Random Exercise
Make a list of ten items that are blue.
Do that before reading the rest. Hurry up! And no peeking!
(Okay, now use #2, 5 & 7 in a short story.)
Have fun!
Do that before reading the rest. Hurry up! And no peeking!
(Okay, now use #2, 5 & 7 in a short story.)
Have fun!
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue in a short story. It could be the first line, the last line or any line in between:
"That guy is a thug!"
"That guy is a thug!"
Description Exercise
We haven't done a description exercise in a long time. So, it's time to sharpen your pencil and open your eyes (and ears and nose, etc - you know I am big on writing with all five of your senses alert and alive). I want you to try describing a sunset. I would suggest you first watch a sunset. And I mean really watch it. I'll warn you, this exercise may be cliche-inducing. So be aware of that and steer clear of those tempting cliches.
Have fun!
Have fun!
Quote
"Writing can be a crucial skill, like cartography. Everybody lives in the middle of a landscape. Writing can provide a map."
~ Phyllis Theroux
~ Phyllis Theroux
The Power of Fifteen
As a yoga teacher I am often asked the best way to get more flexible. I always tell people the same thing: you will get better results by stretching for fifteen minutes every day than by going to one yoga class a week. It is just the way the body works. Tiny bits of daily effort can add up to big results.
The same is true with your writing. If the only time you have to write are fifteen minutes squeezed in each day during your lunch break, then write your heart out for those fifteen minutes. Over a year you will get far more words written than someone who insists on having two full, undisturbed hours which they can only carve out every few weeks. (I say this with absolute authority because I have tried both ways.)
So, if you feel you are not getting enough time to write, try finding fifteen minutes in your day - every day - and write in that time. You might surprise yourself with how much you get accomplished. You may even write your book that way. There is a children's book author who got her start writing on her lunch hour. Her name is J. K. Rowling. As I said: tiny bits of daily efforts can add up to big results!
The same is true with your writing. If the only time you have to write are fifteen minutes squeezed in each day during your lunch break, then write your heart out for those fifteen minutes. Over a year you will get far more words written than someone who insists on having two full, undisturbed hours which they can only carve out every few weeks. (I say this with absolute authority because I have tried both ways.)
So, if you feel you are not getting enough time to write, try finding fifteen minutes in your day - every day - and write in that time. You might surprise yourself with how much you get accomplished. You may even write your book that way. There is a children's book author who got her start writing on her lunch hour. Her name is J. K. Rowling. As I said: tiny bits of daily efforts can add up to big results!
Week #174
Bill had never ridden a horse before, but today was turning out to be a day of many firsts.
Quote
“When I was five years old my mother told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.”
~ John Lennon
~ John Lennon
This Little Writer Went to the Market...
If you are looking for places to submit your fiction to here are a few of my favourite sources:
New Pages (note: I am experiencing a blogger glitch and can't get the link to New Pages to work so go to: www.newpages.com)
New Pages has a great, "Call for Submissions" page that is regularly updated. There is also plenty of info on the site about literary magazines, contests, conferences and publishers.
Duodrope.com
Prepare to be overwhelmed. With 4,153 markets for fiction writers and poets, you are sure to find a home for your disco-inspired vampire love story set in outer space.
Places for Writers
A Canadian site with calls for submissions. Not as big as the previous two but I've been a huge fan of this site for years now. And I'm not just saying that, eh.
The Practicing Writer e-newsletter
Do yourself a favour and click on over to Erika Dreifus' website and sign up for her free monthly e-newsletter, The Practicing Writer. It is chock-a-block with great info on contests (with no fees!) and calls for submissions (to paying markets!). It is also filled with interesting goodies about the craft and business of writing. I look forward to reading it every month. And a bit of insider information here: I found the publisher for my novel, The Last River Child through Erika's newsletter. No lie!
Remember to read all submission guidelines and observe them. Good luck and let me know when you get that sweet acceptance letter so I can congratulate you!
New Pages (note: I am experiencing a blogger glitch and can't get the link to New Pages to work so go to: www.newpages.com)
New Pages has a great, "Call for Submissions" page that is regularly updated. There is also plenty of info on the site about literary magazines, contests, conferences and publishers.
