Comments on: Writer’s Workshop: Writing as Process and the Process of Writing http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/ Making The Most of MidLife--Together Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:56:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Joanna Jenkins http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4468 Joanna Jenkins Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:34:24 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4468 Hi Jane, I still shy away from writing topics I HAVE to write about because they are usually more of a "rant" or things I don't want in print. Translation: Self censoring. I save the subject for therapy :-) As for the "clear map"... Sometimes story ideas turn out less "clear" than I thought when I'm writing . When stories change direction, lack "significance" or don't feel as "interesting" as I thought they would, I stop writing, set the story aside and look at it again in a few days. This usually happens less than a paragraph or two into the writing process or after about 30 minutes. After setting them aside, sometimes I get a fresh approach, sometimes I need more time to think it through and other times, there is no doubt it ends up in the "draft file" forever. It's not unusual for me to have five to eight stories/posts like this at a time. My guess is, 1 in 5 stories fall into this "rethink" category. Or those, I've maybe "trashed" 1 in 10 story ideas. Hi Jane, I still shy away from writing topics I HAVE to write about because they are usually more of a “rant” or things I don’t want in print. Translation: Self censoring. I save the subject for therapy :-)

As for the “clear map”… Sometimes story ideas turn out less “clear” than I thought when I’m writing . When stories change direction, lack “significance” or don’t feel as “interesting” as I thought they would, I stop writing, set the story aside and look at it again in a few days. This usually happens less than a paragraph or two into the writing process or after about 30 minutes. After setting them aside, sometimes I get a fresh approach, sometimes I need more time to think it through and other times, there is no doubt it ends up in the “draft file” forever. It’s not unusual for me to have five to eight stories/posts like this at a time. My guess is, 1 in 5 stories fall into this “rethink” category. Or those, I’ve maybe “trashed” 1 in 10 story ideas.

]]> By: byjane http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4444 byjane Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:50:37 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4444 Susan, I'm ready to send for Henry; you've made him sound so appealing. Clearly your heart is in these profiles and that comes across to your readers. We'll be talking about that more when we get to Audience... I have the same sort of instant 'aha - plot point' happening. Shows that your writing mind is on alert. Why not write them down as they come and stick them somewhere. I think you'll find you can use them eventually. You're scaring yourself off by making the leap from plot point to book. Jane Susan,
I’m ready to send for Henry; you’ve made him sound so appealing. Clearly your heart is in these profiles and that comes across to your readers. We’ll be talking about that more when we get to Audience…

I have the same sort of instant ‘aha – plot point’ happening. Shows that your writing mind is on alert. Why not write them down as they come and stick them somewhere. I think you’ll find you can use them eventually. You’re scaring yourself off by making the leap from plot point to book.
Jane

