Kathleen Pooler's Blog, page 30

8 Tips for a Fast and Sure Start to Your Memoir by Denis Ledoux

Posted by Kathleen Pooler /@kathypooler with Denis Ledoux/@denisledoux

 

 

We all know that anything worth doing-such as writing a memoir-requires tremendous discipline and perseverance.Often times we hold the stories inside for years,then when we begin to write about them, we struggle with how to get started.

I am thrilled to have Denis Ledoux return to Memoir Writer’s Journey with more valuable tips on the memoir writing process. Denis is a well-known and well-respected memoir coach and founder of The Memoir Network, a site which provides a wealth of resources –many free–for anyone wishing to write and publish their memoir.  

As I have disclosed on my sidebar, I am an affiliate of The Memoir Network and do receive compensation for any registrations from my website.  I strongly believe in memoir education and stand behind the programs Denis offers through The Memoir Network. 

I hope you’ll enjoy Denis’ practical tips on getting started and keeping the writing momentum going in a process that can  often feel daunting and overwhelming.

Denis recently published A Sugary Frosting: A Memoir of a Girlhood Spent in a Parsonage.

My reviews can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.

Welcome back, Denis!

Memoir Author and Coach Denis Ledoux

8 Tips for a Fast and Sure Start to Your Memoir

Recently, I wrote and published A Sugary Frosting / A Memoir Of A Girlhood Spent in an Orphanage. I appreciate the the efficiency and effectiveness of my writing process all the more. A Sugary Frosting is the story of the first 20 years of my deceased wife’s life. She had written a number of her stories but died before completing a memoir. When I took up the task, I followed what I consider to be “best practices” of memoir writing. Here below I offer them to you to help you get a fast start and to write more prolifically–and even bring it to a finish in the form of a published memoir.

Here are my eight “best practices” for memoir writing. They are tried and true tips that bear repeating and repeating.

1. Set up a regular writing time. Length of your writing session is not as important as regularity.

How long you write is perhaps not as important as how frequently you do so. I only commit to 30 minutes a day. Once you have set up a writing time, honor it as you would a medical appointment. Don’t allow others to usurp your time! Generally, I have found my own best time to write is early in the morning. When I put off writing early, I find myself forgetting to write and before I know it it is evening and I am tired.

A schedule may be the tool you need to make a success of your writing. Don’t become another person who tried to write or who is thinking of writing.

2. Give yourself permission to write a rough first draft.

Perfectionism is not a virtue at this stage. Keep writing for volume. Quality will enter in later. Perfectionism is really a loss of faith in your work and in your vision. It pretends to be in your favor but it is really a slow death. Avoid perfectionism.

Another way  to urge you to avoid perfectionism is to repeat the saying “Paralysis by analysis!” Perfectionism is paralysis!

3. Start anywhere in the story you feel like writing about on any given day.

If the topic changes on the next day, write about the new story line even if you haven’t finished the previous one. You are connecting to your muse at this point! Where you start to write is not the same place as where a reader starts to read. You will find the beginning of your memoir later. Right now: start to write.

In practice, I find that I continue writing a vignette until I have exhausted its possibilities. My commitment to writing remains 30 minutes a day, but on some days, if my schedule, permits I continue writing for a longer time.

4. Once you have a number of stories or story pieces, collate them.

You can simply organize them into the same document according to chronological order or print and collect them in a three-ring binder.

Write the missing links between the texts that you have already written and collated. Seeing your stories add up will also encourage you to continue writing.

5. Read memoirs critically to learn as much as you can from other writers.

I call this process “reading as a writer.” When you read as a reader you are caught in the story, in its unfolding. Of course, this sort of reading is very enjoyable but it is not particularly developmental for you as a writer. When you read as a writer, however, you are looking for how the writer wrote. How did the author begin his chapters? How did she handle dialog? Was she good at setting? Did he use any special techniques to portray his characters?

I am always reading memoirs.

6. Commit to reading how-to-write books. 

There are many on the market. Read one, read several. Take notes, do the exercises, do the writing.

The internet is also full of writing sites. Visit them, use the materials they provide.

7. Create an end date as a stimulus to keep writing.

Tell people about this publication date. This will be a goal to help you “keep your nose to the grindstone” and write more efficiently. Tasks can take as long as you allow them to take. By setting a deadline that has a certain flexibility to it, you are helping yourself to stay on the course. For A Sugary Frosting, I had a deadline of November to finish the unedited draft and then February to publish it. I did finish the draft for November but I was not able to publish the book until May 6.

8. Find some beta readers.

Having someone, or several someones, read your memoir will help you to write the best memoir you are capable of. Sometimes you can find beta readers among your acquaintances, and at other times, you may need to hire them in the form of editors. Beta readers provide that extra pair of eyes that not only catch mistakes but can help you to develop your story.

I hope these tips will help you to get a fast start writing and a happy ending to your writing.

Good luck.

Author Bio:

Most recently, Denis Ledoux published A Sugary Frosting / A Memoir of a Girlhood Spent in a Parsonage [http://thememoirnetwork.com/shop/a-sugary-frosting/]. He is currently working on a sequel, My Eye Fell Into the Soup. The next book chronicles his wife’s first year with cancer. My Eye Fell Into the Soup will be available in late August, 2016. The free MyMemoirEducation membership area of his Memoir Network offers much free memoir-writing material.

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Imagine how your memoir could soar if you were supported by other writers in a group: http://thememoirnetwork.com/services/memoir-writers-group/

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Thank you, Denis, for offering these valuable tips on getting started with memoir. It takes commitment and action to see our stories through to the end. But, getting started and writing on a schedule are essential first steps.

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How about you? What helps you jumpstart your writing? Do you have any other tips to share that have worked for you?

Denis has graciously offered to give away a copy of his memoir,  A Sugary Frosting, to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.

We’d love to hear from you. Please leave you r comments below~

Next Week:

Monday, 6/13/16:

“The Secret Entrance Into the Lair of Memoir” by Dorothy Sander

How Writing My Memoir Helped Me Reframe My Life Story

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

 

“Failure can either weigh you down or give you wings” Author Anonymous

Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

Our lives are a story with all the drama, comedy, simple pleasures and debilitating pain inherent in living a life. And we are the authors.

Photo Credit: impact videoproduction.co.uk

Somewhere between making school lunches, working as a nurse, playing den mother to eight rambunctious 10-year old boys and discussing puberty with my two children, I got into and out of two emotionally-abusive marriages. The pervasive undercurrent of guilt and shame defined the story I told myself.

 

I am capable, I am educated. I come from a loving family. So something must be wrong with me, I concluded. The tape that played in my head defined how I viewed myself. And it wasn’t in a positive light. It was exhausting and demoralizing to live this story. I was a mess, I assumed. No wonder I was always dragging.

 

When, years later, I started journaling my thoughts and feelings, I gained some clarity but more than that I began searching for some answers to my own questions.

How does a young woman from a loving family make so many wise choices about career, but so many poor choices when it comes to love? I explore –an ultimately answer– this question in my first memoir, Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse:

This question became the impetus for my writing. I was on a mission to uncover the mysteries of my life. I was also tired of carrying around the burden of the guilt and shame—the extent of which was not fully evident to me until I began writing. Denial served a good purpose in shielding me from the pain. But when I had some emotional distant from the events, I was able to see them more objectively.

