The Write Spot Blog by Marlene Cullen

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  • Porter Gulch Review

    Cabrillo Community College produces Porter Gulch Review, a literature and arts journal.

    The journal reflects the diversity and creativity of its contributors. 2,000 print copies are given away free and there is a longer online version.

    Submit: stories, poems, novel excerpts, plays, screenplays, photos and artwork.

    Submit work to PGR – at – cabrillo.edu; include the work as an RTF (rich text format) attachment, with your name on it, a short, playful bio, and your contact information. All visuals images must be high quality, 300 DPI or higher. They may need to sent individually or uploaded through Dropbox.

    Deadline for Spring issue: December 1, 2016

    NOTE: If you have work ready to submit, scroll through Places to Submit, find a place where  you can submit, check the deadline and go ahead. . . Submit.

    Places that are currently accepting submissions:

    Reed Magazine (No. 1, 2016)

    Writer Advice Scintillating Starts (Dec. 1, 2016)

    The Forge Literary Magazine (ongoing)

  • Writer Advice Scintillating Starts Contest

    Writer Advice Scintillating Starts Contest for Fiction, Memoir, and Creative Nonfiction is now open to anyone who has not signed a contract for the book (which the scintillating start is in).

    Submit up to 1000 words of your first chapter by 12/01/16. Details on Writer Advice.

     

    B. Lynn Goodwin

     

    Writer Advice (B. Lynn Goodwin) is known for their feedback and “would love to tell you what’s working and what an agent might say.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • From Chaos To Creativity

    Guest  Blogger Suzanne Murray writes:

    What if the chaos we experience in the world today and in our lives is actually an invitation to let go of the old ways and create something new. What if in letting go in the face of fear of the unknown we actually make room for the new to enter. Often when we give up trying we find a sort of magic that can bring unexpected opportunities beyond what we thought possible.

    We tend to resist chaos. We associate it with war or natural disasters or with the unraveling of the structures that we have always thought of as solid. We cling to what feels comfortable. Chaos can rattle our bodies and emotions leaving us feeling overwhelmed. It can trigger a reaction of fight or flight which puts us in our reptilian brain which is incapable of creative problem solving.

    What we call chaos can actually be part of the process of creativity and renewal. Look at nature. Fire recycles nutrients and restores certain species of trees like the Lodgepole Pine that require heat to release seeds from their cones. Immediately after a fire, nature gets to work restoring a new kind of order.

    In her book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, Janine Benyus explains, “The new sciences of chaos and complexity tell us that a system that is far from stable is a system ripe for change. Evolution itself is believed to have occurred in fits and starts, plateauing for millions of years and then leaping to a whole new level of creativity after crisis.”

    Then there is the chaos in our individual lives. We lose our job, a relationship ends, we are diagnosed with an illness or a loved one dies. Such changes can leave us feeling disappointed or sometimes even devastated. Yet often out of such chaos it’s possible that we get a better job, we met the love of our life, we develop increased kindness and compassion or we deepen our spiritual life.

    Allowing for chaos can open up new doors. I know a woman whose house burned down. At the time she didn’t see it as a gift. Yet a year later she is living in the house of her dreams paid for by her insurance. She is laughing as she tells me it’s the best thing that ever happened to her. In my own life it was the disturbing loss of job that prompted me to become self employed combining my love of teaching, writing, creativity and nature.

    Chaos is at the heart of being creative. Creativity begins from a place of swirling possibilities. It can be messy. On the creative journey we often feel like we don’t know what we’re doing or where exactly it’s going. Yet as we take it step by step following the threads of intuition and inspiration, and showing up for the work we are guided to do, we discover the process itself to be deeply rewarding and satisfying.

    We find that we are okay when something doesn’t work out the way we want. We let go of wanting to control everything and learn to let ourselves be surprised by what unfolds. We let ourselves be like a child with finger paints, who isn’t the least bit concerned about the mess. We learn to trust something greater than ourselves is working on our behalf.

