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Tag Archives: WRITING
Writing with Latino Youth
One of the great things I was involved with this summer was a twice-weekly writing workshop with Latino youth in Indianapolis – middle schoolers through seniors in high school. As part of their summer program, some of them were excited to be there. Nervous, yes, but they liked to write and wanted to do more. For others, well, let’s just say they got stuck with their last choice. We used writing prompts in every session, some related to hobbies and some to heritage. On Wednesdays, a spoken word poet came for the last hour and guided us through memories and feelings to create prose poems. No matter what their attitude when they started, by the end of our six weeks, these teens had produced some powerful writing. Strong emotions, some lovely phrases, and an amazing sense of empowerment for all of them. One of our early prompts was: “Just because ____, doesn’t … Continue reading
My Solar-Powered Self
The power of thunderstorms fascinates me. Tree branches whip in the wind, rain pelts against the roof, hail clatters on the deck and the skylights. Thunder rolls and cracks, and I count seconds until the flash of white. When the lightning and thunder come on top of each other, I startle, shudder and look on in amazement, safe in my house. No matter what I’m supposed to be doing (including sleeping at night) I find myself drawn to the window to witness the spectacle. On the other hand, when cottony fog muffles the outside world, cocooning me in my solitary day, I’m grateful that the only commute I have is the three paces to my computer. And when a soft, gentle rain waters the grass and flowers, I feel like taking a book out to the outdoor table set. These gray days make me glad to stay home and curl … Continue reading
Posted in Misc, TAKE JOY!
Tagged creative writing, fog, Jennifer Jensen, sunny days, sunshine, thunderstorms, WRITING, writing life
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Newbie, Apprentice, or Master Writer?
I’m not a newbie writer anymore. I don’t even cringe as I say the words that used to scare me: “I’m a writer.” Nope, that’s ME! But despite the people who tell me I’m a genius and are waiting breathlessly for my next book (yes, there are a few of them out there), I’m nowhere near a master. I’m solidly in my apprenticeship, working and learning along the way. Kristen Lamb blogged about this yesterday and gave permission to share. Here’s our Jedi Master on the three stages of a writing career: The mark of a pro is they make whatever we want to do look easy. From running a business to playing guitar to wicked cool Kung Fu moves, masters rarely seem to even break a sweat. Same with authors. With the pros? The story flows, pulls us in, and appears seamless and effortless. Many of us decided to … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Blogs, WRITING
Tagged craft of writing, creative writing, fiction writing, Jennifer Jensen, Kristen Lamb, writer's craft, WRITING, writing masters, writing skills
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Flunking NaNoWriMo, Finding a Writing Rhythm
I admit it: I flunked NaNo this year. I had great plans of using the month to crank out a down-and-dirty rough draft of Shimmer #2. What I discovered was that a good story (not just a large word count), necessary historical research and a 30-day deadline do not make a good combination! At about the 10,000 word mark, I discovered a resource that filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge about life in the canal construction camps of the 1830s. Great info, but it also meant stopping to read, re-imagine and re-plot before I could move forward again. And when local book signings and a marketing push on Mother-Daughter Book Reviews took over my brain, and NaNoWriMo went completely kaput. Sigh. On the other hand, when I was working on those 10,000 words, I discovered a great rhythm for my writing time! As many of you know, … Continue reading
Chasing the Mailman
Friday: Waiting for the mailman is a difficult thing for an author. The postal tracking number showed that the print proof of Through the Shimmer of Time would arrive today, and the mail comes about noon. I worked hard on guest blogs in the morning so I could enjoy the moment. 11:30 – No mail yet. 12:05 – Mail! But no book package! 12:07 – Back inside, I check the USPS tracking number on the computer. “On Delivery,” it says. Is it on a package-only mail truck? Or did it go astray? We’ve had mail mis-delivered before. I sign up for text alerts and they send one immediately, telling me once again that it is “on delivery.” 12:32 – My phone chimes. The text from USPS says that the package has been delivered. 12:32 – I check the mailbox again. I check the front porch and beside the big garage … Continue reading
Posted in Humor, SHIMMER OF TIME
Tagged humor, Jennifer Jensen, middle grade, shimmer of time, through the shimmer of time, time travel, WRITING, writing life
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