Duodrope.com
Prepare to be overwhelmed. With 4,153 markets for fiction writers and poets, you are sure to find a home for your disco-inspired vampire love story set in outer space.
Places for Writers
A Canadian site with calls for submissions. Not as big as the previous two but I've been a huge fan of this site for years now. And I'm not just saying that, eh.
The Practicing Writer e-newsletter
Do yourself a favour and click on over to Erika Dreifus' website and sign up for her free monthly e-newsletter, The Practicing Writer. It is chock-a-block with great info on contests (with no fees!) and calls for submissions (to paying markets!). It is also filled with interesting goodies about the craft and business of writing. I look forward to reading it every month. And a bit of insider information here: I found the publisher for my novel, The Last River Child through Erika's newsletter. No lie!
Remember to read all submission guidelines and observe them. Good luck and let me know when you get that sweet acceptance letter so I can congratulate you!
Dialogue Exercise
Use this as the first line, last line or any line in between of a short story:
"You never would have done that when we were married."
"You never would have done that when we were married."
World Happy Day
Did you know that February 11th is World Happy Day? It was news to me so I thought I would pass it along. Learn more here.
I thought this was a great opportunity to give some thought to what makes you happy. Too often we fill our days with endless 'to do' lists. I suggest making a list of the small things that bring you joy and then see what happens if you skip a few items on your 'to do' list and instead do something from your what makes you happy list.
If we all make a commitment to do that, think how we might change the world.
Be happy!
I thought this was a great opportunity to give some thought to what makes you happy. Too often we fill our days with endless 'to do' lists. I suggest making a list of the small things that bring you joy and then see what happens if you skip a few items on your 'to do' list and instead do something from your what makes you happy list.
If we all make a commitment to do that, think how we might change the world.
Be happy!
Quote
"People say that what we are seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think this is what we're really seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive."
~ Joseph Campbell
~ Joseph Campbell
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue in a short story. It can be your first line, last line or any line in between!
"If you can guess my middle name I'll let you buy me a drink."
"If you can guess my middle name I'll let you buy me a drink."
Quote
"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive."
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
A Writing Log
Sometimes I wonder what I am doing on my writing dates. I know that I am spending a good chunk of time at my desk, but it doesn't feel like any work is getting done. To stop myself from just sitting there, staring out the window and calling it 'writing' I keep a writing log. After every writing session I jot down what I worked on and how much got written. This way I can't cheat. And it makes me much more productive when I know someone is looking over my shoulder - even if that someone is only me.
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue in a short story. It can be the first line, the last line or any line in between!
"It was easy."
"It was easy."
Show Up
I am often asked where I get my inspiration from and I never have a proper answer. I still don't, so don't get your hopes up that I am about to give away some heavily guarded writer's secret. I suppose I find inspiration everywhere. There is a quote I like (though I can't remember who said it) and I've probably used it on the blog before, but it goes: "All art is inspired by either nature or other art."
I agree with that. So I think that is a good place to start. If you want to be inspired take a walk outside or go to an art gallery or to the symphony or read something great. Those things work for me.
But don't wait to be inspired before you sit down to write. That's really what I wanted to say to you today. If you make a commitment to write once a day, or twice a week or whatever - do it. If you have made a writing date with yourself, keep it. Because what I have consistently found over the twenty plus years that I have been writing is this: when I show up consistently and faithfully so does the muse. Really. And words and stories and books get written that way.
No one hates to be stood up as much as the muse. Trust me. Show up for her. Show up for your writing. Show up for you.
I agree with that. So I think that is a good place to start. If you want to be inspired take a walk outside or go to an art gallery or to the symphony or read something great. Those things work for me.
But don't wait to be inspired before you sit down to write. That's really what I wanted to say to you today. If you make a commitment to write once a day, or twice a week or whatever - do it. If you have made a writing date with yourself, keep it. Because what I have consistently found over the twenty plus years that I have been writing is this: when I show up consistently and faithfully so does the muse. Really. And words and stories and books get written that way.
No one hates to be stood up as much as the muse. Trust me. Show up for her. Show up for your writing. Show up for you.
