Weekly Writing Prompt — March 5, 2014 Edition

March 5, 2014Weekly Writing Promptash wednesday, being more successful, giving up, lent, no fear, the lent of our write life, writing lifeadmin

For those that practice, I wish you a blessed Ash Wednesday.

I’m not getting all religious on you here, just humor me a moment, please. Today marks the beginning of the Christian faith’s season of Lent. Much like Christ’s 40-day fast in the desert, many who follow the season leading up to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection give something up for the next six weeks (40 days, actually). Long through history, practicing Christians haven given up everything from bad habits to not eating meat (where the tradition of fish on Friday came from….), or even giving away worldly goods.

We’re going to be looking at giving up stuff in our writing life for the next six weeks, and maybe beyond. I’m not suggesting you give up your lap top, coffee fund, or anything like that. No, I want you to get rid of the things we keep around because being successful can kind of be scary.

Here’s a list of things I need to give up in order to make my writing life more successful:

procrastination

self doubt

fear

and

anger

All these things keep me from doing what I need to do to be successful in my goals as a published author.

Today’s prompt is for you to think about the things you need to give up in order to make your writing life more viable.

Do you need to give up NOT going to writers cafes?

Do you need to give up relying on adverbs?

Do you need to give up not practicing dialogue in your stories?

Do you need to give up putting something ahead of Workshops?

Do you need to stop procrastinating about editing?

Think about what is keeping you from moving forward and GIVE IT UP.

As with any goal, I encourage you to write it down. They say it only takes 21 days to make a habit. So before Easter arrives, you could very well be on your way to a more successful writing life. Now what do you need to give up?

***

Our next workshop is March 11 at 6 p.m. at the Library. I’m feeling stronger and stronger each day and have spent a few hours here and there being around people. So, hopefully health will continue to rule and we’ll finally get that workshop complete. Please RSVP if you plan to be there.

***

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
― Babe Ruth

—

What did you Write today?
~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — Feb. 27, 2014 Edition

February 27, 2014Weekly Writing Promptadmin

My apologies for the tardiness of this week’s prompt, but as you all got word earlier this week, I’ve been fairly ill. I’m upright today with enough brain juice powered by tea and Popsicles to send you all a note.

After my dearest spouse sent his note relaying the sad news of our workshop cancellation due to my illness (again…more on that later), there were some responses to the SnoValley Writes! box asking to leave the group. About quarterly I need to do some administrative housekeeping. So if any of you want to stop receiving these emails, please send a message with simply the phrase “Remove from SVW” in the subject line. I will take care of it post haste.

I also feel like I need to apologize to you all for my inability to conduct the scheduled workshops. Trust me when I say I’d much rather do the workshops. I miss our time together and being able to improve all our write-life lots. But, life hands us what it hands us and we have to somehow cope. Regardless, I apologize for any inconvenience for the cancellations.

I also want to thank many in the group who have been supportive and helping me during these seeming repetitive illnesses (I’m hoping that means I’m done for the year). It’s so great to have such a great community behind me and my family. It keeps me motivated to keep doing what I can do to support the community, as well.

As your prompt today, maybe take the plunge and go down to the AWP 14 event in Seattle today or throughout the weekend. There are a ton of poetry slams, readings, the book fair, even free bands. I’m bummed I’ll be missing the festivities (especially the Rule of Threes party tonight with all my Emergency Press & Dark Coast Press comrades), but knowing the great folks of our writing community are out there gives me a smile all the same.

We’re still continue to work on our portfolio things until our next workshop (March 11). Until then, read, write, soak in some literary culture, and stay healthy.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“You get used to the rejection and you don’t take it personally.” ~Daniel Craig

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — Feb. 19, 2014 Edition

February 19, 2014Weekly Writing Promptadmin

All,

We are continuing on our journey in our created Poor Man’s MFA Program. All of this will teach you to be a better writer via exercises in art immersion and observation of the literary world and beyond.

