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I’m the second one to post on the topic of writing rituals. Like JoAnn, I really don’t have any. I do have a habit, which is to hit the treadmill first thing every day, then shower and eat breakfast before sitting down to write. But that's only because if I don't exercise first thing in the morning, I probably won't do it at all. The surest way to call up my muse remains putting my buns in the chair and beginning something. Anything.
Calling up the writing muse isn’t my problem. My problem is that I have trouble settling in to actually, you know, WRITE until I deal with all the writing-related stuff that comes with being an author – jotting thank you notes, replying to kids, adding an accounting entry, creating a blog post, responding to author visit requests, taking action on something that came in the mail, sending and answering important e-mails, keeping current on the few blogs I follow, etc. Once the decks are cleared, I tell myself, I’ll be free to create. But as I’ve learned over the years, those other things are never finished. Never. I'm not complaining; I enjoy the business (and busyness) of being an author.
Often, though, I get so caught up in putting out every. little. fire. that, before I realize it's happening, I've allowed them to hijack my entire day!
Confession: I've been struggling with this lately. A lot.
Last weekend, though, I attended the SCBWI Midwinter Conference in New York, and hearing Jack Gantos talk about his strict writing routine gave me a needed jolt of fresh inspiration. (You can read about his talk here)
So now, taking a cue from my buddy (I wish) Jack, I’ve created a new schedule – and hung it near my computer – that compartmentalizes my day in a way I haven’t tried before. I’ll be putting out fires first thing in the morning and again late in the afternoon. But I have plenty of writing time in between. I need this to work, as I have three book deadlines marching ever nearer.
Discipline – my new middle name.
Wish me luck.
Jill Esbaum
0 Comments on Writing Rituals/Calling Up the Muse as of 3/3/2014 7:32:00 AM
For me, writing routines are seasonal--as in the seasons in one's life. The routines I stick to in this season of my life (sans kid, with a husband who works many hours) are: 1) romp the dog twice a day, 2) exercise, and 3) write a poem a day. I send my best friend Bruce Balan an original poem each day and he sends one of his back. (Last night his poem informed me that as of December 26th I had written 1000 poems!)
I just finished working on a nine-month political campaign; it was wonderful having one purpose, one thing to strive for. And when my husband was in the hospital in November, that, too, gave me a single purpose. But right now, I am teaching, writing, critiquing, taking care of 92-year-old Uncle Davie.
Despite my routines, I'm in the hallway of unopened doors...
PATIENCE by April Halprin Wayland
In this hall of fear and doubt, open a door and let me out.
Hear that eerie violin? Unlock a door and bring me in!
Spirit, goddess, hear my prayer any door will do, I swear!
What? A door at hallway's end opens, through it sunlight bends?
I am running to escape thank you for the door-sized gape!
Whoa! This place is way too squarish… might I view a room less garish?
poem(c)April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved.
In which season of life are you?
What? No more tea?
No, Monkey, but luckily there's more Poetry below...
37 Comments on Poetry Friday, Tea with Monkey, and Seasons..., last added: 2/15/2013
I love Monkey and am delighted to join him (and you) for tea :).
I'm celebrating the 111th birthday of Langston Hughes at Alphabet Soup with a couple of poems and foodie tidbits (my link goes live at 6 a.m. EST).
Your poem reminds me a little of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Here's to the gradual opening of more doors :). Thanks so much for hosting this week.
Hi, April. The hallway of unopened doors evoked a dream-state for me. Great poem, especially the twist at the end. Isn't it funny how we sometimes want change and then feel overwhelmed when it comes?
The National Poetry Month Poster was unveiled this week and it has postcards! Since postcards are in fashion, I'm sharing a fashion-themed vintage postcard (#21) and accompanying poem.
Thanks for hosting, April--I love that sunlight bending and your whimsical ending!
I'm in with "The Elf," from Little Bitty Man, which is Danish poems translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland. I'm kind of in awe that they translated these and came out with such good rhyme and meter. What a puzzle that must be to do!
I'm the season of almost being an empty-nester, with our youngest a senior in high school. We do a lot of family caretaking, though, so...you know how that goes. Will be interesting to see how life and my writing and our routines change next year when both our kids have flown the coop! Every new season is an exciting one. It's why we moved from Fla. to Minn. 23 years ago. Who wants the same old weather (or life) endlessly?
All my posts will be up after midnight. I forgot to put a little description for my Random Noodling post--it's a link to an Anita Diamant article, and, two short videos of a Richard Blanco interview.
