Nuturing a Long-Distance Writer/Reader

As a long-distance grandma, I miss the growing and learning experiences with my grandkids. I always read to my children when they were young which instilled a love of reading and books. So how to do that while far away?

I’ve come across several ideas to pass along.

If both you and your far-away children have a web cam, you can start early by reading and showing books to babies, of course while cooing at the same time. That way they will learn your voice and face and get a little reading in too. If you do not have a web cam, a CD or DVD will work too, but without immediate interaction.

For elementary age, plan a long distance story to write back and forth to each other and draw pictures to stimulate their artistic side. I’m working on a story with my 8-year-old granddaughter. I began the first page with the character and beginning. Then I left my last sentence incomplete so she could finish it and go from there. This was to be a project to cover the summer time, say maybe 6-7 pages at least. However, when I got her second page, the story was finished. Now I need to somehow continue the story with clearer explanation of what I want. I plan to save and copy it, that is-if the story is longer than 2 pages, for a keepsake.

If they are pre-teens or teens you can email, send pictures, encourage them in their activities, and maybe, just maybe they will write back. Or check their My Space/Face Book and leave goofy comments.

Of course always send age appropriate books, check out what’s being read and sometimes read it first for content. Then you will have a better discussion than, “did you like the book?” Find books that are about their special interests and be involved. Note: if they are into books you do not think are suitable, you might read one to be able to intelligently discuss the negatives. They might even think you are cool that you took the time to read their book. (Maybe)

I know I’m missing a whole host of ideas, what other things might I do to create a reading/writing interest? What have you done?

Wish I was there,

Karen

SOUTH AFRICA CONNECTION

A few days after my last post about conferences I received the following e-mail. I post this e-mail in its entirety to illustrate how one obscure blog (or perhaps not so obscure) can bring writers together in a common bond.
Map is taken from Shirl's web page.
Red dots indicate location of those who have visited her web page
Shirl on right above




Hi, I’m Shirley Corder from South Africa (aka Shirl). I see from your blog that you live in PARIS?. Okay, I’ve just done a search on Google World and I see there are a number of cities called Paris in N. America. (And by the way there are 23 towns names Paris-my insert)

As you may have read on TWV2, God willing I will be attending the above(Florida) conference, together with a friend, Marion Ueckermann (also a member of TWV2). I would love to get some input from you re the conference. As you can imagine it's a huge task for us both to get from S.Africa to the conference. I will leave home on the Sunday morning before the conference, and meet up with Marion at the Egoli (Johannesburg) airport. We fly via London and Miami, then coach to Orlando, finally arriving in Orlando at midnight on Monday evening. (Hence my need to speak to someone who knows Orlando. We will need a hotel for a couple of nights, and it’s not easy to choose one on the web.) (Please note that Johnnie of the Kindred Heart Writers will be helping Shirl and Marion find lodging.)

Please would you write and tell me a little about the conference? We really need to get the most out of it, and the more we know the better we can plan. And planning is so important for attending the conference.Could you also mention what sort of clothes the ladies wear? Are long pants okay, or do we need to bring dresses? Is there a "banquet" or evening function when we need to have something more dressy?( A woman after my own heart. Anyone who has been to conference or who knows me will know that clothes (especially jackets) are on my list second only to my manuscripts.)

One final question. Will you be there again next year? If so it will be super to meet you.Thanks in anticipation,

I immediately answered and we now have what is known in the Kindred Heart Writers group as the South Africa Connection. "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12" In her blog Shirl writes: "Isn't this just what the Lord means by this Scripture? There's an ocean between us, but we belong to the same Body. I just can't wait to see how this works out!" And neither can I! I am so excited about our South African Connection.

To learn more about Shirl and her friend as they plan for their Florida conference check out her web site at http://www.shirleycorder.com/ While you are there be sure to go to her photo section as she has beautiful photographs of her part of the world and also of her family.

Excited with our new friend and looking forward to sharing her with our readers.

