Thanksgiving starts the holiday season, including the Time of Gratitude. Those who completed NaNoWriMo know what I mean. No matter how grudgingly, your friends and family had to give you the gift of time to write or you never would have finished those 50,000 words. The same will be true in December, the King Kong …
“Trying to understand modern art is like trying to follow the plot in a bowl of alphabet soup.” “Do not assume anything Obi-Wan. Clear your mind must be if you are to discover the real villains behind this plot.” “You get to that point in life where change is inevitable. A change in scenery, a …
Well-known authors—mostly dead—push to the front, vying for mention in my quote challenge blogs. Either write things worth the reading, Or do things worth the writing. ―Benjamin Franklin I’m trying, Ben, but you forgot to publish the DIY how-to section. The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” ―Agatha Christie …
Writer’s Wisdom: A Quote Challenge by Violet Carr Moore Read More »
At a CWC Mt. Diablo Branch workshop on writing emotion, Amanda McTigue pointed out that whether people are reading or not they are still exposed to stories every day. Movies, television, sometimes even advertising are all informing our potential readers. When there are so many stories floating in the air, how can we make our …
Writing in a Story-saturated World by Lani Longshore Read More »
I returned from a two-week holiday and looked at my notes for the next section of my novel. After much consideration, I realized I had no idea what I meant when I wrote those notes. There was no obvious pick-up line, and once again I remembered why I don’t knit―I could never find my way …
“I couldn’t see how to make it funny, so I went full-on heartwarming this time.” That’s how I explained the difference in tone from previous pieces I had asked my good friend and trusted critic, Stacey, to read. Before starting the piece, I had combed through stories from one edition of the popular anthology series …
I chickened out on NaNoWriMo again, but I’m still getting something out of it. For the last three years I’ve thought about using NaNoWriMo to help break one writing block or another, but haven’t quite done it. This year, however, I determined to take advantage of some of those tips for NaNo participants. I’m on …
One of my quilting groups did an alphabet challenge. We drew a letter, and made a quilt related to a word beginning with that letter. I wondered if I could use the same challenge in my writing and decided to start an alphabet hop. The word “accountable” leaped off the page of my dictionary. How …
May began with a vigorous celebration of writing. Towne Center Books held a Book Fight on May 3 – contestants were given five minutes to write a story based on three words chosen at random. TVW members Arleen Eagling, Alice Kight and Lani Longshore competed along with other writers from the community. After three rounds …
Flexing Those Writing Muscles – by Lani Longshore Read More »
CWC Tri-Valley Branch is promoting our local authors world-wide, and entertaining U.S. troops at the same time. Members can donate signed copies of their own books at the April meeting. Vice President Deborah Bernal will collect the books and bring them to the San Ramon Blue Star Moms, who will send them to local military …