Thank you for hosting, April! Delighted to share that my post is all about doors today, too! (With an Irish brogue, so I'll be raisin' a cuppa Irish tea to Monkey.)
Same life point as Laura [the Purdie Salas one ;0)] - our youngest is a senior and it will soon be a new season for us.
Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday! I love seeing your poetry monkey, and your poem reminds me of a recurring dream I used to have when I was in college. Wishing you an open door to a pleasant locale. At The Writer’s Whimsy I’m gushing about the Academy of American Poets’ recently released National Poetry Month poster designed by Jessica Helfand. It’s very cool and retro. http://www.tamerawillwissinger.com/the-writers-whimsy/2013/1/31/a-poster-for-national-poetry-month.html
April, Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday. How exciting to join you and Monkey for a cup of tea and a read on this first day of February.
I'm writing a minute poem for today about the awesome full moon I saw earlier this week at www.poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com
This poem MOON MINUTE, will be up at midnight PST, and you can also check the abecedarians and the nonsense poem from earlier this week, if you aren't a regular reader.
Your poem seems to "speak" to everyone, April. Love the poem; it's all jittery, which is the way I feel, waiting to see what else goes on the never-ending list among selling my old house, making the new house home, work, and play (what's that-not sure). I need to run out a door, & the one with sunlight sounds wonderful. Thanks much for hosting!
Thanks for hosting today, April. I wish I could take the class you are teaching! I loved the way your poem began so gravely and then closed so lightheartedly.
Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday this week, April. Love Monkey. Tea and poetry seem like a perfect pair, indeed. I enjoyed your poem very much. I like the first two lines, and that part where it said:
"Spirit, goddess, hear my prayer any door will do, I swear!"
My Poetry Friday offering is called "Longing for Beauty" - a poem taken from Marilyn Singer's classic poetry collection, Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verses.
Thanks again for hosting and sharing your lovely poem. =)
Dear April, Your hallway is full of love, and I send you perfect-door-opening-thoughts as you keep reaching and wondering. I'll be returning to this metaphor again in my head, to be sure.
Today at The Poem Farm I have a little free verse poem about that feeling you get when you meet someone new...who doesn't feel new at all. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2013/02/new-old-friends-free-verse.html
Dear April, Your hallway is full of love, and I send you perfect-door-opening-thoughts as you keep reaching and wondering. I'll be returning to this metaphor again in my head, to be sure.
Today at The Poem Farm I have a little free verse poem about that feeling you get when you meet someone new...who doesn't feel new at all. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2013/02/new-old-friends-free-verse.html
Thanks so much for hosting, April! I love this place with its multitude of doors, its tea monkey and the delicious spread of poetry links. My poem is about fog, called "fog" and I left it with Mr. Linky at the back door.
Thanks for hosting, April. Love that hallway of unopened doors. I am walking down an old hallway as I recount an old loss, but the process is opening new doors already.
Hi April, Thank you for hosting PF this week! We love tea, monkeys, and poetry in our house - the perfect combination. And your poem "Patience" is just what I needed to read this morning. Thank you! =)
I've been feeling so gray, I decided I needed to find my inner silliness. I've posted two silly animal poems. http://www.lizsteinglass.com Thanks for hosting, and happy Poetry Friday! Liz
Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday. I'm in this week with a poem about acceptance, plus a little chatter about standardized testing and young children. 'Tis the season in our school, which has gotten me thinking about the things I accept and don't accept (as well as a bit out of sorts.)
I can't tell if Mr. Linky is working or not, so here's a link:
Hi, dear April! Thanks for hosting and for your always-wonderful poems. I've posted at my blog (about the recent awards) and at the PFA blog about Eileen Spinelli's poem about bullying. Take care! Sylvia
April...my writing season, that's a great question. I think it's a bridging season: finishing my teaching carreer (five more years and establishing a writing career as well).It inspires me that you write a poem a day. Thanks for hosting.
Today I'm supposed to write about how sticking to a writing routine can save the day. Or not. That ties in perfectly to my January 4th post, in which I vowed to set a writing schedule for myself in an effort to find my way back into a middle grade novel project. I'd like to shout, "Yes! A schedule was exactly what I needed! I'm well into Chapter 5! Hallelujah!" That would be inspirational, wouldn't it? It would also be untrue.
For the first time in my writing life (16 years), I entered a new year feeling overwhelmed by the number of projects awaiting my attention. Hmm. Could I work on the novel for two hours per day, fitting other writing in around it? No. Turns out that, like Mary Ann, scheduled writing time makes me itchy. Plus, I'm much happier and more productive when focusing on one project at a time.
