Writing Your Memoir or Family Story

After spending years working on my family history and pulling together a rather hefty book on the subject (it weighs in at two pounds and 309 pages!), I thought I'd share a few things I discovered along the way that, should you decide to engage in such a project, might make your journey a little easier.

An inch thick, two pounds, many years of research and 309 pages!

Write on Wednesday: Thinking Positive?

In this week's Write on Wednesday (and it's almost NEXT Wednesday -- I'm a tad behind!) Becca talked about the news -- mostly bad or distressing if you listen to network or often even local news.

She discusses an Ingrid Bengis quote - “Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.” Yet, she acknowledges, it can be easy to sink into pessimism in writing, often asking "what's the point? Who cares?" Then she asks:

How about you? How do you find positive things to write about in these troubled times? Do you think the written word has the power to effect positive change?

Here's my take on that one - My 401 K is taking such a dive that I will probably be working till I'm in "the home." Our pledge drive is tanking and everyone at work is sniping at everyone else - and that makes day-to-day a pretty awful spot to be in. And for a month, my arm will be in a sling and I probably won't be able to write much of anything.

Maybe that last one is a good thing.

Right now the only thing I want to write is Marmelade Gypsy and I'm afraid my lack of desire to do much else will make its way into my finished words.

My mother used to say "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all," and somewhere along the way, I grew up with a remarkable brand of "half-full" optimism that often annoys people around me.

What's the good of bitching about it to the n-th degree if you can do little about it? And isn't it better to do something positive than negative?

I'm always trying to see the good in something instead of the annoying or bad - which totally drives people who are inclined to go the other way nuts.

Here's an example - The wetland area in our subdivision carved out by an extremely expensive sewer project, I tend to think of as a park. It's a wonderful spot for taking a walk, and I often see cranes and ducks.

Rick is more likely to call it a ditch - and with some reason - his tax assessment that contributed to that project was over $14,000.

We don't always agree about that particular area.

And, I could cite dozens more examples from my workplace. Ultimately, I don't find it productive.

I truly believe we get back what we reflect out. If I smile at people - even people I don't much care for - they tend to smile back. They may have a positive conversation with me and that may make me feel better about them. It’s why I end up answering calls and email from angry DTV users and put in the position of being the go-between of the children who don’t like playing with one another at work.

(And yes, one could argue, "well, that's fake and insincere." But I don't see it that way -- I see it as a sincere attempt to make both our lives better and the work we have to do together a little easier.)

And I sort of don’t mind it, because I’d rather deal with them in my happy-pink-cloud way than listen to other people complain about having to work with each other.

I'm not too happy about the market crashing. But it does make me evaluate my priorities somewhat differently. When I'm dining out, it's because it's special, not just that I'm lazy. And we've had some wonderful dinners with some fabulous and inexpensive wine!

I'm shopping less for my wild personal pleasure. I'm using my yarn stash, not buying new. I'm steering clear of Michael's and JoAnn's unless I need something very specific. Apart from buying Tab, I'm really steering clear of more frivolous grocery store purchases. So, when I get something I really love a little over the top - like Kalamata olives - then I savor them.

Becca asked if we thought "the word" brought positive change. I agree wholeheartedly. It’s very easy to demonstrate that with the spoken word.

When I was a theatre major, one of our assignments was reading the phone book. Last name, first name, number - on and on. We'd get a list of emotions and in saying the same words conveyed love, anger, annoyance.

Think about it - say "Thank you so much" to someone. It can be sarcastic, overly effusive (and possibly insincere), flippant and uncaring or genuine and filled with gratitude.

The written word is a little more sketchy. How many times have you sent an e-mail that is taken with offense, when you were merely being concise, not curt? Or received one? More care is required to convey the tone.

"Thank you SO much," she said, accepting the bouquet of roses with a tear in her eye.

"Thank you SO much," he replied, as she shoved a stack of folders in his arms, reminding him of their urgency.

