It’s funny where ideas come from and when they are received.  I could go for days feeling like I have no words to offer.  All creative juices have stopped flowing and my mind feels like a vast wasteland of stale ideas.  Then, one day, I’m minding my own business as I step into the shower, [...]]]>

It’s funny where ideas come from and when they are received.  I could go for days feeling like I have no words to offer.  All creative juices have stopped flowing and my mind feels like a vast wasteland of stale ideas.  Then, one day, I’m minding my own business as I step into the shower, lather up with soap and then !Zing!, here comes an idea!  No, it’s not what you’re thinking (shame on you!).  This little seedling of an idea will grow and flourish, developing leaves and a bud which soon blossoms into a fully developed plot, melody, artistic endeavor or post!  I’m not sure why this is the place I receive ideas but at least I receive them and can only hope I’m able to finish my shower, get dressed and run to my laptop to type everything out before it gets lost in the black hole that has swallowed up some brilliant ideas I’ve had in the past.  lol! 

While surfing the Net the other day, I came across this feng shui chart that may explain why the shower is my “idea place.”  Looking at the map, you’ll see that the bottom is to be lined up with the front entrance of your house.  When I do this, the box with Creativity and Children lines up with my bathroom.  I’m not sure how children fit in with this but creativity certainly works.   

 http://www.feng-shui-vibes.com/feng-shui-bagua.html

Do I believe that feng shui is the reason ideas come to me while in the shower?  I’m not sure but it is an interesting concept.  It could just be that it is the one place in my house where I can be alone, relax and let the craziness of the day drift from my mind so it is then open to receiving ideas.  All I know is that I’m glad it happens somewhere!  Hey, after days of being incredibly busy and having nothing prepared for today, it’s where I got the idea for this post!

Where and when do you receive your ideas?

~ Pamela 

Do you ever struggle with writing a character that has different religious or spiritual beliefs than your own?  Secondary characters are one thing, but what about your lead? 

Let’s say your heroine believes in reincarnation but you, the author, do not.  In your story, the heroine tries past life regression to find an answer she [...]]]>

Do you ever struggle with writing a character that has different religious or spiritual beliefs than your own?  Secondary characters are one thing, but what about your lead? 

Let’s say your heroine believes in reincarnation but you, the author, do not.  In your story, the heroine tries past life regression to find an answer she seeks, but you are afraid to have her find it through this method because you do not want your audience to believe you are endorsing it.  It is against your beliefs.  What do you do? 

If you read tarot cards and speak with spiritual guides during your daily meditation, are you able to write characters who believe that these practices are a sin against God?  Are we able to fully step away from our own beliefs in order to fully express another’s? 

As writers, we can create monsters, killers, evil doers of all kinds but we do so believing that our audience’s idea of right and wrong is similar to our own.  We all know that killing is wrong, right?  The readers don’t think the author is a killer just because they’ve written about one.  But when it comes to religion or spirituality, can we assume that our readers will separate the views held in the book from those held by the author?  Do we care?

When we create a fantasy world with a complete set of rules all its own, a different belief system raises no eyebrows.   There is usually a war between good and evil in most fantasy stories, but the methods of producing either are up for grabs.  

Many would say we should give our readers credit for being able to pick up a book, enjoy a great story, and leave it at that.  Who says they’re going to receive a message from that story and apply it to their lives?  Others would disagree and say we must be responsible for the message we put out there. 

(Art by Elena Ray)

~ Pamela

After months of feeling frustrated because I just can’t seem to get organized with my writing, my husband bought me NewNovelist Version 2 software.  Maybe it was simply a thoughtful birthday present; maybe it was a desperate attempt to stop my gums from flapping with yet another reason why I can’t write.  [...]]]>

After months of feeling frustrated because I just can’t seem to get organized with my writing, my husband bought me NewNovelist Version 2 software.  Maybe it was simply a thoughtful birthday present; maybe it was a desperate attempt to stop my gums from flapping with yet another reason why I can’t write.  Whatever it was, I am very thankful for my husband’s thoughtful gift. 