Coming up we’re going to have each one of you complete a portfolio of sorts, that has you examining other work. Learning from others makes our own work better. In the end you’ll have 3 book reveiws, 8 literary journal responses, and 4 essays on community/cultural activities (two of which should occur preferably outside the valley). The great thing is the “portfolio” will be proof of your involvement in the writing world. Ideally this portfolio will appear on your blog, enhancing your online presence — another write-life facet we’ll discuss in the upcoming workshop.

Book Reviews is where we are going to start.You need to figure out which three books you are going to write a review on. In the Feb. 25th Workshop after we do our Online Profile piece, we’ll be gin to dive into what this is all about. So your prompt here is to pick the three books you plan to do a review on. Please have only one of the books one you’ve already read. Pick your favorite author if you like, but be sure that it’s a new book by them you haven’t read. Bonus points in the end if the books have been published no earlier than 2011.

RSVP to let me know how many of you will be there at the North Bend Library at 6 p.m. Have tablet, laptop, notebook at the ready. Also bring your three book choices.

Hope to hear from many of you.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

Easy reading is damn hard writing. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 5, 2014 Edition

February 5, 2014Weekly Writing Promptbuy a book, charming notes, do it, give, plug, post, support your community, tweet, what can you do, write a review, writing communityadmin

This week our prompt is about helping others in our community — our writing community.

Your goal is to do one thing this week that helps out another writer.

Pick one, or pick all:

1) Buy a book.

2) Write a Review (post on your blog, goodreads, Amazon, Barnes-n-Noble, or all of them)

3) Give a book by an author you love to someone you think will love it.

4) Plug it — give the work or your author a plug on your social network preference (or all of them); tweet, post, heck, even snapchat some love their way

5) Charming Note — send a note to an author, editor, or artist whose work you admire. Let them know. The note can be a letter in the mail (too cool!), an email, or even a note on their public facebook page. Your call.

Send me links or emails about what you chose and what you did. Let’s share a little literary love this week.

*****

Don’t forget our next workshop is February 11 at the North Bend Library at 6 p.m. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

*****

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“A barista spends 3 minutes making you a $6 cup of coffee, you tip her. A writer spends a year writing a book; you complain that $4.99 is too high.” ~Robert Smartwood via Twitter

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 29, 2014 Edition

January 29, 2014Weekly Writing Promptcritical thinking, dissection, dive deep, love, rewrite, romance, scene, writingadmin

I must note following typing that date that my crazy parents have been married 48 years today.

Given that, I think we should talk a little bit about romance in our prose. For those of us who seem to write romance more than anything else this may seem odd; for those who run from romance, take heed: this is for all of us.

Even the best stories have a bit of romance in them. It doesn’t have to be kissing scenes every page, but connection to a love interest fuels many a character to do things they wouldn’t normally do — with both positive and negative consequences.

So go find your favorite romance scenes — either in a book, a movie, a tv show.

Here’s one of mine, humor me, it’s almost 10 minutes, but there’s love and devotion throwing up all over this screen, especially the last scene with Alice & Uncas. Can you pick all the love out?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah9XCamPyKA

Find three scenes. Scenes that flow with love, or deep romance, and maybe even a first kiss.

Find them and dissect them.

What words does the author use to convey the feelings? What mechanics do they use to do so? Are the sentences long? short? How much dialogue is there? If you’re dissecting film, what angles, close-ups, establishing shots, what do you see that gets you there? What other feelings besides attraction and love are there? Is there fear? awkwardness?

Write down everything you think of as you watch or read.

Now, take a moment and think how would you write those scenes differently? (not better or worse, just differently…you’re a different writer, of course they’d be different). Now pick one and rewrite it. Go on, go for it. Just one scene, it shouldn’t take you long. Make it as serious, humorous, or silly as you like. This is all about playing with our talent, craft, art, and learning while having fun.

***

Thanks again to those who attended the workshop last night. It was jam-packed but short one.

Next workshop is February 11, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the North Bend Library Meeting Room.