For a few weeks there, I just avoided my office. That led to many late-night struggles with monkey mind - our pastor's apt description for when you can't sleep because your thoughts keep jumping from one problem to another. Especially worrisome were three picture book projects editors were waitingfor (no rush, but still). Throw in the same real life chores/business/family stuff we all deal with and you have enough stress to set anybody's teeth to grinding.
What finally worked to get me back on track was my old friend, list making. Prioritizing. And, hold the phone...what was that hovering down there at #6? Yep, the novel. So I've put it aside and begun chipping away at those projects higher on the list. And I've seen actual results.
1) A nonfiction picture book proposal is almost ready to go out the door.
2) A fiction pb has been tweaked per an editor's suggestions.
3) My messy pile of writing-related receipts stuffed into a drawer and ignored through most of 2012, otherwise known as "important stuff my husband's going to ask for any minute while he gets tax info together," is now collated and duly recorded and in perfect order. (He may faint.)
And I'm feeling much, much better about the situation. As are my jaws.
Routine has saved the day, at least in part. I spend most mornings in my office, chipping away at that list. For me, though, balance is imperative. So I opened another creative outlet. Months ago, I picked out fabric* for a quilt I wanted to make. I finally sketched a design, calculated the pieces I'd need, and got to work. Piecing a quilt, unlike writing, lets me see results quickly. I think - no, I know - that those afternoons in my basement sewing studio have been therapeutic.
*the centers of the squares look black in this pic, but they are actually a dark coffee brown.
And, #6? Don't worry, I see you down there. Hang tight. I'm on my way.
Jill Esbaum
11 Comments on Can routine save the day?, last added: 2/2/2013
Congrats on the quilt. It's nice to have something to help free your mind. That's why I run. Sometimes when I have a lot to do, and then I get yet another thing to do, it's my desire to do the new thing that finally pushes me to get the older things done. I guess it's akin to the homework first, play later bit.
Thanks, Jill. Though I normally thrive on a schedule, that's not working with my current life situation. I'm going to try your list approach. Congrats on getting those receipts organized! And thanks for sharing the photo of your beautiful quilt.
I have been struggling with prioritizing. I find it is a day to day struggle and I often have to revise those priorities. Wow. It's just like writing. Sounds like you are doing very well. Congratulations.
I often have to shift priorities, too. So many factors can throw off our best laid plans, no? I'm just happy if, at the end of a day, I've made some kind of progress.
What a great post! I have been visiting your wonderful blog off and on for a few years, but never commented. I'm always inspired though. Today, I'm inspired to add other creative projects into my writing routine. I've got a mobile started, and also a quilt I've been dreaming about, and taking breaks from thesis writing to work on those *is* therapeutic.
We had LOTS of great entries in our latest giveaway contest--see the end of this post to find out who our winner is.
As Jill shared last Friday, for our current TeachingAuthors topic we're talking a bit about our daily lives/routines as writers. Before I discuss my routine, I have a confession to make: I don't want to be writing this blog post right now.
It's not that I mind the topic, or that I dislike blogging, because I enjoy these posts and the opportunity to connect with you, our blog readers. It's just that I've been working hard, keeping "butt in chair" for the past few weeks, trying to finish the revision of my young-adult historical, and I'm almost done--"almost," as in, to start this blog post, I had to stop at page 274 of a 280-page manuscript! I really wanted to keep plugging away without interruption until I reached the end AND worked through Chapter 1 again so I could send it off to my Beta
readers.
Ironically (given today's topic), I would easily have made it through those last pages if regular life hadn't intervened with a minor household crisis this afternoon. But that's a topic for another day.
However, since I'm being brutally honest here, I should also note that these last few weeks have really been more "fun" than "work." That's because I FINALLY got through the revision of Chapter 12--the pivotal chapter where the two formerly antagonistic main characters realize they're falling in love! Once I had that chapter working to my satisfaction, I was on a roll: tweaking scenes, pulling threads, deepening sensory details, adding imagery, polishing language, etc. The stuff I love to do!
If you've been following this blog for awhile, you know it's taken me a LONG time to get to this point with this current work-in-progress. In fact, I've been ready to give up on this novel countless times. Back in June 2011, I blogged about how having a "writing buddy" turned out to be the key to my getting a finished draft. But that draft still needed a lot of work--work I hope to have finished by the end of this week. Hooray!
[By the way--my blog post about having a "writing buddy" led me to write a freelance article on the topic for the 2013 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (Writer's Digest Books), edited by Chuck Sambuchino. The book was just released on September 21, and is also available in ebook form.]
So, what IS my typical day like? I blogged about my "ideal" day back in June, 2009, and that ideal hasn't changed much, though I rarely live up to it.
