tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66141643555861805212024-03-19T18:12:17.097+10:30eWriteLife - On Living the Creative Writing LifeCreative writing ideas, prompts, projects and more for writers of every type.Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-57704833967307692792010-04-13T23:13:00.001+09:302010-04-13T23:13:35.545+09:30Writing Prompt 1: "I"<p><b>Today, start a sentence that begins with "I"...</b></p>
<p>Then, start another one. And another. And again, write "I..."</p>
<p>Keep going for at least ten minutes.</p>
<p>Don't stop. Don't edit. Don't think. Just write. See where it leads you.<br /></p>
<p>Save your work.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-62196810304234630742010-04-02T18:45:00.000+10:302010-04-02T18:45:15.732+10:30On Memoir Writing with Linda Joy Myers (Author Interview)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3SDIfrjNEGF4tPRYUtP9SkAT_6YIAs9hgr5_ACycyesl4EVJJuQ57HCGfZPGr8VxIUT559gb09EIlN3TMPOuHuE7-TtVKf4DHEjhqxJiPCrKFteCDQvyFtG-srDEXBh-plOg6bnnPko/s1600-h/lindaAuthorPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3SDIfrjNEGF4tPRYUtP9SkAT_6YIAs9hgr5_ACycyesl4EVJJuQ57HCGfZPGr8VxIUT559gb09EIlN3TMPOuHuE7-TtVKf4DHEjhqxJiPCrKFteCDQvyFtG-srDEXBh-plOg6bnnPko/s200/lindaAuthorPic.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Linda Joy Myers, Author of "The Power of Memoir"</i></td></tr>
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It has been some time since we shared an author interview. Today, we're doing one for <a href="http://women-on-writing.com/"><b>WOW</b></a>'s Blog Tour, featuring memoir writing specialist, Linda Joy Myers. <br />
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<b>In typical social media fashion, can you tell us something about you in 140 characters or less?</b><br /><br /><i>Healer-therapist career for 30 yrs, began my memoir w/painting and poetry. Love reading and books & helping writers; started NAMW to help memoirists. </i><br />
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<b>So, how are things going with the promotion of your latest book, "The Power of Memoir"? Any interesting stories you'd like to share?</b><br /><br /><i>Great! I’ve enjoyed meeting so many new people on my blog tour this month, and sharing ideas with them about memoir writing. We have had a wonderful response to some of the topics—writing the truth, balancing the dark and light stories, and the current research about writing as a healing tool. From the many comments I received, I think that reading my articles and interviews gave people more permission to capture their personal stories, and helped them understand that the process of writing a memoir has a life of its own. It can’t be hurried, nor does it help to approach it entirely in a technical way. The heart of a memoir is your own heart, relationships, and the tragedies and comedies of life. People on the blogs connected with me and each other, and it was fun! </i><br />
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<b>For those who may have not read your book yet, can you tell us a brief description/summary of the book?</b><br /><br /><i><iframe align="right" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=indigoinn&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0470508361&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The Power of Memoir is a groundbreaking book that presents a step-by-step program using memoir writing on the journey of emotional and physical healing. By drawing on the eight steps outlined in the book, people can learn how to choose the significant milestones of their lives and weave together a meaningful personal story. They will discover how writing important truths and shaping their life narratives can help change their brains and their lives. Psychological issues are addressed such as family dynamics, roles, and rules, the psychology of writing a memoir, and balancing dark and light stories. Skills such as building scenes and creating the narrative arc are useful not only to write well, but to facilitate the healing process. A discussion about agents and the publishing process gives readers practical tips for taking their memoir into the larger world. Chapters on meditations and affirmations help the writer conquer the inner critic, and one chapter is specifically directed toward therapists, helping them learn how to use writing to help clients heal trauma and resolve family issues.</i><br /><br /> <b>Who is this book for? Why should people read it?</b><br /> <br />
<i>The book is for anyone who wants to learn how to begin a memoir. The turning point and timeline techniques, scene development, and a chapter on creating the dramatic arc of narrative give memoir writers a good grounding in how to think about their memoir, how they might begin, and how to structure it. <br /> </i><br />
<i>Most people begin a memoir with the desire to capture memories and to explore issues from the past, not necessarily with the idea of healing. But writing anything that requires us to think, feel, and look again at who we were, who we are, and where we came from can shift our perspective about ourselves. And for most people, their lives are sprinkled with both happy and not so happy moments and memories. The book helps them to sort through the emotional material of their lives, and discover how to make peace with it.<br /> </i><br />
<b>Can you tell us about your other books and work?</b><br /><i> </i><br />
<i>My first book was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Whole-Writing-Healing-Story/dp/1893067017?ie=UTF8&tag=indigoinn&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Becoming Whole—How to Write Your Healing Story</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=indigoinn&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1893067017" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> which was inspired by the research of Dr. James Pennebaker about the power of writing personal stories to heal both physical and emotional imbalances. I’ve also written my own memoir <b>Don’t Call Me Mother</b>, a poetry chapbook Songs of the Plains, and I’m editing a novel Secret Music.</i><br /><br />
<b>It's interesting how you approach memoir writing as a therapeutic process. How did you come about this approach - and what are your experiences when teaching this process?</b><br /><br /><i>I discovered the research that Dr. James Pennebaker and other psychologists were doing on the healing power of writing stories. Time stopped as I read these articles, as I’d hoped someday to find a way to integrate my therapy background with my passion for memoir writing. I began searching for all the research on the topic I could find, and called Dr. Pennebaker to find out more, and even met him in person. Then I began training therapists to use writing with their clients. In these workshops I was blown away by the stories that came out of people who were not “writers.” I decided to write my first book –Becoming Whole—Writing Your Healing Story to share the joyful news of the research and the amazing stories that came out of my workshops. Teaching people “the good news” was the most fun I’d had in a long time. 8. I read somewhere that you were a therapist before you started writing and publishing books. </i><br />