That Calls for a Celebration
Geez, I just noticed that yesterday's post was the 500th one for this little blog. I have been rambling on for over 3 years now. Thanks to everyone who stops by. You are all delightful. Feel free to break out the champagne on my behalf now!
Week #168
When Aunt Velma was sixty-eight years old she announced, one Sunday over a roast beef dinner, that she intended to learn how to ride a unicycle.
Quote
"We have an innate desire to endlessly learn, grow and develop. We want to become more than what we already are. Once we yield to this inclination for continuous and never-ending improvement, we lead a life of endless accomplishments and satisfaction."
~ Chuck Gallozzi
~ Chuck Gallozzi
Good News
I am thrilled to report that I contributed to an article in the February issue of the awesome magazine (and essential reading for all writers) The Writer. The issue is on newsstands now. The article is called, "40 Prompts to Get You Writing." There are oodles of inspiring ideas in it.
Check out the issue here.
Check out the issue here.
Goals
Have you set any writing goals for 2012? It is tempting, but vague, to say you want to be a writer. Or to declare that you want to write more. One reason that people don't reach their goals is that they are not clear enough on what they actually want.
So give some thought to:
- what sort of writing would you like to do
- what projects would you like to start or finish
- decide how much writing would you like to do by this time next year
- decide how often you would like to write each week and for how long
Just as you would not set out on a trip without a map, plot a course for your writing. Aim yourself in the direction of success!
So give some thought to:
- what sort of writing would you like to do
- what projects would you like to start or finish
- decide how much writing would you like to do by this time next year
- decide how often you would like to write each week and for how long
Just as you would not set out on a trip without a map, plot a course for your writing. Aim yourself in the direction of success!
Quote
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one."
~ Mark Twain
What big goals do you have for yourself and your writing this year? How can you break it down into small steps and get started today?
~ Mark Twain
What big goals do you have for yourself and your writing this year? How can you break it down into small steps and get started today?
Happy Holidays!
I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a very happy and creative New Year! I'll be taking a holiday but will be posting a brand new first line (the last one of 2011!) next Wednesday. I'll see you in the New Year!
'Tis the Season
This is a busy time of year which means it is easy for your writing practice to fall by the wayside. I know personally that I am happier writing tiny amounts than not writing at all. So I wanted to share a few ways in which I tuck writing into even my busiest days.
1. Lately I have been posting small prose poems on the blog. I like writing that kind of thing all year round because it keeps me aware of the world around me, but I especially love writing them when my days are filled from morning to night. To me they are the writerly equivalent of a few deep breaths.
2. Try keeping a one-sentence journal. At the end of even the busiest day, pause, reflect and try to capture your day in a single sentence.
3. Try writing micro fiction. How small can you go? That's the challenge. Lately I have been trying to write short stories tiny enough to capture on a Post It note.
4. Keep a small notebook or sheet of paper with you at all times. That way when those fleeting ideas come to you in the midst of the holiday madness you can jot them down. After the holidays you'll feel good having those starting points to dive back into your creativity with.
With a bit of determination and some creativity you can still fit writing into even the busiest time of the year!
1. Lately I have been posting small prose poems on the blog. I like writing that kind of thing all year round because it keeps me aware of the world around me, but I especially love writing them when my days are filled from morning to night. To me they are the writerly equivalent of a few deep breaths.
2. Try keeping a one-sentence journal. At the end of even the busiest day, pause, reflect and try to capture your day in a single sentence.
3. Try writing micro fiction. How small can you go? That's the challenge. Lately I have been trying to write short stories tiny enough to capture on a Post It note.
4. Keep a small notebook or sheet of paper with you at all times. That way when those fleeting ideas come to you in the midst of the holiday madness you can jot them down. After the holidays you'll feel good having those starting points to dive back into your creativity with.
With a bit of determination and some creativity you can still fit writing into even the busiest time of the year!
Week # 163
Tonya turned when she heard her name called, but did not recognize the man waving to her.
Quote
"Art is a guarantee you are not going to go cuckoo."
~ Louise Bourgeois
What do you think? Does being creative keep you from going cuckoo?
~ Louise Bourgeois
What do you think? Does being creative keep you from going cuckoo?
Random Exercise
What does the word 'portal' mean to you? What images does it conjure up? What mood does it evoke? What possibililites does it present? Write about a portal.