I find I'm most productive if I get up around 6-6:30 in the morning and get to work as soon after breakfast as possible, without checking email or Facebook. Since I have a hard time resisting email, I set a timer and don't allow myself to look at it until after I've put in 2-4 hours of work, depending on what else I have going on that day. After email and lunch, I work another 2-4 hours, though I take an exercise break in the middle of the afternoon on most days. (If you haven't read about the recent studies citing the dangers of prolonged sitting, you may want to read this Forbes article: Why Sitting at Work Can be so Deadly.]
I should clarify that "work" varies depending on my teaching schedule and my work goals for the week. I'm not currently teaching any classes, so the "work" time these days may include:
writing/revising my current historical YA novel-in-progress (that's almost done!)
researching/planning where to submit a novel I recently finished co-writing with another author
writing a blog post, like this one, or planning future blogging topics
pitching/querying new freelance writing projects
writing/researching freelance writing projects
updating my website with information about upcoming classes, publications, etc.
Weeks when I am teaching, my "work" time includes lesson planning, publicizing classes, and reviewing student work.
Depending on how much time I spend on email and social media, my typical work day is usually 5-8 hours long, Monday through Friday, plus 4 hours or more on Saturday. (I often teach on Saturdays.) If I'm on deadline, or on a "roll" as I have been the last few weeks, I may put in some extra time after dinner. But I can't do that for an extended period. I agree with what Jill said on Friday, that we need to have time away from our work to gather the material that will enrich our writing.
I know many of you have full-time jobs that make it pretty much impossible to spend 2-4 hours per day writing. The good news is, many writers who have much less time to devote to their writing are still able to have successful careers. Esther recently mentioned a new blog by Carol Coven Grannick called Today I Am a Writer. In one of her first posts, Carol talks about how productive she's been by following the simple tenet of devoting the First, Best Hour to her work. As Carol has discovered, knowing we have a limited amount of time can sometimes help us stay focused. I'm a believer in Parkinson's law--work often does expand to fill the time allotted for its completion.
But even if an hour is more than you can muster, you may be surprised at what you can accomplish by writing simply fifteen minutes a day. Every August, award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson hosts the "Write Fifteen Minutes a Day Challenge" on her blog. Here's an excerpt from what she posted on the last day of the challenge::
Life happens whether you are writing or not. You don’t have to wait for the right time, or that Muse-blessed idea or a fellowship to a writing colony or a winning lottery ticket or anything. You just have to give yourself permission to take seriously your writing dream.
So I hope you'll give yourself permission to take your writing dream seriously. Why not start today, by setting aside some regular writing time?. Even if you missed Anderson's Fifteeen Minutes a Day Challenge last month, there's nothing stopping you from using her posts to work through your own month of writing fifteen minutes a day. Day one begins here.
Carmela, thank you, this post is exactly what I needed. I've had some big life changes in the past several months--I left my day job and my Mother passed away. Recently I decided that October 1st is the start of my new lifestyle as a committed writer. Your post gives me concrete examples about how I can do this. Specifically, staying off of email and Facebook until I've met some writing goals is key.
Yay! Thank you, Carmela, Teaching Authors and Lisa Cron! So excited to read this book. Keep the great posts and giveaways coming! (Carmela - I replied to your email.)
And, Congrats, Mary Jo, on winning our Book Giveaway copy of WIRED FOR STORY! I promise you: you'll be thanking Lisa Cron for her insights and guidance. I know you’ll be sharing this with your Young Writers too. Meanwhile, thank you, TA Readers, for reminding me just how intricate our brains truly are. :) Next Wed. tune in for my review of a book that offers your Writer's SPIRIT Instant Rx. And, FYI: I read in my Trib this weekend about the dorsal striatum, wired for (are you ready,Writers?) - CHOCOLATE!
It's great to hear about your day, Carmela, & how it works when you're just about to finish a book. Life happens, I guess, doesn't it? I appreciate your words.
Mary Jo, I'm actually jealous. WIRED FOR STORY is a book I want for myself! Thanks, Esther. Linda and Jeannette, I'm glad you found the post helpful. I have to tell you that the minor family disaster I mentioned may have been a blessing in disguise. I think it gave me more objectivity because when I finally got back to my novel, I saw that by adding a few sentences earlier I could eliminate the last two pages of the manuscript! I was planning to do one more read-through before sending it off, but I just came home from a writing workshop this morning with MORE ideas for making the story stronger. Oh, well. Back to work.
Great post, Carmela--very encouraging and do-able. It makes me feel braver.