 

The less I told myself I was a mess, the less I felt so.

 

I saw my story as a movie, complete with main character, plot, conflict and resolution. I chose to write a memoir because I felt my story might help others in a similar situation. In the process of writing it, I discovered many truths that had been hidden beneath the cloak of guilt and shame-for twenty-five years. That’s a long time and part of my process was grieving those lost years. It took a lot of digging because the pain was buried so deep. I soon discovered that the only way to the other side was through.

I broke my own silence.

It’s happening with my work-in-progress memoir as well but I’ll save those revelations for another time.

Writing my memoir helped me come full circle back to myself and back to the person I wanted to be. I am who I am today because of my failures and flaws. My naïve judgments and missteps have shaped me into a strong, more confident person.

Here’s how I have reframed my life story, the new messages I tell myself:

As a young woman, I acted in good faith to create the life I wanted for myself and my children.

I had the strength within all along. I just needed to listen my own inner voice…and the red flags that were so evident in hindsight. And trust a red flag when I see it.

My first marriage was a mismatch from the start-but my two children are evidence that every cloud has a silver lining.

My ex-husband, the father of my children, was a good person with a bad problem—alcoholism.

My second marriage was a disaster—worse than the first—but I got out as soon as I realized my welfare and that of my children were at stake.

I survived and am currently living a life of peace and joy.

I forgave the people in my story whom I felt had hurt me and,in doing so, forgave myself.

I developed compassion for that young woman who tried so hard to do what she thought was right.

I am resilient!

I told myself a different story.

Memoir writing helped me reframe my life story into one of strength and gratitude—a life filled with love, laughter and purpose—where acceptance of the past allows me the freedom to live life on my own terms.

Memoir writing is just one of several ways to reframe your life story.Narrative Therapy and Journaling are two other methods used.

Narrative therapy is different than memoir writing or journaling.

In this excellent article on “Reframing Your Story”, Journalist Robin Flanigan points out the differences:

“Narrative therapy is a collaborative approach to counseling based on the premise that we human beings construct stories about our experiences in order to give our lives meaning –and therefore that we can deconstruct those stories to change that meaning.”

“Although journal writing can be therapeutic, may even be integrated into narrative therapy, the work done in counseling goes beyond making a record of experiences and emotions.”

 

Dr James Pennebaker’s work on the therapeutic effects of journaling reinforces the healing nature of writing. His book, Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovery From Trauma and Emotional Upheaval is an excellent resource for anyone facing down the pain of their past.

 

You don’t have to publish a memoir to experience the healing aspects of writing. However you chose to write your life story, I hope you discover the treasures that have been hidden beneath the negative stories and assumptions you may have held about yourself and that you begin to tell yourself a different story–one filled with new life-affirming assumptions, perceptions and possibilities about you and your life.

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How about you? Has writing about your life revealed any new thoughts or ideas about who you are or who you think you are? Have you been able to reframe your life story?

I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

 

ANNOUNCEMENT:  

Congratulations, Joan Rough! Your name was selected in a  random drawing of commenters to receive Victoria Noe’s sixth and final book in her Friend Grief Series, Friend Grief and Men: Defying Stereotypes.

This Week:

Thursday, 6/9/16:

“8 Tips for a Fast and Sure Sure Start to Your Memoir” by Denis Ledoux

Denis is an author, memoir writing coach and founder of The Memoir Network. He will give away a copy of his recently published memoir, A Sugary Frosting: A Memoir of  a Girlhood Spent in a Parsonage.

 

Next Week:

Monday,  6/13/16:

“The Secret Entrance into the Lair of the Memoir: Finding Your Authentic Voice”, a guest post by Dorothy Sander.

Dorothy is the voice of AgingAbundantly.com, a website and social media presence that focuses on aging as a transformational process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Libraries as a Discovery Tool by SELF-e Ambassador Victoria Noe

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Victoria Noe/@Victoria_Noe

“Ever since the self-publishing boom took off, authors and industry types have bemoaned the ‘discoverability problem.’ How can a new author, especially a self-publishing one, possibly get discovered in the tsunami of content flooding the market? ”  James Scott Bell

Please join me in welcoming author, speaker, blogger and SELF_e Ambassador Victoria Noe in this guest post. Victoria has worked tirelessly to build her platform as a successful self-published author of The Friend Grief Series, which explores the impact of a death of a friend. Viki and I met in Dan Blank’s Build Your Author Platform Course in 2011 and have been friends ever since. I am thrilled that Viki agreed to do this post on The SELF_e program and explain how it can help authors get their books into the hands of readers. I am pleased to say that my memoir, Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse is currently in the New York State Library System of all libraries that subscribe to Bibliolabs.

Welcome back, Vicki!

Author, Speaker, Self-e Ambassador Victoria Noe

 

Libraries as a Tool for Discovery

Perhaps the greatest challenge for independent authors is discoverability. Fabulous books go unread and unnoticed, because their authors can’t find a way to set themselves apart from the millions of options readers available to readers.

One of the toughest markets to crack is the library market. I love librarians. My grandmother, who came to this country when she was three years old, thought the two greatest jobs were nurse and librarian, because they both help people. I guess my love for them is genetic.

Librarians traditionally rely on reviews in mainstream library publications and publisher-driven book tours to add to their collections. And that usually leaves out those who are not traditionally published.

So I was honored last year to be one of the first indie authors approached to be part of Library Journal’s SELF-e program. The first four books in my Friend Grief series are included in the Illinois state collection and the national Select collection. I am, in fact, their first Ambassador (no tiara, sadly, but hoping for a sash). Whenever I have a table at an author event, or do a book signing or talk, I include SELF-e in my materials and speech.

The SELF-e program is a collaboration between Library Journal and BiblioLabs designed to cultivate robust local writing communities and keep libraries at the center of the indie book movement. SELF-e helps self-published authors and indie presses expand their readership while adding new and diverse indie eBooks to library catalogs across the country. To learn more about how you can get your ebooks into libraries, visit their website.

Authors who hold the rights to their e-books can easily upload them

to the SELF-e website. How many you upload is your choice. Maybe you have a series, like I do. You can upload all or part of the series, or just the first one.

The process is user-friendly, so you can upload your book in 15 minutes or less. When you do, you select the state collection that’s most appropriate.

By now you probably have lots of questions, so here is the link to the FAQ section of the website. If you prefer, you can also check out SELF-e’s Vimeo album.

A number of authors have argued “Why should I do this if I don’t make any money?” It’s true: this is a marketing tool. At this point, you are not paid when libraries pick up the SELF-e state and Select collections for their patrons. But as I said at the beginning, this is about ‘discoverability’.

This is how you benefit:

Libraries – like their patrons – are looking for good e-books. Librarians don’t have the time or funding to purchase individual titles, much less read them. But you have Library Journal connected to your name. No publication is more respected among librarians. It’s a ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval’ that identifies your books as quality additions to any collection.

Have you approached your local libraries about purchasing your books or hosting a talk? If you have, you know two things: they love local authors and they’re overwhelmed. By inclusion in SELF-e, you have a connection to them. Now, when you pitch a reading you can say, “You already have my book(s) in your SELF-e collection.” Again, that sets you apart and enables them to form partnerships with local authors to promote their e-book collection.

Not all libraries are part of SELF-e. This is a fairly new program. But the difference for me was that Library Journal is behind it. That’s a level of professionalism that I want associated with my books.