I was not looking for software to write the story for me but I had hoped to find something that would keep my thoughts organized and give me a few prompts or ideas when I found myself stuck on plot development (my weakness) or just needed a little direction when writing in an unfamiliar format.  NewNovelist looks to be the perfect combination of guidance and organization for my writing. Here are some of the benefits listed on the website:

Clear Structure
Extensive Tutorial Support
Comprehensive Help Function
Character & Place Development Tool
Full Word Processor Functionality
SA or UK Dictionary Selection
Spell-Check
Thesaurus
Automatic Name Generation

NewNovelist prompts you to make four initial decisions about your story:  a working title, a one-line summary, category (plot or character driven or epic), and plot type.  Examples are given of the various categories and plot types which will help you with your decisions.  Example plot points, or chapters, are then generated based on your decisions.  They are just general ideas and suggestions to help you shape your story and you are in no way tied to using them. 

The software is set up in such a way that you do not have to start at the beginning of your novel.  You can start in the middle, or end, or work on scenery instead.  Maybe you want to develop your characters.  NewNovelist asks you several questions about them and stores the data to the right of your screen where it is always handy.  The word processing section is in the middle of the screen.  The “chapter” suggestions generated earlier are along the left-hand side.  All the information you need is right there at your fingertips and yet your screen is clear and easy to read, not cluttered and confusing.

NewNovelist is one of the less expensive writing softwares, running at around $54.99.   Many of the current choices available go for $100 or more. 

If you’re looking for something to help you organize your thoughts, and prompt you without setting your decisions in stone, this might be the software for you.  It moves you along but allows you to go back and switch directions.  I don’t know a lot about Dramatica Pro, Power Writer, Storybase, Power Structure or some of the other choices out there, but my vote goes to NewNovelist 2 for its ease of use and simple, yet very helpful, structure. 

Have you used this or any other writing software?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Your opinions could certainly help other writers when making their software selection.

REVIEWS OF NEWNOVELIST:

AbsoluteWrite

BrightHub (has screenshots)

~ Pamela

A week ago, my husband, son and I attended a reading by author Neil Gaiman.  He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers, and is a prolific creator of works of comics, prose, poetry, film, journalism, drama, and song lyrics.

The reading was held in a church, as [...]]]>

A week ago, my husband, son and I attended a reading by author Neil Gaiman.  He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers, and is a prolific creator of works of comics, prose, poetry, film, journalism, drama, and song lyrics.

The reading was held in a church, as were all of his readings on this tour, which made for a strangely fitting setting.  Mr. Gaiman read one chapter from the The Graveyard Book at each stop.  It just so happens that our stop ended up being the night he read the last chapter, Chapter Eight, Leavings and Partings.  We had already purchased The Graveyard Book and my husband had read it but my son and I had not. 

I could sit and listen to Neil talk for hours.  That soft British accent; the tone and inflection he puts into each character’s voice; his quick wit and obvious love for his work all pull you in so you’re focused on his words, his voice, and his world.  He was able to read that last chapter so it stood on its own.  It had import and meaning and brought tears to our eyes, whether we’d read the rest of the book or not.

What I really love about his work is that it is distinctly his.  I’m hard pressed to give a name of an author I could compare his work to.  His stories are odd, charming, positive and completely original.  During the Q&A session of last week’s reading, one person said they wanted to illustrate children’s books but had been told their work was disturbing.  They asked Neil how they could get their work noticed.  I think his answer could apply to writing as well.  He said to just get your work out there.  Send in submissions and post it on the Web.  Be really good!  And, don’t worry about whether or not your work is disturbing or different.  There is most likely someone out there who is looking for just what you’ve got. 

Another question had Neil explaining that to become a good science fiction writer, you should read not only science fiction, but all other forms of writing as well.  Try not to write the same old science fiction story (good friends on a quest) but draw from other genres to help make your story unique.  When J.R.R. Tolkein wrote The Lord of the Rings, he created a whole new world, even a new language!  This battle of good versus evil had not been told in quite this way before.