And, regarding the dangers of prolonged sitting,I've recently jerry-rigged a stand-up desk and I'm LOVING it. It's not a treadmill desk, as many writers have...but I stand all day, as if I'm at a counter. Love, love, love it.
Wow, April--I thought you were already pretty brave! :-) Yes, I have a jerry-rigged standing desk, too. Unfortunately, I have some foot issues that prevent me from standing too long, but I try to spend an hour of my daily work time standing.
This post is in response to reader Tara, who wanted to know more about the writing life.
Before I was a writer, here's how I pictured the job: A wild-haired writer sits at a desk, typing madly, interrupted every now and again with a call from her agent, who wants to know how her book is coming along or report sales figures or discuss her upcoming book tour. Sometimes she removes her glasses and taps them against her teeth while gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. She stands to stretch and yawn, looks out the window, maybe goes for a fresh cup of coffee or a contemplative walk before settling in for another few hours.
Confession: I still think this is what life is like for blockbuster authors. Alas, I am not one of them (knock wood and never say never).
My writing life, by contrast, is very sporadic. I might write three to five hours one day, then not at all for two or three days. Or more. For years I felt guilty about that non-schedule. After all, a Real Writer would follow Steven King's advice (in his On Writing), which was basically: 1) have a writing space with a door you can close, 2) set daily writing goals, 3) don't come out until you've met them. I do have novelist friends who pretty much stick to this model.
But I've made peace with my own jackrabbit writing style because of two things:
1) I wholeheartedly believe that every bit of our lives away form writing – every book we read, every person we speak with, every place we visit, every hobby we enjoy – soaks into our beings and feeds our writing in ways big and small. Maybe some of us have wells that go dry faster than others? *shrug* So what might I be doing when I'm not writing? Lately, there's quilting, a hobby I'm just getting back into after years away. My latest project, a wall hanging:
I might be running errands. Seeing a relative. Dining out with friends. Reading. Traveling. Baking. Taking a class (right now: Basic Drawing - loving it!). Participating in a church function. Watching a video or catching up on Facebook. Writing for this blog. Enjoying a writing retreat. Sitting in a board meeting. Answering e-mail. Visiting a school. Teaching a workshop. Walking the dog.
2) I am primarily a picture book writer. Writing picture books is very much a process, and parts of that process work best if you take mental breaks. Every story needs a cooling off period, followed by a lot of revision. A lot. So the fact that I'm not in my office 24/7 doesn't mean my mind isn't still grappling with whatever story problem has me stumped. Some (most!) of my best ideas and aha moments come to me when I'm away from my computer.
All that said, I have had a totally different routine lately, thanks to a couple of short-deadlined projects. Here's the first, due out in mid-November from National Geographic:
I'm working on a companion book now, which means I'm researching or writing or exchanging e-mails with editors pretty much all day, every day. Truthfully I've felt more like a Real Writer, working on these books, than I have for a long time. I'm loving that.
Does that mean I'll be changing my usual writing style when I go back to working on my own projects? Um...probably not. At least not for picture book writing.
But I do have a novel in my head, so when I tackle that after the holidays, I'll be following Steven King's advice for as long as it takes to pound out that first draft:
1) Close the door.
2) Set a daily goal.
3) Write my brains out to meet it.
Look into my office. I'll be the one tapping my glasses against my teeth, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Jill Esbaum
Reminder: If you haven't yet entered to win a copy of Lisa Cron's Wired for Story, there's still time! Missed Esther's two-thumbs-up review? Just scroll down!
Oops! I also misspelled Stephen King's name! But that's not the typo I was referring to in the comment above. Find the OTHER one, and your name will be in my novel manuscript.
I loved this post, Jill. Thanks for making me feel normal. Katherine Paterson wrote - and I'm paraphrasing here - that the very people who take us - away - from our writing are the very people who give us something to write about. I share this sentiment often with with writers overwhelmed by parenting and jobs. :)
You're very welcome, Linda. Guess we don't have to worry too much about all that writing going on in our heads until we start talking to ourselves in public places!
This post is in response to reader Tara, who wanted to know more about the writing life.
Before I was a writer, here's how I pictured the job: A wild-haired writer sits at a desk, typing madly, interrupted every now and again with a call from her agent, who wants to know how her book is coming along or report sales figures or discuss her upcoming book tour. Sometimes she removes her glasses and taps them against her teeth while gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. She stands to stretch and yawn, looks out the window, maybe goes for a fresh cup of coffee or a contemplative walk before settling in for another few hours.