Now that the basic program is up and running in all 50 states, SELF-e is announcing two terrific developments. One is a “buy link” button. When library patrons read your e-book, they can now be directed to the website page of your choice to make a purchase. For the first book in my series, I chose the page on my website that lists the entire series, with links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound and more. This is for patrons, not librarians. It’s still up you to you talk to the librarians about purchasing your print versions.

Some SELF-e Events:

The second is a nationwide event: Indie Author Day, October 8. Mark it on your calendar. Library Journal will be working with libraries across the country to highlight their local authors. You do not have to be a SELF-e author to participate.

SELF-e hosts a live Twitter Chat–#selfechat-– on the third Thursday of each month at 3:00pmET about the latest news in the community, including genre-based contests.

Ways to promote SELF-e programs:

As you can see in the picture, when I’m at an author event, or do a reading of my own, I bring SELF-e materials. I talk to the authors and I also talk to the librarians. I was a vendor with the Chicago Public Schools for fifteen years, selling books to the librarians. I understand their challenges, so I emphasize the ease of using SELF-e: already curated e-books by local authors. And yes, I tell them I’d love to give a talk to their patrons.

Illinois Library Association Table

At Book Expo America last week I was introduced to a library board trustee for a suburban Chicago library. After chatting for a short time she handed me her card and invited me to speak at her library. It was all because I was identified as a SELF-e author and ambassador.

So, inclusion in the SELF-e collections is a free and easy way to reach library patrons in your state (and possibly across the country). It puts the trusted name of Library Journal behind your books.

I hope you’ll join me in what is already proving to be a great marketing tool in my business.

Author Bio:

I’ve been a writer most of my life, but didn’t admit it until 2009.

After earning a master’s degree in Speech and Dramatic Art from the University of Iowa, I moved to Chicago, where I worked professionally as a stage manager, director and administrator in addition to being a founding board member of the League of Chicago Theatres. I discovered I was good at fundraising, and ventured out on my own, raising millions for arts, educational and AIDS service organizations, and later became an award-winning sales consultant of children’s books. But when a concussion ended my sales career, I decided to finally keep a promise to a dying friend to write a book.

That book became a series of small books. The first three – Friend Grief and Anger: When Your Friend Dies and No One Gives A Damn; Friend Grief and AIDS: Thirty Years of Burying Our Friends and Friend Grief and 9/11: The Forgotten Mourners were published in 2013. Friend Grief and the Military: Band of Friends, was published in May, 2014 and earned Honorable Mention in the 2015 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Awards. Friend Grief in the Workplace: More Than an Empty Cubicle was published in August, 2015 and the final book, Friend Grief and Men: Defying Stereotypes will be released in 2016.

I’ve begun work on an exciting and intimidating book, Fag Hags, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community, on track to be published in 2017.

In October, 2015, Library Journal named me their first SELF-e Ambassador. The first four e-books in the Friend Grief series are included in their Illinois and National collections.

I’ve spoken at Writers Digest Conference, Book Expo America and their UPublishU self-publishing day. My articles have appeared on a variety of grief and writing blogs as well as Windy City Times, Chicago Tribune and Huffington Post. My essay, “Long Term Survivor” won the 2015 Christopher Hewitt Award for Creative Nonfiction from A&U Magazine.

I’m a card-carrying member of Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), Chicago Writers Association and ACT UP/NY (just kidding – we don’t have membership cards in ACT UP).

In my copious spare time, I feed my reading habit by reviewing a wide variety of books on BroadwayWorld.com. A native St. Louisan, I’m a lifelong Cardinals fan and will gladly take on any comers in musical theatre trivia.

You can follow all the fun at www.VictoriaNoe.com

The sixth and final book in The Friend Grief Series:

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Thank you,Viki, for showing us how SELF-e can help us all increase our readership. If you don’t own the rights to your eBook, SELF-e also works with publishers to get books in the system. It seems like a win-win situation for libraries and authors. I highly recommend this program for self-published authors.

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How about you? Have you considered submitting your book to SELF-e? Do you have any questions for Viki?

Viki has graciously offered to give away an eBook copy of her sixth and last book in the Friend Grief Series: Friend Grief and Men: Defying Stereotypes to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.

We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

 

This Week:

Monday, 5/30/16: 

May 2016 Newsletter: “Bursting Forth in May”

If you are interested in receiving these monthly newsletters of updates, memoir musings and Max Moments, please sign up in the right sidebar. I’d love to have you along!

Next Week:

6/06/16:

“How Writing My Memoir Helped Me Reframe My Life Story”

 

Finding My Way Through the Maze to Reach a Milestone: A Memoir Moment

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. –Paulo Coelho

Photo Credit: Google Images- wikipedia

Finding My Way Through the Maze to Reach a Milestone: A Memoir Moment

Do you ever wonder how you would react if you were gobsmacked with a major health crisis? Yes, gobsmacked. It ‘s a perfect word to describe what it feels like when you’ve been handed a diagnosis. With that one label, life, as you knew it changes irrevocably.

None of us likes change; it’s not easy to accept but finding our way through the maze to reach the milestone will offer many gifts–peace of mind, new perspectives, and an improved sense of well-being.

A few months ago, I shared that I would be starting home peritoneal dialysis due to chronic kidney disease secondary to cancer chemotherapy and subsequent heart failure. Trust me, I’m one of the lucky ones. Although chemotherapy damaged my heart and kidneys, it cured the Stage Four Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that invaded my body in December of 1996.

I’m still here. Living a very good life.

But, I’m not going to tell you it was a rosy path to enlightenment. To be honest, it has been a tedious and intense experience with a very steep learning curve. I even allowed myself a few “pity parties”. I told my nurse the other day that I was glad I didn’t fully understand what I was getting myself  into or how my life would change. I liken the experience to childbirth–I want the end product (feeling better and living longer) but I’m glad I’m on the other side of the journey.

Why do I want to share these details, you ask?

Here’s my reason..somebody out there, maybe you, may be undergoing your own health crisis. You may feel scared, anxious, fearful, depressed by the uncertainty and the need to make major lifestyle changes to accommodate this change in your health status.

Knowing I’m not alone helps me and I hope sharing my story will help someone else struggling with a  health issue or any life-changing situation.

I’ve been there and done that over these past few months of navigating my way through the winding road of learning and doing home peritoneal dialysis–keeping up on the massive inventory of supplies, the frequent clinic visits, phone calls, lab work,etc.

Two weeks after having a surgical procedure in February for placement of a catheter in my abdomen, I started training for doing manual “exchanges’ at the kidney center–hand scrub for 1 minute, mask, scrub end of catheter with alcohol for 2 minutes. Repeat with each exchange. After two weeks, I graduated back home for the procedure. Hook up–drain, fill and dwell. Repeat every four hours four times a day.For six weeks. Through the maze of  tasks and to-do lists–oh no, I’m running out of soap, face masks, 3×3 gauze and sterile caps. Call for a rush order. Lab work shows I need Iron injections weekly for five weeks. Back to the clinic. Time to reorder supplies…properly dispose of the heaps of empty solution bags, tubing, etc, keep environment dust-free and disinfected. Wash towels in hot water every day…

I want my life back!

