STOP

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STOP 

By Sharon Stevens

This last weekend my husband and I decided to take off for a long weekend. Even though we needed to get away, with the price of gas we knew we couldn’t go too far. So yet again we chose the same old journey that has provided refuge for our family over the years. Even though we didn’t think we would be doing much fishing we packed the tackle box and fishing gear just the same. Monument Lake Colorado here we come.

Our excitement continued to build as we got closer to our destination. The colors began to change the farther we traveled. The air was lighter, and so was our hearts. The road wound through the familiar countryside. Oh, if only our children, our families, and our friends had been with us. So many times they had come along to keep us company in years past, and filled our soul with the kind of memories that kept us warm however cold a winter’s night. Actually my husband and I were sort of lonely, with just the two of us along for the ride. How would we keep each other company over the next three days?

But after we got to the lake, and once my husband threw his line into the water it didn’t take long for us to go our separate ways. Forget any kind of relationship bonding. We both knew we needed to refresh ourselves. To each his own.

As usual while he fished, I wandered. I wondered and marveled and rejoiced to see all the beautiful creation that welcomed me. I smelled leaves, and grass. I heard birds twittering and elk calling. I felt the breeze brush my face. The last of the wildflowers and the ever green pines filled my head with the scents of autumn, the last before blizzards buried the smell till the coming spring.

And the colors! How could anyone describe the colors? There were no words for every shade of red, orange, green, yellow and every hue in between. I turned my camera this way and that and took pictures from every angle, with every light and shadow I could fathom.

And this brings me to my thoughts as a writer. Everywhere I go I take a picture of a sign. This may be a STOP sign, or a yield sign, or a directional sign, or one advising of speed limits, or a twist or a turn. These metal fixtures are there in my camera as a constant reminder…a reminder of what?

Once they are downloaded they are in my computer forever. Later when I come across them as a slide show I can relive them again and again, in my heart and in my soul, and with every fiber of my being. I never know when these may help me to STOP for just a moment, and reflect on what I am really trying to say. Or maybe it’s my character’s way of saying not to go down that path, but to choose another. Or it could be my psyche’s way of reminding me I need to take a break for myself or my story, to stave off getting too bogged down with the nitty-gritty. Or it could be God’s way of saying to take a minute and remember HIS Creation. Every sign may have the same word, but the message may carry a different meaning.

And as a final thought, when this symbol comes across, it could be a sign that I need to get up from my laptop, go find my husband, and tell him how much I love him. If I follow the direction printed on the sign, I can remind him how much he is appreciated. With love I can thank him for taking me for a weekend getaway, driving hundreds of miles, burning expensive fuel, spending his (our) hard earned money for a night’s stay in a hotel, and blowing our food budget by eating out again and again. Even though I did let him fish, how wonderful it was that he would drive all that way just so I could STOP for the briefest of moments, and capture countless pictures of every STOP sign at every intersection.

After all, he ever so gently reminds me, each one says the same thing.

The Business Card

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Outtakes 64

 

The Business Card

By Cait Collins

Let’s face it, business cards are a must. Can you imagine a salesman going to meet a new client and forgetting to bring his business cards? Talk about a major mistake. That little card is your signature. It represents you and your work. But what if you had a more visible signature piece?

My writer friend, Dee, received the best gift from her kids. It’s a royal blue cloth purse depicting the classic monsters: The Wolfman, The Mummy, Dracula, and Frankenstein’s monster. Strangers walk up to her and ask “Were did you get that purse?” “Why monsters?” Then she introduces herself and says, “I write horror.” The purse opened the door to promoting Dee’s work. She can go on to engage the potential reader as to his likes and dislikes, what frightens him, his go-to authors. She’s hooked a fan. If it works with fans, just think the impact that bag will have when meeting agents and editors.

Every writer has some item that sets them apart from the crowd. I have a collection of antique and contemporary lizard broaches. I wear them when shopping my novels.  The creature glittering on my shoulder creates interest and might lead to an invitation to submit the work. I began collecting the lizards after hearing the legend of the well-loved lizard becoming a dragon to protect its owner. I still wear one of the pins in situations where I feel I might need an edge. They are a conversation starter.

No matter how well written or unique the story, marketing and promotion are necessary. A prop might help a more timid author to open up and enthusiastically promote the project. I’m not suggesting a cheesy prop or outlandish get-up. Use something simple and in keeping with the setting. Accessories such as jewelry, Dee’s purse, or a rodeo belt buckle just might give you an edge. I’m certain Dee doesn’t mind folks associating her purse with her writing. And I really don’t mind an agent referring to me as the lizard lady as long as he remembers the title of my book.