]]> By: Susan http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4442 Susan Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:04:46 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4442 Jane, I can write at either time - although words flow more regularly when emotionally charged. Right now my regular writing is profiles for animals down on their luck and looking for news home. See below. It took me about 5 -10 minutes to write as I was Henry's foster mom. My other writing consists of the ideas that pop into my head. I am trying to find one that has some depth (different ways the storyline can go) to write a bit longer piece. For example - one Saturday evening my boyfriend went to Wal-Mart. I noticed later that he had left his cell phone at home. He NEVER leaves home without - like a second brain to him. The next thing running through my mind was - hey that would be a great premise for a murder mystery. Man leaves home for simple errands.. forgets to take cell phone.. vanishes.. no traces.. a few people remember seeing him at Wal-Mart but aren't 100% sure it was him..... Then I ask myself - where to next??? How do I work with it? Is it too generic? Is there enough to catch a reader's attention and keep them reading? Susan Howl-O! I am Henry! They say I am a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Cur… or better known as a Coonhound. While I am not really sure what a ‘coon” is, I can tell you I am the sweetest, gentlest dog you will meet. My estimated age is approximately 1 year and my weight is a svelte 52 lbs. I have been “fixed” (didn’t even know I was broken)! As you may have noticed, I have only 3 legs. Here’s my story.. I was found as a stray in Kern County (near Bakersfield). I ended up at the pound – felt more like jail. My front leg had been broken and healed that way. My Rescue Angel Mariah saw what a great dog I was and bailed me out just before they were going to put me to sleep! She found a great doctor who was able to remove my injured leg and it has been smooth sailing since. I have been recuperating with my foster mom – who tells me all the time what a wonderful dog I am. My talents include sitting and we are working on sitting up. I LOVE TOYS! Any toy… in fact, I already have a little toy collection started. My favorite is my fuzzy blue bone that squeeks. I love to roll on my back and squeak it as I play. Please be sure to have lots of chew bones for me or I am easily tempted by what is on the floor. I undid the shoe laces on my foster mom’s tennis shoes one day when she wasn’t looking. I thought it was funny but she wasn’t laughing… well at least not as much as I was! What makes me the happiest is being with humans.. any humans.. young (yes I am baby tested), old, men, women, tall, or short. My foster mom says I am a fur-wrapped heart because all I want in life is to be loved and petted. I am very, very gentle so I will be very good with small humans too. I love other dogs and cats! When not playing with my toys, I love sleeping on my back near my foster mom. I am also very quiet, don’t bark very much, and am house-broken. When I need to go out, I will go to the door and let you know. I walk well on a leash and love going for walks! I am looking for my forever home! Since I am such an easy-going laid back guy – I have no preference how many humans there are. You just need to be ready to accept all this doggie-love I have to give.. and it’s a lot! Do you have room in your house and heart for a dog like me? Just come meet me – I promise it will be love at first sight! Henry Jane,

I can write at either time – although words flow more regularly when emotionally charged.

Right now my regular writing is profiles for animals down on their luck and looking for news home. See below. It took me about 5 -10 minutes to write as I was Henry’s foster mom.

My other writing consists of the ideas that pop into my head. I am trying to find one that has some depth (different ways the storyline can go) to write a bit longer piece.

For example – one Saturday evening my boyfriend went to Wal-Mart. I noticed later that he had left his cell phone at home. He NEVER leaves home without – like a second brain to him. The next thing running through my mind was – hey that would be a great premise for a murder mystery. Man leaves home for simple errands.. forgets to take cell phone.. vanishes.. no traces.. a few people remember seeing him at Wal-Mart but aren’t 100% sure it was him…..

Then I ask myself – where to next??? How do I work with it? Is it too generic? Is there enough to catch a reader’s attention and keep them reading?

Susan

Howl-O! I am Henry! They say I am a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Cur… or better known as a Coonhound. While I am not really sure what a ‘coon” is, I can tell you I am the sweetest, gentlest dog you will meet. My estimated age is approximately 1 year and my weight is a svelte 52 lbs. I have been “fixed” (didn’t even know I was broken)!

As you may have noticed, I have only 3 legs. Here’s my story.. I was found as a stray in Kern County (near Bakersfield). I ended up at the pound – felt more like jail. My front leg had been broken and healed that way. My Rescue Angel Mariah saw what a great dog I was and bailed me out just before they were going to put me to sleep! She found a great doctor who was able to remove my injured leg and it has been smooth sailing since.

I have been recuperating with my foster mom – who tells me all the time what a wonderful dog I am. My talents include sitting and we are working on sitting up. I LOVE TOYS! Any toy… in fact, I already have a little toy collection started. My favorite is my fuzzy blue bone that squeeks. I love to roll on my back and squeak it as I play. Please be sure to have lots of chew bones for me or I am easily tempted by what is on the floor. I undid the shoe laces on my foster mom’s tennis shoes one day when she wasn’t looking. I thought it was funny but she wasn’t laughing… well at least not as much as I was!

What makes me the happiest is being with humans.. any humans.. young (yes I am baby tested), old, men, women, tall, or short. My foster mom says I am a fur-wrapped heart because all I want in life is to be loved and petted. I am very, very gentle so I will be very good with small humans too. I love other dogs and cats!

When not playing with my toys, I love sleeping on my back near my foster mom. I am also very quiet, don’t bark very much, and am house-broken. When I need to go out, I will go to the door and let you know. I walk well on a leash and love going for walks!

