Strange Terrain

Post by Lynn

In my post of January 23rd, I shared that I was leaping into poetry for the first time by taking a class at my local community college. Well, I handed in the final portfolio last week, so I’m here to report on what I saw during my travels into that strange terrain.

Reading, writing and revising poetry for a semester has definitely altered my view of the genre, and forever affected my writing process.

The top three things I learned in poetry class:

1. The difference between image and abstraction. In short, you get at the big issues by way of the senses. I knew this on a certain level, but I sunk into it more deeply with poetry. When you’re in your poet mode do you mention the word “war”? No. You talk about “each round of the M-16 like a high-velocity wind.” Depression? Un-uh. You write: “One plate, with last night’s half-eaten ham sandwich, still on the table this morning.”

2. Adopt a persona. Kristin Abraham, our professor, randomly assigned each student a persona. “Write from this point of view,” she said, “and address your poem to Santa Claus.” Crazy stuff! I got the Headless Horseman. What I thought might be hard turned into a romp. I became a headless fiend, begging Santa for a new, preferably non-pumpkin, head. This introduced me to a previously-unexperienced freedom. I had permission to leave my hidebound self, enter another being and let the words flow from that vantage point.

3. Revision. More than the tweaking of sentences. I learned to take numerous sweeps at a poem, each time with a different goal, and to talk to my writing. Really!

Adapted from Heather Sellers, here are a few questions to ask your poem/story:

• What are you scared to really come out and say?
• Are you keeping any secrets from me?
• What do you really want to be?

There are many more lessons, of course – more than I can share in a short post, but let me just say that with poetry I walked in new places and I’m a different writer because of it.

What strange terrain are you exploring in your writing life?

Hugging the Curves

By Rich

I've been reading Andrew McCarthy's travel memoir The Longest Way Home as of late. It's a terrific story of Andrew's solo adventures to places we wouldn't choose for our annual holidays -- Patagonia, for example -- as well as a tale of a man conflicted between his solitary trips and the new family he has waiting for him at home. If you look underneath those storytelling layers, there's yet another theme to his memoir -- coming out of the curve. I'm not talking about Andrew righting himself when he gets lost in Vienna; rather, I'm referencing the curve in the road which led him to life as a travel author.

With a successful movie career and membership in the illustrious Brat Pack, things seemed to be going well for Andrew during the 1980s and 1990s. Then he it a curve as the roles dried up and he battled the ravages of alcoholism. He came out clean and sober, but another bend was up ahead. After a spiritual walk across St. James Way, Andrew hugged the figurative hairpin and came out a different man - willing to settle down and commit himself to a new career. Hence, how Andrew McCarthy, actor, became Andrew McCarthy, award-winning travel author.

Many of us have hugged the same curve as Andrew - minus the Hollywood stardom, of course. We've been absorbed in other careers and lives when, without a yellow sign of warning, a curve pops up on the metaphysical highway. Though some take the curve slow - sometimes stopping to absorb the view - others hug it so tightly they rocket away in a brand new direction.

The same concept applies to what we write. The manuscript sitting on our computer can be almost done, but another idea may pop into our heads quicker than a cup full of Pop Rocks and Coca-Cola, changing the whole concept and thought of the story. In these types of situations the author can let the idea sit on the railing or push it through the curve to see how it turns out. Sometimes the inclusion of werewolf zombies works for your romantic steampunk novel, and sometimes you have to reverse around the curve to get back to where you started.

To close on a philosophical note, life is never a straight line - it's full of curves and dips. It's whether  you decide to plow ahead or see how others get through first that determines who you are and what your writing will be.

What curve brought you into the writing world?

A Year of Plummeting

Guest Blog by Children's Author Debbie Dadey

At the 2012 Northern Colorado Writer’s Conference, Kerrie passed out a carabiner to every participant with an assignment to fill the ring with clippings of things you would not normally do-in essence, to push yourself to do more, to boldly go where your writing world has never taken you before. My particular ring had a quote attached, ‘The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail,’ by Edwin H. Lana.

 Frankly, I have to disagree with Mr. Lana. I think the essential part of creativity is doing it anyway even if you are scared to death. And that’s what I’ve tried to do since that 2012 conference. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone to speak at conferences and workshops. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but when I’ve been out of town I’ve forced myself to go to fun restaurants instead of hiding in the hotel with room service or take out like I would normally do. I’ve tried to stop being so shy and speak to strangers. I’ve emailed bunches of book festivals and asked to attend and most of them have said yes! I’ve literally stood at the top of a sixty-foot drop and plummeted down into a pool of sharks. I did it to as research for a book, Danger in the Deep Blue Sea. I was terrified, but I did it.

