Monthly Archives: March 2017

WORDS WITH POTENTAIL

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WORDS WITH POTENTAIL

Natalie Bright

At last week’s critique meeting, we listened to a story that had been written many years ago. Even though this writer has improved greatly, it was solid—very entertaining and horrifying—we loved it! The potential is even greater based on the feedback. Written as a short story, it’s going to be part of an anthology. I think this author is on the right track by compiling several of her strongest short stories together in one publication. ( I can hardly wait to buy that book, Nandy Ekle!)
Whatever your work in progress might be, whatever fire is burning in your gut at this very minute, whatever idea deserves your attention, those words can become something entirely different in the future. Keep your mind open to the opportunities. For heaven’s sake, don’t delete it! Even bad writing has potential. You can’t edit a blank page. (Wish I had all of those stories and poems I wrote in college. I tossed that journal years ago.)
After I found my way back to writing, a story I wrote about a cowboy called Cecil was accepted in an anthology published by TCU Press almost 13 years later. There is no way I could have known that I would meet a ranch hand with the same name! Meeting the real-life, horse-riding cowboy named Cecil just added more depth and color to my short story. It needed work and it needed a critique from WordsmithSix peeps, for sure. The story became better because of my experiences a decade later. With the help of my critique group, that short story became good enough for publication.
You may be at a point in your writing when it seems rejection is a clear message to give up your dreams of becoming a published author. The very first words by David Morrell, creator of Rambo, keeps echoing through my brain after I heard his talk at an Oklahoma conference,

“Don’t question the why.”

I share this because I have spent, actually wasted, too many years questioning the why. And now I’m asking myself, why for different reasons. Why didn’t I finish that book? I’m staring at a stack of sticky notes and marked up articles for blog ideas, so why didn’t I write them? There’s no way that I could have known back in 1999 that I’d need material in 2017 for two blogs and three orgnizational newsletters. I would have never imagined that I’d have a talented critique group who could boost my confidence and my words. The struggle to write never ceases. Now I’m faced with a part-time day job that will probably go back to full-time soon, and I’ll be frustratingly juggling writing time. What crazy life is this? Opps, there I go again—questioning the why.

The story is in us. The story picked us. We can’t possibly know why. I have to keep reminding myself to stop stressing and find joy in the process.

“Every story I’ve written was written because I had to write it. Writing stories is like breathing for me, it is my life.”
RAY BRADBURY

Find Natalie’s blogs and articles here:
Blogging every Monday about writing life at wordsmithsix.com
Blogging every Friday about the Texas Panhandle at “Prairie Purview”. Read her blogs at nataliebright.com or on the Amazon Author page.
Sign up for here for the newsletter: nataliebright.com
Natalie is editor of “The Window”, the official newsletter of one of the oldest writing organizations in the country, Texas High Plains Writers, org. 1920 in Amarillo, Texas. Here’s the link. panhandleprowriters.org.

The Saturday Morning Blogger – Continuous vs. segmented

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The Saturday Morning Blogger – Continuous vs. segmented

James Barrington

I have written five previous novels. None have been published. I hope I am learning with each successive effort. While the idea of having a legion of fans of my writing is appealing, I have found each effort personally rewarding whether they ever leave the confines of my hard drive or not. In each of my earlier efforts, I have essentially written from start to finish as ideas flowed, but in my current effort I’m finding that the ideas are coming in interconnected but not continuously flowing patterns.

Perhaps my disjointed story segments result from the nature of the story – a twenty-year class reunion being the “current day” and the events of the intervening years laying background to peel back the layers of motivation and character interrelationships. As I mentally “see” action unfolding, my mind begins telling me the roots of the latest developments.

I’m finding this technique challenging, but stimulating at the same time. Mainly I’m finding it a great opportunity to put more depth to each character. I believe it will produce a better product in the end. I’m also finding the wordsmithsix critique group extremely helpful in keeping me grounded with suggestions and questions that I realize I should have already considered.

The Texas High Plains Writers will be meeting today (March 18) at The Oasis on Canyon Drive at 9:30 a.m. For anyone interested in writing, there are always great ideas, great information, and great fellowship. See you there!