Powerful arguments are written, newspaper stories crafted - all to present a point of view (sometimes objective, sometimes very subjective). I have read articles that have driven me to action and some where I just laugh because they're so awful. (And some where I laugh because they're funny, they make me feel better and that's positive in a different way!)

Lynn Truss' book "Eats Shoots and Leaves" also emphasizes the power of punctuation in writing - it's more than words, folks. And that's important to remember.

Rick told me this morning that he sent his first text message while he was on vacation to his son and another to his niece. He noted the weird phone keyboard and said, "No wonder people spell the way they do."

That worries me. But that's probably another post.

I can tell you that reading the written word can affect change that is very positive. I plan to do that a lot over the next month. I'll let you know how it goes!

Write on Wednesday -- A Healthy Writing Life?

Hooray! Write on Wednesday is back! And, our muse, Becca, opened her post with a wonderful medical analogy, mentioning how WOW had “flat-lined over the past few weeks.”

She continued, explaining how on her part, life got in the way.

And, at the end, she asks our discussion prompt:

How about you? Is your writing life healthy these days? How do you keep your writing life alive? What are some of the remedies you use to revive it?

Gee, Becca, how do you manage to get me where I live with a topic so relevant to me? It’s happened more than once!

Regular readers of The Marmelade Gypsy know that my life has been a bit chaotic over the past month or so.

Let’s see. There was Greg’s surgery, a source of concern for us.

And my impending surgery next month, which is making me a little manic, running about like a crazy lady trying to get everything in its place so when I’m home and operating with one arm, I’m not worrying too much about work undone or an overly chaotic environment in which to recuperate.

And of course, I’m trying to do a hundred things before – finish up some projects, have dinner with friends, tidy up.

There’s that DTV thing and replying to the viewers who are confused, angry and frustrated. (And so am I.)

And the TV pledge drive is a week away.

The thing is, I’m not special here. Every single one of you has a list as long or longer than mine, and it combines family issues, work, your hobbies and interests and much more.

And if you are trying to write along the way – write for yourself, or creatively (not the office writing I do every day) – it’s pretty challenging to make room for that.

It's hard enough to make time to exercise, to do my PT moves, or get to the gym.

I think my writing life goes through fits and starts and occasional periods of sublime productivity. Excluding the blog (and I shouldn’t because it’s probably the one place where I write for myself regularly), I don’t do all that much, really. (Well, of course there is the work writing, and not that it doesn't count, but it's not mine. Not really.)

But when I have a deadline – like Rick’s book – I am awesome. Maybe not good. But when it comes to prolific -- awesome!

Deadlines – we’ve talked about those here on WOW before. Maybe it’s because work demands it so I’m used to it. Maybe I work best under pressure. I don’t know. But I need them.

Every year I make that book for Rick. Every year I write the poems beginning – oh, late January at the earliest.

WHY? I don’t know. It’s not like I don’t have a list or mull over the topics. I could write one in July. Or even April.

It just doesn’t come. And when it does, I can’t stop.

So, since my writing spurt has been so prolific and so intense, I am now breathing. Handling the work stuff. Handling the home stuff. Wrapping gifts that must be posted before my surgery and trying to get a handle on my space.

I’ll try to post regularly, though sometimes I know I won’t be able to – and truth be told, not everyone is stopping by every single day to see if there’s something new because you don’t have anymore time than I do! (And besides, you’ll scroll down past the top post if you really want to!)

But that will help me write.

What are the remedies I use to revive my writing life? Well, certainly friendship. And cooking (huh? Yes, it's a wonderful inspiration for me -- maybe it comes from reading too much Laurie Colwin and other food essays!). Art goes without saying. And of course, there is a healing remedy in the soft purr of the Gypsy.

So many things keep my writing life alive -- not the least of which is The Marmelade Gypsy (the blog, not the cat). I may not have a hard deadline, but there is a soft one – will you come back and visit if there isn’t something new regularly? So, there must be something new!

And even if my motivation sags, a good visit to any one of you will revive it.