 Why push myself? Why not stay at home in my little writing office surrounded by my three dogs, who love me even if I forget to buy treats? It has to do with the conference and the goal of filling up my carbiner ring. It’s awesome to have goals and I definitely recommend them for everyone: personal and writing goals. My goal today is to finish this blog. It might not be perfect, but it will be done. But, pushing myself also goes back to a quote by Robert Wickman I have right beside my computer. Sometimes, I stop and stare at it.

 The quote is: ‘Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming, “Wow, what a ride!”‘ That’s the way I want to live my life. I don’t want my tombstone to say she was good at watching TV. I want to push my writing and myself. I want to fill up my carbiner ring and say, “Wow, what a ride!” So, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone again to host a Princess Party, complete with crowns to decorate. It’s scary not knowing if anyone will show up for the booksigning party for my newest book, The Lost Princess, but I’ll be there. And as another conference passes, I’ll have one more clipping to add to my carabiner.

What are you adding to your carabiner?


Debbie Dadey is the author and co-author of 158 books, including The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series and the new series, Mermaid Tales.       http://www.debbiedadey.com/    LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

Spirit of Writing

      

By Maggie

I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s Northern Colorado Writers Conference, and I, as always, got my essential spring fix of information and inspiration to help me to improve as a writer, not to mention the reminder that if I give up trying to write, I give up every chance of publication success. Joining many before me, I thank Kerrie Flanagan and all others who made the 2013 NCWC a creative work of art.

If there had been a way to manage it, such as a quick self-cloning, I would have attended every single workshop offered. With my current novel still in its infancy, though, I chose to draw on three favorite artists of writing to remind me how to lay down a solid foundation for my story and keep it sparkling: Trai Cartwright, Todd Mitchell, and Bonnie Ramthun. Scurry, do not saunter, to take classes from any or all of them. You have a treasure trove of knowledge to gain.

Spending time with new and old writer friends was wonderful. Listening to keynote speaker Andrew McCarthy was a joy, although when he signed his book for me, I wish I had actually said, "Nice to meet you" instead of a suave, "I-ah-baba." Frequent laughter, always a creative and freeing art in itself, rang through this conference. Bonus true-story writing prompt: Bonnie Ramthun, a male hotel guest, and I are descending in the elevator for the lobby when we stop, the door opens, and in walks a man wearing only white hair and a towel…

For me, the novel I’m working on is a must write. This is different. I tried, but I can’t write this one as a pants-er, as I have all my stories so far. My research has slowed my writing down from my usual due to the obvious necessity that my protagonist be authentic. Does this feel different because it really is? Is this The One? I’ll never know if I don’t keep writing with the true spirit and art of writing creativity.

Thanks again, NCWC 2013. I can do this. And I will.

Will you be attending the 2014 Northern Colorado Writers Conference?

Do You Follow?

Post by Jenny

Count me among the hundreds of bloggers who had a blast last month touring through the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. It was so much fun to pop in on blogs I otherwise would not have discovered. Whenever I landed on a new home page, I’d try to find out a little about the host, and then I’d see how many folks were following. I found, as you may have also, that the number of followers didn’t necessarily correlate with the quality of the content. Every great blog has to start somewhere.

So I’ve had following on my mind, especially where it pertains to writing. Even if we haven’t published so much as a fortune in a cookie, writers are encouraged to build our platforms. This makes us very focused on the myriad of ‘following’ options provided by social media. (Anyone else remember that old Genesis song? I will follow you, will you follow me…)

But as you are basking in the warm glow of social media love, please do not forget about three of the most important follows for writers:

Follow instructions. This is not tricky. If you’re submitting a query to a literary agent, for example, and that agent does not wish to receive email attachments, midnight FedEx deliveries, or mite-infested carrier pigeons, please comply. If you’re a free spirit who can’t be constrained by rules and such, prepare to have your query go straight to the trash can/folder/vortex, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Follow through. I hear this is important in golf, but golf is ridiculous and I’m horrible at it. Let’s stick to writing. You’ve queried or pitched to an agent. The agent likes what you have to say and asks to see more. But you never send it. (Believe it or not, I heard straight from an agent’s mouth that this actually happens.) Maybe you’re busy with your show ponies. Maybe you’re frozen in the Mortal Fear of Failure, which is like tetanus except there’s no shot for it. We all have lives and insecurities that get in the way. But if the ball is in your court, don’t put a pointy hat and a belt on it and call it a garden gnome. (And now you know why I'm not writing fortune cookies.)