Week #162
The red envelope was not in the mailbox, but was instead thrust between the branches of the rosebush beside the door.
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue anywhere in a short story. It can be the first line, the last line or any line in between.
"I'm going to turn the lights out."
"I'm going to turn the lights out."
Surf on over...
At one time or another we have all pondered the questions: what the heck do editors want, anyway? Well, now we can find out. Check out the Six Questions For.. blog where Jim Harrington asks, and discovers, what it is that editors want.
sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/
sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/
Occupy Imagination
Lately it has become very popular to occupy a place. So I suggest this weekend we occupy our imaginations. Let's devote some time to our creativity. Let's make a writing date. Let's take our notebooks to a coffee shop, or art gallery, or train station. Let's sit down and occupy our imaginations and see how we can change the world.
If you need a prompt to get you started use these three words in a short story:
doodle, crumb, song.
(And let me know how your own Occupy Imagination went. What did you do?)
If you need a prompt to get you started use these three words in a short story:
doodle, crumb, song.
(And let me know how your own Occupy Imagination went. What did you do?)
Week #159
It figured that the first thing Marilyn won in her life was a prize she did not even want.
Random Exercise
If you were walking along today and saw a note on the ground and picked it up to read it - what would it say? Is it handwritten? From a child, or an adult? Does it have spelling mistakes? Is it silly, or heartfelt? Write that note.
Half a Writing Adventure
This is only half a writing adventure because you are going to stay at home, but you get to open the window! (I know, I know, the thrill factor just went through the roof, didn't it? I felt it, too.)
I want you to open a window and just listen for a few minutes. Try listening without looking so you hear the sounds but do not see the sights. Then try to capture what you heard on a piece of paper. (And don't forget to close the window!)
I want you to open a window and just listen for a few minutes. Try listening without looking so you hear the sounds but do not see the sights. Then try to capture what you heard on a piece of paper. (And don't forget to close the window!)
Quote
"Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.(...) Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.
Drink and be filled up."
~ Stephen King from On Writing
Drink and be filled up."
~ Stephen King from On Writing
Week #157
I watched the man and woman across the restaurant unable to decide if they were on a bad first date or at the end of an unhappy marriage.
Something You May Want to Try
The next time you are reading a short story (or novel) you might want to try pausing when you are almost finished to guess how it will end. I like to pause when I am about three-quarters of the way finished. This sort of exercise can teach you a lot about plot - in a fun way!
Quote
"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary."
~ Sir Cecil Beaton
~ Sir Cecil Beaton
Random Exercise
Write a short story that includes these three items:
tambourine, gold cigarette case, a pair of binoculars.
tambourine, gold cigarette case, a pair of binoculars.
Musings from the Desk
On the weekend I was at a one of those giant used book sales that are absolutely irresistible. It was at the University of Toronto. As I was browsing the Canadian literature table I came across a copy of my novel, The Last River Child. It was a bit disconcerting to see my own discarded novel while searching for cheap treasures. I snuck a peek inside to see if it was signed (it wasn't) and then peeked at what it was priced at ($3). I hope someone took a three dollar gamble and loves it.
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue in a short story. It can be the first line, the last line or any line in between!
"Hell will freeze over before I do that!"
"Hell will freeze over before I do that!"
Random Exercise
Write about an adventure. It can be a real adventure you had or a fictional adventure. But give some thought to what you consider to be "adventurous."
Author Interview: Lisa De Nikolits
West of Wawa is a cross-Canada roadtrip adventure, narrated with wry humour and filled with a cast of engaging characters. A tale of sexual adventure, narcotics, redemption and triumph.
First Line (FL): West of Wawa is your second novel. How did the writing process differ from the first book?
Lisa De Nikolits (LDN): The main difference is the amount and nature of the research that I did for my first novel, The Hungry Mirror. I read up on as many statistics and facts that I could find because I really wanted to inform the reader about the factual side of eating disorders and I worked hard to weave this information into the fabric of the fictionalized world of the novel.
I also quoted from a number of sources, so there were permissions involved – and I had to ensure that quotes I used were approved by the writers.