You see, it's like being in gym class. You're all together, but unique. Everyone has different skills and abilities. The gymnast and the volley ball player may not be the same person. The gymnast and the basketball player are almost certainly different! But they cheer one another on, support each other's efforts. They offer praise or constructive observations. And together, their skills, unique as they are, make a joyful whole.

On your blogs, and in your writing and art, I see the beautiful diversity and the wonderful things you create – be it in paint, fabric, photography or words. I read about your decorating ideas and recipes -- and every single thing is creative. It makes me want to create, too. Something. Anything. And then, share it with you – with words.

Meanwhile, I’ll panic. And then I’ll “think” my writing. And maybe at some point, it will make it from brain to page!

Write on Wednesday: Revision Redux

This week’s Write on Wednesday prompt focuses on revising our work to make it the best it can be. I read it at a timely moment, as I took a break from revising an article for our magazine on digital television. (Frankly, that whole digital transition should be revised, but I’m grousing and I digress.)

Becca had some wonderful words on revision from many well-known writers and then asked if any of us were in the process of revisions and how it was going.

Well, apart from the previously mentioned article, revising is what I do. Revising work by others. Revising my own. And sometimes I do it with a more enthusiastic voice than at others.

The post I had about my dad’s service in India comes to mind. I had that post going in draft form for several weeks before I posted it. I fiddled with wording, flow, and just my thoughts. What did I want to say – and how could I say it in fewer words than a novella?

That’s not the first post where that has happened. After I wrote about ideas in a WOW post several weeks ago, several of you told me you would like to hear more about my friend Patricia.

Well, I’ve been working on the Patricia post probably longer than the one about Dad in India. And in that case, it seems even more meaningful. Patricia, after all, was a wordsmith, and if I am going to write about her, then I want to write it as well as possible.

The thing is, I like revising and editing. I love looking at something that’s really lacking and seeing what I can do to “fix” it – sometimes a rewrite, sometimes gentle modifications. And I much prefer having the time to do it, rather than have to rush it under deadline.

And ultimately, I find myself a far better editor than writer.

Now, if only I could “edit” my linen closet (recent site of a linen closet accident, in which a large candle fell from the top shelf and hit me on the head!) or “edit” my art supplies or book collection or CDs or…

Write On Wednesday -- By Sunday!

Write on Wednesday's Becca is on a break, but she gave us these writing questions to ponder while she's gone!

Well, it's Saturday night and I'll give you a break from my recent posts (mainly, I need to load photos and it's faster to do those at the office after work). If you want to read about my homecoming, though (another great day flying the friendly skies), you'll find it at Chopsticks and String.

What’s your favourite genre of writing?

To write, essay. To read, mystery.

How often do you get writer’s block?

Not often.

How do you fix it?

A good walk or break will help. Sometimes just writing something, anything, will get me rolling and it's easier to get back to business.

Do you type or write by hand?

Both. Depends on where I am.

Do you save everything you write?

Not so much anymore. I used to. and I save the good stuff. Or the important stuff (even if it's not all that good). But not everything.

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?

Sure do!

Do you have a constructive critic?

Yes.

Did you ever write a novel?

No.

What genre would you love to write but haven’t?

Mystery.

What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will?

Sci-Fi.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?

One. Poetry.

Do you write for a living? Do you want to?

Yes. Public relations writing. Do I want to? Yup.

Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?

Yes.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Yes, but it was in high school!

What are your five favourite words?

Joy. Peripatetic. Exhilarating. Undulating. Effervescent.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?

I don't think so.

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?

Happy.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen?

Yes.

Write on Wednesday: Fresh Start

Becca's Write on Wednesday is back! If you're not familiar with this site, stop by. Our muse, Ms. Becca, offers not only a wonderful post on the topic of the day, but gives her followers a starting point so we can share our thoughts on the topic.

Today she asks: How about you? What fresh new ideas do you have for your writing?

As the new year has started, I've been woefully neglect in establishing "resolutions," though I do have some goals I haven't quite written down. But one is to do more "writing for me."