Echoes of the Day

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

 Echoes of the Day

“I saw her again today.” You hear this uttered between friends.  You’re not part of the conversation, but the phrase works its way into your ears as if it was aimed there. The rest of the day you walk around repeating it over and over. You have no idea who “she” is or when the last time “she” was seen. But the words echo through your imagination until you develop some sort of picture and story.

Sometimes just a simple phrase will catch your attention and stay bouncing around your brain. You listen to it whisper inside your head over and over and marvel at the sounds and meanings of the words.  You consider all the different things it could have meant. Eventually you realize that there are as many stories as there are meanings of the phrase.

As writers, our job is to find the story that best fits the meaning of the day’s magic phrase.  When such a story is discovered, use the provocative phrase as your starting sentence and watch the rest of the story appear on your page.

Congratulations!  You have just received a post card from the muse.

Nandy Ekle

Favorite Poems

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Favorite Poems

by Adam Huddleston

 

Some time back, I wrote a blog concerning poetry. It discussed the benefits of writing poetry for the average author. As I reread it, I noticed that I failed to mention a few of my favorite poems. Since poetry is a very subjective art form, these particular verses may fail to “float your boat” but, to each their own.

In no particular order: “The Road not Taken” by Robert Frost, “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, “The Wreck of the Hesperus” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll, and “Two Dead Boys” a nonsensical poem by an unknown author.

I suggest giving these poems a read, and if you don’t care for them, keep exploring the wide world of poetry until you find some that you do.

Happy writing (and reading)!

 

Old Friends

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Outtakes 282

Old Friends

By Cait Collins

 

 

I’m in the process of cleaning out my study. You see, by book shelves are overflowing with books from history and science to children’s picture books. My niece claims I hoard books. Of course I do. Books have their own personalities. Each one has a voice. A spirit. And a life. They hold a place in my heart.

You see, as a teenager, I was a bit awkward and shy. I was Twiggy in a Lana Turner world. Books were my friends. They accepted me, made me feel important when I absorbed the knowledge they provided. They comforted me when my sister was out with friends and I was left behind. I’m not angry or sorry for those days. I found the joy in knowledge. I became a trivia queen.

At a young age I was familiar with Shakespeare and Tennessee William and Eugene O’Neil. I attempted to read Mein Kempf, Hitler’s autobiography. I loved geology. I could recognize rocks and minerals. Spy novels fascinated me. James Bond was a favorite character. Grimm’s Fairy Tales were nothing like Disney tales.

And I started writing. I’m still writing. And I’m still reading.

And I’m still sorting books in my book shelves. Some will go to the public library for their fund raiser. The children’s books can be donated to Ronald McDonald House. And some I will keep. They are the special books. The ones that still have me reaching for them to read again and again. Of course I’ll add new books to the shelves. But I’ll always have dear friends resting in my library.

How long has it been since you reread a favorite book? That long, huh? Why not revisit that old friend? After all, true friendship lasts a lifetime.

Writing Quote

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Do Readers Care about Your Rants?

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Do Readers Care about Your Rants?

Natalie Bright

I discovered a new author! To be honest it has been several, but I want to blog about one in particular. I found this author through a $1.99 special eBook promotion. There’s a lot to love about those glorious special promotions on Amazon, BookBub, Kobo, FreeBooksy, even GoodReads. There is no greater joy as a reader than to discover an author, that’s new to me, with an entire blacklist. This particular author writes stories rich with historical detail and senses of the time period, and the characters are deeply developed. And even better, this author has written a how-to book on writing. I’m jumping with joy!

Turning to social media as a reader and new fan, I want to learn more about this writer’s inspiration and process. Of course there is a website, blog and even several podcast interviews. Good stuff. And then there is Twitter. This author’s twitter feed is jammed with political rants and reTweets along with vicious opinions. Personal opinions and observations include numerous comments about how ignorant “ALL of the voters” are who voted for the other candidate. Obviously a person passionate about our political situation, but as a new reader do I really care?

Whether I agree or not, I absolutely respect the right to sound off. However as I new fan, I have to take pause and wonder about posting a book review. I can’t decide if I’ll buy another book from this author. As an Indie author and business owner, I must pass on recommending the how-to book on writing. Th is isn’t mildly stating an opinion. The heated and sometimes vulgar opinions by this particular author permeates their platform. I’m very sad.

