“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” (Margaret Atwood) I’m struggling to write a story now. I love to write. I have always wanted to write. I have always been writing something since I was ten years old and maybe before. I like the feel of a pen in my hand, a notebook open in …
Looking Ahead to Writing Goals in 2012
“Never believe in mirrors or newspapers.” (John Osborne – British playwright and producer 1929-1994) Last Wednesday I looked back at 2011. I think it’s good to take stock of where you’ve been but it’s even better to look ahead to where you’re going. A writer can hang onto the last story too long sometimes and not reach out for the new …
Editing – Theirs and Mine – Part 2
All right, I admit it. This page is from way back when I used to write on the typewriter. Pre-computer days. The dark ages. But I kept this and used to carry it with me when I did school talks to demonstrate to the kids that editing is vital to making your story readable. I never did the cut and …
Enthusiam and Yeast in Fiction
“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars.” ~ Henry Ford I came across this great quote on Facebook the other day. I started to repost it, but then I wanted to say more than the FB police let me say. I always want to say more than …
Happy Possibilities
Where do you feel happy? And if you found such a place, how often would you make every effort to go there? This would be a place where you would feel loved and worthy and safe and engaged in life. No boredom there. No hard testing. Except, of course, some of us are happiest when faced with challenges that we …
You Know You Live in the Boonies when..
You know you live in the boonies when the only tracks on your road are from the mailman’s car. You know their slogan. Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor dark of night or something like that will delay the mail. There have been a few times the mailman didn’t make it back our road, but most of the time …
Live in the Sunshine
–Live in the sunshine – that’s a phrase out of a song the Patriot Quartet sang last night at their homecoming that so caught my imagination I put it on my Facebook page and now I’m putting it here. What great advice! Live in the sunshine of hope and joy and leave behind the shadows of doubts and fear. –Today …
You Don’t Sell a Dream
Yesterday was Derby Day, and here in Kentucky that’s almost like a national holiday. I’ve heard it said that every Kentuckian should attend at least one Derby, but I know a lot of us that haven’t and probably never will except via television. They do some great coverage on t.v. which is fine by me. I can’t imagine being out …
Writing That First Draft
Hi everybody. How do you like my new look? On the blog page, that is. I was tired of that brown wallpaper. You’re probably thinking that’s just like a woman to want to rearrange furniture. Not me. I set a piece of furniture down it stays there forever unless I’m having company and have to move it to clean the …
Getting Back in Gear
It’s been a strange winter for writing. You’d think winter time would be the best time for writing. No sunshine to beckon you outdoors to put your hands in the dirt and plant something. No Spring Fever to make you want to go fishing or clean something like windows. Unfortunately those are two fevers I never get. I’ve been fishing …