I Admit It; I’m an Outliner.

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I Admit It; I’m an Outliner.

By Rory C. Keel

It is generally accepted among writers that there are two categories of writers: outliners and non-outliners, otherwise known as “plotters and pantsers.”

While non-outliners, or pantsers, fly by the “seat of their pants” when writing, the plotter or outliner does just what the name implies, we make an outline.

Make an outline.

When your writing begins, make a brief outline of the story you want to create. It doesn’t need to be a formal outline with roman numerals and such, but a basic list of plot points. It can be very general or elaborately detailed, either way you know the direction you want to take your story.

Benefits of Outlining

There are several benefits in outlining.

  1. It allows you to know where you’re going.
  2. It allows you to see the balance of a story at a glance.
  3. Keeps you from chasing dead ends.
  4. Helps in determining the POV of your story.

If you are struggling with writer’s block, try outlining the rest of your story to move you forward.

Why do You Write? – Keeping the Big Picture in Sight

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Middle Grade Monday

Why do You Write?

Keeping the Big Picture in Sight

By Natalie Bright

So, why do you write?

I don’t mean the reasons that we hear most people repeat: they want an agent to get a big publisher for a big book deal and a big movie deal so they’ll make major bucks and then retire to their massive beach front property. I honestly don’t believe that’s motivation enough to put oneself through the endless torture of trying to write. It’s the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life.

What about the gutt-wrenching, down in your soul reason you’ve never told anyone, ever. If everything suddenly went to ePublishing and all books were free and there was no way whatsoever that you could ever make money writing, would you still write? I’d like to think that most of you would, because you haven’t lost sight of the big picture.

The Big Picture: Story, Story, Story

Story is the reason. It’s the oldest form of human entertainment. Down through the ages, “tell me a story” has brought countless generations together. From the time we were youngsters, we remember stories that spoke to us and left their imprint in our brains or hearts. Agents, editors, publishers, book packagers, book stores, book buyers  and now the ePublishing world all gravitate around a need for quality work. It’s all about story.

Who Holds the Key

Writers are the key to this process. The successful writers I know are continuously learning and improving upon the craft, and they have a zillion ideas in their head, just not enough hours in the day.

Falling in Love with Your Work

It saddens me to meet writers who have lost sight of the big picture. They have talent, amazing ideas that I’d be thrilled to see as a book, and they are very capable, yet they’ve very much attached to their work and remain steadfast to argue and justify instead of moving forward.

I understand that you may not agree with others opinions. That’s okay. In the end, remember that it’s your work and you can write it however you want. I’ve discovered that most writers and editors and agents tend to be very generous people. They enjoy helping others reach their dreams.

When someone says “I have this story”, my first instinct is elation. I want to grab it up, I want to read your story, I want to love your work, and I want to help you make it better. People who work in publishing have never lost sight of the big picture and know that there’s always a better word or phrase. There’s always a better way to tell the tale.

So Why Be Snarky?

Here’s a thought; don’t submit your story to a critique group, editors or agents if you don’t want to know what’s wrong. Don’t waste other people’s time by asking for advice that you never have any intention of following. It’s okay to be completely and absolutely in love with your work. Treasure it, keep it safe in a beautifully padded box, but don’t make copies and don’t ask me to read it.

Honest opinions are golden in this business, so why do writers waste their creative energy fuming and fussing over opinions when they’ve solicited said opinions? Let me repeat, in the end, it’s your work and you can write it however you want.

Listen, Learn, Find the Magic

For me, once I was able to really hear the feedback without argument and move past the fear of chopping off the fish head or rewriting parts that didn’t fit, then I understood even more about the writing process.

The story will take over and empower you and you’ll know why you write.

My hope is that you’ll realize you write because you want your story to be the best that it can be, and it will entertain, teach, touch a heart, or make a life-long impression on a reader. And you’ll know when it’s ready.

In short, the big picture of this maddening process:  you write because there’s a story burning deep in the core of your being, and no one can tell it like you.

www.nataliebright.com

Clean Your Plate

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Clean Your Plate

By Nandy Ekle

You sit at the table and the food server brings you a plate with several wonderful looking foods. You like the chicken, the squash, the potatoes, the salad. Your entire plate is full of food and you pick up your fork and start to eat. Then someone next to you finishes their food and their dessert is served to them. That’s when you realize you have too much food. What was a great dinner has now become a drag. So you start to stuff the food in your mouth just to get your plate clean enough for the dessert.

