Volume V, Issue 6 February 8, 2016
Dear ,
If you're a local WordPlayer,
you're probably disappointed today, after our much-hyped Panthers' Super Bowl that was riddled with costly missteps.
The Charlotte Observer's headline "Heartbroken" tells the story of the game. Yet there is more to the story, as my wonderful brother, a decades-long Bronco fan who lives not far from Denver,
reminded me in a text this morning: "Too bad about the Panthers. We all in Colorado expected them to win, too. Just think back to all the joy they brought you prior to this. Most cities never get to experience even that." (Am I lucky to have a brother like this or what?) Maybe the Panthers will have another shot at the Superbowl. I sure know they will keep taking steps in that direction, despite this
game's outcome. They're in it for the long haul, and their story will continue. Just, I hope, like you and your writing.
To that end, I have a new resource to help you, a nonprofit designed to connect and support writers and readers. The Charlotte Center for Literary Arts (Charlotte Lit for short) was recently founded by longtime WordPlayer and friend Kathie Collins and the awesome Paul Reali, who has some helpful, step-by-step advice for you and your writing
below.
I had a chance to visit with Kathie and Paul at Charlotte Lit last week and commemorated the event with this (rather goofy) selfie. (Maybe it's time to
invest in a selfie stick!)
We had a great time brainstorming about writing and I'm so excited about all they are putting together in their mission to build community through literature. Stay tuned—I'm planning
on hosting a workshop there soon. If you'd like to receive Charlotte Lit's helpful newsletter, which includes - Things to Do: a comprehensive local literary arts event calendar
- Things to Read: short works by local writers, and book reviews and recommendations
- Things to Try: writing tips and encouragements
And I highly recommend taking advantage of hearing poet Linda Pastan to speak on Friday, February 19th at 7:00 PM, as the official launch of Charlotte Lit. One of the poems in my collection Ten Thousand Cicadas Can't Be Wrong, "Voice Lessons," has as its epigraph these beautiful words of Pastan's: "When my griefs speak to me from the bright throats of thrushes, I sing back." (Pretty apt advice, I'd say.) Here is a link to this free event, for which registration is a must: http://www.charlottelit.org/launch/. There are also events with Linda Pastan on Saturday, February
20th. Seating is limited for these events, so check out the above link for details. One last thing before you check out Paul's fine advice on succeeding as a writer: I have to miss Pastan's event, which I'm a bit sad about.
But it's for a good reason—I'll be leading a "Healing Power of Words" writing retreat at Sunset Beach that weekend. If you'd like some time with kindred spirits to step more deeply into your writing life, as well as to learn scientifically proven methods to use writing, not just as a literary art, but also as a transformational process, you can learn more here.
May all your steps lead you to happiness and fulfillment, Upcoming WordPlay
THE HEALING POWER OF WORDS WRITING RETREAT AT SUNSET BEACH
(Writing As a Healing Process)
What benefits can writing provide—physically, mentally, spiritually? Are some ways of writing more healing than others? And can we create quality literary work as we heal? In this retreat that incorporates recent discoveries in the field of mind-body-spirit connection
and Dr. James Pennebaker’s ground-breaking ideas on writing as a way to move through loss and grief, you’ll learn methods of writing that help navigate loss and grief on your life path of growth and wholeness.
WHERE: The Sunset Inn, 9 North Shore Dr., Sunset Beach, NC 28468
WHEN: Friday, February 19 – Sunday, February 21,
2016*
TO REGISTER: Contact the Sunset Inn at 888-575-1001 (if you would like to handpick your room, view your choices here first, then call). Because the Inn is holding rooms for you, our participants, they are
blocked off as unavailable online. Register soon by phone — this is a popular event and there are only 7 spaces available. -----------------------------------------------------------------
COASTAL WRITING RETREAT: Connect with Your Creativity at the Sunset Inn 2 spots left!
(Writing—and more—as Renewal and
Inspiration)
Renew yourself and reconnect with your own creativity, whether you are a practicing writer, closet writer, or as-yet-to-pick-up-the-pen writer! The techniques and prompts we’ll use will spur your imagination, and can be used to create nonfiction, fiction, and/or poetry—the choice is yours. $378 for the weekend beginning Friday, February 26 through Sunday,
February 28. The Coastal Writing Retreat includes writing sessions, two nights’ lodging, two breakfasts and Saturday lunch (hotel tax and Saturday dinner at a local restaurant not included). Want to extend your retreat? If you’d like to stay another day to write, or to just enjoy the beach, the Inn is offering to Coastal Writing Retreat participants the opportunity to stay Sunday night, February 28th, at half price. (Extra retreat sessions are a possibility too. Email info@wordplaynow.com if you’re interested.)
WHERE: The Sunset Inn, 9 North Shore Dr., Sunset Beach, NC 28468 WHEN: Friday, February 26 – Sunday, February 28, 2016*
TO REGISTER: Contact the Sunset Inn at 888-575-1001 (if you would like to handpick your room, view your choices here first, then call). Because the Inn is holding rooms for you, our participants, they are blocked off as unavailable online. Register soon by phone — this is a popular event and there are only 2 spaces available.
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WRITERS' WORKSHOP: Every Picture Tells a Story Free!
Would you enjoy using visual images as writing inspiration? Come learn fun, easy methods to capture treasured family stories and create memorable fiction, memoir, and poetry. A variety of images will be provided; bring your own photos if you like.
WHERE: Plaza Midwood Library. 1623 Central Avenue. Charlotte, NC 28205
WHEN: Tuesday, February 9, from 6:00 – 7:30
p.m.