Wait a minute. This IS my life. And when I stop long enough to think about it, I am beginning to feel better. What my kidneys can no longer do on their own, the dialysis is stepping in to flush those toxins away. It is working. And I will live longer, barring any other unforeseen event, because of it.

I needed an attitude adjustment…

though I have to admit I sometimes look at people and think do you appreciate your functioning kidneys?  Then I remember how I never gave it a thought when I didn’t have a problem.

As with any journey, there are setbacks and obstacles along the way.

And milestones.

Last week I reached a major milestone.

Nighttime cycler…my new best buddy.

I transitioned to the nighttime cycler, which means the machine automatically performs the dialysis while I sleep. So simple. It is programmed for my specific needs and all I have to do is hook up to it and roll over. And I really do sleep.

I’m free during the day (again) at last and am planning on working my way back to ..the gym, writer’s conferences, traveling to see family and friends…my life as I knew it. Or close enough.

It took a long time to get here but it feels great.

I feel like a bear must feel in Spring when he sees the first light of day after months of winter slumber… a brand new season awaits.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned to share with those undergoing life-altering events:

Reframe…what this experience means to you and how you will find your equilibrium again. For me, it has meant viewing this procedure as a lifesaving/improving option versus a restriction.

Take back your power to live your life on your own terms. You are still you and you are still in control.

Keep the self-talk positive and if you’re having a bad day, let it be but set a timer on how long you will sit with your negative thoughts.

Keep moving forward …one step at a time. Baby steps. Walk before you run and then take flight.

And, of course, where there’s life, there’s hope.

I’ll leave you with this quote:

“Don’t be pulled by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” (Author Unknown)

Bon Voyage!

 

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How about you? I’d love to hear your story of finding your way through the maze to reach a milestone in your journey.

Let’s talk. Please leave your comments below~

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

Congratulations to Pat McKinzie-Lechault! Your name was selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive Carol Bluestein’s crime thriller, Seduction, Volume 1: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder.

Next Week:

Monday, 5/30/16:

“Libraries as a Discovery Tool by SELF-e Ambassador Victoria Noe” Victoria is the author of  The Friend Grief Series and will be giving away the fifth and last book in her series, coming out on June 1, Friend Grief and Men: Defying Stereotypes, to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.

May 2016 Newsletter: Updates, Memoir Musings, Max Moments

“Bursting Forth in May”

If you are interested in receiving this monthly newsletter of updates, memoir musings and Max Moments via email, please sign up on the  right side bar. I’d love to have you along!

How to Keep the Readers Turning the Page: An Interview with Author Carol Bluestein

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Carol Bluestein/@clbauthor

“It is one thing to tell our story and it’s quite another to get/keep a reader invested from beginning to end.” Carol Bluestein, Author

Photo Credit: “Reading Books” from Google Free Images

As writers, we invite readers into our story, hoping they’ll feel as enthralled as we do with it. But unless we craft the story in an engaging way, using the tools of plot, character development, dialogue, scenic details, we risk losing the reader.

I am thrilled to feature my good friend and writing colleague Carol Bluestein in this guest post interview about her riveting new crime thriller series, Seduction: Love ,Loss ,Leverage, Murder, Volumes 1 and 2. Carol and I met through The International Women’s Writer Guild (IWWG). In fact, I distinctly remember the moment at an IWWG conference in 2010 when we met in a workshop on humor writing. When Carol read her piece to the group, I felt an immediate connection. Carol currently facilitates a local women’s writing group which I am fortunate to attend. I am fascinated by Carol’s ability to hook her reader and wanted to interview her to share her writing tips with us. Whether you’re writing fiction or memoir, you have to help your reader stay with you in the story.

My reviews of Seduction: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder, Volume 1 can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.

Volume 2 will be out soon. She hopes the second book will be published by the end of June.

It is undergoing the editing process and Carol is at step two of her four-step process,as she explains:

1: beta readers – what’s missing for readers;

2: overall read after edits are made;

3: a professional story editor; and once all those edits are done,

4: a professional book/line editor. She is now waiting for the comments from step 4.

 

Welcome, Carol!

Author Carol Bluestein

 

How to Keep the Reader Turning the Page

KP: Tell us a little about your series, Seduction, Volumes 1 and 2. Do you think there will be more books in this series?

CB: Yes, there will be three books in the Seduction Series. While waiting for the edits at step 2 (above), the idea for the third book popped into my head. I’ve got all kinds of notations on the themes and the part of the story that goes with them.

KP: In Volume 1 of your crime thriller series, Seduction, you weave together a multilayered plot filled with conflict, suspense and intrigue. What made you decide to write your story as a crime thriller? Was the plot clear to you from the beginning or did it evolve as you wrote?

CB: The crime/thriller/suspense/horror genres have been my preferred reading/entertainment over the years. It seemed a natural extension to write what I loved. The original draft was clear—I saw it and wrote it. Over the next five years, as I learned more about writing commercial fiction, the plot and themes evolved.

KP: While memoir writing challenges the writer to flesh out the real people in the story, fiction requires you to develop a character from scratch from your imagination. How did you decide to portray your characters? Are they based on real people?

 CB: Each of the characters have their own mission and have to have the personality to complete (or not) their arc. I first wrote them as “vanilla” and subsequently learned to give them characteristics that flesh them out. I used their horoscopes. Since some traits were already established, it was easy to pick out their birthdays and identify their best and worst behaviors. As for real people—no, not really. The characters are composites of people I’ve known, met, or observed.

KP: What is your writing goal?

 CB: My goal, from the beginning, was to craft a book that people would want to read and enjoy. I learned to save my “darlings” in another file, and do what had to be done to move the reader along. I always figured I wrote it in the first place so it was no problem to rewrite to achieve my goal.

KP: Setting up the conflict and building up the suspense are the reasons I kept turning the pages in Seduction, Volume 1. I know the same will apply to Volume 2. Can you share with us, how you deliver in these areas? 

 CB: First and foremost, I use the format of a TV movie. The end of a chapter signals a “commercial.” The problem becomes how do you end the chapter/segment so the reader/viewer comes back to the book/TV movie to see what happens next.

Example: The first time the reader finds out about the henchman is the last line of a chapter, “Thank God for Lucy.” (Reader thinks, “Who? Why?”) The next chapter answers the questions. The chapter’s last two words, [Lucy is stalking her target] are “lethal charge.” (Reader thinks, “How? When?”) Answered a few chapters later.

  KP: Do you have any other writing tips to share with us.

 CB: Two: perseverance and listening. Never give up and listen to your critics. When I give my book to trusted beta readers, I hope they find problems. After 60-80,000 words, I’m too close to my story and need other perspectives to achieve my goaI. I listen to readers and teachers and distill what the story is lacking and how to fix it. During the writing of the first book, I did eight drafts before it was finished and each one is different from the one before. Note: I kept every draft and wound up using sections from previous versions in the last.

  KP Do you have any marketing tips to share?

 CB: Marketing is coming. I did a soft opening for the first book. It just came out in Audio. I decided to work on the second book to set up the series. That will be published (and hopefully synced with Audio) by the end of June, if not before (I am unashamedly optimistic). I’m starting to use Twitter and blogging. While I wait for final edits on book 2, I plan to do some local promotions.

