Midge Raymond's Blog, page 37
July 2, 2012
Weekly Writing: Music
Write about a song you hate. How much is this due to the song itself versus the memories associated with it? Next, write about one of your favorite songs and why.
June 25, 2012
An interview with Brenda Miller at The Pen and the Bell blog
I loved doing this interview with Brenda Miller, the author of The Pen and the Bell: Mindful Writing in a Busy World, with Holly Hughes.
The Pen and the Bell is a wonderful companion to Everyday Writing in that it, too, is for the busy writer — and what I love about this book is the way it invites us to slow down and relax our busy minds — to make space for the meditation and contemplation that is so necessary for good writing.
Come join us on The Pen and the Bell blog for my chat with Brenda, as well as to see what Brenda did with one of Everyday Writing‘s prompts (hint: it’s amazing, as Brenda’s writing always is).
Weekly Writing: Late nights
Write about being in a place you don’t normally find yourself late at night, whether it’s a supermarket or a casino or a dive bar. Create a scene that explains why you’re there, including everything from what you’re wearing to whom you’re with to whom you meet along the way.
June 20, 2012
On awareness (or lack thereof)
One of the main tenets of Everyday Writing is to be aware of one’s surroundings, i.e., to be an Everyday Writer by paying closer attention to the world around you — to capture every detail, every snippet of dialogue, every little tidbit you can in order to enrich your creative life. It’s something I work on every day myself — and, I’ve just realized, something I may need to work on a little harder.
Now that the weather is lovely, I’ve been making a point to walk in the woods every day. This isn’t always possible, but I do my best. Exercise and fresh air aside, it’s a great way to rest one’s brain, to clear it of its clutter and make room for creativity. (All writers should go for walks, if they can — whether it’s in the woods, around a lake, or around a busy city block, getting out into the world is good for the senses and for awakening one’s sleeping inner writer.)
I usually walk solo, of course, but over the weekend I took a walk along the same trail with my husband, who noticed something I’d apparently passed by dozens of times without noticing. He took a photo of it with his phone:
As someone who thinks of herself as fairly observant (and as someone whose husband isn’t usually all that observant), I couldn’t believe I’d missed this lovely little statue, just to the right of the trail.
In my defense, the statue is about ten feet off the trail, not exactly noticeable unless you’re really looking around. And, as my husband kindly pointed out, when you’re alone on a trail (or walking first, as I was that day with him), you’re looking ahead and paying attention in other ways (we have bears and cougars in these hills, and one always has to be at least a little alert for these creatures). But still — how had I not noticed this (now very obvious) statue in the middle of the woods?
This is, for me, an excellent reminder that no matter how observant we think we are, we could always open our eyes a little wider. Not to mention our ears, our hearts, our minds. Ever since this discovery, I’ve make a point to look outward just a bit more than usual. I leave my cell phone at home when I run errands, preventing me from turning to it when I feel a moment of boredom. And just the other day, when I was at the hair salon, having purposely left my phone at home and taken nothing to read, I got a new idea for a story (or perhaps even a novel) while I was in the chair. (And those moments are a lot more fun and interesting than checking email for the eighth time in an hour.)
When you’re a writer, there’s no such thing as being bored — but there is such a thing as being overly distracted. So leave the distractions behind whenever you can, and open yourself up to a little “boredom.” You may not capture everything going on in the world around you, but what does draw your attention could be wonderful fodder for your work.
June 18, 2012
Weekly Writing: Into the wild
Write about the last time you were immersed in an environment that is not part of your everyday life, whether it’s a forest, a beach, or a big city. How did being out of your everyday environment feel different, and in what specific ways?
June 14, 2012
In conversation with Sheila Bender of Writing It Real
I always love chatting with Sheila Bender of Writing It Real — she asks the most thought-provoking questions about all aspects of the writing life. So I was delighted to chat with her about Everyday Writing, which meandered into the realm of publishing, submitting work, and writing in different genres — all followed by writing prompts of varying lengths to fit any busy writer’s schedule.
Check out the article here — and if you’re not already a member, I highly recommend becoming one! Membership offers a wealth of articles, inspiration, classes — and community.
Thanks to Sheila for the opportunity to talk about a few of my favorite things!
June 12, 2012
Summer writing prompts at The Lively Muse
As the weather gets warmer, the writing gets tougher (at least, this is the case with me). I think most of us need a little extra inspiration when the sun is beckoning — and today I offer some tips and prompts over on Judy Reeves‘s fabulous blog, The Lively Muse.
Join me over on Judy’s blog today for a sampling of writing prompts designed just for summer — you can try one of the 5-minute prompts to get warmed up, move on to a 15-minute prompt, and then maybe you’ll be inspired to schedule a weekend of writing to give you time to try the in-depth prompt I’ve created. The prompts can be written from your own POV or that of your character(s) — so you’ll be able to either generate new material or keep your current work-in-progress going.
Happy writing — and happy summer!
June 11, 2012
Weekly Writing – Mojo Monday
On this summer Monday, I’m delighted to be featured on Kristin Bair O’Keeffe’s amazing Writerhead blog as part of her Mojo Monday series. (Visit Kristin’s blog every Monday, where she offers “a little something-something to lift your creative spirits, buoy you up, help you get your mojo on, and nudge (or better yet, catapult) you into writerhead.”
Today on Mojo Monday, I write about how to be an everyday writer (i.e., how to find time to be a writer every day even if you’re not able to sit down to write every day) and offer three tips with matching prompts – so there’s no excuse not start this week off in a writerly mode.
Thanks to Kristin for hosting me today — and happy writing!
June 8, 2012
5 Ways to Make Time for Creativity
I’m happy and grateful to be featured on the StyleSubstanceSoul blog today with “5 Ways to Make Time for Creativity.”
If you’re not familiar with StyleSubstanceSoul, visit today and sign up to receive their e-news, which delivers inspiration, book and film reviews, interviews, and amazing giveaways to your in-box every week. This wonderful site was founded by three best friends (and mothers of daughters) who believe that “female energy has the power to change the world.” They are all about living a life of positive action and compassion — what’s not to love about that?
A million thanks to StyleSubstanceSoul for featuring 5 Ways to Make Time for Creativity (and be sure to click through to a couple of the links, where you’ll find books by a couple of my favorite poets). Hope this all leads you to a weekend of inspiration, good reading, and good writing!
June 4, 2012
Weekly Writing: Skills, or lack thereof
We are all good at something — or, if we’re lucky, at many things. But we’re also really lousy at certain things. And when it comes to writing honestly, whether in fiction or nonfiction, these are the things you don’t want to leave out of any story.
Write about a job you were really bad at — or, if you’re writing fiction, write about this in the context of one of your characters. Go into as much detail as possible: first day on the job, a typical awful day, the day he/she/you gets fired, etc.