Confession: I still think this is what life is like for blockbuster authors. Alas, I am not one of them (knock wood and never say never).
My writing life, by contrast, is very sporadic. I might write three to five hours one day, then not at all for two or three days. Or more. For years I felt guilty about that non-schedule. After all, a Real Writer would follow Steven King's advice (in his On Writing), which was basically: 1) have a writing space with a door you can close, 2) set daily writing goals, 3) don't come out until you've met them. I do have novelist friends who pretty much stick to this model.
But I've made peace with my own jackrabbit writing style because of two things:
1) I wholeheartedly believe that every bit of our lives away form writing – every book we read, every person we speak with, every place we visit, every hobby we enjoy – soaks into our beings and feeds our writing in ways big and small. Maybe some of us have wells that go dry faster than others? *shrug* So what might I be doing when I'm not writing? Lately, there's quilting, a hobby I'm just getting back into after years away. My latest project, a wall hanging:
I might be running errands. Seeing a relative. Dining out with friends. Reading. Traveling. Baking. Taking a class (right now: Basic Drawing - loving it!). Participating in a church function. Watching a video or catching up on Facebook. Writing for this blog. Enjoying a writing retreat. Sitting in a board meeting. Answering e-mail. Visiting a school. Teaching a workshop. Walking the dog.
2) I am primarily a picture book writer. Writing picture books is very much a process, and parts of that process work best if you take mental breaks. Every story needs a cooling off period, followed by a lot of revision. A lot. So the fact that I'm not in my office 24/7 doesn't mean my mind isn't still grappling with whatever story problem has me stumped. Some (most!) of my best ideas and aha moments come to me when I'm away from my computer.
All that said, I have had a totally different routine lately, thanks to a couple of short-deadlined projects. Here's the first, due out in mid-November from National Geographic:
I'm working on a companion book now, which means I'm researching or writing or exchanging e-mails with editors pretty much all day, every day. Truthfully I've felt more like a Real Writer, working on these books, than I have for a long time. I'm loving that.
Does that mean I'll be changing my usual writing style when I go back to working on my own projects? Um...probably not. At least not for picture book writing.
But I do have a novel in my head, so when I tackle that after the holidays, I'll be following Steven King's advice for as long as it takes to pound out that first draft:
1) Close the door.
2) Set a daily goal.
3) Write my brains out to meet it.
Look into my office. I'll be the one tapping my glasses against my teeth, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Jill Esbaum
Reminder: If you haven't yet entered to win a copy of Lisa Cron's Wired for Story, there's still time! Missed Esther's two-thumbs-up review? Just scroll down of follow this link to Esther's post.
5 Comments on My Writing Life, last added: 9/28/2012
there I was, aboard a Southwest Airlines jet, paging through the March issue of Spirit magazine, when I came upon Brad Meltzer’s article “No One is Born a Hero” in which he shares how he came to write his newest book, Heroes for My Daughter (Harper, April ’12).
Faster than a finger snap, today’s assigned blog post celebrating National Women’s History Month took front and center in my TeachingAuthor’s mind!
Meltzer chose fifty-five remarkable and diverse individuals – from Eleanor Roosevelt to Amelia Earhart, from Anne Frank to Lucille Ball, from Sally Ride to Randy Pausch, to guide his daughter’s journey to adulthood. Each was a fighter in his or her own way.
I couldn’t help think, though: many were the very same “fighters,” female “fighters especially, whose childhoods I had read about in the “orange true books” that marked my childhood’s most special occasions.
And I couldn’t help ask: which Heroes would I choose, or rather, which Heroines, to include in my collection had I mothered a daughter?
Which then got me thinking: who would I choose were I to write a collection entitled Heroines Who Keep Me Moving on My Writer’s Plotline?
Lickety-split, I had my top three Heroines + this Golden Opportunity to introduce them to our readers.
(Note: I happily surprised all three when I emailed last week to ask for their permission to share their stories in this post; not a one knew how meaningfully she’d impacted my life, both Writer’s Life and otherwise.)