I mentioned in an earlier post that Rick gave me a scanner for Christmas and I've been scanning photo after photo -- mostly family pictures, and those of some good friends. It's not surprising, then, that looking at these photos offers some thoughts for writing topics.

I showed you the little girl on the snowbank a couple of days ago -- here she is from a different view. Definitely a story there.

And what's going on here? Oh, I think there is mischief afoot. (This is my cousin David. Since my cousins call me "Deet," the photos of us together I call the "Deet and David" series.)

And this one... a boy and a car. Where was he going? And why?

And then there are the Patricia stories -- my dear friend who died several years ago, but whose influence on me was powerful and lasting. There are stories about or inspired by Patricia that need to be told.

There are more -- the tale of the Giant Gingerman, the Sisters (my mom and her siblings), The Snowflake Angel -- all of these need to be something more than a jumble of thoughts, even if they go nowhere further than a file in my computer.

And then there's Rick's annual poetry book -- always presented on Valentine's Day. And time is running out.

So, I think my ideas are getting in order -- a fresh start! Now if I can just put them in the queue with all the other things (like taking down Christmas, for example!)

What about you? Do you have a creative fresh start in view?

Write on Wednesday: Warm-Ups

Why is it I always seem to do my “Write on Wednesday” on Thursday?!

In today’s inspiration post, our muse Becca talks about “warm up exercises,” equating those important musical drills with corresponding drills for writing. She offers several excellent exercises to get you on your way! (So go to Write on Wednesday and see what they are!)

Then she asks: How about you? Do you do writing exercises or warm-ups? Do you think they could be valuable? Have you found warm-up exercises helpful in some other area of your life, like art, music or athletics.

I don’t do writing exercises as often as I should. (For that matter, I don’t do a lot of exercises as often as I should!). Generally, I simply plow in and start to write.


But then, when I think of all these books at Loganberry Bookstore in Cleveland's Shaker Square (photographed by my cousin David), I have to acknowledge that all the words on those pages didn't get there because someone wrote on a whim. They honed their craft and they probably did that by practicing.

Becca mentions “Morning Pages” which I used to do regularly while following “The Artist’s Way” program. I don’t do it so often now, and my journal has more or less ended up being The Marmelade Gypsy, which I suppose is an exercise in itself.

But I have found warm-ups very useful in a number of ways. When I was singing, it was almost a requirement to warm up. Rick practices his classical guitar scales and bits and pieces for hours. (Have you noticed it’s fun to listen to people play and less fun to listen to them practice?)

While doing grief facilitation at Ele’s Place, we often would have our middle schoolers do writing exercises. And warm ups were essential. (Don’t tell a middle schooler he or she has to write about something! You trick them into it!)

For example, as we were trying to have them focus on memories related to their parent or sibling who died, we would have them free associate as many things as they could think of related to the person.

They would come up with lists that ranged from entries like “chocolate chip cookies” to “braided my hair” to “pretty” or “good cook.” We would give them 90 seconds and the lists could get pretty long.

Then we’d have them circle three that were especially meaningful at that moment in time.

And then, we’d ask them to pick one of them, and write a little bit about it. Prose, a poem, whatever they wanted. Then we’d talk about it, if they wanted to share. And they usually did.

As an exercise, it’s a good one because it helps us focus and narrow down the most critical points.
Here’s another exercise I sometimes do: Look at something right in front of you (for me, it’s my computer stand at work or the wall above it, and being the pack rat that I am, it’s always got lots of stuff on it!)

Write about something on your desk. It may be the framed photo of Rick and me when we went to visit Kevin his first year away at college.


Or I’ll use as inspiration the photo of my dear friend Patricia, with whom I used to work and turned me on to so many wonderful things in life. She died about eight years ago, I think. I miss her more than I can say.

It could be the rose on my desk, the stuffed Abby Cadabby that sits by my lamp, or the pile of Tab cans wedged between the computer station and the filing cabinet.