***

 Thank you, Carol for sharing your valuable tips on writing and engaging the reader. You dazzle your reader with your ability to create suspense and tension, to create believable characters and to keep them moving forward through action scenes. Memoir writers can learn a lot from reading your work (I have learned a lot from you!) and no matter what your preferred genre, the story carries the reader to the end.

 ***

Author Bio: C.L. Bluestein lives in Slingerlands, New York. Ideas for projects come from life’s absurdities and puzzles–whether it is functional, mental, psychological, or physical. The basic underlying theme is empowerment, or lack thereof.

Website: www.clbluesteinauthor.com

Twitter: C.L. Bluestein @clbauthor

Facebook: C.L.Bluestein

Book Synopsis:

In an attempt to escape her traumatic past and gain independence, renowned author Rachel Allen moves to New York and reunites with Ted X. Donovan–the man that saved her from a brutal rape.

Ted, now the founder of the PRAISE foundation, has become a wealthy philanthropist with presidential connections, but harbors a dangerous, hidden agenda.

Due to Rachel’s and Ted’s work advocating for human rights, the President of the United States appoints them to an isolated think tank located deep within the Adirondack Mountains of New York.

Here, Rachel recognizes the depths of Ted’s skewed sense of love and patriotism, and his connection to an ongoing FBI investigation. Facing her worst fears, Rachel must fight for her life, love, and country.

***

 

How about you? How do you build suspense in your writing? How do you keep the readers turning the pages of your book? As readers, what hooks you into a story and makes you want to keep reading?

Carol has generously offered to give away a paperback or eBook copy of Seduction, Volume 1 to a commenter whose name will be selected in a  random drawing.

We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

 

Next Week:

Monday, 5/23/16:

“Finding My Way Through the Maze to Reach a Milestone: A Memoir Moment”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Self-Care is Essential for Memoir Writers

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

 

Photo credit: Google Images by www/eleanorbrownn.com

 

Self-care is an essential part of a memoir writer’s toolkit.

Along with being a labor of love, it’s no secret that memoir writing is also a daunting task. An idea for a story rumbles inside you—sometimes for years—until, bearing it no longer, you put pen to paper and pour it on the page.

And then the real fun begins…

What exactly is my story? Where do I begin? What is my takeaway? Why would anyone care about my personal story? What if I offend someone? Can I be sued for slander? And, it hurts so badly, why do I want to write this story?

Literary agent Rachel Gardner notes in this post on Memoir Guidelines that:

“..memoir requires the most out of a writer, because it’s non-fiction, so platform matters. But it’s also story-driven and the writing is the most important aspect, so it requires the level of attention to the art and craft of writing that fiction does.”

So not only is there a passion to tell a story and all the emotions associated with the details but there is an art and craft that must be learned to effectively convey a message that will resonate with others.

Why do I want to write this story?

This question must be answered because until I am connected to my purpose for writing this story, I will be adrift. Often times, the purpose of our story –it’s main takeaway–does not become clear until it’s written.

A connection to my purpose for writing it will fuel me for the journey and help me stay on course until the end.

My manuscript for my first memoir sat idle in a drawer and in piles on a shelf for months and even years, before I revisited it and allowed myself to follow its lead to publication. Yes, the story that needed–begged–to be told, led the way.

So, given all these burdensome requirements, how do we as memoir writers last in the long haul?

In addition to my own difficulties in staying the course in my journey, I have heard from many other memoir writers of their challenges in revisiting painful memories and in keeping up the momentum in writing. Recapturing these significant life events requires us to relive the emotions associated with the events. Though self-discovery and healing are eventual blessings, the process can be grueling.

Clearly, it is essential to take care of ourselves so we are able to achieve our goal of writing and sharing our stories.

  Here are a few ways I have taken care of myself while writing my memoirs:

When I feel stuck in the writing, I journal about the writing… journaling is uncensored and free flowing.
I recall H-A-L-T from my days as a cancer patient: When I’m hungry I eat, angry, I express myself, either in a journal or to the person involved, lonely, I call a friend and tired, I take a nap. The basics which also includes daily exercise.
I walk away… get away from my computer, take a walk outside—sometimes that frees my mind to think more clearly and my ideas flow better—play with my grandsons, pet Max, my Golden.
Mom always told me ” a nice hot bath will cure all your ills”

Photo Credit: Googel Images fro www.talentdevelop.com

I carve out dedicated writing time… I make sure I get a healthy dose of writing in during the day. If I don’t, I end up losing sleep because the ideas are still swirling in my head when I go to bed.
I pursue other interests—reading, playing the piano, going to the theater… to refresh and replenish my creative well. And I just ordered Flora Brown’s Adult Coloring Book http://amzn.com/097721835X  If you’re wondering how adult coloring has become an American obsession, check out this post:
I try to find time in each day–even if only for a few minutes –for stillness. reflection, prayer or doing nothing but staring out the window or sitting on the front porch and watching the birds.
I  share my feelings and concerns , as I did in last week’s post, “Finding Some Light in the Darkness of My Story”. As a result, I received many affirming, supportive messages that motivate and inspire me to keep writing. My heartfelt thanks to all who joined in the conversation here and on Facebook.

   

Photo Credit: Google Images from www.ranawayman.com

Taking care of myself enables me to offer my best self to my writing.

Writing from our hearts and souls—as memoir writers do– in our most authentic voices will serve our stories well.

Our stories deserve to be told from our healthiest selves.

Let’s take care of ourselves so our stories will thrive, become a source of pride and touch others in meaningful ways.

***

How about you? How do you take care of yourself so you can last in the long haul and give your stories the best chance to flourish in the world?

 

I’d love to hear your ideas. Please leave your comments below~

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: 

Since we can all use a little help in the memoir writing process, I’d like to share with you an upcoming a 10-week online book mentoring course by memoir author, blogger and radio talk host Dorit Sasson. If you sign up by 5/9/16, Dorit is offering a 20% discount. If you are looking for some guidance with your writing project,  check out Dorit’s program. Here’s the link with all the details:http://doritsasson.com/write-your-book/

 

Next Week:

  Monday, 5/16/16:

 “How to Keep the Reader Turning the Page: An Interview with Author Carol Bluestein”

Carol is the author of the crime thriller series, Seduction, and has graciously offered to give away an eBook or paperback copy of Seduction: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder, Volume 1 to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.

Nothing Short of Joy: How I Moved From Misfit to Magic by Memoir Author Julie Bond Genovese

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Julie Bond Genovese/@jujujubee2002

“If we give meaning and purpose to our pain, it can become the soul’s springboard to joy and understanding.” Julie Bond Genovese, Author, Artist, Speaker.

The first time I met Julie Bond Genovese, author, artist and speaker, was at a Women’s Voices Women’s Vision conference in Saratoga, New York in June, 2015 where she gave this motivational speech, “The Power of Perception” as part of the EVE (Empowerment, Vision and Entrepreneurship) Program where a select group of women presented their projects.

 

After meeting her, I knew I had to read her memoir, Nothing Short of Joy, to learn more about the story behind this dynamic and inspirational woman. She has faced so many challenges–dwarfism, severe arthritis, multiple surgeries–and overcome many obstacles yet moved forward to “turn her pain into purpose”. She discusses how writing helped her find her path to joy.

My reviews can be found on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThings and Riffle.

Welcome, Julie!