Writing is a little like that. You are involved in several projects that you enjoy doing.  When out of the blue, the muse comes back with a great story line. She’s got a clever beginning, an air-tight plot, and a punch-in-the-gut ending and she’s giving it all to you on a silver platter. But the tasks you normally savor have now become drudgery.

Time for concentration. You want your work to be quality, but you want it to be quick. So, the only choice you have is to buckle down and get it done. Getting all the other projects out of the way will make your actual writing experience all the more exciting.

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

PHONE HOME

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PHONE HOME

By Sharon Stevens

 

“The only hope is at home.”

Matt Laur

Recently on a trek out of town my husband and I stopped at a convenience store in Clayton New Mexico. As always I picked up the local newspaper and came across an article from fifty years ago dated October 3, 1962.

Operators of the local telephone company quickly rushed Mrs. Brown, and Jeanine Brown, sister of Charles G. Brown, to the R.E.A. office. On three extension phones the family had a fine time visiting for 22 minutes with Charles, stationed 450 miles north of Tokyo on the Korean front lines. Charge for the 22-minute (phone) conversation was $88 plus taxes, which made for the total of $105.60. The Browns think it was worth it.  

Without a doubt I know what transpired. When the call came in one of the office workers was sent on a mission to locate Mrs. Brown and Jeanine. They may have been at the dry good store, the soda or the beauty shop or any of the other shopping opportunities. Wherever they roamed in town someone was able to find, and then rush them to the office for the long distance chat with a loved one so far away.

Oh the wonder and beauty of small town life!

Today at the Buffalo Bookstore Connor Woods, a young WTAMU student on staff with The Prairie came in researching information about local authors and writers. Within minutes we had pulled articles and books from the entire panhandle area and shared the rich treasury that surrounds us.

This reminded me of the time when I was working on our heritage project fifteen years ago. I had visited with LaRae Scott at the Canyon Public Library. Within the hour she had pulled over 300 sites so that I could link to the research I was interested in.

As writers we can visit with anyone at any time about some facet of our story. There will be someone, somewhere that can connect us further or lead us in the right direction. Every person at our public, college, or museum libraries will guide us with the information not only at their fingertips, but also within their heart. Many have a passion that just cries for expression.

This week celebrates the release thirty years ago of Steven Spielburg’s, “E.T.” and Elliot’s ride across the moonlit sky so the Extra Terrestrial could PHONE HOME. I wonder if it would have taken E.T. so long to get to his destination if they had visited a local librarian and researched how to call his family. How much would it have been worth if they enlisted the help of someone knowledgeable.

And a reminder that we will be celebrating Homecoming week for WTAMU. The theme for this year is COME HOME and reminds alumni and community alike to return to gather together on behalf of our college and its rich heritage and legacy.

Come enjoy the Homecoming parade, Fair on the Square and all the festivities Canyon has to offer. It will be well worth it. After all, we are already Home.

The Politicians

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Outtakes 63

 The Politicians

 By Cait Collins

These days you just can’t escape it. Turn on the television and you are bombarded by political ads. The news media spends 95% of the program reporting who said what, who lied, and who flip-flopped. It almost makes you want to unplug the TV until after Election Day. But if we were to do that, we’d miss some really great characters. Think about all the flaws and flubs; the wow and brilliant. Some of it is really sad, and other times you just shake your head in disbelief. Or you think, “I wish I had thought of that comeback.”

I find it easier to write scenes with corrupt politicians. The bad guys are everywhere. They are not unique to one party. All political parties have their less than honorable candidates. They plot and scheme their way into office. They can be subtle or overtly evil. They kiss babies and in the next breath throw an underling under the bus. You got to love these guys even while you hate them. They make good reading.

On the other hand, there’s something to be said for the incorruptible candidate. He’s the baby-faced guy who doesn’t look old enough to shave. The opposition considers him clueless or simple. Don’t be fooled by the innocence. Our guy is brilliant. He masks his determination and ability with a broad smile and hearty handshake. His opponent smirks thinking the goody-two-shoes has no chance to win. He underestimates Mr. Smooth and paves the road to his own down fall.

So here’s your challenge. Pick an elected office. It doesn’t have to be a national position. Your candidates may vie for any office. Write two character sketches; one for the sleaze and one for I-aim-to-please. Avoid the clichés and cardboard characteristics. You want the candidates to have depth and layers. Trade the sketches with critique partners and friends and have them cast ballots for their favorites. May the best man win.