COST: Free!
TO REGISTER: To register online, please visit the Plaza Midwood Library website here.
More WordPlay opportunities here. WordPlay Success Story "We are all so different that there are not many truths about writing, but this is one: the words will not write themselves. Nor would we want them to. They’re your words, and only you can write them."
Meet Paul
Reali
Writer, editor, and teacher Paul Reali is the co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a new non-profit which engages readers and writers and builds community through the literary arts. He is the author of H2 Solve
Wicked Problems, the co-author of Creativity Rising, and has been published in more than two dozen magazines. In the last year, he won two first place awards in Charlotte Writers’ Club contests. In addition to his work at Charlotte Lit, Paul is the Managing Editor for ICSC Press, an academic imprint that publishes in the field of creativity and creative problem solving. Through the Press, he runs the Authors Lab program, mentoring writers completing their first books. Paul has an
MBA from Syracuse University with a major in Innovation Management, and an MS in Creativity from the International Center for Studies in Creativity at SUNY Buffalo State, where he is now an adjunct instructor.
What Paul says about
WordPlay
I am not poet, but have recently found myself working with (and often surrounded by) poets. I turned to Maureen’s Poetry Rocks! online workshop to help me get a handle on this art form. By the end, I had developed a great appreciation for craft of poetry, particularly the
difference that a single word makes. I’m still not a poet (although maybe a poet in training), but I know I am definitely a better poetry reader. Featured Writing
The Words Will Not Write Themselves
by
Paul Reali
It seems obvious, yet it must be said: the words will not write themselves.
We all know writers who do not write; or more precisely, people who call themselves writers but seldom produce any writing. They identify with the label—writer—but still don’t write.
In my experience working with writers, a leading excuse is lack of time.
(Another is lack of confidence, which is a story for another day.) The words will not write themselves, so when will you write them?
How about every day?
I mean this sincerely, but I’m not saying: There! Problem solved: go write every day. Instead, here is practical advice for finding the time to write.
Step One: Decide whether you mean
it.
Decide, once and for all, if writing is a priority for you.
If it is, you can resolve to follow these six steps,
and commit to finding the time you need. I don’t mean to be simplistic about this, but it’s a simple matter: we do what we decide is important.
Step Two: Know what you’re writing.
The blank page is not the problem. The blank mind is the problem.
Writer’s block is not knowing what you need to write today, right now. So: if you’re writing a novel, name it and outline it (at least roughly). If you write a blog, decide what the blog is about and who it’s for, and keep a running idea list of things to write about. If you are a poet, carry a notebook to jot down observations and ideas. If you’re writing a business book, name it, define the audience, and outline its
chapters. And so on. None of this is writing, by the way, but it helps you know what to write when it comes time to write.
Step Three: Make a
trade.
You can figure out the physics of making the day longer than 24 hours, or you can work with what you have. Which means you have to make a trade: stop doing something and replace it with writing time.
Look at all the things you do and you’ll surely find something you can choose not to do. Start with the goal of a half-hour of writing each day. Could you give up 30 minutes of Facebook, television, or Candy Crush? (On your deathbed, will you wish you had played more Candy Crush?)
You might have to do some creative thinking. Could you work from home one day a week and save the commute time? Get a family member to do a household chore? Have a child or spouse cook dinner an extra day each week? Take a 30-minute lunch instead of 60? Resign from that club you’ve belonged to for years that no longer provides you any real
benefit?
When you say no to something, you can say yes to your writing.
Step Four: Put your writing time on your calendar.
If it gets scheduled it gets done.
It is widely recommended that one write at the same time each day—first thing in the morning, perhaps. But if that’s not practical, put your found writing blocks on the calendar. An appointment with your muse, if you will. If you are waiting for the muse to arrive before you write, get out your pencil and paper or sit at your keyboard; that’s
where she shows up.
Step Five: Set a can’t-miss daily production goal.
How about just 250 new words per day?
For most people, that’s less than 30 minutes. (This article, for a visual measure, is three times that.) If you could write 250 new words per day—say, by
getting up 30 minutes earlier, or forgoing one television show in the evening—you will have written a draft of an 80,000-word novel in less than a year.
Step Six: When you write, lower your standards.
Truly: give yourself permission to write badly. And by this I really mean: get the words down.
Writing is craft, not magic. Some of the words may emerge perfectly formed, but not most of them. Most of them will require additional attention, which goes by the simple name of editing. But you can’t edit words you haven’t written.
We are all so different that there are not many truths about writing, but this is one: the words will not write themselves. Nor would we want them to. They’re your words, and only you can write them.
WordPlay Now! Writing
Prompt This is WordPlay—so why not revel in the power and
potential of one good word after another? This week, it's "step."
PROMPT: Take on Paul's step-by-step process as detailed above: 30 minutes or 250 words—you decide if you want to stop after whichever of these comes first or take on completing both.
MAUREEN RYAN GRIFFIN, an award-winning poetry and nonfiction writer, is the author of Spinning Words into Gold, a Hands-On Guide to the Craft of Writing, a grief workbook entitled I Will Never Forget You, and two collections of poetry, This Scatter of Blossoms and When the Leaves Are in the Water. She believes, as author Julia Cameron says, "We are meant to midwife dreams for one another."
Maureen also believes that serious "word
work" requires serious WordPlay, as play is how we humans best learn—and perform. What she loves best is witnessing all the other dreams that come true for her clients along the way. Language, when used with intentionality and focus, is, after all, serious fuel for joy. Here's to
yours! |
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