Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 419

Press on and keep trying

“Rejection is not a reason to give up.  Sometimes you'll do something that you really like and no one else does. You'll feel terrible, but you've just got to press on and keep trying. If you like doing it and keep working at it, then someday you will succeed.” – Norman Bridwell
Writers often receive rejections, and Bridwell should know.  The artist-author of the phenomenally successful Clifford the Big Red Dogseries was told he had no artistic talent and his stories were too schmaltzy.  His first book, simply named Clifford the Big Red Dog, was rejected by the first 9 publishers to which he submitted it.  But, instead of throwing in the towel, he tried a 10th and the rest, as they say… 
Bridwell, who was born in 1928 and died 3 years ago this month, said “Clifford” was supposed to be called “Tiny.”  But Bridwell’s wife Norma said that name was “stupid.”  As any writer knows, listen to your spouse or partner.  Norma liked the name Clifford.  As for Clifford’s friend Emily Elizabeth, that was a no-brainer.  It was the name of their daughter, to whom Norman had been conveying his Clifford story in the first place.       
The book became the anchor of a writing empire with 40-some books printed in 65 countries and selling more than 130 million copies plus an animated television series still loved by children everywhere.  Clifford actually embodies his creator, a gentle man with a sense of humor who wanted to share values he hoped children would embrace – kindness, compassion, helpfulness, and gratitude.And “stick-to-it-iveness.”   


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Writing the breaths of life

“Breathe-in experience, breathe-out poetry.” – Muriel Rukeyser
American poet and political activist Rukeyser is best known for her poems about equality, feminism and social justice, and was active in progressive politics throughout her life.  Born on Dec. 15, 1914, she spent her whole life in New York City (she died in 1980).                                 Winner of numerous awards and prizes she once noted, "The Universe is made of stories, not of atoms."  For Saturday’s Poem, here is Rukeyser’s,
                                     Myth
Long afterward, Oedipus, old and blinded, walked the
roads. He smelled a familiar smell. It was
the Sphinx. Oedipus said, 'I want to ask one question.
Why didn't I recognize my mother?' 'You gave the
wrong answer,' said the Sphinx. 'But that was what
made everything possible,' said Oedipus. 'No,' she said.
'When I asked, What walks on four legs in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening, you answered,
Man. You didn't say anything about woman.'
'When you say Man,' said Oedipus, 'you include women
too. Everyone knows that.' She said, 'That's what
you think.'


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Writing the breaths of living

“Breathe-in experience, breathe-out poetry.” – Muriel Rukeyser
American poet and political activist Rukeyser is best known for her poems about equality, feminism and social justice, and was active in progressive politics throughout her life.  Born on Dec. 15, 1914, she spent her whole life in New York City (she died in 1980).                                 Winner of numerous awards and prizes she once noted, "The Universe is made of stories, not of atoms."  For Saturday’s Poem, here is Rukeyser’s,
                                     Myth
Long afterward, Oedipus, old and blinded, walked the
roads. He smelled a familiar smell. It was
the Sphinx. Oedipus said, 'I want to ask one question.
Why didn't I recognize my mother?' 'You gave the
wrong answer,' said the Sphinx. 'But that was what
made everything possible,' said Oedipus. 'No,' she said.
'When I asked, What walks on four legs in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening, you answered,
Man. You didn't say anything about woman.'
'When you say Man,' said Oedipus, 'you include women
too. Everyone knows that.' She said, 'That's what
you think.'


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One good sentence deserves another

“I do feel that if you can write one good sentence and then another good sentence and then another, you end up with a good story.”  – Amy Hempel
Born on this date in 1951, Hempel is a short story writer and journalist who teaches creative writing at both Bennington College in Vermont and the University of Florida.
A native of Chicago, Hempel has been termed a minimalist writer, one of a handful of writers who has built a reputation based solely on short fiction.  She’s published a number of collections of her writings, including the multi-award winning and best-selling Collected Stories of Amy Hempel.                                                Also a writing judge, frequent presenter, and editor, she helped edit the popular New Collected Stories From the South 2010.  And, her work "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried" is one of the most extensively anthologized stories of the last quarter century.
Hempel’s path to creative writing came through journalism and she continues to write for numerous magazines and journals.  “I started writing by doing small related things but not the thing itself, circling it and getting closer,” she said.   “I had no idea how to write fiction. So I did journalism because there were rules I could learn. You can teach someone to write a news story. They might not write a great one, but you can teach that pretty easily”


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One good sentence after another

“I do feel that if you can write one good sentence and then another good sentence and then another, you end up with a good story.”  – Amy Hempel
Born on this date in 1951, Hempel is a short story writer and journalist who teaches creative writing at both Bennington College in Vermont and the University of Florida.
A native of Chicago, Hempel has been termed a minimalist writer, one of a handful of writers who has built a reputation based solely on short fiction.  She’s published a number of collections of her writings, including the multi-award winning and best-selling Collected Stories of Amy Hempel.                                                Also a writing judge, frequent presenter, and editor, she helped edit the popular New Collected Stories From the South 2010.  And, her work "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried" is one of the most extensively anthologized stories of the last quarter century.
Hempel’s path to creative writing came through journalism and she continues to write for numerous magazines and journals.  “I started writing by doing small related things but not the thing itself, circling it and getting closer,” she said.   “I had no idea how to write fiction. So I did journalism because there were rules I could learn. You can teach someone to write a news story. They might not write a great one, but you can teach that pretty easily”