So,
please meet Phyllis Harris of Ames, Iowa. When I first met Phyllis, at an SCBWI Woodstock, Illinois Writers Retreat, in the late ’90’s, she’d just begun her graduate studies at Vermont College. She was 71 and 4 years widowed, earning her MFA in Writing for Children! “I saw the ad in Horn Book,” Phyllis shared, “and I thought to myself: all those authors in one place instead of two or three at a conference. What a bonanza!” Phyllis ’fesses up that she was “looking for the girl I was before I was married with responsibilities.” It would put pep in her step like no other decision she could make. “I knew nothing and brazenly went forward, in my life-changing event.” Phyllis’ short stories have been anthologized with those of Margaret Atwood, Carol Farley, Lisa Wheeler and our very own TA JoAnn Early Mackin in Stories Where
What a wonderful tribute to three amazing women, Esther. I had the honor of graduating from Vermont College with Phyllis, and she continues to inspire all the members of our class (known as the "Hive"). Your post is especially timely, as Monday was her birthday. :-)
Beth Finke said, on 3/15/2012 11:35:00 AM
[This is Carmela, posting on Beth's behalf because she had trouble with the "captcha" software:] . . . just wanted to let you know how flattering it is to be chosen as one of the three heroines you highlighted in this post, I know you meet TONS of people in your intrepid life and I am so glad to have been one of the lucky women to cross your path - I think you're swell.
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Hi, April, thanks for hosting! I love the "door-sized gape" and would like to see a few of them myself. :)
Today I have an original poem for two voices called "The Catnap," a video of same, and a bit of gabbing about writing for vocab-controlled readers.
http://www.nowaterriver.com/poetry-friday-the-catnap-a-poem-for-two-voices/
I love Monkey and am delighted to join him (and you) for tea :).
I'm celebrating the 111th birthday of Langston Hughes at Alphabet Soup with a couple of poems and foodie tidbits (my link goes live at 6 a.m. EST).
Your poem reminds me a little of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Here's to the gradual opening of more doors :). Thanks so much for hosting this week.
Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday! We’re offering a trio of Valentine treats today, two for kids and one for grownups.
Valentine poems for kids at the FATHER GOOSE Blog
A comic book for healthy young lungs at the GOAL MIND blog
Valentine love poems for adults at the BALD EGO blog
Hi, April. The hallway of unopened doors evoked a dream-state for me. Great poem, especially the twist at the end. Isn't it funny how we sometimes want change and then feel overwhelmed when it comes?
The National Poetry Month Poster was unveiled this week and it has postcards! Since postcards are in fashion, I'm sharing a fashion-themed vintage postcard (#21) and accompanying poem.
http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2013/01/poetry-friday-postcards-in-fashion.html
Cute monkey! Thanks for hosting today, April. That poem is therapeutic, thanks for sharing it. Can't wait to read all these.
I have one I wrote during Month of Poetry with Kat Apel.
Love the tension you build, with a bit of a light-hearted ending! Nice contrast.
Thanks for hosting, April--I love that sunlight bending and your whimsical ending!
I'm in with "The Elf," from Little Bitty Man, which is Danish poems translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland. I'm kind of in awe that they translated these and came out with such good rhyme and meter. What a puzzle that must be to do!
I'm the season of almost being an empty-nester, with our youngest a senior in high school. We do a lot of family caretaking, though, so...you know how that goes. Will be interesting to see how life and my writing and our routines change next year when both our kids have flown the coop! Every new season is an exciting one. It's why we moved from Fla. to Minn. 23 years ago. Who wants the same old weather (or life) endlessly?
Oops, sorry: here's the link: http://laurasalas.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/the-elf/
And 15 Words or Less poems are at http://laurasalas.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/ceiling/
Thanks!
April, good luck in finding the right door!
All my posts will be up after midnight. I forgot to put a little description for my Random Noodling post--it's a link to an Anita Diamant article, and, two short videos of a Richard Blanco interview.
Hello! Thank you for hosting today's round-up! Today at Mrs. Merrill's Book Break, I am sharing an old, favorite Groundhog's Day poem.
Thank you for hosting, April! Delighted to share that my post is all about doors today, too! (With an Irish brogue, so I'll be raisin' a cuppa Irish tea to Monkey.)
Same life point as Laura [the Purdie Salas one ;0)] - our youngest is a senior and it will soon be a new season for us.
And, also like Laura, I forgot the link: http://www.robynhoodblack.com/blog.htm?post=896178
(But it looks happily snug up there in Mr. Linky.)
Hi April,
Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday! I love seeing your poetry monkey, and your poem reminds me of a recurring dream I used to have when I was in college. Wishing you an open door to a pleasant locale. At The Writer’s Whimsy I’m gushing about the Academy of American Poets’ recently released National Poetry Month poster designed by Jessica Helfand. It’s very cool and retro. http://www.tamerawillwissinger.com/the-writers-whimsy/2013/1/31/a-poster-for-national-poetry-month.html
Thanks again, and happy Poetry Friday -
Tamera
April, Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday. How exciting to join you and Monkey for a cup of tea and a read on this first day of February.