Julie Bond Genovese, Author, Artist, Speaker

 

Nothing Short of Joy: How I Moved From Misfit to Magic

Running circles around my childhood were names like midget, shrimpy, freak. The doctors threw in a few more: deformed, abnormal, birth defect. Born under the microscope of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, a form of dwarfism, I felt lost and broken.

For years I was terrified I’d never get the goodies in life, never know love, never find my place in the world. I armored myself against the bullies, medical studies, degenerative arthritis and surgeries. My back became as curved as the question marks that defined my world. But my body, the arch enemy, would one day become a cool and clever teacher. Adversity is hilarious that way.

At thirty-four, the arthritis in my right shoulder pitched a massive fit. The doctors said both shoulders needed replacements. Three years earlier I’d had both hips and knees replaced; I couldn’t face any more. The pain put an end to my freelance art biz. I proceeded to throw myself a year long pity-party. No one was invited. Life is so unfair! What did I do wrong now? Art was my comfort, my living. My body ruins everything! I’ll always be a DEFECT. Disabled. Doomed.

Fear tends to leave me a tad dramatic.

But hadn’t life shut me out, first? The playing field seemed unfair – so why try? I assumed life would just keep hurting me over and over. Meanwhile, my heart held out hope, and my soul had a super game plan — an inner metaphysical make-over was on the way.

 

My dad offered me a loan for a computer so I could learn graphics with my left hand. After a halfhearted hunt-and-peck start, I was hooked. Not on graphics though – I fell in love with email. It was 1998 and this was mind-blowing. I ended up in a wild tsunami of creative writing – venting my rage and devastation out onto the screen. Despite my years of kicking and screaming, an epic rescue had begun.

As I unloaded my old sob-stories, they began to look suspiciously recycled. They cried out the same word over and over — defect!Defect! DEFECT! Hmm…

I’d thought my negativity was a reflection of the “bad hand” I’d been dealt, but when I took a closer look, I’d made my world reflect my predictions. Rats. I’d been asking for healing, but I’d been focused on the hopeless.

Would changing my own fearful Belief System (BS) really heal my life? Unleash the majesty? I typed faster. A treasure hunt was on.

Artwork and quote by Julie Bond Genovese

My BS had long insisted I was the lowly victim. Had my fearful beliefs been directing the show all along? No way. My right hand started to jump into the typing. Week by week, the shoulder pain decreased. Self-expression became unexpected medicine.

I read more self-help books. Talked openly with friends. Listened to inspiring tapes. I began to repeat in quiet whispers: I am beautiful just as I am. I am valuable. I am lovable. I am enough. The choice for joy began to rise up to replace the old lies.

My writing was helping me to grieve, to heal, and to realize I wasn’t so different after all. Whoa. My heartaches were like everyone else’s – universal fears of being different, flawed, not good enough. It wasn’t my circumstances that were holding me back, it was my feelings of powerlessness against them. A more positive focus could bust through that old BS.

By believing in the strength of spirit, a feeling of wholeness began to return. I was free to interpret my imperfect human circumstances in a more empowering light.

Suddenly, I wanted a megaphone. The idea that my story could help others heal, too, lit me up! My memoir, Nothing Short of Joy, was propelled by that hope. It was turning my pain into purpose.

As I was busy writing, one more teensy plot twist dropped in. Brain surgery.

I had two conditions that needed correction: Hemifacial Nerve Spasm and Arnold Chiari Malformation. There were several arteries pressing on a cranial nerve at my brain stem. It was causing an uncontrolled, painful jitterbug in my head and face 24/7. My facial nerves were short-circuited and on constant dramatic alert. The way I’d led my life had become imprinted on my physiology. Reject, victim, DEFECT. It was all in my head.

The surgeon would first remove a 2” x 4” piece of skull at the base of my neck and, in a second surgery, pad the pissed-off nerves with tiny bits of soft teflon, therefore decompressing the brain. Put that way, it actually sounded kind of good.

Both surgeries were a success. Major relief. A few months later, as I read through a hospital bill, I stopped at a tongue-twister sentence: “Suboccipital craniectomy with C1-2 laminectomy and duraplasty . . . repair skull defect.”

There it was. That tyrannical word. I waited for the pain; there was none. I read the word again to double check. DEFECT. But the sadness was now just a story in a book, instead of heavy on my heart. A smile flew across my life. The pain had lost it’s grip because faith had taken hold.

Big challenges still splat hard on my doorstep. I often flounder and want to fold. But nothing has ever been the same since I learned this truth; if we give meaning and purpose to our pain, it can become the soul’s springboard to joy and understanding. My body hadn’t been in my way; it had somehow shown me the way.

***

Thank you Julie, for sharing your heartfelt story behind your memoir and for showing us, by your example, how negotiating our way around the pain in our lives can help us become fully alive and connected to our purpose. 

***

Author Bio:

Julie Bond Genovese is an inspirational speaker, creative living coach, blogger, artist, mom and best-selling author of her award-winning memoir, Nothing Short of Joy, endorsed by Wayne Dyer, Dr. Christine Northrup & Dr. Bernie Siegel. Julie has been featured on TV & radio including Anderson Cooper Live, NBC LX & Oprah Radio. Being born a dwarf, with degenerative arthritis, was not the poison Julie originally believed – it became the cure. As she began to view her challenges as sacred choices made by the soul, everything shifted. Julie mentors spirit-led creatives on how to use self-expression to transform life’s grief and energize ginormous joy. Please download Julie’s free ebook,

“Release the Blocks So Creativity Rocks!” at her website at www.nothingshortofjoy.com

Other social media links: 

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NothingShortOfJoy

Twitter – twitter.com/jujujubee2002

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/juliegenovese/

Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/107597962513652247564/posts

Nothing Short of Joy Synopsis:

Born a dwarf with degenerative arthritis, Julie B. Genovese traveled a path unlike many. During her visits to the Center for Birth Defects as a child, she was displayed on a table and studied by genetic specialists who rarely had the opportunity to see a case of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia.

With a childhood rife with negative labels and laughter, humiliation and heartache, Julie was terrified that she would never find happiness. Lifelong physical limitations, as well as bi-lateral hip and knee replacements, left deep emotional scars. It wasn’t until after two brain surgeries, she was able to make peace between the medical and the metaphysical.

After screaming at the rain for years, Julie realized that she could calm the storm inside. Through trial, lots of error, and endless soul searching, she made happiness a decision. She was, at last, in charge of creating her own Eden and would stop at nothing short of joy.

Amazon buy link.

***

How about you? How do you negotiate your way around the pain in your life?  What is your Belief System? How do you find joy in your life?

Julie has graciously offered to give away a paperback or ebook of  her memoir, Nothing Short of Joy, to a commenter whose name will be selected in a random drawing.

We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

Next Week:

Monday, 5/9/16: 

“Why Self-Care is Essential For Memoir Writers”

Finding Some Light in the Darkness of My Story: A Memoir Moment

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

“A memoir should have some uplifting quality, inspiring or illuminating, and that’s what separates a life story that can influence other people.” Mark Allen

Photo credit: Free Google Images

Finding Some Light in the Darkness of My Story

“I’m not sure I want to keep reading this story. It’s a real downer.”

Have you ever had anyone tell you this about your story or have you ever felt like you couldn’t continue reading a book because the topic was too depressing?