Hope to see you there.

***

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“I had a romance novel inside me, but I paid three sailors to beat it out of me with steel pipes.”
― Patton Oswalt

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — Jan. 22, 2014 Edition

January 22, 2014Weekly Writing Promptadmin

This week’s prompt is going to require you to read. Read this, now:

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/01/22/on-persistence-and-the-long-con-of-being-a-successful-writer/

Then plan to come to the workshop on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m., we plan to get out no later than 7:15 this week so many can then attend the Free Valley Publishing event at the Loft at Boxley’s, which is also that night and gets into full swing by 7:30 p.m.

RSVP if you plan to attend so I may make appropriate plans.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“We have our Arts so we won’t die of Truth.” ~Ray Bradbury

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 15, 2014 Edition

January 16, 2014Weekly Writing Prompt2014, abna, poor man's mfa, reading like a writer, work shopadmin

All:

This is arriving in your mail box a day late. My apologies. I was trying to ferret out some information and it was taking me longer than I would have preferred.

The workshop on Tuesday was a lot of inspirational fun. I hope that many of you can plan to join us on the 28th and then head post-haste from that to the FreeValley Publishing Round Table at Boxley’s.

Also, grants, submissions, and contests, notably the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards, were discussed on Tuesday. I found that the 2014 ABNA contest has not opened yet and Amazon has, as of today, not planned to cancel it. So, finish up your pitches and everything else and get ready for it. In the meantime, here’s a link to some more contests and calls for submissions you might be interested in.

Today’s prompt is continuing on our Poor Man’s MFA plan. This prompt will take you over several weeks, so you need to be committed.

Good writers are readers.

Your prompt today is to find a novel, any novel, and read it like a writer. Have a notebook handy. As you read, make notes of the mechanics of the book: genre, point of view, and length. Then be sure to acknowledge phrases and word choices that you like. Rewrite them so they are ingrained in your brain. Look for the character development, where is the conflict, what does the character want, what’s in the character’s way? What are the plot points/devices? Make notes as you read. Not just in your head, but in a notebook. Get a fresh one if you like, or just stick this exercise in your daily morning pages journal.

Next week we’ll be looking at even more things from the book because you’re going to write a critique/review of it.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“I’ve put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that’s the only way of insuring one’s immortality.” ~James Joyce

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 8, 2014 Edition

January 8, 2014Weekly Writing Promptprepping the new year, where do you want to go in writing, work session, writing goals, writing journeyadmin

Happy New Year Writers!

I hope the holidays treated you well and the rest from the normal routine has you ready to take on 2014!

First up is that we’ll be meeting on January 14, 2014 at the library for our bi-monthly work session. We will continue with our Poor Man’s MFA series.

In light of that, today’s prompt is to get you ready for that work session because we’ll be tackling your 2014 Writing Challenges/Goals. We’ll be looking at where you’re going and where you’ve been. Take 30 minutes over the next few days before the 14th and figure the following out:

1) Year in Reveiw: What writing benchmark did you make in 2013? What new skills, knowledge, and abilities do you have in your writing tool kit? Make a list. Be sure to include your biggest “win” in your writing life in 2013.

2) Looking Ahead: Where do you want to go with your writing in 2014? What is your main writing goal for 2014? Do you want to publish a short story? Do you want to have a manuscript submission ready? Attend a conference? Secure an agent? What is the next stop on your writing journey?

3) Go backwards to go forward: Start at your end-goal and plot out the rest-stops in your journey along the way. Figure out the mini-goals within the big goals to keep yourself accountable. (e.g. You need to write or edit every day in order to have a manuscript submission ready by, say, August.)

4. Baby’s First step: What is the the most immediate thing you can do to head towards your goal right now? Write that down.

5) Make a writing Calendar: After you’ve figured out steps 1 to 4, be sure to write goals, milestones, stops along the journeys on the calendar. Be as detailed as you can possibly be.

6) Ask for Help: What can SnoValley Writes! do to help you with your goals?

