“Are your parents still speaking to you?” This question—a darn good one—comes up pretty much every time I do a Q&A. The short answer is “Yes.” My parents and siblings are all still talking to me; we still get together for holidays and birthdays and no blood gets shed. But this is not the case for other memoirists; I know several who are estranged from their families. Discussing family matters, revealing secrets, shining light on our most vulnerable and tragic moments including bad behavior or naive mistakes, and getting just our version into print, so it sounds like the official word on the subject: If this is what we do when we write memoir, then offending the people in our lives is one of our occupational hazards. The long answer is that this question is a great opportunity to discuss the distinction between the process of writing a memoir or…
You can build a career as an author . . . — David Sedaris
You can build a career as an author by playing to your strengths, following your true passion, going at your own pace and never shying away from your unique voice. — David Sedaris Writers Digest Magazine, October 2013
An illusion . . . Prompt #31
Write about an illusion you had, or maybe something that you know is an illusion but want to believe anyway.
One way to learn how to write . . .
One way to learn how to write is to get a book in the genre you want to write in and use it like a text book. With different colored highlighters, highlight dialogue in one color, narration in another color, scenic descriptions in a third color. Notice how much dialogue there is compared to narration. Write notes in the margins. Use sticky notes to show where one character’s story intersects with another character leading to the hookup later in the story. Note foreshadowing. Learn how successful authors craft their novels. And some day, someone learning to write might use your book as a textbook on how to write.
Forgiveness – Prompt #30
The 2009 movie, Invictus, featuring Matt Damon, Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman is about how Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. As you probably know, Mandela spent 27 years in prison. After he was released and elected as South Africa’s first black president, he preached reconciliation. When he decided to support the country’s rugby team — long a symbol of white oppression — his countrymen were stunned. “Forgiveness liberates the soul,” Mandela explains to a crowd. “That’s why it’s such a powerful weapon.” — Parade Magazine, December 2009 Prompt: Forgiveness. Write about the concept of forgiveness, or write about someone you could forgive, or someone who might forgive you.
Voices Israel Annual Anthology
Voices Israel Annual Anthology The Voices Israel Group of Poets in English publishes an annual anthology of poetry. Submissions are accepted from Voices members and non-members alike. There is no fee for submitting poems to the Anthology. Deadline: January 31, 2014
Guest Blogger Ted Moreno – Commitment and Success
Today’s guest blogger is Ted Moreno, success performance coach and certified hypnotherapist. One of my favorite movie quotes comes from “Unforgiven” starring Clint Eastwood. William Munny (Eastwood), is a former murderer and outlaw. He’s got his shotgun aimed at the sadistic town sheriff, on the ground, already shot. The sheriff begs “I don’t deserve this. I was building a house. ” Munny replies “Deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it.” You can probably guess what happens next, if you know anything about Clint Eastwood films. It’s a harsh reality. What you feel you deserve has little to do with what you actually get. Because what you feel you deserve is only that: what you feel. And what you think and feel isn’t truth. It’s just what you think and feel. There were many times I didn’t feel like writing my book. Or editing it. Or re-writing parts that needed it. But…
Never Settle! Don’t be afraid . . . — Ellen Britt
Never settle! Don’t be afraid to go after your heart’s desire! — Ellen Britt Dr. Ellen Britt is an award-winning online marketing strategist, Amazon best-selling author and founder of PinkCoatTails.com, featuring Fabulous Finds and Delicious Deals for women online entrepreneurs. She has produced and hosted more than a dozen telesummits and has interviewed some of today’s most well-known and respected names in marketing and self-development. Connect with Ellen and her Pink Coattails community on Facebook by clicking here.
Memories – Prompt #29
Today’s prompt: Memories
Your best gift or your all-time favorite gift. — Prompt #28
You can use these prompts to write memoir, fiction, poetry, or to just write. It doesn’t matter what your genre is, you can use these prompts to develop the craft of writing. You can respond to the prompt from your personal experience or as a fictional character would respond. Here we go: There are tacky gifts, insulting gifts, selfish gifts the giver secretly wants, cheap gifts and re-gifted gifts. But some gifts are transcendent. Have you ever received such a perfect gift? One that amazed you with its imagination? Perhaps it was a gift that completely touched your heart, changed your life, opened a new world? Maybe it was a gift so dear you held onto it for a lifetime. What was it and why was it so special to you? Prompt: Your best gift or your all-time favorite gift.