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By: Robyn Chausse,
on 4/4/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat, Advanced Release Therapy, Lori Zeltwanger, Add a tag
Who would benefit from this workshop?
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 4/3/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat, You Were Born To Publish by Tom Bird, Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa, Add a tag
The soft, snow white cottonwood blossoms juxtapose the jagged edges of the painted rock behind them. Shimmering in the morning sun, the flowers seem to laugh as if sharing in a joke. I breathe in the freshness of the mountain air and continue across the street to indulg
e myself in a cup of my favorite tea and a scone.
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 3/31/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat, Advanced Release Therapy, Add a tag
For those of you who were waiting for updates on the Tom Bird Retreat–I apologize. We hit the ground running and I absolutely had no time to put anything together. If you do make plans to attend his workshop don’t schedule any social appointments…there won’t be time.
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 3/31/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing process, writer inspiration, Robyn Chausse, You've Got My Style, Add a tag
- Create your character profiles.
- Write your outline.
- Create a flow chart to mark the arc of the story.
- Write your story.
- Make sure you have 'X' percentage of dialog, etc...
until they showed up, so I got stuck.(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com
Visit WOW! Women On Writing for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW!'s Classroom and learn something new. Find jobs on the Freelance Job Board. Enter the Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest. Open Now!
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 3/23/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Write Your Book in 5 Days, Finding My Inner Author: Preparing for the Tom Bird Retreat Week 3, Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Add a tag
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 3/8/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Write a Book in 5 Days Retreat, Finding My Inner Author: Preparing for the Tom Bird Retreat Week 2, Add a tag
In my last post I mentioned I had just received my attendee pack of goodies for Tom Bird's Write Your Book in 5 Days Retreat. I have finished reading the first book, You Were Born to Write by Tom Bird, and attended my first webinar.
I began reading You Were Born to Write. On Page eight it states not to go any further into the book until I have a fast pen and two 14x17 drawing pads. Literal Me went right out to the craft store for drawing pads. Thank goodness they were on sale. During the webinar Tom said that we will not be doing the exercises in the book. Hmm… perhaps I should take a sketch class…
In the first part of the book Tom offers 17 Writing Principles which are basically affirmations created to counteract false beliefs. One of these really hit me; I actually cried when I read it.
Principle #4
All the inspiration we need is already inside of us.
“When you were born, as exhibited by your free flowing, expressive, heartfelt, unconditional, spontaneous living patterns at the time, being directly connected to your Source through your CCM (Creative Connected Mind) was natural, until being so open and expressive led to pain.”
“You had learned to speak and speak you did, maybe too loudly, to openly, and too honestly.”
I won’t bore you with all the memories that flooded my mind when I read that but let’s just say that the fact I am sharing my emotional reaction with you is proof to me that something has already shifted inside. Who ever heard of an author afraid of sharing emotion? Exactly the point.
This retreat is not only about writing a large number of words per day; it is about getting to the core of what blocks you from prolific writing. Tom is all about changing the innermost blocks and releasing the innermost you. In fact, Tom is so intent on making sure the transformation is complete he has arranged for bodywork therapists to be available during the retreat.
During the webinar Tom introduced us to Lori Zeltwanger, PT, owner of Advanced Release Therapy. Lori is a Physical Therapist who specializes in facilitating the release of physical, emotional and energetic blockages. I am hoping to have a few sessions with Lori so I can share with you how the bodywork adjuncts Tom’s method.
Until next time…
Robyn Chausse
Come with me! There are a few spaces still available for the March 24-29 retreat at the beautiful Sedona Rouge. Special prices are available for both the retreat and the hotel rooms.
Check out Tom’s June and August retreats; the first 12 to sign up receive special pricing! Contact Tom at [email protected]
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 3/2/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing course, Writer's retreat, Tom Bird Method, Robyn Chausse, Write a Book in 5 Days Retreat, Add a tag
Can anyone really write a book in five days? That was my first thought when I saw the advertisement for Tom Bird’s Writing Retreats. Like most would-be novelists I’ve been working on a novel for several years; in fact, I have several folders of would-be books. I’m a NaNo flunky. I even have a short story I’ve been picking at for a year. In an attempt to get past my unconscious blocks I downloaded a self-hypnosis CD a couple of years ago--I’ve listened to it twice. Considering my history I decided I should just concentrate on building my freelance business and put my book on the backburner…still. I forgot all about the retreat until someone suggested I take the course and write about it.