Finally, today I just checked in on Mama K's blog and she had another funny post about a notebook she and her friend Sharon share. All ideas that might someday be a novel. I won't tell you more here -- you'll need to visit Mama K! But, when I read it, I thought it was a GREAT idea for triggering writing thoughts!

Write away! It could be fun!

Write on Wednesday: The Novel Within

Today's Autumn Image brings us closer to Halloween! Meow!

In today’s Write on Wednesday post, our muse Becca tells about NaNoWriMo – or National Novel Writing Month, an internet-based writing venture whose participants pledge to write 50,000 words (1 175-page novel) between November 1 and midnight, November 30.

Interestingly enough, NaNoWriMo is about output – quantity, not quality. Becca says the kamikaze approach forces one to lower your expectations, take risks, write on the fly and give yourself permission to make mistakes. By forgoing “endless tweaking” and editing, you are creating.

Becca has done two of these, and you can find more about it at her post. Today she asks the WOW group if we’ve done this, what the experience was like and if we haven’t done it, do we think we could. “Do you have a novel residing in you somewhere, waiting to get out?”

The easy part of this answer is “No, I haven’t done it, so I don’t have an experience to share.”

The harder part is “Do you have a novel residing in you somewhere, waiting to get out?”

Since plotting (or rather, getting out of them) is my weak point, I can say I have a novel in me – in my brain, I’ve started two!

They both have intricate plots, because I like mysteries. So darned intricate, that without doing a ton of research (oh, that pesky research!), I sure don’t know how to solve them! And frankly, if I could that easily, I’m not sure it would be a very good book!

So, I don’t think I’ll be doing the novel-in-a-month challenge this year. Or probably not next.
But I do love the idea of the freedom of it all. Permission to make mistakes is not a bad thing to grant oneself!

So, maybe I’ll do something risky today – and who knows? When I screw up, I won’t be so hard on myself. (Well, actually, I’ve already done that today, and now excuse me, but I have to go wriggle out of a bit of a mess!)

Write On Wednesday: Feelin' Groovy?

In today’s Write on Wednesday, Becca reminded us all of the Simon and Garfunkel song “Feeling Groovy” and asked?

How about you? Do you find yourself moving too fast through life? What’s your favorite way to "moodle" and "make the mornin’ last?" How does slowing down affect your creativity?


This one touches me to the bone! Sometimes I feel as though I’m moving so fast, I don’t have time to stop and enjoy or process anything. I flit from task to task like kitchen moths invading my home that move from cupboard to ceiling to – well, you name it. They move faster than Gypsy or I can catch them. (But that’s another story.)

I blogged earlier this week about my peaceful time at the lake last weekend. While there, it went through my mind that I have a much different pace at the lake. It’s easier. Granted, much of that ease is because it is my time.

And, it’s in a different, easier place. Here’s an example.

Last weekend, I had my list of tasks to do while in town: mail packages at the post office; go to the farm market; stop at a few favorite stores to pick up some gifts before I leave for the season; get weekend groceries; pick up cleaning supplies at Kmart… you get the idea.

If I were to do those things here in town (and any given weekend will include all of these in one form or another), it would take the better part of the day. The post office and farm market are nowhere near one another; neither is the grocery store. I’d be in the car, the traffic would be more intense, and ultimately, I’d be crabby.

I wrapped all my chores in about two hours, and had some time left to hang out in a coffee shop and blog! I wasn’t rushed. It was easy.

When I got back to the lake, I took a walk, visited neighbors, read on the beach, and then got to my clean-up tasks. After dinner, I hunkered down at the computer and wrote got the first drafts of four pieces I hope to clean up for my other blog, Chopsticks and String. Then I knit, finishing a scarf and starting another. My day lasted forever and it was lovely. I did a lot of things and I didn’t feel rushed, strained or stressed.

During the week, it’s wretched. The office pace doesn’t stop and after, there’s always something. The house is a mess, the garden is worse, and don’t talk about the lawn. Deadlines loom for creative projects and don’t forget – Christmas is coming – time to make those gifts!