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<b>Can you tell us more about your therapy background?</b><br /><br /><i>I’ve been a therapist for 30 years, trained in depth therapy, family and marital therapy, and hypnosis. In the early years of my work, I worked in family crisis agencies to help resolve conflicts between youth and their families. This was very exciting work, as I learned so much from each family that I encountered. I found that I could reach out to them in ways that helped the family to heal. I have worked with abused women, domestic violence, and trauma victims for many years. I think that the incidence of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse is far greater than statistics report, and this information is useful for my work teaching memoir. Leading memoir writing groups is a little like doing therapy, except that the writing is the technique and the client heals him or herself through the process of knowing themselves better. My therapy background has been helpful in my work as a memoir coach, as I can hold a space for the darker aspects of the human condition. Some memoir writers really need that kind of support. Not all family stories are easy to face or to write.</i><br /><br />
<b>Do you have any favourite memoirs that you'd like to recommend to our readers?</b><br /><br />
<i>Mary Karr’s memoirs—Liar’s Club, Cherry, and Lit—wonderful series of skillful, poetic, and gritty stories that can teach us how to develop our own work while we also empathize with Mary’s life story. Tobias Woolf’s This Boy’s Life; Nuala O’Faolain’s Are You Somebody, and her other books; Thomas Merton’s Seven Story Mountain; Rick Bass’s memoirs; Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina—a novel based on her story, and Two or Three Things I Know for Sure. I loved Richard Rhodes A Hole in the World, which is a helpful text to read for those who are writing darker family stories. There are so many I love, but these are a few of my favorites.</i><br /> <br />
<b>If there's one piece of advice you'd like to pass on to our readers who might be interested in starting their own memoirs but are unsure on how to go about it, what advice would you give?</b><br /><br /><i>Just start writing for 15 minutes at a time if you are not sure how to start. Think of 5 of the most significant, life changing moments in your life and write about them. Once you have done that, you will have more ideas of where you want to go and what you have to say. When we start writing, the memories start to flow from their hiding places, and the writing gets easier. Most people simply think too much. The key to discovery is in the writing itself.</i><br /> <br />
<b>Can you tell us something else about you outside of your therapy/writing background? Any personal interests and hobbies? </b><br />
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I’ve always devoured books, so I read a lot, and I love classic black and white movies. When I like a movie, I watch it dozens of times, so it’s a good way to relax. I raise roses and enjoy taking care of them and my two kitties. Going to art museums and galleries and listening to folk music are great ways to spend a Sunday. I love conversing with friends and meeting with my writing group, and I have to say that I love working with memoir writers! It’s my career, but it’s also what I love to do.<br /><br /><b> Thank you so much for sharing with us, Linda!</b><br />
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<br />Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-63377411475470679162010-03-28T23:10:00.001+10:302010-03-28T23:10:31.837+10:30Still Here, Still Writing...<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaicoggins/2235922815/" title="New Office by Shai Coggins, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2020/2235922815_08a03a8786_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="New Office" align="right" /></a>Well, it's now almost the end of March 2010. And again, I know I've gone MIA in this blog for a few months.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this blog's been hit by some technical issues that prevented me from updating it the way I'd like to update it. And, I haven't had the time nor the energy to sort out the tech problems. So, I just left it there.</p>
<p>Today, however, I finally decided to do something about it.</p>
<p>Part of the solution was to change hosting and CMS solutions. Instead of sticking to my beloved WordPress, I decided to go back to Blogger.</p>
<p>This means, however, that I'm having to import all my past entries in to Blogger manually, as there's no easy and automatic way to import my old WordPress posts. It's not going to be easy nor pretty, but I can deal with it. Bit by bit. It might take a while before most of the posts get imported, but it's still workable...</p>
<p>The most horrible bit about this move, though, is that it also means that I ended up losing years' worth of comments on the blog. This is the part that I find difficult to deal with. It really, really saddens me when this happens. But, there's no other way for me right now.</p>
<p>I had to choose between taking much, much longer to sort out my technical issues - and not updating this blog... Or, just learn to move on without the comments. I chose the latter because it's the only way forward at this stage.</p>
<p>In any case, how are you? How are things with your writing? Are you well? I sure hope so!</p>
<p>And, I sure hope that I can blog a bit more often around here...</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-10140991946560186982009-11-12T21:51:00.000+10:302010-03-28T21:52:18.991+10:30eWriteLife Giveaway: And the Winner Is...<p>Well. I know I've been meaning to finalise this giveaway for a few days now. Unfortunately, NaNoWriMo, grad school assignments, family life, and personal illness have all been conspiring against me. But I finally managed to squeeze in a bit of time to get this sorted.</p>
<p>So, here you go... The winner of <a href="http://ewritelife.com/2009/10/ewritelife-giveaway-will-write-for-shoes-by-cathy-yardley/">the book giveaway, "Will Write for Shoes" by Cathy Yardley</a> is...</p>
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<img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/ewritelife-wwfs-giveaway.jpg" width="452" height="311" alt="ewritelife-wwfs-giveaway.jpg" /></p>
<p>If you're curious how I came up with this, I used <a href="http://www.random.org/lists/">Random.org</a> to choose the winner.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Sherina! Please email me your mailing address (please send to: shaicoggins AT gmail DOT com) so I can send the book to you asap.</p>
<p>Thanks again to all who participated! I hope to do more of these one day...</p>