Connected to S. Africa andf Connected to God
Clella

A Summer Grammar Lesson

You thought school was out? Surprise – school is always in session for the writer. For this little review of confusing words, I chose words that are frequent victims of incorrect usage. In the spirit of bettering one’s writing, read on!

accept / except

Accept -- to agree or to receive
Except -- but or with the exception that

I proudly accept the Pulitzer Prize.
Everyone except me was published!

advice / advise

Advice – (noun) recommendation
Advise – (verb) the act of giving a recommendation

I took his advice and rewrote the first 875 pages.
“I’d advise you to get an agent, pronto!” cried the acquisitions committee.

allot / a lot

Allot – to parcel out
A lot – always two words, meaning many

I decided to allot sarcasm sparingly in the dialogue.
Completing a manuscript is a lot of work but quite an accomplishment.

all ready / already

All ready – means all are ready
Already – refers to time

We are all ready for another writers conference.
“Is it already time to go back home?” cried the writers.

among / between

Among – involves three or more
Between – involves just two

Who among us has not wished for a book contract?
I can’t decide between the newest Grisham novel and Davis Bunn’s latest book.

assure / ensure

Assure – to promise or say with confidence
Ensure – to make sure something will or won’t happen

“With just a little rewriting this will be perfect,” the editor assured me.
If I spend time rewriting, it will ensure success.

cue / queue

Cue – a hint, a stimulus
Queue – a line of people waiting (also used as a verb, to wait)

The author cleverly planted subtle cues for the reader.
He stood at the back of the queue, patiently waiting for the author’s autograph.

I hope this quick grammar lesson jogged your memory a bit and maybe even ironed out some word difficulty that has puzzled you. I refuse to dismiss class, however, without calling attention to recent news of the decline of the English language in, shall we call it, the mother country. About two months ago, the Brits revealed they would be dropping apostrophes from street signs (as in St. Peter's), and today I read that their government has decreed that teachers are not to pass on the mantra "i before e except after c." All I can say is, July 4th, here we come!

Happy writing,

Laura

Fathers’ Day Inspirational Quotes – A Baker’s Dozen

A well written quote always inspires us. In honor of Father’s Day, what have others said about the men we call fathers?

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. ~ Unknown

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. ~ Bill Cosby

A father carries pictures where his money used to be. ~ Unknown

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. ~ Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. ~ Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys. ~ Unknown

One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be. ~ Unknown

Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name. ~William Wordsworth

A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society. ~ Billy Graham

A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season. ~ Anonymous

Small boy’s definition of Father’s Day: It’s just like Mother’s Day only you don’t spend so much. ~ Unknown

My father died many years ago, and yet when something special happens to me, I talk to him secretly not really knowing whether he hears, but it makes me feel better to half believe it. ~ Josefowitz

He opened the jar of pickles when no one else could. He was the only one in the house who wasn't afraid to go into the basement by himself. He cut himself shaving, but no one kissed it or got excited about it. It was understood when it rained, he got the car and brought it around to the door. When anyone was sick, he went out to get the prescription filled. He took lots of pictures ... but he was never in them. ~ Erma Bombeck

The Kindred Heart Writers wish all fathers a very happy fathers’ day!

Chekhov’s Five Writing Challenges

In Stratford Canada last week, my daughter Valerie and I attended six plays. “Three Sisters” by Anton Chekhov permeated my writer’s soul and encouraged me to cling to my dreams of being published writer. He also challenged me to the reality that making dreams come true often comes with delays, disappointment, and discouragement.

Chekov's play is regarded by some critics as the best drama of the 20th century. The Prozorov sisters, Olga, Masha, and Irina, along with their brother, Andrey, drag out a dull existence in a small provincial garrison town. Only the diversion afforded by the officers and the ever-present dream of someday moving to Moscow keep the sisters going from one drab day to the next.

Audrey, who has had dreams of becoming a professor, makes a bad marriage choice that thwarts his ambition and adds to his sisters' troubles. His wife, Natalya, becomes a domestic dictator. Masha, who is married to a boring schoolmaster Kulygin, tries to find happiness in a love affair with the officer Vershinin. The youngest sister, Irina, attempts to escape the drabness of her life by marrying Baron Tuzenbakh, another officer. The removal of the regiment from the town undoes Masha's plan, because Vershinin is married and cannot take her with him. Tuzenbakh is killed in a duel. The three sisters are left as they were in the beginning, still clinging to their hopes for a better life.

