By Rebecca Evans We tell stories. But before we tell them, we hold them, think them, sometimes, we thank them. We recall and carry and live with them in our bodies. We embody them. Sometimes, they embody us. Some of our stories are built from sandbox and rhyme-singing childhoods. Others, built from bullies beneath the monkey bars. Many are the stories told to us, about us, some true, though most are not. And still others, the most difficult ones, are born from experiences. Someone one asked how long it took to write my memoir. 55 years. Yes. All of my years, because I lived through the experiences first. The truth is that we don’t just live through our experiences. We also don’t “get through” or “get over” the tough stuff—grief, loss, trauma. They live in us. If we’re lucky and wield pens, we push them out and onto the page….
Category: Just Write
Monologues
Rebecca Evans taught an amazing class about writing monologues, which sent me on a search for “monologue submissions.” Scroll down for information on Rebecca’s June 16, 2022 writing workshop. A few places to submit monologues FORWARD THEATRE: 2023 Monologue Festival Out in This World “The detour that leads to an unexpected adventure. The vacation where everything goes wrong. The annoying stranger who turns into an amazing guide. Forward Theater is looking for original scripts about travel, whether to places far away or destinations close to home. Even a trip across the street can expand your horizons. Here is your chance to create a tale of the connection, joy, fear, beauty, exploration, and discovery that can only happen when you get out in this world. As you consider what to write, please be as creative as possible. It can take the form of comedy, spoken word, drama, farce, autobiography, or pure…
Becoming a Writer in the Third Chapter of Life
Guest Post by Carole Duff All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. —Anatole France Western culture divides life into three stages: birth/student, work/family, and retirement/death. My husband and I, moving into our retirement years and building a new house, borrowed the Hindu concept of four stages, adding a time of spiritual growth and reconnection between retirement and death. The third stage of life, Vanaprastha, the name we chose for our mountain home, means retreat to the forest. Not retirement but time to learn, reflect, and grow. Time to take the internal journey and heal past wounds from loss, rejection, and inexplicable disruptions. Time to explore, discover, seek meaning, share wisdom, and serve others. Time to become our truer selves. As it turned out, I became a writer….
Colors and Moods . . . Prompt #655
I am fascinated with finding writing prompts in a variety of places. Today’s prompt is inspired from the Editor’s Letter in Better & Homes Gardens magazine, April 2018, by Stephen Orr, Editor-in-Chief. “Color Theory” “Remember mood rings? As a kid, I was obsessed for one hot Texas summer about the idea that the ‘jewel’ in those rings could indicate how a person was feeling emotionally: Pink was happy, black was depressed, blue was optimistic. My little glass oval was often an indecipherable shade of puce . . .” — Stephen Orr What mood would you assign to these colors? Purple Red Yellow Orange Green Choose a color and write what mood, or emotion, or character trait comes up for you when you think about this color. Using color when writing Describe your character by the colors they wear, or what colors they surround themselves with where they live, or work,…
New Millennium
New Millennium Writings is an anthology where newcomers are welcome to submit their writing along with established authors. NMW also hosts semi-annual awards in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. “New Millennium Writings was launched in 1996 with a 15-word classified ad. From those humble beginnings, NMW has exploded into an internationally recognized and highly sought-after literary award and journal. We believe in the creative potential of every writer, regardless of experience. Our blind and anonymous judging system ensures equality to writers of every level. All writers are welcome, and no subject is off-limits.”
Jon Batiste. This is Who I Am.
As I prepared this blog post, we were a country in mourning. Another school shooting. Ukraine. And more. My heart is breaking. Maybe yours is, too. I try not to get overwhelmed by tragedies. I always fail. I try to look on the bright side. I usually succeed. Today’s post highlights Jonathon Michael Batiste, looking on the bright side. In his commencement address at Salve Regina University, May 21, 2017, Jon Batiste asked, “Who can you help along the way?” In my Write Spot Blog posts, I hope to inspire writing. I hope to encourage and offer ideas for you to Just Write. Perhaps Jon’s from-the-heart commencement address will uplift and inspire you. Quotes from the commence talk “Be as humane as possible. It’s really important to stay human.” “Who are you?” “Who do you want to be?” “What is your purpose?” “. . . internal fortitude amidst the…
Sleep
So, you had trouble falling asleep. Again. Or, you woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Or both. Why does this happen and what to do about it? The following is excepted from “Up at 4 A.M.?” by Amy Spencer, in the magazine, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Jan-Feb 2015 (an oldie, and hopefully a goodie). What happens If we’re not sure how something will play out, our primitive mind prepares us for the worst possible outcome. Survival Back in our cave days, our ancestors needed to be prepared to fight or flee to survive. Key The primitive part of the brain—the amygdala—thinks our idle ruminations are urgent matters that need to be dealt with right away, as if they are real emergencies. Wide Awake And there we are, wide awake, ready and alert, to battle the catastrophe that we have imagined. What To Do Take some deep, relaxing…
Brave Healer Productions
Brave Healer Productions Writing Contest Theme: How your pain became your purpose. Submit your 500-word or less entry by noon, EST, July 1, 2022 Include a 50-word bio with one link. Include your high-resolution headshot. Brave Healer Productions sponsors ongoing writing contests. So, if this topic doesn’t work for you, check their website for the next contest theme. Brave Healer Productions Blog Brave Healer works with writers to produce their books, such as: “Shaman Heart, Turning Pain Into Passion and Purpose,” an remarkable book that inspires readers to develop a shaman heart — one that can only be obtained by coming through our darkest moments more healed and whole and then lighting the way for others.
Strengthen Your Writing
Ideas for strong writing. Use active voice rather than passive voice. ~From www.dailywritingtips.com – sign up to receive free daily emails with writing tips: English verbs are said to have two voices: active and passive. Active Voice: the subject of the sentence performs the action: His son catches fly balls. Creative children often dream in class. Passive Voice: the subject receives the action: The ball was caught by the first baseman.The duty is performed by the new recruits.The dough was beaten by the mixer.The mailman was bitten by the dog. ~From Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon Adjectives: Use sparingly and consciously. Overuse indicates a need to find more precise nouns and to show rather than tell. Adverbs: Too often, writers use these to beef up weak verbs. Your goal should be to make verbs strong enough to do the work themselves and kill off your adverbs. You won’t be able…
The New Verse News
The New Verse News covers the news of the day with poems on issues, large and small, international and local. It relies on the submission of poems (especially those of a politically progressive bent) by writers from all over the world. The editors update the website every day or two with the best work received. What’s best? A genuinely poetic take on a very current and specific news story or event. TIPS FROM THE EDITOR See the website for guidelines and for examples of the kinds of poems the New Verse News publishes. Scroll down to read thesubmission guidelines in the sidebar. Paste your submission and a brief bio in the text of an e-mail (no attachments, please) to nvneditor [at] gmail.com Write “Verse News Submission” in the subject line of your e-mail. Unpublished poems only. No payment. No simultaneous submissions. For an example of what is published, please read: “Hope” by Sandra Anfang,…