<p><a href="http://www.marjorieasturias.com/">Marjorie</a> - 2 entries</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.wonderwebby.com/">Jasmin Tragas</a> - 1 entry</p>
<p><a href="http://intentiontotreat.blogspot.com/">Em Dy</a> - 3 entries</p>
<p><a href="http://asiwriteit.blogspot.com/">Heather</a> - 1 entry</p>
<p><a href="http://andromeda.qc.ca/">Sherina</a> - 2 entries</p>
<p>Christie - 1 entry</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-40667993882094277142009-11-01T22:01:00.000+10:302010-03-28T22:02:45.987+10:30I'm a NaNoWriMo '09 Rebel!<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/nano_09_rebel.png" width="99" height="99" alt="nano_09_rebel.png" align="right" />Just when <a href="http://ewritelife.com/2009/10/on-nanowrimo-09-and-sharing-our-writing-life/">I thought I can't be a NaNoWriMo '09 Participant</a>, I found out all about <strong><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3303456">NaNoWriMo Rebels</a></strong>. So today, the official start date of NaNo, I decided... Well, why not?</p>
<p>Yes, I'm now officially counting myself in a NaNoWriMo participant. A rebel one, yes. But, a participant nevertheless.</p>
<p>How am I a rebel?</p>
<p>Well, two main points:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>I'm joining NaNo '09 with my Work-in-Progress.</strong> I really don't want to abandon this novel that I started a month ago. Well, I started writing it about 3 weeks ago. But, since I've been doing a lot of worldbuilding, character sketches, and research in-between, I haven't really managed to put in that many hours in the actual writing. And, since my current target word count for this novel is about 75,000 anyway, and I only have about 4,000 words in, I figured that if I can put in at least the 50,000 words target via NaNoWriMo, I'd be much closer to finishing my draft AND I can still call myself a "NaNoWriMo '09" winner. Sort of. :-)</li>
<li><strong>I'd be having my "end date" earlier than everyone else.</strong> Since I'm travelling on the 28th of November onwards, I have to try and complete 50K words before that day. I know this lessens my chances of 'winning'... But hey, that's fine. I just want to be part of this fun journey! There's something about the solidarity of the writing community this time of the year that makes me just want to be part of it, win or not.</li>
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<p>What about you? Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo this year? Are you joining the rebellion too?</p><br />
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-20944381356799628682009-10-23T22:14:00.000+10:302010-03-29T12:46:59.092+10:30eWriteLife Giveaway: Will Write for Shoes by Cathy Yardley<p>To celebrate my return to a "proper" writing life and the resurrection of eWriteLife, I'm giving away ONE (1) hard bound copy of <em><strong>"Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel "</strong> by <a href="http://cathyyardley.com/">Cathy Yardley</a></em>. Cathy herself actually donated some copies of her book for my different blogs/sites and projects. And, I decided to use one of these books right here, right now.</p><br />
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<p><strong>So, what do you need to do to win? <span style="font-weight: normal;">There are THREE ways (and yes, you can enter thrice!):</span></strong></p><br />
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">1. L</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">eave a comment in this post answering the question, <span style="text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">"Why do you like to write?"</span>.</span></strong></p><br />
<p>2. Blog about eWriteLife and/or this contest in your own blogs.</p><br />
<p>3. Tweet/Post to Facebook (or other social network) this contest and/or eWriteLife.</p><br />
<p>Each comment will be considered to be one entry for the giveaway. A blog entry will be another entry. And, a social network post will be another entry. Each individual may have 1 entry for each (a total of 3).</p><br />
<p>Contest ends on 2nd of November 2009 (Adelaide, Australia Time). Winners will be drawn randomly and announced on this blog shortly after. The winner should be prepared to provide complete mailing address.</p><br />
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Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-65657132961977718412009-10-15T22:19:00.000+10:302010-03-28T22:20:14.359+10:30On NaNoWriMo '09 and Sharing Our Writing Life<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/nano_09_red_support_120x90.png" align="right" width="120" height="90" alt="nano_09_red_support_120x90.png" />Last year, <a href="http://ewritelife.com/2008/10/taking-part-in-nanowrimo/">I made it a point to join</a> <strong><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a></strong> for the first time. And, although I didn't end up finishing my novel, I'm happy to say that I continued to work on one of those that I started. Yes, I started about three during that month! Eeeps. Anyway, I still love those stories that I started and I hope that I'll get to write and finish them one day.</p>
<p>But yeah, I think part of the problem was that I entered NaNoWriMo last year without planning. I didn't have a story. I didn't have any idea about what I was going to do. So, I got lost in the process.</p>
<p>This year, I wanted to try to join again. However, as I was plotting and planning, I ended up starting to write my current novel about two weeks ago. So, I think that pretty much ruled out NaNo this year. Probably just as well, as I'd be going away for a holiday overseas by the end of November anyway.</p>
<p>At least, I can now say that YES, I AM WRITING! Really writing. It has been a while since I last worked on a novel every single day from start of the idea. So, I'm really glad that I finally found a story that I'm busting to write. So much so that I'm actually dreaming inside my novel some nights. Heh.</p>
<p>Anyway, I've been so excited about working on this project so much that I decided to revamp eWriteLife once again to reflect a new phase of my writing life. For one thing, I wanted to have a place where I can share my writing goals and progress. Although I do have <a href="http://shaicoggins.com/">a personal blog</a>, it doesn't seem right to turn it in to a full writing blog (especially since I have eWriteLife!). And instead of starting yet another blog, I thought I might as well use this site. So, yes, even though I do feel a bit scared about the whole idea of sharing my ongoing writing work, I thought it might be a good way for me to stay motivated and accountable. So, other than making this formal announcement in this blog post, I also added a "Scribometer" on this blog's sidebar. There, I hope to share my fiction writing progress. Plus, I'm also hoping I can write about where I am in the process of creating this novel on a regular basis. We'll see how it goes! </p>
<p>I guess, that's one of the strengths of doing NaNoWriMo. When you have an actual goal, and you make this goal public, and you know you have other people working with you on the same thing, you become more motivated.</p>