There are two books to read prior to the retreat. One titled You Were Born to Write and the other is You Were Born to Be Published, both written by Tom Bird. Tom believes that each one of us has a book to write; his role is to assist us in overcoming our inner blocks and bringing forth our inner author. Reading these books prior to the retreat helps prepare us for the journey. The books are accompanied by a subliminal CD called "Transitioning Back to the Writer You Were Meant to Be." In addition to this work-at-home material there are 4 webinars to attend; apparently there are writing assignments given during these sessions.
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 2/24/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robyn Chausse, freelance writer toolkit, Photo Release Forms, Do I Need A Release For That?, Photo Release Guidelines, Photography laws, photographs, freelance writing, Add a tag
Ahh… the perplexing rules of picture permission. Every freelance writer should have at least a basic understanding of photography permission forms and when to use them. When pictures are included with prose the burden of rights and permissions falls to the writer/photographer, not the editor.
As with any written law, the guidelines can seem both vague and complex. Two things to remember:
- Law definitions can be much broader than your own understanding of them.
- Cover your you-know-what.
Pictures of People:
If the people are not identifiable—not the focal point of the picture—and the picture is to be used for editorial/informational purposes you do not need a permission release.
Exceptions:
- The people are posing or otherwise made the focal point of the picture.
- The picture will be used for advertising purposes (brochures, etc…)
- There are children in the photograph.
- There is someone in “trade dress” such as a circus performer.
- The person is a celebrity. We won’t get into that but the rules are different for them.
A note about children:
Anyone under 18 years of age must have a permission form signed by at least one parent or guardian.Schools and other organized groups generally have standard forms. Read these carefully, they may cover the organization but not necessarily the photographer.Pictures of Property:
You may take pictures of houses, buildings, cars, etc… while standing on public property. However, be sure that the owner of the property can not be identified by the picture. Again, if the shot is for editorial purposes you should be fine. If it is for promotional purposes, get a property permission form signed.
Cautions:
- If the icon on the vehicle is visible you may have copyright issues with the manufacturer.
- Trademarks on buildings are copyrighted and the buildings themselves may belong to another company or individual.
Keep them—forever. It is a good idea to make notes on the back of the form that will remind you as to which form goes to which picture. When you get back to your office print a copy of the picture on plain paper and attach it to the permission form.
Where do I find permission forms?
Photo release forms are available online at:
Free Legal Documents http://www.free-legal-document.com/photography-contracts.html
USLegal http://www.uslegalforms.com/
The American Society of Media Photographers http://asmp.org/tutorials/forms.htmland
and other similar sites.
By Robyn Chausse
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 2/16/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Robyn Chausse, Writer's Toolkit, Tips on Choosing a Camera, Digital Camera Vocabulary, Choosing a Digital Camera, Add a tag
Laptop, printer, notebook, pens …camera. Yes, the camera is now officially a required part of the freelance writer’s toolkit. Using a digital the camera is easy, but purchasing one can be an intimidating experience. Here are some basic terms and tips you need to know when choosing that first camera.
Megapixel or MP
Pixels are tiny dots that make up a digital image; one million pixels equal one megapixel. The more pixels used for the image the sharper it is and the more flexibility you have for cropping, enlarging, etc… For most of us anything around 4.0 to 6.0 is fine. This range allows for good prints up to 8x10 and the ability to do a bit of cropping and enlarging without getting too grainy. This is not the only factor determining the picture quality however.
Resolution
This is the level of compression applied to the image. Most cameras will have an adjustment setting for the resolution of Good, Better or Best. Choosing a lower resolution will allow you to store more pictures on your memory card but those pictures will be a lower quality.