And now, while West of Wawa has a fair number of facts too, with regards to the buses and distances that Benny (the protagonist) travels, the rest is a complete work of fiction. I researched Benny’s route in the most pleasurable way by actually doing the journey and making careful notes at the time of the scenery. I wasn’t planning on writing a book but I always keep a travel journal and I’m very glad I did.
FL: What is your favourite word?
LDN: An interesting question! If you were to look at West of Wawa prior to editing, you’d be inclined to say that my favourite words, (albeit unconsciously) were, ‘looked’, ‘little’, ‘happily’ and ‘cosy’. They’re actually not my favourite words at all and once I spotted this weak-word trend, I weeded them out vigorously!
My favourite word is ‘serene’. I have loved it ever since I first read it in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – I was so moved by this opening paragraph and I’ve always thought it’s one of the best openers:
“Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber, as a word, was better. But it did not apply to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Prairie was lovely and Shenandoah had a beautiful sound, but you couldn’t fit those words into Brookly. Serene was the only word for it; especially on a Saturday afternoon in summer.”
After reading that, how could serene be anything but one’s favourite word? There isn’t too much call for the word these days but I found the perfect place for it in West of Wawa:
The ruined and the destroyed had always held a fascination for her,even before the devastation of her own world. She liked to stand among the decay and pick through the aftermath of vanished lives, searching for clues to uncover what had made it all go wrong. And finding the perfect images to capture her imaginings, well, those were moments when she felt close to serene.
FL: What was the best advice you received as a writer?
LDN: That there are times when a piece of writing cannot be salvaged. I really struggled with this because I thought that every bit of writing deserves its moment in the sun. But a lot of times that isn’t the case, and you just have to be able to ditch it. Once I get over the initial hurdle of saying goodbye, I have a great time with the new stuff and it’s always better than it was.
FL: What book do you think every writer should read?
LDN: A Feast of Snakes by Harry Crews. I found it powerful, amusing, tragic, succinct, violent, incredibly bizarre and equally inspiring.
FL: If you weren’t a writer, what would you want to be?
LDN: Funny, I don’t really think of myself as a writer! I hadn’t really realized that until you asked that question. I see myself more as a lover of words who is currently enjoying the privilege of writing. And I think if I ever couldn’t write, then I would just accept that and do other things, like try to take better photographs or knit more or find some other creative outlet. But as long as the words befriend me, I say thank you!
FL: Describe your work habits. When do you write? Where?
LDN: I try to write daily. I always keep a notebook on hand in case I’m not near a computer. If I go for a walk, then I use that time to bond with my characters, I imagine they’re with me and I’m chatting to them, getting to know them. Or I try to imagine what they’ll do next. I write most of the weekend – if I wake up early like at 6 am on a Saturday, then I get up and write. Sometimes in a day, if I haven’t written, I find myself becoming agitated, even feeling distressed. Sometimes at the end of a long working day when I’m tired and it seems like an effort to write, I say to myself, “just ten minutes, just ten minutes.” And sometimes it does just end up being ten minutes but that’s okay, that way I don’t lose the thread of writing, the rhythm.
I write everywhere! I move around at home, from the bedroom, to the sun room, living room, back deck, my study, back to the bedroom! It depends on the time of year, my mood and where my cat feels like hanging out – she loves the sun room so I sometimes write there just for her.
I carry printouts of my writing with me so that I can edit them on the subway or if I’m in a coffee shop. When I’m working on a piece, I like it to be close to me in a physical sense. I believe that words read out loud or read from a sheet of paper, have a very different tone and message to words read off a computer screen and I juggle back and forth between them, testing the words as it were.
FL: What inspires you?
LDN: Pretty much everything inspires me. Crowds inspire me, solitary people inspire me, news headlines, snippets of conversations, picking up scraps of paper, imagining what’s going on behind the scenes of other people’s lives, imagining their motivations, their envy, their anger and disappointments. How people dress also inspires me, how we’re all so different and yet we try so hard to look the same, while also fighting to display our own uniqueness.