    By bringing creativity into every area of our lives it can help us transcend the chaos by reordering the world and our lives in new and inspired ways. Take a minute consider a place in your life that feel chaotic and ask “what newness wants to be born in my life?” Don’t think about it, just allow an idea to pop in, follow your heart. Then see what one small act that you can take to start creating from this inspiration. What if we could help change and evolve the world that way?

    Suzanne Murray

    Join Suzanne Murray for a one day workshop in Point Reyes, CA. October 15, 10 am to 4 pm.

  • That Family Member . . . Prompt # 292

    Let’s do some relaxation exercises before writing.

    Settle into your chair.  Feet flat on floor. Hands relaxed.

    Rotate shoulders in a circle. Reverse direction.

    Stretch arms out in front. Arms overhead. Arms to the side.

    Big deep breath in. Hold. Let go.

    Feel your feet connected to the floor. That connection goes down into the earth, way down, deep down, to the center of the earth. Firmly planted, deeply rooted.

    Take a nice deep breath in and bring your shoulders up to your ears. And then let them down with a loud hrumph sound. Another deep breath in, shoulders up and down with the outward breath.

    Completely supported in your chair. Feeling the connection to the earth. Feeling connected to the center . . .  the core of the earth. Your connection goes deep.

    We’re going to do a bit of exploration here. . . scanning memories.

    family photosSitting comfortably in your chair, scan your relatives for the person who affected you the least.

    Now, a relative who affected you the most.

    What are some of the emotions that came up for you?

    Which relative affected you in a way that surprised you?

    Prompt:  Write about that relative and a time that holds deep emotions for you.

     How to write without adding trauma is a Write Spot Blog post from July 2013. You might want to read this before writing about difficult experiences.

     

  • Prompt Contest: A Picture is worth . . .

    A picture is worth . . . you know. . .  lotsa words.

    Redwood Writers, a Branch of the California Writers Club, is sponsoring The 2016 Prompt Contest.

    prompt-contest-tim-mayWrite a fictional story inspired by this “Highway through the Redwoods” photo by Tim May. The connection between the story and the photo must be apparent to the judges. The words “redwood” and “highway” must be somewhere in the story.

    DUE DATE:  October 16, 9:00 p.m.

    Fiction only.

    Contest submissions are open to all California Writers Club members and to non-member residents of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Marin, Lake, Humboldt and Solano counties.

    $8 for California Writers Club members; $12 for non-members

    1,000 words or less

    1st place:  $100, a certificate  suitable for framing, and a signed photo by Tim May

    2nd place: $50 and a certificate suitable for framing

    3rd place:  $25 and a certificate suitable for framing

  • Paint Colors . . . Prompt #291

    paint-colorsHave you ever noticed the names of paint colors? They are so creative. . . they could be wonderful writing prompts.

    Writing Idea: Keep a file folder of phrases to inspire your writing. These could be phrases that someone else wrote. They could be snippets you wrote to be used in future writing.

    This folder can also contain lists like these names for  paint colors. You never know when or how you might want to use them. You might find a unique name for a character.

    Or a fabulous name for: a fictional town, a store, a street name, a pet.

    My favorite:  Amethyst reflection . .  . I can imagine using this to refer to eye color.

    Aqua Rapids

    Bubble Turquoise

    California Chamois

    China White

    Cloud Nine Blue

    Crystal Clear White

    Deco Red

    Festival Green

    Fiesta Rojo

    Fire Roasted

    Fitzgerald Smoke

    Frank Llyod White

    French Silver

    Inness Sage

    Innocent White

    Jacobean Lace

    Kissable Pink

    Lime Freckle

    Minstrel Rose

    Moon Doggie

    Moroccan Ruby

    Orchid Blush

    Prague Purple

    Racy Red

    Red Hot Jazz

    Royal Cranberry

    Salisbury Stone

    Seville Scarlet

    Silver Blue Sea

    Spiced Berry

  • Movie Quotes . . . Prompt #290

    Movies! Do you love ’em or are you meh about ’em?  Do you get “lost in books?” Can you get the same kind of Calgon-take-me-away lost in movies?

