What Does it Mean to be a Writer

The World of Ink Network is currently touring award-winning author Fran Orenstein’s contemporary woman’s novel with paranormal overtones, Gaia’s Gift published by Word Castle. As part of her tour we asked her to share with all of you what it means to be a writer as she has written for children to adults, poetry to short stories and many of her titles has won awards.

What Does it Mean to be a Writer

By: Dr. Fran Orenstein 

For me, writing prose and poetry is the means I use to express myself.  All artists have a unique talent or ability that drives them to create. From the first storyteller chiseling a picture on a cave wall, to today’s writer at a computer, the goal is to produce something they hope people will read.

Personally, being a published author and poet is a fulfillment of a dream I have had since I wrote my first poem at age eight. Part of that dream is to leave a legacy for the future, whether it is simply a book my grandchildren will enjoy and pass on through the generations, to the ultimate dream of producing a classic that will live on forever.

As a writer you must be willing to keep putting ideas down in words, and really want to write. A friend who is a musician and artist said to me many years ago, “When are you going to call yourself a writer?” The question boggled my mind, for I did not consider my self a writer, even though I had been writing academically and professionally for much of my life. I was other things, but I thought, “Me, a writer?”  Then one day, I woke up and realized, “I am a writer.” It did not matter what I wrote, I was producing articles, newsletters, papers, books, short stories and poems, and people were reading them.

Writing is a lonely art. Sometimes, days go by when the only communication you have is with the characters on the page. Then there are the days when nothing happens, words refuse to appear on the page, the book seems to drag, the characters are bland, and you are ready to give it all up. But suddenly there is a breakthrough; your fingers are off and running, and your brain surges forward with new ideas.

The ultimate high for a writer is the day the doorbell rings and you see the brown uniform of the UPS driver rushing away like a felon down your driveway. You open the door and there it is; a plain brown box. You haul it inside, paying no attention to your aching back and run a blade carefully through the tape. You open the flaps and there they are snuggled in bubble wrap. You lift out the top book and hold it in your hands, then stare at the cover like it was the archeological find of the century. You open it and there are the words you slaved over for so many months or years. You clutch it to your chest, then if you are really sentimental you kiss it, as long as nobody sees you.

But the ultimate reason I write is the call from my grandchildren telling me they are so proud to have a Granny who is an author, they love my book, so when is the next one coming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Fran Orenstein, Ed.D., award-winning author and poet, wrote her first poem at age eight and submitted a short story to a magazine at age twelve. Her published credits include a ‘tween mystery series, The Mystery Under Third Base and The Mystery of the Green Goblin, a fantasy series for ‘tweens, The Wizard of Balalac and The Gargoyles of Blackthorne, a ‘tween fiction novel dealing with childhood obesity, self-image, puberty, and bullying, Fat Girls From Outer Space, (Sleepytown Press), and two young adult historical romances, The Spice Merchant’s Daughter (Whiskey Creek Press), set in France and Prussia between 1685 and 1703 and The Calling of the Flute (Sleepytown Press) set in Lithuania in 1897.

Moving into literature for adults, prize-winning short stories and poetry have appeared in various anthologies. A book of poetry for adults is currently in the works for publication in spring 2012.

About Fran Orenstein's recently released book, Gaia's Gift:

Gaia's Gift is about Rachel Wells, who loses everything she cherishes in a brief summer storm off the coast of Florida.Haunted by the ghosts of her past and survivor’s guilt, Rachel turns her back on the world behind an impenetrable veil of pain.When she receives a gift from the sea and allows the world to intrude, Rachel learns too late that some gifts are not meant to be kept forever. 

Publisher: World Castle Publishing 

ISBN Number:9781937593834

You can find out more about Fran Orenstein, Gaia's Gift and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/6wspudw

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com  

Elysabeth's Writing Emporium: End-of-School Year Bookworm Special

Cross posting my end of the school year special deal on my bookworms.  Those who have won them can attest to how cute they are and how the kids, teachers, school staff, et cetera will like them.  This offer is open to everyone, not just teachers or librarians - E :)

Elysabeth's Writing Emporium: End-of-School Year Bookworm Special: Teachers, are you looking for a small gift idea to give your students for the end of the school year? Librarians, would you like to show yo...

Mother's Day Poetry (and freebie)

It's almost Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday if you're in the UK). Here in Australia, Mother's Day is Sunday the 13th of May. Since I'm both mother and daughter, I've managed to convince my poetry partner (also a mother and daughter) Carolyn Howard-Johnson to let me giveaway our motherly poetry book She Wore Emerald Then.  From now through to May 14th (US time) you can grab a copy of She Wore Emerald Then from Smashwords for the budget-smashing price of $0.00.  Just use Coupon code KT98C at checkout.  You can even use the code to 'gift' the book to someone. Following is a poem from the collection that I wrote for my first child. If you prefer a hard copy, you can get a copy at Amazon.  Happy Mother's Day to all you fantabulous mothers out there.

Whorl

From this point
everything begins.
He comes out crying
no need for a smack
eyes wide
fighting the light and shocks
slippery, red and incredibly solid.
From this point it all begins.
The whorl
where superfine hair grows
like one of those spiral galaxies
Andromeda or Triangulum
full of stars
and the promise of real life
different from anything we have known
but starting at the same point.

Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader. She is the author of the poetry books Repulsion Thrust and Quark Soup, the novels Black Cow and Sleep Before Evening, a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment, and, in collaboration with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Deeper Into the Pond, Blooming Red, Cherished Pulse, She Wore Emerald Then, and Imagining the Future. She also runs a radio show, The Compulsive Reader Talks. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com

Feeling blocked? Take a walk!

Ever since I’ve been focused on making my Mondays {and every day} marvelous, I’ve been able to appreciate them much more and find moments to cherish and be grateful for even in the midst of busy days. Still, sometimes life feels even more chaotic than normal. Sometimes when I hear the alarm blaring on Monday morning, truly signaling the end of a fun & relaxing weekend, it’s hard for me to wake up and seize the day. Sometimes we all have those tired/headachey/blah days that feel like a series of one spilled-glass-of-milk after another.

This past Monday was an especially busy Monday for me. My “to do” list included: finish up my grading, pack to head home to California for my brother’s college graduation, and get ready for my Fifth Annual Youth Writing Camp coming up in a couple weeks, not to mention regular end-of-semester stuff like meeting with students, saying goodbye to friends who I’ll miss for the summer, and squeezing in loads of laundry and dishes so as not to leave my apartment a gross mess while I’m away for a month in California…

So my prince charming boyfriend swept me away in a magical pumpkin of sorts. He took my hand, pulled me off the couch and away from my overheated laptop, and took me for a walk around the neighborhood.

There’s something really peaceful about walking through quiet, darkened streets in the summer air. The streetlights hum, the crickets chirp, and the air is fresh and cool against my skin. I’ve always loved staying awake late — it feels like a magic time, when the rest of the world is asleep but I am still awake. It is my favorite time to daydream, think about characters and story ideas, mull over new writing projects, get outside my own head and into the world of my fiction. It was the perfect marvelous ending to an otherwise crazy-busy day!

Are you feeling blocked? Feeling burned out? Instead of pounding away in frustration at your keyboard, maybe try getting up and taking a walk. Breathe in the fresh springtime air. Roll back your shoulders. Stretch your arms above your head. Move your body and see if you feel better. I bet you will!

What are some of your favorite de-stressing or inspiration-boosting techniques, especially on those inevitable crazy-busy days?

Dallas Woodburn is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and editor of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three years in a row and her nonfiction has appeared in a variety of national publications including Family Circle, Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Los Angeles Times. She is the founder of Write On! For Literacy and Write On! Books Youth Publishing Company and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Fiction Writing at Purdue University, where she teaches undergraduate writing courses and serves as Fiction Editor of Sycamore Review.

How to Handle Flashbacks

Once the reader’s interest is caught, after the storyline is firmly established, the reader may want to know that past history that brought the character to where he is today. If a girl’s going to slap a boy’s face, then he in turn knocks her down, let the reader see that first before you explain the background of their quarrel.

WAYS TO HANDLE FLASHBACKS:
1. Recollection. The character goes briefly into a memory within a couple of sentences or a paragraph.

2. True Flashback—A trigger—a song, a smell, something reminds the character of something or someone and sends him/her back into the past. Then trigger the character back into the present (the song ends, someone asks a question, etc.)

3. Introspection. Be VERY CAREFUL. It should be exceptionally quirky or an exceptional reason to write this way. Make introspection a small percentage of the novel.

4. Summary. A way to introduce back story. Example: The Book of Ruth, Jane Hamilton, gives a tour of the town, giving little tidbits of info about places & people.

5. Prologue. A haunting incident or piece of info that continues through the story.

6. Dialogue. You can explain past action in a short discussion. Again, don’t start the story with it. See if you can figure out a way to show the event itself, instead of having people talk about it.

7. Memory. You can use an inner monologue to take a short trip down memory lane. Example, from Ann Tyler’s The Accidental Tourist: Just when the reader is fed up with Macon’s bad-tempered dog Edward, Tyler lets us know why Macon insists on keeping the dog. The dog had belonged to his son Ethan, who had been murdered the previous year. “Once upon a time, Ethan had brushed him, bathed him, wrestled on the floor with him, and when Edward stopped to paw at one ear, Ethan would ask, with the soberest courtesy, ‘Oh, may I scratch that for you?’ The two of them watched daily at the window for the afternoon paper, and the instant it arrived, Ethan sent Edward bounding out to fetch it—hind legs meeting front legs, heels kicking up joyfully.”

8. Frames. Only two flashbacks, one at the beginning and one at the end. For example, an older person introduces the story, then we leave her and go directly into the main story—that of the 20-year-old. Then you end with the older person again. It’s kind of a prologue and epilogue form.

To Think About:
• Look at your flashbacks.
• How often are you interrupting the forward flow of your story?
• Do you have flashback at more than one level—flashbacks from flashbacks?
• If you spend a lot of time in the past, take a look at each flashback individually. If it were cut, would the present story be harder to follow? Or, can you rewrite it into a more present, or real-time scene?