<p>And I suppose, even though I'm not able to join NaNo this year, I'm still hoping to have a similar motivation through eWriteLife.</p>
<p>Oh, and since I've been doing a lot of research and I'm keeping a closer watch on the writing and publishing industry again, I started to collect more and more interesting resources again. So, I plan to share those things on a more regular basis with you too. Even just in short posts. I'll start to share snippets of writing prompts again too, whenever possible. Just like I used to.</p>
<p>So, what about you? Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo this year? Are you already working on your book?</p><br />
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Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-22954859377099299592009-09-28T21:42:00.000+09:302010-03-28T22:43:55.406+10:30Your Writing Space<p>Do you have a home office where you do all your writing? What tools do you own for your writing craft?</p>
<p>This article, <a href="http://www.brighthub.com/office/home/articles/25535.aspx">10 Essential Items in a Telecommuting Home</a>, is not specifically geared for writers. But, the ideas shared in it can be used by a writer looking in to setting up a home office.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-77231915248544903582009-09-27T18:44:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:27:32.869+10:30Ann Whitford Paul: Author Interview<img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/ann-whitford-paul.jpg" width="143" height="208" alt="ann-whitford-paul.jpg" style="float:right;" />
<p>As part of my "Inspiration Café" series, I've been interviewing some authors. Here's a snippet from the interview I did with Ann Whitford Paul, the author of the book, <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582975566?ie=UTF8&tag=indigoinn&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1582975566">"Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication"</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Can you please share with us how you got started as a picture book author?</strong><br /></p>
<p><em>That’s easy. I became inspired to write picture books after years of reading them to my four children. I loved the closeness, the quiet, and the focus together on a book. It was such a pleasure I decided to try and write books that other adults and children could share together.</em></p>
<p><strong>How many picture books have you authored/published - and can you tell us a bit about one or two of them?</strong></p>
<p><em>I’ve authored hundreds of picture book manuscripts and have sold 20. However two of them were cancelled because an editor left and because an editor “lost enthusiasm over the project.” Many of our stories no matter how we work on them, don’t turn out. I’ve also sold one adult book. A new book</em> <a href="http://www.annwhitfordpaul.net/Book17.html"><em>TORTUGA (the Spanish word for Tortoise) IN TROUBLE</em></a> <em>published just this year is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a Spanish twist. This is part of a series I’ve written that introduces children to some Spanish vocabulary with the hopes that they will be inspired to learn Spanish. Another new book titled</em> <a href="http://www.annwhitfordpaul.net/Book14.html"><em>IF ANIMALS KISSED GOOD NIGHT</em></a> <em>is a rhymed picture book about how animals might kiss good night. It grew out of a game my third child, Alan, and I used to play guessing how Snakes and Elephants and other animals would kiss.</em></p>
<p><strong>What inspires you to write these picture books?</strong><br /></p>
<p><em>About five years ago, I was in Africa on an airplane next to a 9 year old boy from Afghanistan. He spoke English perfectly. In response to my question, he said he’d been studying English for just one year. Then, and this is the embarrassing part, he asked, “How many languages do you speak?” I must admit I told a fib. I said, “one and one half,” hoping that my two years of college French counted for something, even though I would be hard pressed to carry on a conversation.</em></p>
<p><em>While we now have many immigrants in our country we speak more than one language, many still persist in thinking that just speaking English is enough. With the shrinking of our world through travel, television and internet, we all should learn another language. . . maybe two.</em></p>
<p><em>I now study Spanish and thrilled to be able to speak not only in the present, but also in the past and future.</em></p>
<p><strong>What's the best advice you have for people who wish to get started in writing picture books?</strong><br /></p>
<p><em>Spend a lot of time with your young audience. Pay attention to what are big issues for them . . . being left with a babysitter, dealing with a bully at school, a favorite shirt is too dirty to wear. Write about what matters to them, not to you. Another bit of advice is to read picture books . . . lots and lots of them. I also type them up and even make a dummy book to see which page the print falls on. Do this and you’ll learn lots about pacing and page turns and language. I would not be a good promoter if I didn’t give a plug to my WRITING PICTURE BOOKS which I wish I’d had when I first started out.</em></p><br />
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<p>>> Read the rest of <a href="http://www.shaicoggins.com/inspiration-cafe-ann-whitford-paul-author-of-writing-picture-books/"><strong>Ann Whitford Paul's Interview</strong></a> at <em><strong>Studio Notes</strong></em>. This was part of <a href="http://wow-womenonwriting.com/">WOW - Women on Writing!</a> Blog Tours.</p><br />
<br />
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-44537014947680439092009-09-26T21:48:00.000+09:302010-03-28T22:49:20.101+10:30Checking Into Writing<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/vintage-fountain-pen-1-hisks-sxc.jpg" width="275" height="183" alt="vintage_fountain_pen_1-hisks-sxc.jpg" align="right" />Grand plans are what I had <a href="http://ewritelife.com/?p=180">when I started the year</a>. Grand plans to update this site more often. Grand plans in writing. Grand plans in getting published.</p>
<p>But, things went a bit awry at the start of 2009. A few unexpected events occurred and I sort of got a bit lost for a short time.</p>
<p>At least, even though I have fallen short by a long way when it comes to updating eWriteLife, I can say that my writing has definitely taken off this year. I haven't been this consumed about writing in a very long time. Sure, my publications credit this year aren't all that grand. But, at least, they started ticking along again past blogs and private journals.</p>
<p>Plus, I have a number of ongoing writing projects that I'm excited about. Including the possibility of getting better publication credits again starting early in 2010. Including print.</p>
<p>So, I can't help but be excited.</p>