I'm writing a minute poem for today about the awesome full moon I saw earlier this week at www.poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com
This poem MOON MINUTE, will be up at midnight PST, and you can also check the abecedarians and the nonsense poem from earlier this week, if you aren't a regular reader.
Thanks for hosting.
I wrote about Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill.
http://supratentorial.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/poetry-friday-hailstones-and-halibut-bones/
Your poem seems to "speak" to everyone, April. Love the poem; it's all jittery, which is the way I feel, waiting to see what else goes on the never-ending list among selling my old house, making the new house home, work, and play (what's that-not sure). I need to run out a door, & the one with sunlight sounds wonderful. Thanks much for hosting!
Thanks for hosting today. I am joining in with a lesson on idioms using The Chronicles of Harris Burdick and a student's poem.
Thanks for hosting today, April. I wish I could take the class you are teaching! I loved the way your poem began so gravely and then closed so lightheartedly.
Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday this week, April. Love Monkey. Tea and poetry seem like a perfect pair, indeed. I enjoyed your poem very much. I like the first two lines, and that part where it said:
"Spirit, goddess, hear my prayer
any door will do, I swear!"
My Poetry Friday offering is called "Longing for Beauty" - a poem taken from Marilyn Singer's classic poetry collection, Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verses.
Thanks again for hosting and sharing your lovely poem. =)
Dear April, Your hallway is full of love, and I send you perfect-door-opening-thoughts as you keep reaching and wondering. I'll be returning to this metaphor again in my head, to be sure.
Today at The Poem Farm I have a little free verse poem about that feeling you get when you meet someone new...who doesn't feel new at all. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2013/02/new-old-friends-free-verse.html
Thank you for hosting! xo, a.
Dear April, Your hallway is full of love, and I send you perfect-door-opening-thoughts as you keep reaching and wondering. I'll be returning to this metaphor again in my head, to be sure.
Today at The Poem Farm I have a little free verse poem about that feeling you get when you meet someone new...who doesn't feel new at all. http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2013/02/new-old-friends-free-verse.html
Thank you for hosting! xo, a.
Thanks so much for hosting, April! I love this place with its multitude of doors, its tea monkey and the delicious spread of poetry links. My poem is about fog, called "fog" and I left it with Mr. Linky at the back door.
Violet N.
Thanks for hosting (and having the Patience to do so!).
I'm in today with an original ditty about the method I used to tie my shoes.... Cuz, like, I can!
Hi April! Thank you for hosting! You're doing great :-) Like the others, I enjoyed your poem and all its moods. "Squarish" is a fun word!
Today I share poems by Richard Brautigan: http://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-lock-turning.html
Thanks for hosting, April. Love that hallway of unopened doors. I am walking down an old hallway as I recount an old loss, but the process is opening new doors already.
Hi April, Thank you for hosting PF this week! We love tea, monkeys, and poetry in our house - the perfect combination. And your poem "Patience" is just what I needed to read this morning. Thank you! =)
I've been feeling so gray, I decided I needed to find my inner silliness. I've posted two silly animal poems.
http://www.lizsteinglass.com
Thanks for hosting, and happy Poetry Friday!
Liz
Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday. I'm in this week with a poem about acceptance, plus a little chatter about standardized testing and young children. 'Tis the season in our school, which has gotten me thinking about the things I accept and don't accept (as well as a bit out of sorts.)
I can't tell if Mr. Linky is working or not, so here's a link:
http://insidethedog.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/poetry-friday-a-certain-kind-of-acceptance/
Hi, dear April! Thanks for hosting and for your always-wonderful poems. I've posted at my blog (about the recent awards) and at the PFA blog about Eileen Spinelli's poem about bullying. Take care! Sylvia
Thanks for hosting! I posted a poem from a land down under today at Bildungsroman.
Thank you for hosting! We appreciate it. Happy Poetry Friday!
Hi, April.
I seem to be in a season of constantly changing seasons. :)
I have some Mary Oliver today, as well as a little John Updike, and also the beauty that is a murmuration of starlings.
Thanks for hosting!
April...my writing season, that's a great question. I think it's a bridging season: finishing my teaching carreer (five more years and establishing a writing career as well).It inspires me that you write a poem a day. Thanks for hosting.
Thanks for hosting.
My selection is "Ring of Earth" by Jane Yolen with illustrations by John Wallner.
Thank you all for coming, for sharing your links, for commenting!
Life has gotten in the way and I haven't visited every link...but I look forward to touching down and enjoying your riches soon!
xxx
P.S: A day after I first posted this, I retitled the poem. It was originally called "Patience" but I think a better title is "Between"...
Thank you all for coming to Monkey's poetry tea!