Zoom
There are two types of zoom, optical and digital. What you are looking for is optical zoom which is the focal length of the lens. Digital zoom merely crops the image as you would with your photo editing software resulting in lost pixels and a lower quality image. Be careful here, many times the manufacturer will list a combined zoom instead of breaking it down to optical and digital.
Image Sensor
To make this easy let’s just say this is the size of your canvas or negative. It is a holding area for the information needed to create the image. The larger the sensor the larger each pixel area is, therefore, a 4.0 MP camera with a large sensor will probably take sharper pictures than a 6.0 MP with a tiny sensor.
ISO
This number indicates the level of sensitivity of the image sensor to record light and action. Most point and shoot cameras automatically adjust the ISO; the basic rule is that higher settings are used to capture low light or fast action but often result in more noise or grainy texture in the darker area of the photo.
Image Stabilization
Some cameras offer compensation for shake, that annoying blur that happens when you don’t hold your camera completely still. If you desire this feature look for optical or mechanical stabilization. Digital stabilization simply increases the ISO and shutter speed and will often reduces definition.
Remember to check for how your pictures will download; by USB connection is generally easier. Make sure the camera has a good quality glass lens. Purchase a memory card, tripod and case and you’re ready for any assignment!
By Robyn Chausse
(C) Copyright wow-womenonwriting.com
Visit WOW! Women On Writing for lively interviews and how-tos. Check out WOW!'s Classroom and learn something new. Find jobs on the Freelance Job Board. Enter the Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest. Open Now!
By: Robyn Chausse,
on 2/7/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Internet Providers, Net Neutrality, Writing Business, Robyn Chausse, Add a tag
By: Robyn,
on 1/27/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Health Tips, Robyn Chausse, Dancing with D, Vitamin D deficiency, Add a tag
Photo by tibchris
Come on, admit it—it has been awhile. The weather has been cloudy and cold. You have been tied to your desk. Can you even remember the last time you bared yourself to him? The last time you felt his warmth on your face, your arms? When you do see him you hide beneath a hat and sunglasses, turning your back to him as you slather on lotion. They warned you about him. Still, he has something you need, that ol’ Mr. Sunshine, and you must either allow him the occasional dance or find a new partner.
What he has is “D”, and if you aren’t dancing with D you might be dancing with d-eficiency. Vitamin D deficiency may easily be overlooked. Some of the early warning signs include:
- low immunity to colds and flu
- SAD syndrome
- periodontal disease
- asthma
- high blood pressure
- hair loss
- digestive problems
- weight gain
- sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness
- diabetes
- PMS
- bone pain and muscle weakness
Choose the Steps that Suit Your Style:
The Sunshine Samba
You will need 10-15 minutes of exposure to your face and arms—sans sunscreen—several times per week between the hours of 10AM-2PM. Remember, Mr. Sunshine has a reputation of being unkind to your skin.D-elightful Tango
Most supplement labels list a dosage of 400 IU daily but doctors now suggest adult dosage begin at 600 IU and may go up to 2000 IU safely.Foodie Swing
Keep it fun by adding plenty of d-elicious foods! Fish and shellfish are at the top of the list. Egg yolks, fortified dairy, and soy products such as tofu are good. Mushrooms, potatoes and spinach will give you a d-esirable boost as well.No longer are the wallflowers easily spotted in their coats and galoshes. Too much time indoors, poor diets and the use of sunscreens (although necessary) cause too many of us to “sit this one out.”
###
Assistance with choreography may be found at:
The USDA National Agricultural Library ht
By: Robyn,
on 1/15/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Donations, Organizational Tips, Robyn Chausse, When the Bookshelves Spilleth Over: Ideas and Links for Book Donations, Charities in need of books, Community Involvement, Office Organization, Add a tag
They are in neat little piles—on the dining table, the corner of your desk, the floor in front of your desk, and in front of the bookcase (the shelves of which are full)—books! The women at the library see you so often that they have christened you with a nickname. Are there other places where your books could find love? Yes, Virginia, there are!