Life seems to be a constant battle, we’re constantly in a state of discontent, imagining how much better our life would be if this or if that happened… I let my mind wander and I imagine the consequences of the various ‘ifs’. I think the state of our human discontent is what makes life fascinating – our seeking, finding and then abandoning that which we thought we so badly wanted, and setting new goals. Danger, greed, lust, envy and love – studying the nuts and bolts of those emotions never fails to inspire me and it’s the promise of salvation (or the potential damnation of the individual) that makes it interesting.
And I must add that good writing inspires me, I love to read beautiful prose and study it like one would a painting. I am always looking for ways to improve my writing and I also get inspired by workshops and conferences with other writers. You pick up tiny nuggets that make the world of difference.
FL: If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
LDN: John Steinbeck. Because I can’t help but think it would a melodious and beautiful experience. And if not him, then Mordecai Richler. Or Miriam Toews.
FL: Do you have any other creative talents? Do you paint? Play a musical instrument?
LDN: I play the classical guitar with a fair amount of dedication – I try to practice every day and I take lessons weekly. I don’t paint or draw but I do knit – a sort of freeform wild knitting based primarily on the yarn I fall in love with. I knit blankets that my father has dubbed ‘the world’s longest scarves’. I also art direct as my day job, so I guess you could say that creativity surrounds me – I also love to photograph, I love infrared and so when I can, I do a lot of that also.
FL: What are you working on now?
LDN: I’m working on a number of projects; I’ve written the first 40,000 words of a new novel called, Between The Cracks She Fell and my goal is to finish that before year end. I am also polishing a collection of short stories and I’m hoping to find a home for my murder mystery entitled, The Corner of the Desert which is about a group of tourists who travel to Namibia and learn about witchcraft, the origins of Nazi theory and practice and how the Bushmen were affected by that. The travelers also start to plot and plan against one another with murderous intent. I wanted the read to be gripping and enjoyable on a fictional level while also being informative about the Bushmen and their traditions.
Thanks Lisa! To learn more about Lisa De Nikolits and her work, visit her website.
To view the trailor for West of Wawa, click here.
Week #153
Molly stared at the television screen, too dumbstuck to even yell to Harold to come and see.
Random Exercise
For this entire week I challenge you to pick a time during the day (10:00am, for example) to look at the sky and write a description of what you see. It doesn't have to be lengthy, it can just be a sentence or two. I want you to notice how the sky changes, to see some of its endless variations. Don't just accept that the sky is blue. Have a look. Is it?
Free Workshop with Me this Saturday!
Fast Fiction Workshop
In collaboration with Culture Days and the Neighbourhood Arts Network, Toronto Public Library hosts over 80 Toronto-based artists and arts organizations in a celebration of arts and culture at library branches throughout the city of Toronto. Lori Ann Bloomfield presents Fast Fiction Workshop! at Deer Park Library.
In this sixty minute workshop each participant will create a rough draft for a short story using writing prompts and timed writing exercises. Students will learn how to overcome creative blocks and generate ideas quickly. Through several short exercises, participants will produce a theme, a setting, characters, a conflict and write key scenes. By the end of the workshop everyone will have a rough draft of a short story to take home and continue to work on. All this, in just sixty fun, creative minutes!
Date & Time:
Saturday, October 1, 2011 — 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Ave. E. Toronto
In collaboration with Culture Days and the Neighbourhood Arts Network, Toronto Public Library hosts over 80 Toronto-based artists and arts organizations in a celebration of arts and culture at library branches throughout the city of Toronto. Lori Ann Bloomfield presents Fast Fiction Workshop! at Deer Park Library.
In this sixty minute workshop each participant will create a rough draft for a short story using writing prompts and timed writing exercises. Students will learn how to overcome creative blocks and generate ideas quickly. Through several short exercises, participants will produce a theme, a setting, characters, a conflict and write key scenes. By the end of the workshop everyone will have a rough draft of a short story to take home and continue to work on. All this, in just sixty fun, creative minutes!
Date & Time:
Saturday, October 1, 2011 — 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Ave. E. Toronto
Quote
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
~ Michelangelo
(Think about that a bit. How can you adjust your aim and reach a bit higher in your creative pursuits?)
~ Michelangelo
(Think about that a bit. How can you adjust your aim and reach a bit higher in your creative pursuits?)