A teacher wrote about how he was trying to get his students to read stories with a moral and what would Neil suggest to help him with this.  Was it okay to put a moral in a fairytale?  Neil said he didn’t see anything wrong with doing that, as long as it was a big moral or lesson.  Don’t try to cram too many ideas in there; make it clear what the moral is.  This made sense to me.  He talked about how when he was a child, he thought bravery meant not being afraid.  As we grow up, we start to realize that being brave is not about having no fear but about doing what needs to be done even though you are afraid.  Make your short story or fairytale have a clear message that children, and adults, can respond to and learn from.

Oh, we became rich with many nuggets of gold that night and I wish I could share them all with you here.  But alas, I cannot.  You can, however, go to www.mousecircus.com and click on The Graveyard Tour to enjoy the video recordings of his readings of The Graveyard Book.  You can visit his website and learn all about Neil, his work, his journal and his many awards.  Here are just a few titles in his incredible body of work:

I’d like to thank Neil Gaiman for the amazing work he has shared with us and for an incredibly inspiring evening.  Thank you, dh, for turning me on to such a gifted author and creative soul.  ~ Pamela

STEAMPUNK

 (some information taken from the Steampunk wiki)

1.  Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, [...]]]>

STEAMPUNK

 (some information taken from the Steampunk wiki)

1.  Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy.

2.   Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion. Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely.

3.   The term “steampunk” was coined by science fiction author K. W. Jeter.

4.   Steampunk fiction focuses on real, theoretical or cinematic Victorian-era technology, including steam engines, clockwork devices, and difference engines.

5.   While much of steampunk is set in Victorian-era settings, the genre has expanded into medieval settings and often delves into the realms of horror and fantasy. Various secret societies and conspiracy theories are often featured, and some steampunk includes significant fantasy elements. There are frequently Lovecraftian, occult and Gothic horror influences as well.

6.   Because of the popularity of steampunk with people in the goth, punk, cyber and Industrial subcultures, there is a growing movement towards establishing steampunk as a culture and lifestyle.

7.   Steampunk was influenced by, and often adopts the style of the scientific romances of the 19th century, by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, and Mary Shelley.

8.   Early authors of steampunk:  H.G. Well’s (The Time Machine), Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates, 1983), James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986), K.W. Jeter (Morlock Night, 1979 and Infernal Devices, 1987).

9.   Steampunk Fiction and Films:  The Gatehouse, Steampunk Speculative Fiction, Steampunk Magazine

10.   Steampunk Comics:  Girl Genius

11.   Steampunk Music:  Abney Park, Vernian Process

12.   Steampunk Art, Design, and Steamwork:  Heterodyne Designs, The Art of Alex CF, Crabfu Steamworks, Steampunk Wallpaper

13.  Some great steampunk websites:  The Steampunk Workshop, The Speculative Fiction Clearing House, The Steampunk Home, Brass Goggles, Steampunk Fashion (LiveJournal Community), Da Vinci Automata, Curious Goods, Datamancer,

Look here for some fantastic steampunk fashion!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1.  Jennifer McKenzie

2.  Tara S. Nichols

3.  Alice Audrey

4.  Paige Tyler

5.  Tempest Knight

6.  Inez Kelley

7.  Dayle

8.  Heather

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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~ Pamela

Imagine feeling anxious all day about what you are going to do and what you are supposed to say.   Now, imagine having a place where you could go, a sanctuary, if you will, where your anxieties and fears melt away.  Participating in an activity is a must in this sanctuary, and once you get [...]]]>

Imagine feeling anxious all day about what you are going to do and what you are supposed to say.   Now, imagine having a place where you could go, a sanctuary, if you will, where your anxieties and fears melt away.  Participating in an activity is a must in this sanctuary, and once you get started, your breathing comes easier, your shoulders drop and you’re free to explore the creativity inside you without fear of judgment.