A child can ask a million questions.

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A child can ask a million questions.

by Rory C. Keel

We encourage children to ask questions because it indicates that a child wants to learn and fill his mind with knowledge. This is the way they develop the skills to reason and the ability to know about the world that surrounds them. To a parent though, there is one question that can grate on every last nerve. “Why?”

The question “why” can cause various reactions in adults, from a simple frown to a severe nervous tick, and sometimes bordering on the edge of insanity, especially when it’s repeated like bullets from a machine-gun, “Why is this…? Why does he…? Why did it…? Why? Why? Why?”

Why does this question aggravate parents? Because we feel obligated to answer every “why.” Yet we may not have the answer. Our mind is forced to think rapidly.

What does this have to do with writing?

Ask questions

Asking questions will bring out specific information that will bring your writing to life.

As you begin the research on your story idea ask the question, “What if…?” about every detail of your story and keep a list.

What if the (main character) is a male or female, alien or animal?

What if the sky is cloudy or clear?

What if it is hot or cold?

Write down every question and answer that comes to mind, even if it seems “off-the-wall” weird.

When you have run out of “What if…?” questions ask, “What is expected?” And in turn ask, “What is unexpected?”

These questions will beg you to answer them and force you to open your mind to endless possibilities to create and keep your story moving along.

Do you feel compelled to answer all the questions?

 

A Writer Writes

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Middle Grade Mondays

A Writer Writes

Burn the Candle at Both Ends if You Have To

By Natalie Bright

NYTimes and USA Today bestselling novelist and author of 37 books spoke at the Frontiers in Writing dinner in Amarillo this past summer, an event sponsored by Panhandle Professional Writers.

Jodi Thomas [www.jodithomas.com] talked about the changing landscape of writing. “I started a career as a home economics teacher, thinking that there would always be a need for Home Ec Teachers. Then I turned to writing. The first book I tackled was an historical novel, thinking that there would always be a fan base for that genre.”

Today she finds herself in the middle of fulfilling a contract for a contemporary series taking place in her fictitious Texas town of Harmony.  What started out as a trilogy has turned into at least a seven book series, and possibly eleven.

Today’s changing landscape of the publishing industry offers many opportunities for writers and it all boils down to a writer writes. She encouraged us to treat writing like we would any other job. Set a schedule, make and meet daily writing goals, don’t complain that your family doesn’t understand. Jodi said, “If it’s important to you, then it’s your job to make them understand.”

Today’s changing marketplace is one of the best times to be a writer. The markets are exploding and the demand for creative people has never been greater. “Set your own time to write and burn the candle at both ends.” Jodi told us.  “For some of us we’re not running away from life by writing—we’re running towards it. Do what you love even if it’s not going to be easy.”

She left us with a verse from a poem by Edna Vincent Millay:

My candle burns at both ends

It will not last the night

But oh my foes and oh my friends

It gives a lovely light

 Natalie Bright

www.nataliebright.com

NANO NANO

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

NANO NANO

By Nandy Ekle

It’s almost here! I can feel it in the air and smell it everywhere I go. There are whispers of excitement all over the world! Writers everywhere are gearing up, tucking in, researching, outlining, planning, reading, listening to music, dancing, whatever else they do to get ready for National Novel Writing Month.

November has been deemed National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, also affectionately known as NaNo. And what a month of adventures this has come to be. For thirty days a writer is encouraged to live totally inside their story. If you join the website, which, by the way, is absolutely free, you can register as a writer and meet thousands of other writers, make new writer friends, and converse about writing things twenty-four hours a day. But that’s only a small part of NaNo.

The goal of every November is to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. This actually can be done with a lot of discipline, commitment, perseverance and support from those around you. Yes, the 40-hour a week job still has to be done so you can buy groceries and soap to do the laundry that also still has to be done. But the rest of your waking hours, and some of your sleeping hours, will go into the story you have been waiting all year to put down on paper during this adventurous month.

The rules are simple. Write a novel of at least 50,000 words. It must be a brand new piece of work, meaning not one single word of the story has been written before. You are allowed to research and outline before you begin, but not actually start the story. And believe me, you will want to do as much research before November first as you can so that the rest of your time will be for writing.

It’s a very fun, challenging and exciting month. The work you produce will in no way be publishable, but it will be a novel-length manuscript giving you something to build on. The NaNo site even has a list of published books that were written as NaNo books.

Go to  http://www.nanowrimo.org to register. Look around and search for Nandy Ekle. I’ll need all the support I can get!

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