At a recent critique session with fellow memoir writers, a respected colleague shared these honest feelings about a chapter I had read, And she was right. It was a very dark moment. It made me stop and take note of how I will convey my story. While I cannot and will not sugar-coat the event, it made me realize that there needs to be relief for the reader…and for me.

Years ago, when I started reading Paula, Isabel Allende’s story of her gravely ill daughter, I could not finish it. The topic was too raw for me because I feared for my son’s life on a daily basis due to his addiction.

As I work on my second memoir, I am very aware of the need to provide some lighter moments. And I know they were there because I have survived to talk about it.

The heart of my story is a mother’s love through her son’s addiction. It is also a story of the power of faith in my life as I battled cancer simultaneously.

Photo Credit: Christine MacDonald

The story has been burning inside me for years, grabbing me by the throat at any given time… begging me to release it, pour it on the page and send it packing.

When I  looked into my son’s eyes and saw his father, it stopped me cold and held a grip on my heart.

My eyes still well up with tears thinking about the lost years since that moment…the heartache, the terror of watching him sink into the abyss of addiction. This is the pain I sit with and I am ready to let it go.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the importance of weaving in some lightness into the dark moments. Life is a combination of the heavy and the light so to focus only on the dark would be very burdensome, both in life and in reading a memoir.

I stand naked before the pages, curious how much deeper I have to go to convey exactly what it felt like to be in those moments of despair…locked in time and feeling a wide range of sensory assaults. Even though I knew it would be difficult, writing about my son’s addiction has been much harder than I anticipated. We have moved on –both of us; grown and found independence from one another.

How did we get from there to here?

The only way to the other side is through the mud and the muck of the trauma. So I’ve been digging into my memory banks to find some answers to my question.

But, how to find the light in the darkness of my story?

There’s nothing funny about cancer or having an alcoholic son and neither is reliving it to write the story. But, I know I couldn’t have gotten through it unless there was some comic relief along the way.

Finding the humor in the midst of the sadness can be a defense from sinking deeper into the sadness.

Since memoir is a “slice of life”, that life has to be portrayed in the most realistic and honest way possible. Linda Joy Myers of the National Association of Memoir Writers writes. “If we write the truth, then we write both the light and dark stories.” She suggests making a list of the light and dark stories.

As I plow through the pain, I’m making a conscious effort to get in touch with those lighter moments that helped me place one foot in front of the other. I am fortunate. My son has given me his blessing to “pour it on the page” for it is my story even though it is also about him.

Here are a few things I am doing to find the light:

Looking through old photos of happy times… helps me connect with the many positive things in my life.

Making a list of happy and sad times…life has both.

Journaling my thoughts my writing journey…helps me sort out and clarify my thoughts and feelings.

Allowing myself to grieve for those ”lost” years… all part of self-care and well-being.

Prayer is my meditation…Amen!

For now, the terror is gone and we are left with the love. Therein lies my story.

There is light at the end of the tunnel but I will continue to search for the light that was there along the way so my story will not be a “downer” but one of hope .

***

How about you? How do you find the light in the darkness of your story?

I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

 

This Week:

Monday, 4/25/16:

I’m honored to be over at Susan Weidener’s blog, Women’s Writing Circle, with “A Mother of an Addict Finds Her Voice”. Hope you’ll stop by and join in the conversation.

April 2106 Newsletter : “Spring: The Season of Hope and Renewal”

If you are interested in receiving this monthly newsletter of updates, memoir musings and Max moments via email , please sign up in the right sidebar. I’d love to have you along!

Next Week:

Monday, 5/2/16: 

“Nothing Short of Joy: How I Moved From Misfit to Magic by Memoir Author Julie Bond Genovese.

Julie is the author of a memoir, Nothing Short of Joy and will give a way an ebook or paperback copy to a commenter whose name will be selected in a  random drawing.

Writing, It’s Not About the Words:Reflections on Storytelling by Memoir Author Pamela Jane

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Pamela Jane/@austencats

“Words are how we think; stories are how we link.” Christina Baldwin

 

 

I am very pleased to welcome Pamela Jane back for this guest post on writing and storytelling. Pamela  was  recently featured  in this Author Spotlight as part of her WOW Women on Writing Blog tour. We met through our mutual publisher, Open Books Press. When I read her memoir, An Incredible Talent for Existing,  I was transported back to the 1960s and connected to my own coming-of-age story. I was so fascinated by her story that I asked her to be my guest and share some thoughts about writing memoir. Although her words are beautiful, it was her story that captured me and kept me spellbound until the end. 

“…a harrowing story that invites the reader to experience the thrill and danger of the Sixties from a place of safety and acceptance. —Tristine Rainer, Director, Center for Autobiographic Studies, author, The New Diary and Your Life as Story

Here are my reviews of her memoir on: Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing and Riffle.

 

Welcome back, Pamela!

Memoir Author Pamela Jane

Writing,It’s Not About the Words: A Reflection on Storytelling

 

Most of us know someone who always seems to come up with good stories gleaned from ordinary life – a shopping trip, a phone call, or a doctor’s visit. “Oh, that’s such a (‘Denise’ or ‘Kevin’ or ‘Chris’) story,” we say, or “that only could have happened to…” (fill in the name). But do these funny, bizarre, or fascinating stories really show up, whole and complete, a gift from the universe?

I’ve come to realize that the person who always has a funny or fantastic tale to tell is unconsciously creating those stories, organizing the random events of life into a shapely narrative. Without realizing it, he or she edits the experience, enlarging or exaggerating some events, while diminishing others, all for the sake of the story. And, like a true entertainer, each time she tells the story, it gets a little better.

Screenwriting guru, Bob McKee, said that storytelling talent is more rare than literary talent. Literary talent – the ability to use language well – is important, but a great story is what rivets us to a book, a film, or an oral narrative.

It is what transforms ordinary life into a tale that also transforms the reader or listener, gives her insight into the human experience, and inspiration for her own stories.

Often, people have said to me, “I have a great story to tell, but I don’t know how to write it,” or, “I have such a fabulous story, but I’m not a writer.” The good news is, you have a story to tell, and you’re passionate about telling it. With diligence and hard work, the craft of writing can be acquired.

During the weekend screenwriting seminar I took with Bob McKee, he also noted that “writing is not about the words.” To me, this makes perfect sense. The words are merely messengers for the story. They bring the news – as in, “this happened,” or “I had this experience,” – but the real news is the story. Of course words matter, but they will fight you at every turn if you don’t have a good vehicle (story) for them to hitch a ride on. Without a story, the words will become uncooperative and surly, and protest at every turn. It reminds me of Alice’s conversation with Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass:

‘That’s a great deal to make one word mean,’ Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

‘When I make a word do a lot of work like that,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘I always pay it extra.’

‘Oh!’ said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark.

‘Ah, you should see ’em come round me of a Saturday night,’ Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side, ‘for to get their wages, you know.’

Lucky Humpty Dumpty! His words did their work and showed up for their wages. But if you are not careful to construct a story for your words, they may rebel and go on strike, brandishing signs that say, “No Storyline, No Work,” “Equal Pay for Adjectives,” or “Power to the Pronouns!”

As writers, most of us have had the exhilarating experience of being carried away by our words – those lovely words! – and leaving the story behind. The good news is that we can always go back and retrieve it.

***

Thank you, Pamela, for showing us the importance of inviting the reader into a story through our words. I love the idea that we all have stories to tell but it’s how we deliver the message that will matter.  “With diligence and hard work, the craft of writing can be acquired.” and ” Do not leave the story behind” resonate. 