We all need sanctuary from time to time, but how much more do those with special challenges need it?  Well, I know where that place can be found.

The transition school my son attends has developed an art program that is just such a sanctuary.  The students attending this school range from 12 to 21 years in age and have a variety of behavioral and learning disabilities.  It is a struggle in some form or fashion for these kids to get through the school day and when they first enter art class, they may be carrying baggage with them and may also be quite anxious about the upcoming project and whether or not their efforts will meet expectations.

I recently had the honor of meeting with the very compassionate and committed Director of this art program.  The time slipped away as I listened to her explain how these kids, while at first reluctant, get caught up in their projects and create the most amazing art.  The pictures you see in this post represent some of the projects they worked on this last year.  Along with various methods of drawing and painting, they tried jewelry making, bead looms, paper making, wood burning, clay, garden crafts, machine sewing, sand art, quilting and a host of other fun projects.  Art history and appreciation were also explored and proved to be a time for the kids to provide support for and give recognition to their peers for their efforts, an area often difficult for these kids.

The goals of this program are to help the kids develop life long interests and create a greater connection with others with similar interests.  They will develop better social skills, increase self-esteem, decision making skills, self-expression and awareness, and fine motor skills.  The activities help them to express themselves in two and three-dimensional ways, develop problem-solving skills; learn about contrasts, boundaries and spatial relationships.

The kids are encouraged to develop their own style and critique their own work.  They’re told that it’s okay to make mistakes.  And, best of all, they’re instructed to have fun!

The Art Director and her fellow art teachers, both of whom are amazing, caring women, also use art to teach the students relaxation skills to help reduce anxiety and frustration.  I have witnessed the benefits of this with my own son when he picks up a pencil and transfers his thoughts to paper.  His entire demeanor changes and calms.  He’s focused, productive, and clear.  It’s amazing what art, and some incredibly wonderful teachers, can do!

I was blessed when the Director allowed me to read a letter she and the art teachers had received from the parents of one of the students.  In it, the parents expressed their deep gratitude to the staff for their efforts in fostering their child’s interest in art, his boost in self-esteem, and a decrease in anxiety due to the self-control skills he learned in their class.  I dare anyone to read that letter and argue that art is not important in the schools and that we shouldn’t spend the money on it.  Be it writing, drawing, music, dance, acting or crafts, art is a necessary and incredible gift we can give our children and ourselves.  It can also be our sanctuary.

~ Posted by Pamela

I was inspired by an article I read today entitled “Extreme Visual Journalism” written by Juliana Coles.  It appears in the July/August issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.   In it, she talks about writers block that she experienced while facilitating a retreat in Greece.  Her story got me to thinking about how great it [...]]]>

I was inspired by an article I read today entitled “Extreme Visual Journalism” written by Juliana Coles.  It appears in the July/August issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.   In it, she talks about writers block that she experienced while facilitating a retreat in Greece.  Her story got me to thinking about how great it would be to attend a workshop or retreat like hers.  How often do we plan a vacation around discovering our creativity and inner dialogue?  Once we’ve found them, what happens next?  Instead of putting off all those creative ideas we’ve been shelving for awhile, maybe a retreat is what is needed to get the ball rolling and give us more confidence.

I discovered that Juliana Coles is holding a workshop at the Valley Ridge Arts Studio in Muscoda, Wisconsin.  It is entitled, “A Woman’s Book of Shadows: A Grimoire for Soul Keeping, Secret Telling, and Self-Enchantment.”  Sounds cool!  Her work is amazing and it would be so much fun to meet her!  I may or may not be able to attend this workshop, but I would like to seriously make plans to attend one like it either this fall or next year. 

If spending some time getting to know yourself better and tapping into your creative source in a beautiful environment sounds like a good idea to you, the following links to writing and artist retreats might steer you in the right direction.