Follow up. This one trips me up more often than not, but it shouldn’t. If a reply is either promised or strongly implied and is past-due, it’s perfectly okay to send a polite reminder. Communication is a two-way street, and there’s a lot of traffic.

As a writer, what are your most important follows?

Conference Photo Essay

Post By Kerrie

It is hard to believe that one week ago today at this time, I was welcoming people to the 8th annual Northern Colorado Writers Conference. The event went off without a hitch and everyone seemed happy. It all went by so fast. I love organizing the conference every year, but it is also nice to be on this side of it.

On Monday Rich reflected on the conference in his post The Creativity Vine and then Lynn shared her thoughts on Wednesday with her post You and Your Work.

Here are some of my favorite highlights from the conference shown through pictures.

2013 NORTHERN COLORADO WRITERS CONFERENCE

As the writers arrived, they were asked to stop at our photo "booth"

  

Even Andrew McCarthy

Sessions began and the learning went into high gear

COCKTAIL HOUR

DINNER HAPPENINGS

The Creative Team made a special movie to
kick off the event
The Artist and The Writer

Colorado's Poetry Outloud State Champion
Alice Kilduff reciting 3 poems

Andrew McCarthy's Keynote Address

"I travel to understand myself and I write for clarity on it."

"It is our job to have the courage to do the work and present it to the world,

because that is why we are here."

"I have to create everyday to feel like myself."

ANDREW MCCARTHY SIGNING BOOKS

SATURDAY

Lots more sessions

LUNCH STORYTIME-THE PLOT CHICKENS
with special help from Ellen Javernick

Ellen Received a Lifetime NCW Member Award for her continued support of the Northern Colorado Writer Conference

Northern Colorado Writer Conference Mural 

by local artist Alex Paozols

Happy Faces All Around

Save the Date for next year: Tentatively scheduled for March 28-29, 2014 

YOU AND YOUR WORK

Post by Lynn

I served in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa in the 1980’s and discovered much about the magic of language – and how it reflects the culture of the people who speak it – by learning Bambara, a West African dialect.

When I first arrived in Mali, I was concerned with being polite. One of the first questions I asked was, “How do you say, ‘Thank you’ in Bambara?” Simple question, but it turns out that it doesn’t quite translate. The closest equivalent is  I ni baara – “You and your work.”

You speak this phrase when you’re walking around the village, say, and see a guy mixing mud to make bricks. You smile and say, I ni baara, and he smiles and waves back. It’s an acknowledgement of the effort you see before you – kind of like saying, hey, you’re doing good work there, buddy. I grew to appreciate this phrase. It recognizes the inherent value of work and lets the worker strut his stuff.

At last weekend’s Northern Colorado Writer’s conference: The Art of Writing, I was, along with a lot of other writers, witness to the results of a lot of hard work.

I’d like to send out a big I ni baara to:

• Kerrie Flanagan, NCW Director, who labors all year long on our behalf, but really strains her creative muscles (not to mention her leg muscles) to put on this conference. Apparently she drags her whole family in on the project every year and so they deserve our gratitude as well.

• The “creative team” who supports Kerrie in doing, well, I’m guessing lots of creative things like choosing the theme, making cute videos, and designing centerpieces. Sounds like they have fun, too, judging from the wine-enhanced creativity which produced the magnets we received during the last session (mine says “embrace imperfection). Sorry I can’t name names, but your work is noted and appreciated.

• Marie Burghard, who designed the fetching conference poster. www.marieburghard.com

• The Ambassadors who do all the nitty-gritty work to make the conference run smoothly. Again – can’t list you all, but thanks a million!

• The presenters – the dynamic folks who get up front and lay it all on the line for each and every conference participant. There was a dizzying array of inspiration, information, and instigation this year. I’ll be going through my notes and the conference handouts for months to come, ruminating on the insights these writers so generously shared.

Kerrie’s introduction to the conference stated, “My hope is that throughout this weekend you will gain the tools you need to breathe new life and color into your writing, make new connections and be inspired to continue on your writing journey.”

Mission accomplished, Kerrie et al. Thanks to you and your work!