- Family Shelters/Women’s Shelters/Homeless Shelters/Teen Pregnancy Homes/ Orphanages
- Drug Rehabilitation Homes
- Child Outreach Programs
- Assisted Living Centers
- Long-Term Care Centers
- Hospitals
- Prisons
- Juvenile Detention Centers
- Churches
- Literacy Programs
- And charities that operate thrift stores such as Humane Society, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc…
No time to track down a local charity? Perhaps you would like to act globally. Following are a few links to organizations which may be of interest.
Donation Town
http://www.donationtown.org/news/donate-books.html
You want to give back to your own community but don’t have time to track down a needy cause— Donation Town can help. Simply type in your zip code and Donation Town will provide you with a list of organizations that want your donation and will even arrange for a free pick-up. You can’t beat that!
Operation Paperback
http://www.operationpaperback.org/help_volunteer.php
The men and women of our armed forces like to escape with a good book too! Input the genres you wish to donate and their automated system will generate a list of servicemembers’ names and addresses. Requires a quick, free registration.
Better World Books
http://www.betterworldbooks.com/Info-Donate-Books-m-7.aspx
This is an online book store with a purpose. Better World Books collects new and used books; some books are donated directly to charities, others are sold with the proceeds helping to fund literacy programs in the U.S. and around the world. This is a socially and environmentally responsible company.
Liberian Development Foundation
By: Robyn,
on 12/8/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Computer Tips, software review, Robyn Chausse, From Crash To Recovery In Forty-Five Minutes My Acronis Back-Up Saved The Day, Acronis True Image, Data Back-Ups, computer back-ups, Add a tag
Usually this would be a sad tale—the repair expenses, the down time, all the lost data. Not this time! I popped in a new hard drive and forty-five minutes later my computer was right back to normal –right down to the emails. How is that possible? I keep regular back-ups on an external hard drive.
If you don’t keep regular back-ups yet, please start. You never know when some little link or download will cause disaster. There are many ways back-up your system but the one I swear by is Acronis True Image. Acronis creates a mirror copy of my entire system. Yes, all of it! The operating system, the emails, all my programs and pictures...everything is copied and ready to
reinstall with just a few clicks. In fact, Acronis will even format your new drive. How easy is it? Just follow the prompts. If you can answer multiple choice questions you can use Acronis. How do you keep your data safe? Do you use a different back-up system? Share your favorite back-up ideas here.
By: Robyn,
on 11/29/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Memoir writing, Kendra Bonnett, Matilda Butler, Robyn Chausse, Memoir DVD Class, Alzheimer’s, Memoir classes, Memoir Publishing, Women's Memoirs: Helping Every Woman Tell Her Story, Add a tag
In case you haven’t noticed, memoirs are hot right now. From self-help gurus to genealogy sites to love stories—it’s all about the memoir.
Today, I am very excited to introduce you Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett, co-creators of a wonderful website called Women’s Memoirs.
Ladies, welcome to The Muffin! When I first found your website I was so excited. The site is beautiful, easy to navigate and absolutely full of information, products and offers. What is the story behind the creation of Women’s Memoirs?
Kendra Bonnett: Robyn. Thanks for the invitation to join you today. I’m going to turn over your first question to Matilda since she started us on the path to working in the memoir genre.
Matilda Butler: Hi Robyn. I’m pleased to be talking with you. Women’s Memoirs is the outgrowth of my experience interviewing more than 100 women for what became our award-winning collective memoir called Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation Tells Its Story that Kendra and I co-authored. The interviews with the women became a life-altering experience for me. We laughed together; we cried together. These women’s stories touched my life. I became so involved in their narratives that I dreamed about these women almost nightly. Some told me parts of their lives they had never shared with anyone. At the end of these long and intense interviews, so many of the women said a variation of, “Thank you, I never took the time to look at my life before. Now I can see what I was doing and I can change as I move forward.”
For the first time, I realized how important it is to tell our stories.
I’m trained as a researcher and like to say that I started work on the collective memoir as a social scientist and ended as a memoir coach. Although I had been involved in women’s issues for much of my career, helping women tell their life stories once again reshaped my professional focus.