What does Chekhov’s story show us about writing?

Characters – Create strong, clear, and realistic characters and place them in a situation that is far from perfect. In this play, the audience gains great sympathy for the characters; after all, whose family behaves normally?
Chew – the readers/audience are not dumb. Confront them with thought provoking, challenging and even uncomfortable ideas and situations.
Choice – create tension by having the characters make choices and braving the consequences.
Chronicle – Sprinkle the chronicle or the story with emotional highs and lows and add flavor with spoonfuls of humor.
Change – while the three sisters cling to one another and their hopes in the end, they survived many changes with courage and perseverance. People evolve and transform with each life experience – great fodder for a writer to build on.

Chekhov portrays ordinary life and captures entire lifetimes in the space of three hours. He wrote, "Let everything on the stage be just as complex and at the same time just as simple as in life. People have dinner, merely dinner, but at that moment their happiness is being made or their life is being smashed."

In the closing act, the three sisters embrace each another and repeat the line, “We must go on living… We must go on living… We will go on living.”

In the face of rejections, writers block, and/or lack of clear direction, let the Three Sisters lead us onward with the chant: “We must go on writing….We must go on writing… We will go on writing.”

Jeanie

Chasing Rabbits and Flush a Snake

Major, my dog, loves to chase the wild rabbits in our backyard. I have no idea why the rabbits like our yard as my neighbors on either side are "dog free", but we do have bushes and ferns where they like to hide.

One day Major spied a rabbit and chased it into the wild ferns by our patio and before he could catch it, (which he never does) out came a black snake. I screamed for him to stop, (which of course he didn’t) and the rabbit just looked teasingly at him and scooted under the fence while I was left looking at a snake slithering by my patio door.

What does this have to do with writing? Many times I get ready to sit at my computer to write and then rabbits start hopping all around. Mind wandering rabbits, chore rabbits, internet rabbits, TV rabbits, family rabbits…..you get the point. So by the time I want to settle down a deadline is passed, an opportunity gone, a theme forgotten and all I end up with is a slithering mess of hopes and thoughts that frustrate the door of my mind.

Here are some ways that help me keep out of the ferns and focused.

1.Determine you will write at least 5-15 minutes every day. Set a timer, you’ll be surprised how much you can do in a concentrated 15 minutes.
2. Make it a certain time everyday, or as your schedule allows, a time that will not be interrupted. Arrange your children’s and spouses activities accordingly.
3. Choose your most urgent project to work on first. Then divide your time among the rest as needed.
4. If writer’s block hits-just start writing for fun—whatever gives you pleasure. You can even write to yourself. Remember, writing propagates writing. Then get on with your assignments.
5. Make it a time to look forward to, fixing whatever inspires, relaxes and makes you want to sit with pen and paper or the computer. Some of my faves are flavored coffees and chocolates. Music also works.

Please add your own to this list. I'll be interested.

So leave the rabbits in the yard where they belong and write.

I don’t like Snakes,
Karen

IS IT WORTH IT?

2009 banner from website
My most recent conference
IT WAS WORTH IT!!

“It was wonderful!” My friend had just returned from a writers’ conference. Another friend sent an e-mail recently after she came home from Write to Publish to tell me that she had an agent and two editors interested in her book. She was fired up and ready. Writers’ conferences can many times be the answer to our publishing dilemma, but much more than an opportunity for publication can be found at a conference. In the past, I have had individuals ask if I think a writer’s conference is really necessary. Do I think it is worth the cost? Let me list at least five “things” I have found at a writer’s conference.

CONTACTS: Contacts are usually friends, but they fall into a different category. Dan Penwell, who was my editor, is a friend, but not in the same way as my Kindred Hearts. (My first book came from my meeting Dan at a conference.) Contacts are those individuals in the business who know some way or someone who might be interested in your writing. Contacts are in the business of publishing and are at the conference to find material. And not to sound worldly, but publishing is a business like any other business and it is necessary to be where publishing people are…”It can be who you know.” Face to face contact and time spent with these individuals is always time well-spent and a personal blessing.