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Just one good sentence after another

“I do feel that if you can write one good sentence and then another good sentence and then another, you end up with a good story.”  – Amy Hempel
Born on this date in 1951, Hempel is a short story writer and journalist who teaches creative writing at both Bennington College in Vermont and the University of Florida.
A native of Chicago, Hempel has been termed a minimalist writer, one of a handful of writers who has built a reputation based solely on short fiction.  She’s published a number of collections of her writings, including the multi-award winning and best-selling Collected Stories of Amy Hempel.                                                Also a writing judge, frequent presenter, and editor, she helped edit the popular New Collected Stories From the South 2010.  And, her work "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried" is one of the most extensively anthologized stories of the last quarter century.
Hempel’s path to creative writing came through journalism and she continues to write for numerous magazines and journals.  “I started writing by doing small related things but not the thing itself, circling it and getting closer,” she said.   “I had no idea how to write fiction. So I did journalism because there were rules I could learn. You can teach someone to write a news story. They might not write a great one, but you can teach that pretty easily”


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Putting fun and mystery into your words

“If you aren't having fun, if you aren't anxious to find out what happens next as you write, then not only will you run out of steam on the story, but you won't be able to entertain anyone else, either.” – Tamora Pierce 
Pierce, who was born on this date in 1954, is winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association for her two quartets – Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small. The annual award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." 
A reader from a very young age, Pierce started writing in 6th grade and gravitated to science fiction after being introduced to J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.  Known best for stories featuring young heroines, her “Lioness” series is about a girl named Alanna striving to become a knight during Arthurian times.  Fantasy novels and Arthurian legend was the basis for the worlds she thought up as a girl, she said.  After her initial success, she added contemporary issues like youth crime, or things like cholera outbreaks in Africa to her writing.        Pierce said she decided to write her stories about strong young female characters because she noticed a lack of them in the books she read when she was a girl.
“(Usually) I don't write from dreams because I don't remember mine, but I had a fragment of an image left about twins whose father was telling them how their lives were going to go for the next eight years,” she recalled about the genesis for one of her recent books.  “I wrote a scene about that, and then another, and then another, and then another, and after five months I had 732 pages.”


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Sharing Stories in Our Lives

“Stories are really important to people and can really change the way they understand and even live their lives. As such, I don't agree much with people who say, 'Calm down, it's just a story.” – Tim Pratt
Pratt, who was born in North Carolina on this date in 1976, is Senior Editor at Locus Magazine when he isn’t busy writing science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories or crafting yet another award-winning poem.  A graduate of Appalachian State University, where he majored in English and started his writing career, he now makes his home in California.
Pratt’s work has appeared in journals like Asimov’s Science Fiction and Strange Horizons, and America’s Best Short Stories.       He has had his stories and poems published in many Year's Best collections, winning a Hugo Award, a Rhysling Award, and an Emperor Norton Award, as well as numerous nominations in many other Sci-Fi and Fantasy categories along the way.   His most popular novel is a tale of magic and mystery, Heirs of Grace, set in his native North Carolina.
Pratt said he enjoys travel and adventure and recommends it to all.   “Life is full of borders,” he said.  “Some of them, once crossed, can never be crossed again in the other direction. But there are new countries to discover across every one.”


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The Stories in Our Lives

“Stories are really important to people and can really change the way they understand and even live their lives. As such, I don't agree much with people who say, 'Calm down, it's just a story.” – Tim Pratt
Pratt, who was born in North Carolina on this date in 1976, is Senior Editor at Locus Magazine when he isn’t busy writing science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories or crafting yet another award-winning poem.  A graduate of Appalachian State University, where he majored in English and started his writing career, he now makes his home in California.
Pratt’s work has appeared in journals like Asimov’s Science Fiction and Strange Horizons, and America’s Best Short Stories.       He has had his stories and poems published in many Year's Best collections, winning a Hugo Award, a Rhysling Award, and an Emperor Norton Award, as well as numerous nominations in many other Sci-Fi and Fantasy categories along the way.   His most popular novel is a tale of magic and mystery, Heirs of Grace, set in his native North Carolina.
Pratt said he enjoys travel and adventure and recommends it to all.   “Life is full of borders,” he said.  “Some of them, once crossed, can never be crossed again in the other direction. But there are new countries to discover across every one.”


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Creating 'Readers for Life'

“Librarians and romance writers accomplish one mission better than anyone, including English teachers: we create readers for life - and what could be more fulfilling than that?” – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Credited as being the creator of the sports romance genre, Phillips has often been called the “Queen of Romantic Comedy.”  Born in Ohio on this date in 1948, she is the only 5-time winner of the Romance Writers of America Favorite Book of the Year Award.
A graduate of Ohio University, she was a teacher for a number of years, then a stay-at-home mom when she joined with neighbor Claire Kiehl to co-author her first book, The Copeland Bride, under the pen name Justine Cole.  By the mid-1980s she had begun her own career, which has now produced some 30 titles.
Among her many bestsellers are the terrific “Chicago Stars” series, including It Had To Be You; Heaven, Texas;and her 2016 hit First Star I See Tonight. 
Inducted into the Romance Writers Hall of Fame, Phillips also is recipient of the Romance Writers Lifetime Achievement Award.      When she isn’t writing she enjoys hiking, gardening and reading – and supporting her local library.
Her advice is simple and to the point.  “You can't do extraordinary things in the world,” she said,  “if you're spending time criticizing others because they don't look or behave the way you think they should.”




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