Interview: Sage Cohen
Sage Cohen is the author of two nonfiction books, The Productive Writer (reviewed on this blog yesterday, click here to read) and Writing the Life Poetic, as well as the poetry collection, Like the Heart, the World. She also writes the popular blog, The Path of Possibilities. She is one of my favourite writers and I am so happy she has stopped by to chat. Welcome Sage!
First Line (FL): Sage, I loved The Productive Writer. You are obviously a very organized writer. As I was reading it I couldn’t help but wonder if your organizational skills extend to other areas of your life, as well. Tell me the truth, does your house look like an Ikea showroom?
Sage Cohen (SC): I'm thrilled that you love The Productive Writer! Thanks for taking the time to read it and talk to me about it!
The truth: My house looks like an Ikea showroom collided with a preschool in a high-speed chase. My office, however, is a space that I still have some control over. It's my sanctuary, and I try to keep it as beautiful and orderly as I'd like my client work and creative writing practice to be.
The other truth: I know how to be an organized writer; which doesn't always translate to actually being an organized writer.
FL: I know that you are also a talented poet. Do you have a favourite word?
SC: Oh, gosh. Favourite word. That's like choosing a favourite child or animal or type of potato. I will say that every year I choose a word for the year -- one that I am curious about understanding and inhabiting. This year, I am in pursuit of: grace.
FL: What was the best advice you received as a writer?
SC: It was more like anti-advice. A world-famous poet, who also happened to be my thesis advisor, told me that the problem with my poetry was that I was good at too many things. I couldn't figure out how such feedback might actually improve my poetry manuscript -- or anything else for that matter. And, like a pebble in my shoe, this strange comment has kept me just uncomfortable enough to eventually clarify that this teacher was giving name to an archetypal changing of the guard. He had bought into the "suffering artist" archetype, as was typical for artists of his generation. And here I was, good at all kinds of things, including poetry: the "thriving artist" archetype. I don't think he liked seeing a woman who could tie her shoes, chew bubble gum, and write a poem, and that's fine with me--change is uncomfortable for all of us. What that anti-advice did for me was clarify my position of which side of the artist fence I was on. It inspired me to take a stand for the balanced creative life in which poetry was an expression of abundance. I've been going public in defense of the thriving artist archetype ever since.
FL: What book do you think every writer should read?
SC: Every writer needs something different in the way of education and inspiration; I don't presume to have the single answer that will work for everyone. The book that was most significant to me in my foundational years was Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg. It gave me both permission and strategies to access what was most true and free in my thinking and writing. That book became the foundation of my writing practice. My suggestion is that each writer commit to finding the book that is their true companion -- and ignoring / discarding any advice along the way that doesn't resonate.
FL: If you weren’t a writer, what would you want to be?
SC: 1. Painter. 2. Rock and roll star 3. Animal rights + world hunger activist
FL: Describe your work habits. When do you write? Where?
SC: I write for a living, and I keep regular, work-day office hours for my marketing communications business. I do that writing in a home office, at a desktop computer. My creative writing happens generally on my laptop, in bed, at all hours of the night. My prime creative writing time is 4 p.m. to midnight. Before I was a mother, I was able to honor this rhythm somewhat. These days, I'm lucky if I get an hour from 9-10 p.m. Then, I often find myself awake and writing between 4 and 6 a.m.
FL: What inspires you?
SC: Forests. Oceans. Bathtubs. Sushi. Literature. Good company. The right drum beat to match my mood.
FL: If you could have dinner with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
SC: Jhumpa Lahiri. I would like to thank her for keeping me company in the woods that winter in my 20's, broken-hearted, swimming in words, with the most perfect collection of short stories I have ever read. She lifted me completely out of my small sense of possibility into some other place sculpted of words.
FL: Do you have any other creative talents? Do you paint? Play a musical instrument?
SC: I sing, drum, paint, and dance. I have also done some really terrible acting.
FL: What are you working on now?
SC: I have a collection of poems and a memoir in the works. I'm also getting ready to lead an online course for women to guide them through the death and rebirth process of divorce.
Thanks Sage!