<p>That's why I'm hoping to resurrect the grand plans somewhat for this site. And, carry on with the writing and publishing plans.</p>
<p>What about you? How're your plans and your writing in 2009 going?</p>
<p><em>Image source: Hisks (via sxc.hu)</em></p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-18898940175052507522009-01-03T22:49:00.000+10:302010-03-28T22:50:38.847+10:30Have a Great Writing Year in 2009!<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/happy-new-year-2009.jpg" width="275" height="184" alt="Happy-New-Year-2009.jpg" align="right" />Hello and welcome to another year! So, are you as excited about 2009 as I am?</p>
<p>For some reason, I am feeling more optimistic about doing more writing this year than I have ever done in the last couple of years. And, I'm already looking forward to trying new and different things once again. Perhaps, even start on a good project or two.</p>
<p>What about you? Have you included "writing" in your New Year's Plans/Resolutions? What are your goals for writing this year?</p>
<p>Whatever they may be, I wish you all the best. May 2009 bring you a lot of wonderful writing moments.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-78382306508151756662008-11-04T22:57:00.000+10:302010-03-28T22:58:55.175+10:30How to Be a Famous Writer {Writing Book Review}<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2447833035_06a2de48b9-300x200.jpg" alt="How to be a Famous Writer by Ariel Gore" title="how-to-be-a-famous-writer-ariel-gore" width="300" height="200" align="right" class="size-medium wp-image-173" />Title: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/030734648X?tag=indigoinn&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=030734648X&adid=0AS1DWB2FPMYJ211DHNS&"><strong>How to be a Famous Writer Before You're Dead</strong></a> <em>(Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights)</em><br />
Author: Ariel Gore</p>
<p>Writing books and magazines used to be in my staple reading diet. I devoured them. But, I've pretty much abandoned the habit in the last few years.</p>
<p>I guess, after a while, all the advice just began to sound the same to me. There was nothing new, nothing revealing, nothing that excited me enough to want to actually WRITE.</p>
<p>Then I saw this book at the library a few months ago. I decided to borrow it just for the heck of it.</p>
<p>And, without expecting it, I actually enjoyed reading this book. It inspired me. Gave me lots of ideas and food for thought. But most importantly, it allowed me to explore my writing roots AND got me back to writing.</p>
<p>I also love how it enabled me to explore my strengths and weaknesses as a "rising lit star"... and it helped me to re-focus my writing dreams. And, since finishing this book a couple of months ago, I've been on that personal writing journey.</p><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=indigoinn&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=030734648X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" align="right"></iframe>
<p>Some of my favourite quotes from the book:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em><strong>"You must write the thing you most want to read."</strong></em></p>
<p><em>"Embrace your genius."</em></p>
<p><em><strong>"You don't have to be good at something to do it. Put your heart in to your work, don't take yourself seriously, and practice!"</strong></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The only regret I have about this book is having to return it to the library. I wish I can have it in my own bookshelf to refer to whenever I need to remind myself of certain writing goals and dreams.</p><em>Note to Australians: Buy <a href="http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=212&products_id=4076681&affiliate_banner_id=1" target="_blank">How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights</a> from Fishpond. They offer free shipping for orders over AU$50.</em>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-35372763063410322322007-08-12T20:38:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:38:41.315+10:30E is for ENDING - ABCDEs of Writing (Part 5 of 5)<p>Yes, dear writer. Your piece will not be complete without an ending. You probably would hear this advice many times over as you write: <em>Everything should have a beginning, a middle, and an <strong>end</strong></em>.</p>
<p>Once you've started, given the background, worked your way through the conflict of the piece in a dramatic way, arrived at the climax, and resolved loose ends - there is no other way to turn to but the end.</p>
<p>And, please remember that the end is what you will leave to your readers. Give them something to remember you by. Do not bore them with too much information, but don't leave them unsatisfied either. There's a fine line between these concepts. And yes, it might take some time to master it all in absolute perfection. But no matter how daunting it may be, just think -</p>
<p><strong><em>"The point is to finish and go on to the next thing."</em></strong> - John Cheever</p>
<blockquote>
<strong>Creative Writing Project To Consider:</strong> 1) Look at your existing writing project. How do you craft its ending? Are you going to make it shocking, sad, happy...? Whatever you do, remember not to make it confusing. Tie up all loose ends! If you have a music box in the beginning of your story, make sure that music box plays on or before your story ends.
<p>2) Now that you've reached the end of your piece, leave it alone for a little while. Then, get back to it to see what you can revise/edit.</p>
<p>3) In the spirit of "going on to the next thing" --- think of a new writing project now. What's your new story/poem/essay/article going to be all about?</p>
</blockquote>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-80162520225612401492007-08-11T20:36:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:37:14.966+10:30D is for DRAMA - ABCDEs of Writing (Part 4 of 5)<p>Whether you're actually writing something "dramatic" <em>(be it sweet, tragic, or suspense)</em> or something "comic", the element of drama is there. It has something to do with your approach to the subject. When we say <a href="http://www.ewritelife.com/2007/08/is-for-action-abcdes-of-writing.html">begin with action</a> then <a href="http://www.ewritelife.com/2007/08/b-is-for-background-abcdes-of-writing.html">provide some background</a> - these are all part of the dramatic approach.</p>
<p>But, what comes after background when you've <a href="http://www.ewritelife.com/2007/08/c-is-for-conflict-abcdes-of-writing.html">articulated the conflict</a>?</p>
<p>Well, next in line with the dramatic approach is to the climax. The climax is the highest point of your piece - the clues to who murdered who becomes clear, the philandering lover finally gets caught, etc. You write this in an escalating fashion to grip your readers.</p>
<blockquote>
<strong>Creative Writing Project</strong> Now, it's time for you to heighten the drama in your chosen piece of work. Highlight it and see how you can incorporate various techniques to make your piece more dramatic.