Bring the above, including your calendar, with you to the January 14th Work Session and we’ll get you more inspired, give you tips & tactics, as well as get some writing in. Please RSVP to let me know that you’ll be attending.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Writing: you come to the field hoping to be an artist, and wind up an entrepreneur.” ~Myke Cole, author

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — Dec. 11, 2013 Edition

December 11, 2013Weekly Writing Prompt2013, 2014, holiday hiatus, thinking, writing cafeadmin

Fabulous Writers!

Greetings from all holiday goodness and then some!

Today I greet you for the last time for 2013. SnoValley Writes! Weekly Writing Prompt will be going on holiday hiatus until 2014. You’ll get a writing prompt vacation until January 8; with our first of 2014 workshop coming on January 14.

As has been tradition lately, I want you to just let your mind wander and marinate on what your writing goals for 2014 may want to be. Our next prompts in the new year will help you target in on what is most important and work towards that. But now is not a time to do — now is a time to think. Thinking is a part of the writing process, and sometimes we need to schedule in that time.

Given that the holidays are super busy for many of us, this is a good time to do just that: think. Think while you’re wrapping gifts, while you’re looking at holiday lights, while you’re doing the holiday dinner dishes….Take a bubble bath and just think.

What are your writing goals?

What do you most want to accomplish?

What do you most need to accomplish?

Why?

How?

Who’s help might you need to elicit? Another writer? An agent? An editor?

When do you want to accomplish the goals by? (Keep in mind what you do and don’t have control over for this question…)

Think about all of those things in between the holiday busyness. Take notes if you can (I have a great app on my phone that means I can take notes and thoughts down any time I want…).

Don’t be surprised if new ideas come to you. Just jot them down. You don’t have to act on them. Thinking mode can do a lot of things to recharge your creativity — for many of you, you will find that following NaNoWriMo and the efforts to meet your 2013 goals, you’re going to need this “just thinking” time.

Am I saying to stop working? No. If you need or want to work on a project, do that. I’m just suggesting you take time to just think and not do at least for a little bit of time between now and January 8. This is a time to examine our writing life, is all. In every endeavor, you need to take time to measure, assess, and see what’s good, what needs improvement, and formulate a plan of attack for the next phase/goal.

Writing Cafe’s will continue through the holidays, to keep that connection that is so important, too. The Wednesdays of Christmas and New Year’s however, the Sawdust evening will not take place. Our meeting spots will be closed, and well, yes, we’re all hoping you have other plans those days. Look for your reminders as normal. Those who have children who will be home for the holidays, it’s not uncommon for one of our writers to bring them along and have them work on sketching, their own writing, or even (gasp!) homework so you can catch a cafe over the holiday break. So, hope to see you.

I’ll be thinking of all of you…hoping you’re thinking!

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending.” ~Fred Rogers

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — November 27, 2013 Edition

November 27, 2013Weekly Writing Promptadmin

A peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday to all of you.

Today’s prompt is more of a love letter from me to you.

I want to tell you how grateful I am to be a part of an incredible writing community. I have learned so much from all of you. However, the biggest lesson I’ve learned from being a part of SnoValley Writes! is to not give up. So many of you have crossed off so many of your goals and reaching for even loftier and grander ones now, that you inspire me and keep me motivated to get my own work out there. We have definitely continued our mission of helping writers reach literary peaks! Way to go. Continued blessings to all of you.

So, from my heart to your ears (eyes as it may be), thank you. My appreciation of all of you knows no limits. Here is to many more years together as we grow and grow

**********

Don’t forget our annual Pajama Party Write-In at the Black Dog Friday a.m. at 9:30 a.m. Roll outta bed, fuzzy slippers and all, and join us for breakfast and making words. A great opportunity for those still working hard to get their NaNoWriMo goals, or for those of us, like me, who are just keeping on regardless.

**********

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“My gratitude for good writing is unbounded; I’m grateful for it the way I’m grateful for the ocean.” ― Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

—
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron