Kate Ristau's Blog, page 4
November 19, 2020
Fast drafting
For many writers in Oregon, November is a month made for writing. It’s rainy, but not too cold. The leaves are changing. Summer is fading. There is a chill in the air, but sweaters to be worn and scarves at hand. Yet, it’s not just the weather that keeps writers at their desks: November is National Novel Writing Month, when writers try to write an entire novel in a month. That’s 50,000 words total. Every day, they sit down and write at least 1,667 words. That seems nearly impossible, doesn’t it? How do they do it? One word at a time. They keep on going without stopping. They draft FAST. They don’t spell-check, or research, or make things pretty; they get the story down. As they write, they try not to get in their own way. As author Maren Anderson says, in November, you wear your writer hat, and keep your editor hat in the closet. First drafts are for big ideas and letting yourself go wild on the page. Editing is for later. Right now, write now! You can give drafting a try this November. Here’s a few writing prompts to get you started.
Writing Prompts
Thankful
We have talked a lot about what our characters want and need — but what are they thankful for? Take a second and drop down into your character. Have them write a quick gratitude text to someone they are grateful for, like to a teacher or a best friend. Keep it short for now, but if you find yourself really getting into the writing, turn it into an email. When you finish, take a moment to consider — would your character hit send? Why? Or why not? The decision to send that text reveals a lot about who they are.
…The inevitability of puddles
There is a giant puddle on the sidewalk outside your door. Write a fast poem about splashing in the puddle — for good or bad! Are you happy? Are you frustrated? Write it down. Don’t worry about the rhythm and the rhyme. Just say what you want to say in the way you want to say it. The edits can come later.
…Stories
What stories does your family tell over and over? What stories do you tell about your own childhood? Take a moment to look at the bigger picture. What do these stories say about who you are NOW, and who you want to be? If you could tell the story of yourself, what story is missing? Write that story today.
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October 21, 2020
Hay Lofts and Scarecrows…
I grew up on a farm in the MidWest. Not one of those fancy farms, where the barns are painted red and the pigs dance in the waving grasses. No, it was a working farm. The pigs rooted in the mud and ate corn that we tossed on the floor each morning. The farms in movies are nothing like mine, and neither are their hay lofts. I can’t imagine just jumping into a pile of hay — it was probably wrapped in twine, ready to be dragged out and tossed onto the truck. Still, nowadays, the only hay bales I see are in the city, with carefully crafted scarecrows on them. They have button eyes and red noses and the cutest little hats. Our scarecrows sported overalls and dirty baseball caps. Still, though, I know which scarecrows will spring to life and lead us down a yellow brick road this October. It’s the ones that we stuff full of whatever we can find. They come to life in the making, formed from our need and our desire to create — to breathe life into the world at the turn of the seasons.
Writing Prompts
Compare and contrast
Often, when I am having a hard time writing a setting or describing a scene, I try to figure out what it is not. Take, for example, the scarecrows on the left: one beautifully produced, one purposefully produced. Figuring out what our scarecrow was NOT helped me figure out what it really was. It was homemade, and full of all the life that we could stuff into it. Take a moment and write your own study in contrast. Write a paragraph describing the house where you grew up, but focus on everything it was NOT. Maybe the windows did not have blinds. Maybe it was not painted white. Maybe it had no
picket fence. Describe for us what you house looked like by considering what it was not. I think you’ll find your way back home.
…The invisibility of ghosts
She’s standing right behind you. You can’t see her, but she’s there. Who is she? Write her story.
…Scared
Ghosts and scarecrows, ghouls and zombies — we’ve entered the season of fright, where tricks and treats are waiting just around the corner. You never know what you’ll find! Take a moment and list all the spooky words you can think of to put you into the Halloween mood. Review this paragraph to get yourself started. There’s plenty to give you goosebumps!
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October 14, 2020
Comfort Food
Monday was Indigenous Peoples Day. We took the day to dive into stories, reading from Shawnee myths and Pequot legends. We also discovered the Cherokee legend of the first strawberry: the first man and woman were fighting, and the sun brought down strawberries to break them out of their anger and lead them back to each other. We traveled into the story, making strawberry prints, and talking about the idea that food is memory — it draws us back to our ancestors and we continually recreate and reimagine their stories with each meal.
Writing Prompts
Your grandmother’s lunch
We often talk about the food our families ate at big celebrations, cozy holidays, and fancy dinners. But what did your grandmother have for lunch? What did she put on her plate and sit down to eat when no one was paying any attention? Take your time to write and remember the foods she put (or might have put) on her plate.
…The insensitivity of ostriches
There are some animals that look at you like they are looking directly into your soul. If you ever catch the eye of an ostrich, you’ll find your innermost thoughts laid bare. Consider your own writing. What would the ostrich think as she examines your main character?Would she find them intriguing or impenetrable? Would the ostrich examine them carefully, or barely give them a second thought?
…Shall I compare thee to a fall day?
Hey there, Shakespeare. Love doesn’t just feel like the summer sun. It is deep and rich and has its seasons. Compare your own love to the slowly gathering months of fall — leaves turning, mud gathering, pumpkin pie baking. Try to write a stanza to your everlasting (or
fleeting) autumn love.
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October 5, 2020
October Cake
For me, October begins with cake. My Dad’s birthday begins the month, my sister celebrates right after, and we end the month with my mother-in-law. October is a swirl of frosting and fire. Truly, there’s nothing better than a slice of cake with a candle on top. When the song ends, the flame still burns, waiting to be extinguished; that shining moment is effervescent. Anything seems possible, and wishes can come true. In this unpredictable time, I’m sending you birthday cake wishes and moments of wonder.
Writing Prompts
Happy birthday to you
Birthdays are magical times, full of hope and possibility. Think back to one of your favorite birthday memories. Don’t worry if you have a terrible memory, like me; you don’t have to remember every detail. The magic of writing is that you can reimagine your own story. So, was there cake? Friends? Family? A glass of something cold or sand under your toes? What made that birthday special? Find your way into that moment, and linger there.
…The capability of cake
You’ve wandered into your best memories, now consider a slice of cake. For some, the best cake is thin on frosting and heavy on butter. Others want to see the colors of the rainbow or the swirl of their name on top. What calls to you? In ten sentences — no more, no less — describe your perfect slice.
…Wrappings and trappings
Like the moment before the candle goes out, a wrapped present gleams. For all of us, there is a world of possibility inside a wrapped box. Let’s take a moment, then, to consider: what do you wish was inside the beautiful present sitting on the table in front of you? Make a list of 4 things that would fill you with joy. Be wild, and dream big! It’s your wish, my friend. Make your list.
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September 21, 2020
Follow the sun
I’ve been telling so many stories about the sun these days. I think you know why. As the wildfires have raged across the Pacific Northwest, the sun has been hidden by clouds and smoke, or tinged with an unnatural red or orange. I want to see the light like I used to — bright and clear and warm. The autumnal equinox is tomorrow — when day and night are of equal length. From here on out, the daytime fades. Enjoy this final day of summer with these writing prompts.
Writing Prompts
The light and the dark
For centuries, humans have seen the sun disappear, and have longed for the light to return. We write so many stories about the light, but the dark can be a time of renewal and rest. Think about your characters. How has a time of darkness changed them? How have the bleak moments of their lives helped the light shine brighter?
…The Dark Night of the Soul
Right before the climax of many novels and stories, the character must confront their darkest moments, their most painful truth. Why do you think this happens? It is so the climax is even more powerful. When we’ve plumbed the depths, resurrection shines all the brighter. Consider your character, or a character from a movie. What is their deepest fear? How do they confront it? How are they changed after confronting that fear?
…The Color of Light
The language of light and dark is in our bones. But sometimes, the idea of writing about something so BIG is intimidating. Start with something simple and unexpected, like the way the light lands on a slice of cake, or the way coffee consumes it. Work you way through at least three sentences. Now push yourself to two more lines.
Dig into the light before it disappears!
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September 15, 2020
September 15th News
Summer is almost gone, and the sun has disappeared in Portland. But not for the reasons we expect — smoke covers the skies and keeps us inside. I spent the end of August planting black-eyed susans in our front yard, but now we’re trapped indoors. I miss their pops of yellow. Here are some writing prompts to help brighten your days.
Writing Prompts
Memories of yellow
Sunshine, crayons, and so much butter. What memories of yellow your past? I remember yellow curtains, scratched thin by cats,
lace swaying above heating vents, sticking to my feet. Write a description of the color from your own memory.
…The improbability of sunshine
Often, when we write our scenes, we match the weather to our character’s feelings. They are angry, so the storm pounds the roof. This world-building helps create a consistent tone too. But, take a moment and consider the opposite. At your character’s most devastating moment, what if the sun shined down instead?
…Weathering the storm
Yes, there is the weather, but how does it impact your character? Does the sun make them hot? Are their shoes soggy from the rain? Do they hate the way the wind cuts at their cheeks? Imagine how your character might react to the weather or the seasons in an important scene. Try integrating their response to the outside elements into your draft.
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September 1, 2020
Welcome, September
Summer is slipping away from us, with Labor Day just around the corner. The turn of the seasons always reminds me to look back at all the joy of the past and the possibility of the future, but this season has rearranged so many of us. Instead of the freedom of summer, we’ve wrapped ourselves up in worries and wariness. That’s why I’m taking a second to breathe in the last moments of sun this summer.
Writing Prompts
Riding my bike
My bike stayed in the garage throughout most of the summer months. The tire sprung a leak, then sprung a hole. The bike repair shop was closed, and then it was packed. I couldn’t get a new tire. When I finally did, I popped on my helmet and rolled down the drive. It felt like freedom.
…The impossibility of blackberries
I’ve started to think that blackberries involve a particular amount of luck. We rode our bikes down to the blackberry patch several times this summer, waiting for just the right moment when the berries on the top of the bush take on that shine. We almost missed it. We caught the berries right at the end, when they were gushy and dripping and perfect for jam. The jam, however, blackened and smoking, is a story for next time.
…Your summer story
What’s your summer story? What moment do you remember? What food lingers on your tongue? Take a second and write a line or two, and share it with me. I’d love to hear what memories you will take into autumn.
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May 20, 2020
Object Essays and Creating Joy
I’ve been thinking a lot about joy lately — how we find it in our own lives and shine it over to others too.
It’s not easy right now.
Everything feels so busy — or so incredibly not! How can we feel both urgent and anxious and well, unbearably quiet?
I wish I had an answer for you.
But I know, for me, joy comes in the little things, in the slices of the everyday. It comes from people — it doesn’t usually come from my laptop.
Except, every once in a while, it does. When I see a memory of the first time my son sat down in a swing, or the time my Aunt sent me twenty antique plates in the mail. Photos, emails, Facebook posts can all spark a little bit of joy into our lives.
I know, now, that joy comes from people. It comes from nostalgia and memory, but it also comes in the pause: when we take a second to realize what we’ve got, or even, what we had.
So, in this Great Pause, when we finally have those stretches of time that seem unending but we also have the anxiety closing in on us, I’m writing down a word, or a name. Someone I’ve lost, or someone I miss, paired with the brightest memory I have of that person.
Today, that name was my Aunt Kathy.
When we were little, we’d drive up to Chicago, and stop to see her on the way at the Oasis on the way to Grama’s house. She’d give us coins and tell us to go play the video games while she talked to my mom.
We’d fly through our quarters and come back for more, and she’d drop them into our hands. She was buying time from us, and we didn’t know it. We just wanted to hit another round of Streetfighter.
How many of our memories feel like this? Complicated and big, but fleeting and small?
Today I remember the feel of the quarter, and the bone-deep knowledge that things can change. That every moment is another chance to play a little better, to shine a little brighter.
Joy to you,
Kate
For Writers: Writing Right Now
Dudes. It’s hard to write right now. The world is messy and my brain is jumbled up. I’m sure yours is too.
But last week, I talked with a friend about object essays — about writing that’s focused on an object.
Focus on an Object
This worked for me when my son had heart surgery, and I was writing a column for Literary Mama. I told them I would write about his surgery, but when it came down to it, I had no idea how.
There were these moments that were bigger, harder, and so much more difficult than I ever could have imagined. How could I write the moment they rolled him down the hallway? How could I write about standing beside him after his surgery, waiting for him to open his eyes?
Writing the hard stuff
I knew I needed to write down my experiences because I could barely express them. I am the type of person who eats my emotions, or throws glitter at them. I couldn’t fathom how to express the depth of feeling – anger, frustration, pain, and so much love – that was welling up inside of me.
I decided to focus on one object, one thing, to hold the essay together (and maybe to hold me together too).
Object Essays
I focused on a sink.
It was a strange choice, but in the end, it made so much sense.
You see, the sink helped ground me, and it helped make my writing more concrete. I could think about before his surgery, focusing on our everyday moments in front of the kitchen sink. I could explore how I felt during his surgery when I went to wash my hands and couldn’t get the paper towels out of the dispenser. I could talk about the tiny sink where I washed my face as he spun in and out of consciousness. I could show the way my fists clenched the bed rail as he walked for the first time after surgery. He brushed his teeth at the bathroom sink.
You can see that essay here.
Object essays are a way of grounding yourself in a difficult situation, but they don’t have to be an entire essay. You can also use objects to focus one scene, or to make a character feel more real. Here’s a prompt to get you started, plus some articles from smart people.
Writing Prompt
If you’re struggling with a character, pick an object in your room. A totally random object. Take a few minutes, and write your character interacting with that object. This will help you see your character a little more brightly.
Concrete objects can help you ground your stories, making them feel more real. Don’t just take my word for it…
More Resources
From the Atlantic: Writing about objects — things you can drop on your foot!
A Book: Writing from the Body
Marketing approach: Abstract Versus Concrete Language
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April 28, 2020
Shadow Queene Release — Today!
It’s time to celebrate the SHADOW QUEENE release!
I am so excited to share SHADOW QUEENE with you. It’s a book about women coming into their power, saving themselves, and saving each other.
And that’s my wish for you today, my friends. That you put on your crown. That if you can’t find the light in these dark times, you make your own.
Shine bright!
Arts and Crafts time!Join me tonight for the Shadow Queene Release!
I’m online, signing with Annie Bloom’s Books at 7PM PST. You can log-in here and join me! If you buy your book from them, I will even sign it, and draw you some hearts, stars, and crowns of your own.
A review…
What’s SHADOW QUEENE about? It’s a “story about power, corrupt and corrupting, light and shadow, betrayals and possibilities. Ultimately, a story about saving each other (and small, ugly dragon-puppies).”
That’s straight from Queene Jenny Forrester, author of Soft Hearted Stories.
I hope you love this book!Some more reviews
“Dark, beautiful and complex.”
–Maren Anderson, author of Sparks
“…Áine and Hennessy forge separate paths to seek the truth behind the shadows. Full of glittering light and grim darkness, each journey is harrowing and beautiful. I loved reading this book and can’t wait for the next one!”
-LeeAnn McLennan, author of The Supernormal Legacy Trilogy
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April 9, 2020
Creativity and writer’s block
Creativity and writer’s block go hand in hand. Things are tough right now. It’s hard to write…it’s even hard to think! We’re stuck inside our houses and missing all the things we love — like burritos from Mucho Gusto in Eugene, Oreo cookie shakes from Carl’s Junior, and coffee with friends.
Not everything I miss is related to food, though. I miss hanging out outside with our neighbors, and I even missing sitting on the cold, wet bleachers at baseball practice.
I really miss high-fives and hugs.
But since we are living in a young adult (YA) novel right now, I know a few things are coming soon.
Hope — I can see it just around the corner.
Love — it’s there in your pre-teen heart. Come on, you grump. FEEL IT.
Power.
I want to talk about that last one with you. Power. We see it pop up in every YA novel. The hero comes into their own. They start out a teenager and end up a vampire. They begin as an orphan stuck in the closet and end up saving the world.
I want you to remember that that kind of power belongs to you also.
We have been dragged into the second movie in the series. Things look dark and terrible right now.
But your rise is just around the corner.
So, let me ask you: when we get to the other side of this, WHO WILL YOU BE?
What are you doing RIGHT NOW that informs that character?
Are you writing stories? Are you making masks? Are you holding onto the pieces of your life?
Remember, the greatest heroes have hidden in attics and written up lists. They’ve held onto those they loved and sent an email that pulled someone out of the darkness. They’ve risen out of the shadows to hold up a light.
It doesn’t matter how bright they shined. It matters that they were there, and that they tried.
You are the hero of your story. You are shining your light in whatever way you can. If you can blast out a beam, do it! Fire it up! But if you’re still working on the flame, don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’re here for you.
And while we may not be able to eat the same cookies, we can share a word or two of hope and friendship.
That, my friends, is power.
Creativity For writers
I wish I could make you a bottle of magic word sauce that I could pour on your head so the words would come easier. We are in an impossible time right now. If you need it, I give you permission to step away from the thing you’re struggling with and write something new for this new world we’re in.
Want to write about a cupcake dinosaur who crafts cotton candy trees? Do it. Want to write short essays from your kitchen table? I’m right there with you.
Sometimes, writer’s block comes from forcing ourselves to pound words onto the page. Giving yourself a break to create — just for the sake of it — can be refreshing and recharging. It can also help you see your world of words in a whole new light.
Me? I’m writing short pieces right now. I’m taking a break from my novel because I can’t seem to think big enough. I need my page a little more contained, and that’s okay.
Listen to yourself and your cupcake dinosaur. Open up to the possibility of new stories, and return to the old ones later.
(or not)
Creative Spark
Here’s some fuel for your fire, my friends.
Ted Talks for Sparking Creativity
And in case that is not enough:
If you also want to connect with other writers, I have some tips here.
I believe in you.
This duck should help my writer’s block!The post Creativity and writer’s block appeared first on Kate Ristau.