I am looking for my forever home! Since I am such an easy-going laid back guy – I have no preference how many humans there are. You just need to be ready to accept all this doggie-love I have to give.. and it’s a lot! Do you have room in your house and heart for a dog like me? Just come meet me – I promise it will be love at first sight!

Henry

]]> By: byjane http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4435 byjane Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:30:09 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4435 Lia, <i>"I disappear when I write. I lose track of time; am fully involved and love what I am doing. The end result is usually crap, but I love the process."</i> I love the first part of that statement, but whose voice is the critic calling your work crap? That person needs to disappear! I really relate to your list of "shoulds" and it occurs to me that they too are the voice of some internal critic. Don't waste your time...don't get things wrong...be perfect. And yet you say that your good writing sessions come when you don't try too hard. There's a lesson in that for you, one that I hope this workshop will help you learn. Jane Lia,

“I disappear when I write. I lose track of time; am fully involved and love what I am doing. The end result is usually crap, but I love the process.” I love the first part of that statement, but whose voice is the critic calling your work crap? That person needs to disappear!

I really relate to your list of “shoulds” and it occurs to me that they too are the voice of some internal critic. Don’t waste your time…don’t get things wrong…be perfect. And yet you say that your good writing sessions come when you don’t try too hard. There’s a lesson in that for you, one that I hope this workshop will help you learn.

Jane

]]> By: byjane http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4434 byjane Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:21:22 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4434 Joanna, I'm impressed by the forethought that you put into analyzing your topic from the point of view of your audience. Do you ever find that there is a topic you just HAVE to write about, but you can't make it relevant to your audience? Also, do you always have a clear map of the piece you're working on? What happens if the direction changes in the middle? Or the end? Jane Joanna,
I’m impressed by the forethought that you put into analyzing your topic from the point of view of your audience. Do you ever find that there is a topic you just HAVE to write about, but you can’t make it relevant to your audience? Also, do you always have a clear map of the piece you’re working on? What happens if the direction changes in the middle? Or the end?

Jane

]]> By: byjane http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4433 byjane Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:15:03 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4433 I too like the lump of clay figure of speech. Do you write regularly? Or just when you're emotionally charged? And what sort of things are you writing? I too like the lump of clay figure of speech.

Do you write regularly? Or just when you’re emotionally charged? And what sort of things are you writing?

]]> By: byjane http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4432 byjane Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:12:42 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4432 Liz, I can see here--and in your blog posts--how you're working to solidify your standing as a writer. I really relate to your issues about being more organized. Lately, though, I'm starting to realize that Organizing is a way of Avoiding. I wear myself out with the organization process and/or when it's done I feel as if I've accomplished somthing, when really I haven't. The doing more than one draft? That's a must with me. Jane Liz,
I can see here–and in your blog posts–how you’re working to solidify your standing as a writer. I really relate to your issues about being more organized. Lately, though, I’m starting to realize that Organizing is a way of Avoiding. I wear myself out with the organization process and/or when it’s done I feel as if I’ve accomplished somthing, when really I haven’t.

The doing more than one draft? That’s a must with me.

Jane

]]> By: Cherirae http://midlifebloggers.com/2009/09/13/writers-workshop-writing-as-process-and-the-process-of-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-4424 Cherirae Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:52:37 +0000 http://midlifebloggers.com/?p=1875#comment-4424 I use to develop my thoughts when walking. I need to get back to that - both the walking and the developing my thoughts while walking ;-) I have found that finding the perfect word or phrase or using perfect grammar etc. impedes the flow of thought when I'm writing. For me, writing without judging - a stream of consciousness type writing usually keeps my thoughts going and I can always clean up later. I use to develop my thoughts when walking. I need to get back to that – both the walking and the developing my thoughts while walking ;-)

I have found that finding the perfect word or phrase or using perfect grammar etc. impedes the flow of thought when I’m writing. For me, writing without judging – a stream of consciousness type writing usually keeps my thoughts going and I can always clean up later.

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