    jean-hegland-and-movie-posterJean Hegland is a gifted writer. Her novel, Into The Forest, has been made into a movie and is now at theatres and will soon be available on DVD. I wouldn’t normally go to see this type of movie, but the opportunity came up to view Into The Forest, the movie, with Jean answering questions after the viewing. Thank you to independent bookstore Copperfield’s Books for sponsoring the viewing. And thank you to Jean for writing an amazing and memorable story. Thanks, also, to Ellen Page, who saw the possibility of the type of movie this could be. See it, if you can, even if, like me, you have to close your eyes during some scenes. The cinematography, the acting, the dialogue, the story line = all amazing and unforgettable.

    At the time of this posting, there are no authorized quotes from Into the Forest. Hmmm. . . guess you have to read the book and/or see the movie.

    Today’s writing prompts are lines from movies. Choose one and just write.

    ~ “Men like my father cannot die. They are with me still, real in memory as they were in flesh, loving and beloved forever.” How Green Was My Valley

    ~“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”Princess Bride

    ~ Write about a time you had a close call.  In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, there’s a scene where Butch and Sundance chase up a mountain to avoid the relentless posse, only to find themselves at a dead end. The only way, says Butch, is to jump a hundred feet or so to the fast-moving stream below. But Sundance won’t hear of it.

    Butch: “ It’s the only way. Otherwise we’re dead.”

    They argue about it for a while until Sundance admits the real reason he doesn’t want to jump.

    Sundance: “I can’t swim.”

    Butch, “You stupid fool, the fall’ll probably kill you.”

    ~  Gene Wilder agreed to play Willy Wonka under one condition: that his character make a wildly grand entrance:

    “When I make my first entrance, I’d like to come out of the door carrying a cane and then walk toward the crowd with a limp. After the crowd sees Wonka, they whisper and then become deathly quiet.

    As I walk toward them, my cane sinks into one of the cobblestones I’m walking on and stands straight up, by itself; but I keep on walking, until I realize that I no longer have my cane. I start to fall forward, and just before I hit the ground, I do a beautiful forward somersault and bounce back up, to great applause. ”

    His reason for wanting to include the dramatic entrance: “Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth. ”

    If you have seen Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, with Gene Wilder:  Do you think his entrance worked?  Did it help or hinder his character’s believability? Did the entrance affect you?

    A scene from Willy Wonka:

    Computer Operator: “We’re about to witness the greatest miracle of the machine age. Based on the revolutionary Computonian Law of Probability, this machine will tell us the precise location of the 3 remaining golden tickets. ”

    Computer Operator pushes button on the machine.  Computer prints out a response:  “I won’t tell. That would be cheating. ”

    Computer operator pushes button on the machine again. “Iam now telling the computer that if it will tell me the correct answer, I will gladly share with it the grand prize. ”

    The  machine prints out another response. “What would a computer do with a lifetime supply of chocolate? ”

    Operator sighs: “I am now telling the computer exactly what he can do with the lifetime supply of chocolate. ”

  • Reed Magazine- Oldest literary journal west of the Mississippi River

    reed-magazineReed traces its heritage back to 1867, when the first issue of The Acorn was published by the students of California State Normal School, the institute that would eventually become San José State University.

    What began as a small publication for student work has grown into an international literary presence, receiving thousands of submissions from writers across the globe. A West Coast journal with worldwide reach, Reed, like California, is an ongoing, expanding, and wondrous mosaic of thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

    Reed Magazine – Submissions Open June 1 to November 1.

    Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Art

    Fiction – under 5,000 words.

    John Steinbeck Award for Fiction – up to 5,000 words, $15 fee to enter. Winner receives a cash prize of $1,000.

    Non-Fiction – under 5,000 words

    Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction – This award is for a work of creative nonfiction up to 5,000 words and requires a reading fee of $15. The winner of the Rico Challenge receives a cash prize of $1,333.

