious and how this plays a very important part in writing. Yes, all that negative self-talk can thwart the writing process. This led me to this book I am adding to my study plan. Double Your Creative Power!: Make Your Subconscious a Partner in the Writing Process A book that will probably weave its way through all of my studies this semester.

To condense Ryan's advice into a post is a little difficult but what I got out of it is the following:

• stop the negative self-talk
  
• write regularly even if it's a page a day
  
• stop self-censoring
  
• don't use time as an excuse...there will never be enough time
  
• be persistent
  
• follow your gut when it comes to your work
  
• find an agent and a publisher that believes in your work and your vision
  
• don't give up your day job
  
• don't force the process
  

Today, think about how your subconscious could be your partner, what have you been telling yourself about your writing. Write down all the negative stuff and then shred it. How would your writing look if you thought you would be successful and published? What would you do different if you didn't have all of the excuses.

Now get back to work!

Lovingly,

The Writing Nag

And to answer Ian's question What made me decide to move? I want my own domain so I can put all of me in a site. A place for food writing, poetry, content writing, book recommendations, reviews, etc. I'm sure this will evolve over the next few years...but I hope you continue to follow The Writing Nag.

I'm Moving

“Moving on, is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard.” Dave Mustaine

Thanks to Yvonne The Writing Nag now has its own website. No more blogspot. Please change your bookmark to http://www.writingnag.com. I’m sure this will take awhile to get used to, I’ll be experimenting with new themes, adding new pages and making the site more user friendly. I’m also working on another site to be announced in the near future. Thanks for your patience as The Writing Nag moves out of her comfort zone. Now get back to work!

Please resubscribe to the Writing Nag at my new site.

Live the Life You Have Imagined

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams --

Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

I might need to take today off from everything, although work is unavoidable. I'm very grateful to be home and back in my space and ready to start a new semester.

Look for a new writing post tomorrow.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag

Images of Vermont-Spring 2009

I am often reminded that the wellspring of Vermont liberty flows from Main Street, not State Street.
James H. Douglas

Would You Like a Poem With That?

Having the laptop here has been wonderful, I can sit at my desk in the dorm room and work on my study plan really early or really late in my pajamas....and I thought it would help me to post more often which hasn't happened. The amount of information that I took in in the last week has been overwhelming and it will probably take about a week of being back home in my space to get it out to you. When I come back to my room after a full day of workshops, readings, adviser meetings and meals I am tired, really tired and often the last thing I want to do is post to my blog. We read last night which is always a little scary for me but since I got to read a collaborative poem with Yvonne it made it a lot less scary. The amount of talented people at Goddard is pretty amazing and I'm reminded of that every day...creative energy is very powerful.
The title of this post is the title of my very first published chapbook, a collaborative project that Phyllis, publisher of two poets press put together as part of her study plan last semester. It felt really good to see my name along with Yvonne's on a beautiful poetry chapbook. Thanks again Phyllis!
I hope to post once more before I leave Vermont.

Lovingly,
The Writing Nag