I knew that if I wanted to reach women with information about how to write a memoir, I needed a website. The current site, which is actually its third incarnation, is a blog. That has helped us be able to cover many topics on a regular basis -- much easier than in an earlier version where we had to make changes and additions in html code.
I get the feeling that Women’s Memoirs has a mission; would you like to share a little about that?
Kendra: I’m glad that our passion comes through in our website and in the information we provide. Our mission is simple, yet decidedly grand. We want to help every woman tell her story. Women’s life stories have been, and in many cases continue to be, shortchanged and undervalued. We offer women the tools and support that it takes to write their memoirs. Some women, of course, want to write for themselves or for their families. A life story should be captured, considered and shared, even if the message goes no farther than a daughter or grandchild.
For that matter, the very act of capturing the story is beneficial as it often helps the writer resolve issues and heal. It’s important
By: Robyn,
on 11/27/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing advice, Inspiration, writing goals, writing challenges, personal experience, Robyn Chausse, Tiny Blessings, Add a tag
By: Robyn,
on 11/10/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing tips, storytelling, writing craft, imagery, writing tools, Robyn Chausse, universal symbolism, Add a tag
Throughout the ages storytellers have relied on symbolism to add nuance; images which speak to our subconscious, emotional mind. Too much symbolism and you risk falling into allegory but done correctly your pictures will blend seamlessly adding depth.
Settings are perhaps the easiest place to add imagery. For example, if your MC is upset and running, where she is running can lend additional information as to her emotional state. If she is running through a dry river bed or an empty parking lot she may be feeling lost. If she is running through the forest she may be confused—her thoughts convoluted. The setting and how she relates to it can be just as telling as a string of self-dialogue. Or, perhaps your story is about conflict within a family. A large tree can provide a setting for several dialogue scenes while symbolizing the underlying strength of the family.
Beats are helpful in showing a character’s internal emotional journey when that journey is different from the dialogue. Tommy is visiting Aunt Mabel who has not been feeling well. During their conversation Tommy asks Aunt Mabel if she will be attending his sister’s wedding in the spring. Aunt Mabel assures Tommy that she "wouldn't miss it for the world"�but what feeling do you get if Aunt Mabel turns away from Tommy and tosses out a wilted plant while she says this?
Foreshadow a character’s role with imagery. A possessor of essential knowledge might be associated with light in several scenes--lighting a candle, turning on a lamp or standing under a lamppost.
Colors, seasons, flowers and weather are all examples of commonly used universal symbolism. Black is evil; Red is danger, passion or power; winter is death… What are some of your favorite examples? When has a picture saved a thousand words for you?
By: Robyn,
on 10/30/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Finding Inspiration, Reference Books, Writer's Tools, Robyn Chausse, Confessions of a Reference Book Junkie, Build your Library, building your reference library, Add a tag
By: Robyn,
on 10/16/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: WOW Classes, Instructor Interview, The Unwilling Grammarian, Karlyn Thayer, Robyn Chausse, Improve Your Grammar, Writer's Skills, Add a tag
What a wonderful post! My body hates me. Not only do I write, I opened a shop this year and am bringing in artists every weekend for book signings and art openings. In addition it is a small antique shop. I love it all, but the pressure is constant. My body aches and I know my soul has some issues in addition to the above...I LOVE this. Am going to try this stretching exercise and listen to what I feel/hear! Thank you so much! Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Your shop sounds like so much fun! Yes, a lot of work too...
It felt a bit strange to me to really let the body lead-- I felt a bit like a puppet--but I did feel more centered afterward.
This is a great exercise! It's easy to get bogged down in stress and your body certainly has ways of telling you when enough is enough. ;)
Hi ibdiamond,
It is a great way to take a little time-out, isn't it?
I've noticed that if I feel-into a congested area the pain usually shifts or changes. We tend to think that a pain in the body means there is something wrong at that area--not true! Pain is simply a "hey, listen to me" call.
Wow! How did you know I needed this RIGHT now? I often for get to stretch while at the computer. This was a great reminder!
Hi Dawn,
LOL--I forget too!
It is said we should get up and walk around every 20 minutes or so...does anyone really do that?