To learn more about Sage Cohen and her work, visit her blog at: pathofpossibility.com
Book Review: The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen
Sage Cohen is one of those writers I have longed admired. And who wouldn’t? She has written three books, runs her own copywriting business, teaches writing workshops, is an accomplished poet, writes the wonderful Path of Possiblilty blog and raises a family. In my opinion, Sage Cohen is a phenomenon. So, when I learned that her latest book was called, The Productive Writer: Tips and Tools to Help You Write More, Stress Less and Create Success, I had to read it.
The Productive Writer is two hundred pages of tightly packed information and inspiration. The first five chapters are about getting started as a writer, creating goals and finding ideas. Chapters six through twelve focus on getting organized, developing good work habits and finding time to write.
I especially liked Chapter Eleven, called “Embracing Fear.” Here, Cohen reasons that we all feel fear and since fear isn’t going to go away we should learn how to make it work for us. There are brilliant tips in this chapter on dealing with our inner critic, accepting ourselves as we are now, committing to taking risks and using fear as fuel.
Once Cohen has given you plenty of strategies to be more productive, she turns her attention to helping you build your career as a writer. Topics such as using the web and social media, finding and maintaining momentum, revising your work, getting published, building community, going public and promoting yourself are covered in the last third of the book.
The final chapter is called, “Skipping Down the Hill.” In it Cohen reminds us to celebrate our successes, and ourselves, and urges us to, “Take the Risk to be Happy.” It is a wonderful reminder of what is truly important in the writing life.
In addition to all the great information found in The Productive Writer there are also bonus downloadable worksheets and examples available on Sage Cohen’s website, The Path of Possibility to help get you even more organized!
The Productive Writer is overflowing with fabulous tips and advice that you can begin implementing immediately to see results in your writing life. If you are the type of writer who finds yourself starting projects but struggling to finish them, or you are trying to fit more writing time into your day, I especially think you will love this book. I know I did. Get yourself a copy of The Productive Writer and put yourself on the path to becoming your own phenomenon!
Quote
"To be a writer is to sit down at one's desk in the chill portion of every day, and to write; not waiting for the little jet of the blue flame of genius to start from the breastbone - just plain going at it, in pain and delight. To be a writer is to throw away a great deal, not to be satisfied, to type again, and then again, and once more, and over and over..."
~ John Hersey
~ John Hersey
Random Exercise
Read today's horoscope. What you will find is twelve possible stories (because there are twelve signs in the zodiac). Pick the one that is most intriguing to you and write a short story.
Writing Adventure
The seasons are changing and we are in a time of transformation. Take a walk with your notebook and notice what is changing. Really notice your surroundings. Are summer flowers giving way to the blossoms of fall? Is the sky a different shade of blue than it is at the height of summer? Does the wind feel different? Does the air smell different? How has the light changed? If nothing looks different to you today, write a description of what you see and make a date to repeat this exercise in a month's time. You are training yourself to sharpen your observational skills; you are learning to see like a writer.
Dialogue Exercise
Use this line of dialogue in a short story. It can be the first line, the last line or any line in between.
"I can't believe she dreamed up such a scheme, let alone did it!"
"I can't believe she dreamed up such a scheme, let alone did it!"
Upcoming Workshop
I will be giving a free writing workshop October 1st. If you can, drop by and say hello!
Fast Fiction Workshop
In this sixty-minute workshop each participant will create a rough draft for a short story using writing prompts and timed writing exercises. Students will learn how to overcome creative blocks and generate ideas quickly. Through several short exercises participants will produce a theme, setting, characters, conflict and write key scenes. By the end of the workshop everyone will have a rough draft of a short story to take home and continue to work on. All this in just sixty fun, creative minutes!
Date: Saturday October 1st
Where: Deer Park Public Library, 40 St. Clair East (At Yonge and St. Clair)
When: 12:30-1:30
Fast Fiction Workshop
In this sixty-minute workshop each participant will create a rough draft for a short story using writing prompts and timed writing exercises. Students will learn how to overcome creative blocks and generate ideas quickly. Through several short exercises participants will produce a theme, setting, characters, conflict and write key scenes. By the end of the workshop everyone will have a rough draft of a short story to take home and continue to work on. All this in just sixty fun, creative minutes!
Date: Saturday October 1st
Where: Deer Park Public Library, 40 St. Clair East (At Yonge and St. Clair)
When: 12:30-1:30
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