***

Author Bio:

Pamela Jane has published over twenty-five children’s books with Houghton Mifflin, Atheneum, Simon & Schuster, Penguin-Putnam, Harper, and others.  Her books include NOELLE OF THE NUTCRACKER illustrated by Jan Brett, and LITTLE GOBLINS TEN illustrated by NY Times best-selling illustrator, Jane Manning (Harper, 2011). The sequel, LITTLE ELFIE ONE has just come out (Harper).  PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND KITTIES: A CAT-LOVER’S ROMP THROUGH JANE AUSTEN’S CLASSIC  (Skyhorse) was featured in The Wall Street Journal, BBC America, The Huffington Post, The New York Times Sunday Book Review and The Daily Dot, and has just been issued in paper. She a writer and editor for womensmemoirs, and her new memoir, AN INCREDIBLE TALENT FOR EXISTING:  A WRITER’S STORY has recently come out. An excerpt from the book, JUST WAIT! A Short Story Rejected in Grade School Becomes a Cause in Action appeared in the March issue of The Writer.

Contact Information:

Pamela Jane’s Children’s Books

Memoir Excerpt in The Writer

JUST WAIT!  A Short Story Rejected in Grade School Becomes a Cause of Action

Pride and Prejudice and Kitties

@austencats   @memoircoaching

  Book Synopsis:

It is 1965, the era of love, light and revolution. While the romantic narrator imagines a bucolic future in an old country house with children running through the dappled sunlight, her husband plots to organize a revolution and fight a guerrilla war in the Catskills.

Their fantasies are on a collision course.

The clash of visions turns into an inner war of identities when the author embraces radical feminism; she and her husband are comrades in revolution but combatants in marriage; she is a woman warrior who spends her days sewing long silk dresses reminiscent of a Henry James novel. One half of her isn’t speaking to the other half.

And then, just when it seems that things cannot possibly get more explosive, her wilderness cabin burns down and Pamela finds herself left with only the clothes on her back.

From her vividly evoked existential childhood (“the only way I would know for sure that I existed was if others lots of others acknowledged it”) to writing her first children’s book on a sugar high during a glucose tolerance test, Pamela Jane takes the reader along on a highly entertaining personal, political, and psychological adventure.

 

An Incredible Talent for Existing : A Writer’s Story book trailer:

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How about you? What is the story you tell about yourself? How do you find your story?

We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~

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Next Week:

Monday, 4/25/16:

“Finding the Light in the Darkness of My Story”

April 2106 Newsletter: Updates, Memoir Musings and Max Moments:

” Spring: The Season of Hope and Renewal”

If you are interested in receiving this monthly newsletter in via email, please sign up on the right sidebar. I’d love to have you along.

Seven Lessons I’ve Learned About Doing Book Readings: Plan B Version

Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler

Chincoteague Retreat, 2015

 

Disclosure: This post was supposed to be a recap of a reading I was planning on doing at the Annual Wine, Words and Works of Art event at our local library on April 1,2016. However, my body had other plans. Two weeks into home dialysis, I am adjusting to the new routine, slowly learning to accept the limitations it imposes… for now. I fully expect these limitations will be temporary. In a few weeks, I will transition to a nighttime “cycler” which will automatically drain and fill while I sleep. Currently, I am doing manual exchanges (drain-fill) four times a day. Freedom is on the horizon!

I have done a fair number of readings since my memoir was published in 2104 so I decide to move forward with the lessons learned.

Plan B is in order.

Book readings are wonderful opportunities for the author and the reader to come together face-to-face. I know when I’ve been invited into someone else’s world through their story, it would thrill me to meet them and learn more about the person behind the words.

Meeting readers face-to-face has been one of the most gratifying and motivating aspects of being an author.

What is the best way to prepare for a reading?

I can tell you what has worked for me and I hope to hear your ideas as well.

The day before the local event, I had attended my grandson Jacob’s fifth grade “Monuments and National Parks Event” in his classroom. The students set up poster boards and pamphlets at their desks and answered questions about their projects. A nearby table had computers to view two-minute iMovies they had produced on their topics. It was a multimedia event.

Jacob discusses The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

 

When I asked Jacob what advice he would give about doing a presentation, he said,

“When you think you have enough, keep going.”

With that in mind, here are seven lessons I’ve learned about book readings:

 

Prepare

*Select your passage(s) ahead of time and practice reading in front of a mirror, talk into a tape, or read to friend or family member.

Research your topic, and audience. You may not know about the audience ahead of time but be clear about your key messages, whether you have 2 or 125 people attend. Select several different passages and decide which ones to read based upon your specific audience.

Also prepare for anything. Since my memoir is about domestic abuse, I have been asked many questions that have challenged me. I have learned to expect anything. When you write from your personal truth and allow yourself to be vulnerable as we do in memoir, you have to be prepared to address these areas of vulnerability. It has been a growing experience for me.

Interact with your audience:

The last thing you want to do is bore your audience by reading aimlessly. Encourage interaction through eye contact, brief explanation of backstory or your purpose for writing your story and asking questions. Some authors don’t read passages. They prefer to talk with the audience and entertain questions. It’s a personal decision how you handle it but keeping the audience engaged is a priority. Along those lines, be sure to thank them for coming.

Consider multiple ways to get your message across:

When material is presented in various forms, it increases the likelihood for engagement and learning. It also addresses the learning styles of individuals. For example. some people are visual learners so a power point presentation may appeal to them.

Pay attention to your display…it is an extension of you:

This goes along with #3. You may have props to reinforce the message of your book. Since the topic of my memoir is on domestic abuse and empowerment, I have a variety of teaching materials with fact sheets and resource numbers.

You may not need any props at all but make sure your table has a pleasant presentation.

Bring enough books to sell…and pens and bookmarks, etc:

This fits in with the being prepared category. I also keep a sheet of paper for people to sign up for my blog and newsletter and press releases and business cards for people to take.

       6.Spread the words about your reading on social media before and after the event:

Rally the troops. If you want to reach readers, you have to be willing to promote your work. It isn’t selfish.

         7. Have fun:

Just when you think you don’t have any time to do a reading because you think you should be writing, remember why you are writing in the first place…to reach others.

What better way to stay motivated and focused than to bond with your readers in person?

To paraphrase Sandra Beckwith of Build Book Buzz  (Be sure to check out her website for a wealth of book marketing resources):

“Self-promotion is not selfish. Rather, you are sharing the gift of your book with the world.”

Thank you, Sandra for this gift of perspective.

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How about you? Do you have any other ideas to add about book readings? As authors, what has worked for you? As readers, what do you enjoy the most about readings?

I’d love to hear from you Please leave your comments below~

ANNOUNCMENT: 

Congratulations to Michelle Monet for winning Robert Yehling’s biography of an autistic surf star (Clay Marzo),  Just Add Water: A Surfing Savant’s Journey with Asperger’s and to Patricia Walker for winning his writing prompt book, The Write Time:366 Exercises to Fulfill Your Daily Writing Life.

Congratulations to Merril Smith for winning Pamela Jane’s memoir, An Incredible Talent for Existing.

Next Week:

Monday, 04/18/16:

Pamela Jane returns with this guest post: “An Incredible Talent for Storytelling”