Harvest Time

“WHEN ONE TUGS AT A SINGLE THING IN NATURE,HE FINDS IT ATTACHED TO THE  REST OF THE WORLD.” John Muir Now that the garlic is harvested, I’m back in the garden picking string beans. Since my master gardener husband,Wayne ,does not use pesticides (“No Syn” -synthetics- he calls it) the weeds are bold and intrusive making the task of finding the beans even more challenging. Naturally, as I was combing through the weeds to find the beans, I thought of how this all reminds me of my writing. Some beans are right there shouting to be picked; others are buried under layers as if protected by caring kin ; some are camouflaged by the green weeds; some are not quite ready; some are in bunches as if they are partying while others  are...

Posted by on Jul 17, 2010 in Harvesting Stories, Inner Critic, Lifewriting Craft, memoir-writing | 10 comments

Building an Arc

WINNERS TAKE TIME TO RELISH THEIR WORK,KNOWING THAT SCALING THE MOUNTAIN IS WHAT MAKES THE VIEW FROM THE TOP SO EXHILARATING.”  Denis Waitley No, I’m not talking about Noah’s wooden ark of biblical times built to rescue all the animals from the flood. I’m talking about the “narrative arc” of current times built to rescue my story and keep it afloat . It seems that navigating the changing waters of the current publishing industry leaves a new writer like myself feeling like I understand Noah’s dilemma, not much different than scaling a mountain. In order to build this arc, I have to have  a framework.. How many times have you been told, you really need to write a book or your life is a story to be told? Speaking for...

Posted by on Jun 27, 2010 in elements of story, Uncategorized | 15 comments