</blockquote>
<p>So now we reach -</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-6240373778146731902007-08-10T20:32:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:33:27.980+10:30C is for CONFLICT - ABCDEs of Writing (Part 3 of 5)<p>If you’re writing an article, there’s a different way of technically putting this in. But, you still have to think of conflict as you begin to write. Remember that the reason why you should be writing that article (other than the fact that you personally would like to share it), is that someone out there may need it. And, that need came out of a conflict. A personal longing for something new, something else, or something better.</p>
<p>It’s basically the same concept that goes with writing poems, essays, or stories. But, with these, instead of providing direct and practical answers to your readers’ conflicts <em>(through the article)</em>, you “act out” a personal conflict <em>(be it your own, or someone you know or think of in either real or fictional terms)</em>.</p>
<p>If there’s no “conflict”, there’s no story. Think of how boring a piece would be without any sort of problem or difficulty.</p>
<p>Conflicts may be “stated” or “acted out” at the beginning of the piece or at a later time. If you choose the latter, you must learn the art of foreshadowing (or being able to show “clues” to the problem or conflict right from the start).</p>
<blockquote>
<strong>More Creative Writing Projects</strong> So as you go back to your piece in focus (yep, the project you chose to work on), you must carefully articulate the main conflict. Why? As we said, no conflict, no story. This is the heartbeat of your work. Depending on your type of work, answer the following: * For Stories/Novels: 1) Who is your main character? 2) What does your character want/need? 3) Is there anyone who will help and/or detract your character from getting what he/she wants/needs? 4) How would your character get what he/she wants/ needs? * For Articles: 1) Who is your target reader and what is your article all about? 2) Why does your reader need to read your article? 3) What is your reader going to get out of reading your article? 4) What are your main points? * For Essays/Poetry: 1) What does your narrator/persona want/need to share? 2) What is your piece all about? 3) What is the resolution you intend to find by the end of the piece? Once you’re able to deal with the questions accordingly, you’d be able to articulate the conflict of your piece in your own terms. Decide then on what you want to do about it.
</blockquote>
<p>And then we go to our next point -</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-36604994034165925632007-08-09T18:29:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:33:49.987+10:30B is for BACKGROUND - ABCDEs of Writing (Part 2 of 5)<p>After that initial hook, you can now try to help your reader to understand what's going on. This is a time when you can give the background. Why was there such a commotion in the first scene? What made you write that explosive sentence?</p>
<p>When you give the background, it's when you explain some information to your readers in order to 'reel them in' - once you've 'hooked' them. Just be careful not to explain too much. Give your explanations gradually, interspersed throughout your work. Try to find creative ways to give background other than through narrative. Include background in dialogues, scenic descriptions, anecdotes, character descriptions, and/or historic information.</p>
<blockquote>
<strong>Creative Writing Project to Consider:</strong> *Look at your manuscript. Read the first few sentences. What do you think is the background for what you've written? For example, can you explain why your character is so angry/sad/happy to start with?
<p>*Some background ideas that you might want to think about: motivation, reasons/rationale, and personal history.</p>
<p>*Other than narrative, try to re-write your background in a different way (dialogue, scenic desciption, etc.)</p>
</blockquote>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-39158644366759777232007-08-08T16:27:00.000+09:302010-03-29T21:33:42.070+10:30A is for ACTION - ABCDEs of Writing (Part 1 of 5)<p>There are many ways to begin a written piece. And, one of the best ways to start is something I call <strong><em>"The Director Approach".</em></strong></p>
<p>In this approach, you put on a director's cap. And, after you've conceptualised your story, poem, essay, or article, you turn off the 'editorial/critical lights' and turn on the 'creative lights'. You then start rolling the camera... and, you go to your pen and paper (or word processor) and say, "Action!"</p>
<blockquote>
<strong>Creative Writing Project to Consider</strong>
<p>Check your file of manuscripts and choose which one you feel most passionate about. The one piece that you'd like to work on and zoom-in your 'camera' for focus. If you don't have a manuscript to work with yet, just start a piece. Any piece.</p>
<p>Okay, got that one? Great! Now you can try and fill-in the following:</p>
<p><em>Working (Tentative) Title (of your chosen piece):</em></p>
<p><em>Type of Project You Wish To Accomplish (Essay, Short Story, Memoir Piece, etc.):</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Now that's settled, we focus on the beginning. Ask yourself if the current beginning of your work meets the essential "Action". How do you know? Well, try and ask these questions...</p>
<p>a) Do you have more internal wondering than actual scenes and dialogues? If yes, re-write(or cross out) those internal journeys and translate them in action.</p>
<p>b) Do you have more adjectives than verbs? Strike out the adjectives and work up the verbs.</p>
<p>c) Do you have a "hook" to start off your piece? Make sure to start with a dialogue, an unusual statement, a funny thought, or a shocking revelation. This how you begin with a great "hook" in your writing.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-46497847830523585692006-08-03T22:16:00.000+09:302010-03-28T23:17:06.258+10:30Story Planning and Character Planning Worksheets: Now Available via
BitPass<p>If you're a fiction writer - be it in the form of short stories, novellas, or novels - then you might want to check out our <strong>Story Planning Worksheet</strong> and <strong>Character Planning Worksheet</strong>.</p>
<p>You can get these Writing Worksheets via BitPass.</p>
<blockquote>
(Format: PDF) <em>(Cost: AU$0.35 or US$0.26)</em>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
(Format: PDF) <em>(Cost: AU$0.35 or US$0.26)</em>
</blockquote>
<p>You will be given 50 visits for 30 days upon payment. But, don't worry. You just need to make sure that you click on 'Save a Copy' in order to save a copy of the worksheet/s to your computer.</p>
<p>To purchase via BitPass, you need to have a BitPass Buyer Account. It's free to sign-up and open an account. To add funds to your account (so that you can use the money to purchase other goods from hundreds of BitPass merchants), you can use your credit card or your PayPal account. If you only plan on using BitPass occassionally, you can avoid the hassle of pre-funding your Buyer Account by enabling "PayThru" - which links your BitPass Buyer account to your PayPal account. So, you can just pay-as-you-go.</p>
