Remember the joke: “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time.” Same with writing memoir . . . one incident at a time. “Whether your life story has an over-arching motif or you plan to cobble together a montage of more diverse meditations, the project can seem less overwhelming if you approach it as a series of mini memoirs—two-to three-page essays . . . pivotal points. . . in the broader portrait of your life.” Richard Campbell, January 2017 Writers Digest “The beauty in approaching your life story in terms of mini memoirs is that when it comes to themes, you don’t have to pick just one. Write scenes or vignettes on each theme that speaks to you. You may find that mini memoirs unfold more naturally than the more unwieldy, longer story you have to tell—and that they build momentum strong enough to carry you through…
Category: Just Write
Sonoma Festival of Light and Rhymed Verse
Submissions now requested for presentation at the SONOMA FESTIVAL of LIGHT and RHYMED VERSE Poems due by: May 6, 2017 Festival takes place: May 21, 2017 Time: 1:00 pm-4:30 pm Location : Trinity Episcopal Church Courtyard, 275 East Spain St., Sonoma, Ca. Quatrain submissions in one or all of three categories: 4 line 16 lines 24 lines Please include biography in three lines or less. For more information, please contact: Patricia Bradley bradley2006 -at – gmail.com
Details are critical
When telling stories, details matter. You know that. Details, especially sensory details, enhance your story and allow your reader to: ~ Fully enter the world you are creating ~Suspend disbelief ~ Connect emotionally with your characters “All you need to build your setting is in the world around you. Observe, observe, observe.” — Elizabeth Nunez, January 2017 Writer’s Digest magazine. Elizabeth Nunez: “. . . like me, you probably wanted to be a writer because you found a lot of joy and pleasure by making up stories in your head. I love living in my imagination—so much so that when I was younger, my siblings would say: ‘Divide everything Elizabeth tells you in half. One half is true and the other is make-believe.’” Can you relate to that? I bet you can! “The emotions and conflicts your characters experience can be made more vivid by the setting you choose.” Nunez…
Voices of Lincoln – Poetry Contest 2017
POETS WANTED You do not have to live in Lincoln, CA to enter the Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest. Five (5) categories include: Love Is All Around Us, Dreams Do Come True, On The Street Where I Live, Gone But Not Forgotten, and A Second Chance. You may submit a maximum of three (3) poems: One poem for each category. Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku, or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 60 lines. Young Poets, 18-years of age or under, are encouraged to submit poems and will compete in a special “Young Poets” category. Entry Form and Contest Rules Contest Deadline: Poems must be received no later than Saturday, July 22, 2017. Early submissions are appreciated. Questions—contact Alan Lowe at slolowe – at – icloud.com
Why should you use strong verbs?
Action words “A French research team found that action words (kicked, stomped, raced) fire up the motor cortex, which governs how the body moves. Even more specific, describing body parts, such as an arm or a leg, activates the part of the brain that controls arm and leg movement. Using evocative language also wakes up a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which activates long-term memories and plays a significant role in how a reader’s mind turns language into a meaningful experience.” Writer’s Digest, Sept. 2016 And that’s why it’s important to use strong verbs. Make a list of strong verbs and action words. Keep your list handy. Use it like a thesaurus when you are stumbling for that strong verb that’s on the tip of your tongue, within your grasp, but not quite accessible. Or, use a thesaurus. To learn more about using strong words to convey emotion, action and…
Use emotions in your writing.
“Readers covet an emotional experience above all else. When you write scenes, use all the methods you can to help your readers feel the emotions you want them to have—sadness, anger, confusion, mistrust, love, lust, envy, greed and so on. If you want readers to hate your character, show him being despicable to someone who doesn’t deserve his wrath or to someone he supposedly loves. The more you draw readers in to the emotional experience, the more they will engage, and the more likely they’ll want to read your next book.” Excerpted from the September 2016 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine There are over 300 prompts on The Write Spot Blog. Choose one and practice incorporating emotions in your writing. For example: Physical gestures can reveal emotions . . . Prompt # 211 Just write!
The Writer Magazine
In April 1887, two newspaper men designed an 18 page pamphlet they called The Writer. It was designed to be “a monthly magazine to interest and help all literary workers.” Today, The Writer magazine “is dedicated to expanding and supporting the work of professional and aspiring writers with a straightforward presentation of industry information, writing instruction and professional and personal motivation.” The Writer is looking for your story ideas: “Our editors are interested in query letters on concrete topics written by emerging and experienced writers in all genres. We are looking for clear takeaway for our readers: What can they learn to improve their writing or advance their careers? What how-to tips and strategies will accomplish this? Queries should briefly describe your background and provide details for your story idea. We are interested in how-to stories, reported pieces, narrative essays and profiles of writers and others in the field. ….
Sixteen Rivers call for poems for anthology
Sixteen Rivers Press is seeking unpublished poems that respond to the cultural, moral, and political rifts that divide our country: poems of resistance and resilience, witness and vision that embody what it means to be a citizen in a time when our democracy is threatened. Sixteen Rivers editors welcome voices raised in passion and in praise, whether lyrical, philosophical, visionary, or personal. Submit 1 to 3 unpublished poems, totaling no more than 3 pages. Deadline: May 15, 2017
Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction, a Canadian magazine, features a variety of genres: science fiction, mystery, fantasy, history, suspense, and thriller. “We realized we knew a lot of writers who had pieces sitting in shoe boxes under their bed[s] . . . We also knew writers looking to break out.” — The Writer magazine, October 2016 The “pulp” in the title refers to “cheap pulp paper used in the dime-novels of last century. “We love literary fiction. Beautiful prose, soul-searching themes, and powerful and complex character development are all part of the stories we like.” From their website: Format In these days of massive hardcover tomes and heavyweight trade paperbacks, do you miss the small, inexpensive paperbacks you could stuff in your purse or coat pocket? We do, which is why our print format is a digest-sized magazine, lovingly modeled after fabulous magazines which have stood the test of time. Pulp Fiction…
Lucky Peach might be your lucky magazine
Do you like to create recipes? Do you have favorite recipes from way back? Do your stories involve food? “Lucky Peach uses food as a filter to tell stories about people, places, traditions, flavors, shared experiences and cultural identities.” Lucky Peach might be a good place for you to submit your story/vignette/art/photos and the occasional recpe. “For freelancers, the opportunity to break in doesn’t stop at each issue: Lucky Peach expanded its mission with an award-winning website, cookbooks and live events.” Their submissions page is very friendly and inviting: “If you’re interested in submitting your writing to Lucky Peach, we’re interested in reading it.” COMPLETE ARTICLES ONLY: Lucky Peach does not want pitches nor vague ideas. LENGTH is up to you. SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS are okay. Just let them know if your work is accepted elsewhere. COVER LETTER is not necessary. Art Photos: “Art is important to us. Send us your…