When thinking about this, I realized it is no wonder that my writing is better, my art more prolific, my energy higher when I’m at the lake. It’s not the lake that makes the difference; it’s simply that I’m not here where there are expectations – those of others and those I place on myself. There is no timetable, other than what I place on myself. It is an amazing kind of freedom, one that frees not only my schedule, but my soul.

Slowing down does elevate my creativity, because I have time to act, not just react. I have time to think, to experiment and to learn. While I’m fairly adept at flying from task to task, the downside of that is one doesn’t enjoy them or really savor the activity at hand.

I need some time to just sit around on cobblestones, look for fun and feel groovy.

But, I’ve got a meeting.

Write on Wednesday: It's All In the Details

Today’s Write On Wednesday prompt by Becca discusses detail and how one uses detail in writing.


Specifically, she asks:

Are you detail oriented in your writing? What are some of the details you most notice in the world around you? What details do you focus on in your writing - place, character, emotional? What are the kinds of detailed descriptions you most like to read about?

While my work-writing is press releases and articles that have a “5 W’s and How” format, my personal writing is extremely detail-oriented. Maybe too much so!

I confess that when I “think” my mystery stories, I get bogged down in the details of the characters’ lives! I can tell you where the furniture is placed in the house, what they are wearing, what their environment smells like. I cannot tell you what happens in the next chapter, because plotting is not my strong suit! But boy, do I know those people!

I work with all the senses – and rely on them in almost every facet of life.

Art offers the visual.

Music can provide contemplation and sound...

While some music or performance offers a variety of sensual options -- color, sound, heat.

And communication is largely audio -- except when it's not! (We all know about body language!)

Knitting offers the texture.

Making sure nothing is dead inside my walls or garbage can work my nose.

And cooking is the ultimate sensual experience, using them all in force!

My use of senses as a strategy for working with detail ramped up for me as a theatre major in the early ‘70s in college, when “sensitivity training” was the buzzword for actors.

We would gather on an empty stage and the professor would pass out a bowl of grapes or cherries. We’d each take one and have to experience it –looking at the color, the texture and sniffing it.

Then we would place it our mouth. What does that smooth surface feel like to the tongue? Does it begin to dissolve on its own or do you bite into it? When you do, and hold the pieces in your mouth, how do they feel? Are they sweet, bitter, both? Is there a pit or seeds?

I don’t know if this made me a better actor, but we ate a lot of fruit.

And, I really started to observe everything with all my senses.

The way sand feels as you walk on a beach.

The way the water on the lake looks when it’s drenched in the colors of sunset.

The fragrance and texture of fresh herbs...

...or flowers.

The smell of pasta sauce cooking on a warm stove, combining garlic, onions, tomatoes – and how it feels on the tongue when mixed with soft noodles.

The coarse texture of Gypsy’s soft fur…
And how it contrasted with Stimpy’s satiny-smooth coat.

The sounds of the ocean and its crashing waves, their salty taste when diving in headfirst, and the splash of the surprisingly warm water.

When I journal, it’s all emotional. But when I observe, it transcends that. My observation is raw from the start, then moves into emotion and memory.

When I graduated from college and before I started graduate school, my mom and I went to England. While there, we took a bus tour to Stratford. As we left London on a bright September morning, I recall going over a hilltop bridge on the highway, passing between neighborhoods where the houses were close together, the rooftops tall and the yards small. I don’t know if it was the temperature that day, the clear sky, the sun, or the air, but at this time of year, as I drive to my office and go over a bridge near my house – an area entirely unlike that of my London route – I am immediately transported to that beautiful day.

Sense memory.

Yes, I recorded details in my travel journal, as I always do. But what I recall is far deeper than that. And maybe it needs to be recorded “for real.”