On the other hand, will this even reflect back on me? Perhaps I’m over-reacting?

On my personal Facebook, as I’ve blogged about before, I get likes and comments from extreme liberals directly followed by comments from extreme conservatives, and everyone in between. I like that. It makes for an interesting mix of people I call friends. I have over 3,500 followers on Twitter. I’m sure they are not all of like mind.

An indie authors, we have opportunities to reach potential readers on a worldwide scale. If you are active on various platforms or maybe you guest blog on someone’s site, most likely you may connect with readers from all cultural backgrounds, political leanings, and spiritual beliefs.

As a business owner and Indie Author, you want to reach and connect with as many readers as possible, so why would you want to offend them before they’ve even given your work a chance?

These are crazy, crazy times.

Do you stop buying books from authors who expresses views differently from yours?

 

The Saturday Morning Blogger – Burrowing Owl Books on the Square in Canyon

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The Saturday Morning Blogger – Burrowing Owl Books on the Square in Canyon

James Barrington

For anyone who has not yet discovered the Burrowing Owl Bookstore on the east side of the square in Canyon, it is a shop worth visiting. Dallas and Todd Bell own the store, but Todd’s duties as a medical doctor ensure than most of the office hours at Burrowing Owl are kept by Dallas – and her mother and daughters.

They have an eclectic variety of new and used books. For the kids, the doors of a wardrobe open to provide entrance to the kids’ books section. My 12-year-old granddaughter and I have already explored it a few times and made purchases there.

The shelves are arranged to make browsing easy, but if you know exactly what you want, odds are good that Dallas can take you right to it. They even take trade-in on your used books with credit toward purchases of other used books.

It reminds me in many ways of the “Shop around the corner” from “You’ve Got Mail.”

With a new snap of cooler weather, it’s a great place to pick up a book for reading in front of your fireplace!

Keep reading! It gives you great ideas for your own great American novel.

Gimmicks

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Gimmicks

By Nandy Ekle

As a horror/thriller writer I read a lot of horror stories and thriller stories. I’ve been told I’m an adrenaline junkie, and that may true. I just love a story with lots of deep layers, tortured main characters, a little action, a little (okay, a lot) of mystery and scary, and tons of surprises.

But as much as I love these things, sometimes I feel like I’m in a rut. I look through my library and pay attention to what I mostly look at in the bookstores and realize most of my reading material is basically all the same. And really and truly, I have to admit half of it did not deliver what the synopsis on the back of the book promised. So I get leery of starting another book with same formula to end up disappointed.

Not too long ago, I found myself in a rut so deep I had completely stopped reading and writing. So on a trip to the bookstore where a friend of mine was having a book signing for her latest book, I shopped for something new. I was convinced something light and fast, humorous and glamorous would be the answer to my dilemma.

So I found a cute little cozy mystery. A cozy mystery is a mystery story that’s very light hearted. There might be a murder, but it’s not tragic, except for the person murdered. The one I bought the murdered person follows the main character around through the whole story helping her solve the mystery of her death. And there’s another ghost of a murdered person from a previous story as well.

One thing I didn’t do before I bought the book was look at the first page. If I had I would have seen that the book is full of gimmicks. The writer shamelessly tries to get the reader’s attention by using sarcasm. As the narration and dialog is so unnatural it’s actually quite distracting from the story.

I’ve always said you can learn something from every book you read, even the not great books. And the thing I’ve learned from this book is to not use gimmicks. You should make your narration and dialogue flow naturally, and that will keep the reader’s attention much better than a gimmick.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

Literary Terms

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Literary Terms

by Adam Huddleston

 

Many weeks, the subject of my blog involves literary terms or devices. You may wonder, “Does Adam possess that great of an inventory of knowledge that he can spout out definitions and examples of these topics?”

I say, “Nay.” Allow me to impart the sources of my weekly knowledge.

Two excellent websites: www.literarydevices.net and www.literary-devices.com are full of excellent definitions and examples. Although the lists may not be exhaustive, for my intents and purposes, they definitely suffice. I hope these resources will help you in your craft.

Happy writing!