TEACHERS: Teachers can always be found at a conference. Workshop leaders and speakers who have knowledge and experience are always willing to share with the conferees. Workshops, panel discussions and speakers bring an expertise to the fledgling writer as well as the experienced author. I find teachers who were not scheduled on the program, and I learn much from them at the dining table, the after-hours gatherings or the break between classes.

MATERIALS: Sheets of writers’ guidelines, samples of magazines, handouts from workshops and business cards are always available. Most authors have books for sale at a reduced price and are willing to sign them. Also available for take home bags are CD’s of each session and addresses and e-mail addresses of the participants. My satchel overflows after each conference.

FRIENDS: Contacts of all kinds can be made at a writer’s conference, but friends are more than contacts. Friends are those people you meet with whom you have an instant rapport. Ones who understand your writing dreams, your funny jokes, your fears of failure and most of all your last article or chapter. Kindred Heart Writers are friends not contacts. I found them at a writer’s conference and continue to be blessed by them.

INSPIRATION: A group of people with common interests and goals can be a stimulation to each other. Christian writers in one large group teaching and encouraging one another always thrills me and challenges me to be a better writer. To be a part of the fellowship of believers whose purpose is spreading God’s message to the world is always a blessing for me, and I leave inspired to continue working at what I believe God has called me to do for Him.


IS IT WORTH IT?

I think so. What about you?

Clella

P.S. to this article…Karen Whiting has asked if I would inquire of our readers… if you are paying your fee for writer’s conference would you pay $50.00 more in the original fee if you received CD copies of all the workshops? Let me know.

Time for Summer Writing

Teacher that I am, I look at the seasons differently. Summer signals a change of pace for children, parents and teachers. Even if you’re not a member of one of those groups, most of us change pace a bit during the summer. In anticipation of that, I’ve included some ideas for your summer writing.

Travel Journal Time

Several of our Kindred Heart Writers have already taken to the road, and their talk of travels reminds me of the importance of journaling. So many benefits spring to mind – possible fiction settings, article ideas, even just the exercise of daily writing.

Time to Reach Out

Use your writing to help others this summer. Is there a need in your church or community that you could step up to fill? Our youth pastor recently called, asking for a parenting article for a newsletter he was putting together, and I had the opportunity to contribute. On a more personal level, do you know someone who needs encouragement? Why not put together “Thirty Days of Encouragement” for your friend – personal devotional thoughts to lift her spirits? Maybe your writing skills should be put to use in a letter. You know, pen to paper, stamp and mailbox – so meaningful these days.

Mentoring Time

Know an aspiring writer who needs advice and encouragement? Spend a little time imparting whatever knowledge you have and support a fledgling writer.

Time to Play

Exercise your brain by engaging in some word play. A little Scrabble, anyone? Or pick up a book of crossword puzzles. You could combine your wordplay with an outreach if you visit freerice.com. Increase your vocabulary skills and help others as well.

Surfing Time

If you have the May/June issue of Writer’s Digest, check out the article, “101 Best Websites for Writers.” If you don’t have it handy, let me suggest a few:

sixsentences.blogspot.com
writingfix.com
flashlightworthybooks.com
grammarbook.com
wordcentral.com

So, pick an idea, and change things up a bit this summer.

Happy Summertime!

Laura

Two Tramps in Mud Time

I had to memorize a Robert Frost poem for a grad class I once took and this is the one I selected. The poem begins with the narrator encountering "two hulking tramps" coming out of the woods, two tramps who only knew how to judge another man by how he handled an ax.

I'd like to share the next two stanzas with you because of the narrator's important conclusion.

Nothing on either side was said,
They knew they had but to stay their stay
And all their logic would fill my head.
As that I had no right to play
With what was another man's work for gain.
My right might be love but theirs was need.
And where the two exist in twain
Theirs was the better right -- agreed.

But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future's sakes.

We write because we love words. We write because we need to express, with words, certain truths. Though it's often difficult to unite our writing avocation with a writing vocation, this is often a writer's goal.

I can no longer recite these stanzas from memory. But the professor printed out each student's chosen poem as a Robert Frost memento. On the printed copy, he affixed Robert Frost memorabilia. I framed mine and placed it on my desk. It reminds me of the worth of struggle and passion.

Do you have a favorite poem or quote that inspires you?

Johnnie