Becca offers a Write On Wednesday Extra Credit: As you perform a household chore that you do on a regular basis - making coffee, washing the car, cutting the grass - notice every detail of the process. The smell of the coffee grounds as you spoon them into the filter, the hiss of the water as it splashes against the car, the rumbling of the lawnmower’s engine. Write about your experience in great detail.

I’ll throw that out to you to try as well – not sure which one I’ll pick or if I post it. But I think it’s something I need to try!

Write on Wednesday: Write What You Know

"If there’s a book that you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” Toni Morrison


This is the quote with which Becca begins her Write on Wednesday post this week. She discusses the idea of whether it’s possible to know “too” much about a subject and if that affects the excitement of discovery in the written work.

After her very thoughtful discussion of this quote she asks:

How about you? Is there a book you’d love to read that hasn’t been written? What do you love reading about, and how could you write about it? What fascinates you that could become the subject for your next story, essay, poem, or blog post?

What DO I love reading about?

I love reading anything related to England. England in World War II. England period – King Arthur, Elizabethan times, Jane Austen, Victorian period, Edwardians, right up to the present. Biographies, mysteries, novels, history, monarchy… I love it all.

And that extends a bit to European topics as well. Stories about World War II and the Holocaust fascinate me.

But then there are biographies in general. I do like a good biography, which contemporary or not, is a bit of history. (This spring/summer, I’ve read about the Mitfords, Groucho Marx, Pattie Boyd, Diana, and Bob Newhart – eclectic? Yes!) And now and then a contemporary novel really gets me.

How could I write that book? More research, I suppose. More commitment, too. But I’m not so interested in doing that. I guess I figure there is enough that I haven’t tapped that I don’t need to add to the words out there. I suppose if there was a biographical subject that just inspired me, I’d consider it. But there isn’t, really.

So, what COULD become the subject for my next story, essay, poem or blog post? I never seem to run out of ideas. My life is too rich and full of remarkable people and interesting situations, so full of the beauty of everyday existence, that I have a little list! My next blog post after this will be on the joys of friendship and the energy that when combined with others might make anything possible.

What about you?

Write on Wednesday: A Writing State of Mind

Today’s Write on Wednesday talks about your “writing state of mind” (read Becca’s fabulous post to kick off the discussion) and asks:

How about you? What’s your writing state of mind these days? How do you access that “mysterious faculty” where insight and imagination are nurtured? How do your instincts about your writing ability help you? What’s your experience of being in “the writing zone”?

These days, my writing state of mind is about nil. None of the writing I have to do (for work) is floating my boat and as for the rest of it – well, limbo is about the best bet.

I’d rather be outdoors looking at beautiful things (like this tree in the grocery store parking lot; inspiration can lie anywhere!).

Or doing creative things like finishing these… these are the small watercolors I started that now need collage elements. And have I touched them since I returned from the Lake? No.

Or making food like this (Blueberry Crumble Pie) – which I will tonight.

And every night, I knit. (Winter’s coming on; so is show-season!)

These days I don’t seem to have much insight or imagination to write anything I don’t have to (the exception being The Marmelade Gypsy). I don’t seem to want to think that much.

In fact right now, all I want to do is hole up with a book or yarn, a box of Kleenex with lotion, my antibiotics, cough syrup and Ricola and not think at all!

Well, that’s not happening – so how DO I access what Becca calls “that mysterious faculty” where insight and imagination are nutured?

I wish I could tell you, but I just don’t know. I do it because I have to – and it just comes. Maybe not in a tidy, well-written way. But it comes – at least enough to edit!

And how do my instincts about my writing ability help?

Well, I edit! I’ve never written anything first-time out that changing words, sentence structure, rearranging paragraphs or whacking down to half hasn’t helped. It may not be art. But it’s better than before.

I think I tend to get in the writing zone when I’m passionate about a topic. I love writing about family and their experiences, especially the old ones. For me, there’s something fun about recalling family events or experiences on the page, and so when I start, I really get rolling.

When I go there, the clock doesn’t play a role. I simply stay put and the words come out.

My art zone is like that, too. And those are pretty great spaces to be…