<p>For more information about BitPass Buyer Accounts, please read the <strong><a href="http://corp.bitpass.com/help/buyer/faq.html">BitPass Buyer FAQs</a></strong>.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-22561655041237863022006-07-06T22:14:00.000+09:302010-03-28T23:15:18.870+10:30Blog Back Thanks<p><img src="http://ewritelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/sites2.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Creative Writing Web Links" align="right" />'Just want to say a quick thank you to all who are linking to eWriteLife.com:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.electricpenguin.com/ohi/inkygirl/archives/2006/06/blogs_ewritelif.html#003863">Inkygirl</a></strong> - for the great endorsement.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://writermommachic.wordpress.com/">Writer Momma Chic</a></strong> - for adding this blog to her blogroll.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://blog.tarabeimershaw.com/">Tara's Rambles</a></strong> - also for making this blog part of her blogroll.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://writinginwax.blogspot.com/">Writing in Wax</a></strong> - for another blogroll addition.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.divingduo.net/andshewrites/">And She Writes</a></strong> - for being a 'recommended reading'.</li>
</ul>
<p>So, if you're linking here and I haven't mentioned you - please leave a comment so I can thank you too.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-67313968849736484212006-05-21T12:13:00.000+09:302010-03-29T13:14:54.409+10:30Welcome to the Australian Reader's Digest Readers!<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaicoggins/170270248/" title="Reader's Digest Feature - July 2006"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/45/170270248_dab8f29849_m.jpg" width="170" height="240" alt="Reader's Digest - July 2006 Cover" align="left" /></a>If you got here through the Diamond Anniversary Special of <strong><em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/">Australian Reader's Digest</a></em></strong> (July 2006 issue), let me just extend a warm blogging welcome to you. Thanks for taking the time to visit and check out this blog based on the article <em>"Your hobby + a computer = extra money"</em> by Louise Waterson.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaicoggins/170269621/" title="Your hobby + a computer = extra money"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/76/170269621_d9316f9688_t.jpg" width="70" height="100" alt="Reader's Digest - July 2006 Feature" align="right" /></a>If you've never heard of the term blog before and would like to learn all about it, my site on <a href="http://weblogs.about.com/">About.com's Web Logs</a> will be a good place to start. I have several information for blogging newbies right there. The best article to start reading is probably this: <a href="http://weblogs.about.com/od/weblogsbasics/a/Top10FAQs.htm">Top 10 Questions On Basic Blogging</a>. To learn more about making money online, you might also want to check out my blog, <strong><a href="http://justmakemoneyonline.com/">Just Make Money Online</a></strong>.</p>
<p>Here are a few of my other blogging projects:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://shaicoggins.com/">ShaiCoggins.com</a></strong> - This is my personal blog site, where you can also find some of my art work, musings, and links to other sites.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://selfhelpdiva.com/">Self Help Diva</a></strong> - Find inspiration, motivation and ideas on self-help, counselling and psychology.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://freshwave.tv/">FreshWave.TV</a></strong> - One of the first and few video blogs based in Australia. I run this vlog with a good friend, Bern Relos.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://60secondshai.blogspot.com/">Shai in 60 Seconds</a></strong> - This is my podcast (audio) show that I haven't updated in a very long time.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://chrysaliscreativity.com/">Chrysalis Creativity</a></strong> - As mentioned in the article, this is my blog for all things creative - from prompts to ideas to projects to mini-workshops.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.emothersonline.com/">eMothersOnline.com</a></strong> - This is a collaborative blog that I run with several other women - mothers just like me, and even grandmothers. Our goal is to help empower, encourage and educate one another as mums in our society.</li>
</ul>
<p>If you have any questions or ideas, feel free to ask away by leaving a comment here or sending an email to shaicoggins@gmail.com.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-42098447995461169572006-03-25T13:20:00.000+10:302010-03-29T13:21:25.658+10:30Welcome to Readers of The Advertiser!<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaicoggins/121158104/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/35/121158104_879a4482f8_t.jpg" width="99" height="100" alt="The Advertiser Feature" align="left" /></a> Hello and welcome to new readers and visitors who came here. I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to come and visit. I hope that you will find something here that you might find helpful or useful in some way.</p>
<p>If you're interested to check out my other online blogging projects, here's a quick run down:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://shaicoggins.com/">ShaiCoggins.com</a></strong> - This is my personal blog site, where you can also find some of my art work, musings, and links to other sites.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://freshwave.tv/">FreshWave.TV</a></strong> - One of the first and few video blogs based in Australia. I run this vlog with a good friend, Bern Relos.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://60secondshai.blogspot.com/">Shai in 60 Seconds</a></strong> - This is my podcast (audio) show that I haven't updated in a very long time.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://chrysaliscreativity.com/">Chrysalis Creativity</a></strong> - As mentioned in the article, this is my blog for all things creative - from prompts to ideas to projects to mini-workshops.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.emothersonline.com/">eMothersOnline.com</a></strong> - This is a collaborative blog that I run with several other women - mothers just like me, and even grandmothers. Our goal is to help empower, encourage and educate one another as mums in our society.</li>
</ul>
<p>Again, thank you so much for being here. And, I look forward to hearing from you.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-74709306767628256692006-03-11T23:26:00.000+10:302010-03-28T23:27:51.182+10:30Writing Descriptions<p><em><strong>How to Write Amazing Descriptions for Stories, Essays, Poems, and More.</strong></em></p>