    Poetry – submit up to five poems with your submission.

    Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry. This award requires a reading fee of $15. You may submit up to five poems per entry. The winner of the Edwin Markham Prize receives a cash prize of $1,000.

    Art – up to five pieces of art, including photography (include details about the medium, including modifications made to a photograph). Send submissions in an easy to open format, such as a .jpg or .pdf file.

    Mary Blair Award for Art. This award requires an entry fee of $15. You may submit up to five pieces per entry. The winner will receive a cash prize of $500.

     

  • Movies as inspiration for writing. Prompt #289

    movie-scriptMovies can be a wonderful inspiration for writing. I recently saw the movie, Sully. Even though I knew how it ended, I was teary-eyed. I was filled with emotion at how people helped one another. Director Clint Eastwood did an amazing job of telling the right amount of backstory and the right amount of Sully’s personal life. The focus was on the people involved . . . the human interest story.  There were lines of dialogue that were exquisite.

    When using a movie as an inspiration for writing, you can write about the theme or mood of the story, a line of dialogue, a memorable scene, whatever interests you.

    Write about:

    A road trip. Thelma and Louise

    How you learned to dance. Dirty Dancing

    A time you were tricked, or you tricked someone. The Sting, two con men outcon a con.

  • I wasn’t the first . . . Prompt #288

    Today’s writing prompts are inspired by author Julia Park Tracey, Alameda’s Poet Laureate.

    victorian-housePart 1: Quotes from Veronika Layne Gets The Scoop by Julia Park Tracey.

    “I wasn’t the first reporter to arrive at the scene, but I wasn’t the last, either.”

    “A Victoria house — one of those multihued beauties with turrets, fish-scale shingles, gingerbread trim, iron railings, a weathervane, a trim of every description on widows’ walks and sun porches —a majestic painted queen from the late 1800s —burned like a marshmallow too close to the coals.”

    “You finally get a story, the story, and it changes before the ink is even on the page. And then it’s past, it’s history, and there’s not enough to cover for the following issue. On to the next assignment.”

    Note from Marlene: When you look at writing prompts, you can look at the entire quote, or take a section, or a word and write from there. For example, you could write about “I wasn’t the first to arrive at the party.”

    The second quote intrigued me because I love the description of “burned like a marshmallow too close to the coals.”  It seems to me that not many people would think of comparing a house fire to roasting marshmallows.

    Part 2: Lines from Home at the Edge of the World, Alameda Poet Laureate Julia Park Tracey,  Inaugural Poem

    There are houses down your shaded streets –
    beneath your oaks, your ginkos, your avenues of palm –
    Leaded in glass, shingled in fish-scale, spangled with gingerbread,
    Victorian ladies tarted up for Carnival,
    their history and lore curving like a staircase into view.

    Gentlemen strolled in spats, ladies swung their parasols,
    bay breezes curling with fog and the clank of halyards, snapping flags. Water, at every turn,
    glittering to shore, to ship, to ankles and toes.

    Note from Marlene: In your collection of writing, mark places of exquisite writing. You might be able to use these nuggets later . . . in a story or a poem.

    Julia Park Tracey is an award-winning author, journalist and blogger. Tracey was the founding editor, and later, publisher, of The Alameda Sun. Her work has appeared in Salon, Good Housekeeping, Scary Mommy and Thrillist. She is the Poet Laureate of Alameda, California, and holds a BA in journalism and MA in English. Her publications include three novels (Tongues of Angels and two Veronika Layne mysteries); two biographies, I’ve Got Some Lovin’ to Do: Diaries of a Roaring Twenties Teen and Reaching for the Moon: More Diaries of a Roaring Twenties Teen; and Amaryllis: Collected Poems.

    She reads and teaches poetry to all ages and grades, leads literary events citywide, and representing the city at literary events such as Litquake.

    Julia will be the Writers Forum Presenter on September 15, 2016.

    To read the entire inaugural poem click on Home at the Edge of the World.