<p>Have you ever wondered why some stories, essays, poems, and other types of literature seem more interesting than others? Apart from following the rules of grammar, spelling, and other technical aspects of writing, one factor that makes a piece worth reading is the use of amazing descriptions.</p>
<p>Amazing descriptions make any topic you write about more interesting, colourful, and alive. So, how do you try and achieve this?</p>
<p>The most important tip to remember is: make use of your senses. Using our different senses, try the writing exercises as follows:</p>
<p><strong>Sense of Sight</strong></p>
<p>What do you see around you right now? Don't limit yourself to simply writing down: "I see a computer in front of me." Describe exactly what you see. For example, "Red borders surround the language arts for kids web site. The colorful titles, logos, and tables resemble a rainbow."</p>
<p>Other than colors, you can take note of things like shapes, sizes, and patterns (among others) when describing something, someone, or some place.</p>
<p><strong>Sense of Smell</strong></p>
<p>When you read, "The aroma of coffee, freshly baked bread, and cinnamon wafting in the air," it is easy to picture a sense of homely calmness. Describing scents gives the feeling of familiarity - whether you're describing a flower garden, a stinking alley, or a hospital. You can set the stage for your essay, story or poem, with scents of lilies and roses, garbage dump stench, or the smell of anesthesia.</p>
<p>Other words about smell: perfume, smoke, rot, moldy</p>
<p><strong>Sense of Taste</strong></p>
<p>How do you describe taste? Other than writing the usual words associated with taste (bitter, sweet, dry), you can also try to liken something with another thing. For example, instead of simply writing "The apple is sour," you can write something like, "At first bite of the apple, I grimace in disgust. It's like eating a tropical green mango."</p>
<p>More words associated with taste: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, hot</p>
<p><strong>Sense of Hearing</strong></p>
<p>Listen closely to the sounds that you hear. If you're writing about a day at the beach, what would the sounds be like? An example of describing a day at the beach using your sense of hearing may be: "The shrieks and giggles of girls in bikinis disturbed me as I was reading my book. I looked up almost at the same time as the waves crashed on the shore."</p>
<p>More words associated with sounds: banging, animal sounds (woof/bark of a dog; meow of a cat; moo of a cow, etc.), clinking glass</p>
<p><strong>Sense of Touch/Feeling</strong></p>
<p>Try to continue describing a day at the beach by listing down the different things that you feel when you're there. Some examples may be: the scratching sand in your toes and swim suit; the sun rays burning your skin until it turns pink and itchy; the stinging splash of cold water on your sunburn...</p>
<p>More words associated with touch/feeling: scorch, dry, humid, wet, smooth, tight</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-10123118019483481342006-01-18T21:49:00.000+10:302010-03-28T21:50:06.118+10:30Psalms Ideas<p>Robin Jones Gunn, author of over 30 books, uses verses from the book of Psalms in many of her books. A couple of favourites are:</p>
<p><em>"And they who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe if Thy signs;<br />
Thou dost make the dawn and sunset shout for joy."</em><br />
- Psalm 65:8 (NASB), in her book titled SUNSETS.</p>
<p><em>"The voice of the Lord echoes from the clouds.<br />
The God of glory thunders through the skies."</em><br />
- Psalms 29:3, in her book titled ECHOES.</p>
<p>Both books are romances and had little to do with being preachy. Many other writers draw ideas and inspiration from this book and you can do it too. So, why don't you grab your bible, sit in a comfy place, and whisper a prayer. Then, open the book to Psalms and wander about.</p>
<p>One good way to be undaunted by the verse is to pick a verse or two that you like best and simply meditate on why you think the verse/s appear special to you. Then, pick only one or two essential words and do a freewrite using the word/s you chose.</p>
<p>You need not come up with a novel-length book the way Ms. Gunn did. Your special verse (or verses) from Psalms may be woven into a vignette, short story, or poem.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614164355586180521.post-87767454873926843502006-01-15T21:47:00.000+10:302010-03-28T21:48:02.090+10:30Writing in the New Year<p>Excuse me for being late in greeting you a happy new year - and for not writing much in this blog lately. Anyway, let me just share something I wrote one new year season... and have just recently updated.</p>
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<em><strong>"A goal is a dream with a deadline."</strong> - Leo B. Helzel</em>
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<p>Every year, I come up with a fresh list of goals and dreams. I write these things down in my year-long organiser and review them on a regular basis. Every time a dream or goal is met, I put a check mark beside it and reward myself in a special way.</p>
<p>With this kind of approach, I have met over a hundred goals for the past 10 years (wherein I write about 12 to 15 goals a year). Through this, I acquired a sense of purpose in my day-to-day life. And, I was able to publish and sell several fiction, nonfiction, and poetry pieces for the past 15 years. But, the challenge continues...</p>
<p>One writer I have come across in an online writers group shared this insight -</p>
<p><em>"... despite having 2 other part-time jobs, a husband and 3 kids, a house with 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths and not having time to write every day, I've met 2 of my writing goals already this past year. I sold something to a big name magazine ("Guideposts") and sold a piece for over $100 (an article on teaching lefties in the classroom for "Christian Classroom")." - from Betty Winslow</em></p>
<p>And I say: Right (and Write) On!</p>
<p>Setting goals enable us to see if we're making any progress with our dreams, or if we're just in the 'wishful thinking mode'. So, as you review this year's accomplishments and setbacks, you may also want to try and set aside some time to set goals for this new year.</p>
<p>Here are some exercises that you may want to try out yourself:</p>
<p>1) List 5 things you wish to write about</p>
<p>2) From this list, pick one topic (e.g. "crayons"). Then write, "I want to write about (crayons) because..."</p>
<p>3) List 3 major writing goals (e.g. "Get a short story published this year in an online publication."). Just remember to set realistic but challenging goals.</p>
<p>4) Give yourself a deadline and a possible reward.</p>
<p>5) Complete this sentence: "One day, I hope I'd be a __________ writer. This will happen when..."</p>
<p>Now let me just wish you a wonderful 2006 - and may you meet many writing goals and dreams for this year and beyond.</p>
Shai Cogginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17702373234998884271noreply@blogger.com0