Rocky Mountain Contemplative Writing Retreat in Boulder, Colorado

Valley Ridge Art Studio in Muscoda, Wisconsin

ClarityWorks in Ashville, North Carolina

I hope these links to writing and artist retreats will help you.  My plan is to post more information about these and other retreats in the future.  Dream away!

~ Posted by Pamela

“Do people choose the art that inspires them — do they think it over, decide they might prefer the fabulous to the real? For me, it was those early readings of fairy tales that made me who I was as a reader and, later on, as a storyteller.”  – Alice Hoffman

“Do people choose the art that inspires them — do they think it over, decide they might prefer the fabulous to the real? For me, it was those early readings of fairy tales that made me who I was as a reader and, later on, as a storyteller.”  – Alice Hoffman

The Endicott Studio, founded in 1987, and directed by Terri Windling & Midori Snyder, is an organization dedicated to literary, visual, performance, and environmental arts rooted in myth, folklore, fairy tales, and the traditional stories of people the world over.  The Endicott Studio is a non-profit organization. All money raised beyond operating costs is donated to organizations for homeless children, abused children, and children-at-risk.

At the Endicott Studio website, you’ll find the extensive archives of The Journal of Mythic Arts, containing magical works by writers including Margaret Atwood, Christopher Barzak, Kate Bernheimer, Holly Black, Kevin Brockmeier, Emma Bull, Charles de Lint, Alan DeNiro, Carolyn Dunn, Heinz Insu Fenkl, Jeffrey Ford, Karen Joy Fowler, Gregory Frost, Neil Gaiman, Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman, Will Shetterly, Gary Snyder, Jane Yolen, Catherynne M. Valente; artists including Thomas Canty, Kinuko Y. Craft, Brian & Wendy Froud, Oliver Hunter, Beckie Kravetz, Marja Lee Kruyt, Alan Lee, Virginia Lee, Iain McCaig, Charles Vess, Jeanie Tomanek, Mark Wagner; and many others.

Endicott & JoMA have been online since 1997. JoMA’s last issue will appear in July 2008, but their extensive archives of 10+ years of mythic arts material will remain online as an on-going source of mythic arts information & resources. 

The Endicott Studio itself is not ending, but is evolving into a new phase.  They’ve got some intriguing new projects in the works, so please stay tuned.   

“Myth must be kept alive. The people who can keep it alive are the artists of one kind or another. The function of the artist is the mythologization of the environment and the world.” ~ Joseph Campbell

The Endicott Studio Website

Endicott Redux Blog

Journal of Mythic Arts

Endicott ecards

Endicott Studio MySpace

Endicott Studio You Tube

Endicott Kids

Posted by Pamela Sweet

Is it your dream to write the Great American Novel?  Do you long to put your ideas down on paper in the hope that someone else may benefit from or be entertained by them?  Are you also someone who has a million and one things to do and can’t possibly imagine when you’d have [...]]]>

Is it your dream to write the Great American Novel?  Do you long to put your ideas down on paper in the hope that someone else may benefit from or be entertained by them?  Are you also someone who has a million and one things to do and can’t possibly imagine when you’d have time to write that story you’ve been carrying around in your head for years? 

Well, those are my thoughts and dreams and I struggle with them every day.  You don’t have to be a writer to wish for more time.  We’re all busy with the hustle and bustle of every day life.  In my search to find the ultimate time management tools, I stumbled upon some great articles I’d like to share with you.  I’d rather not send you away from our blog but I think the ideas expressed in these articles could be beneficial to many of us. 

Copyblogger – Time Management Writing

Some great tips and helpful forms and exercises from Michael Stelzner. 

The Writers Manifesto – Time Management Freelance Writing Guide

 Monika Mundell has some great ideas and kick-ass links.

Study Guides and Strategies

There are some great questions and advice about motivation, management stress, procrastination and more under the section entitled “Preparing.”

Inspiration Bit – Timeless Time Management Strategies

Vivien lists 33 links to some fabulous advice! 

The Writer Gazette – 10 Tips for More Effective Time Management 

Michael Pollock lists specific tasks to help you take control of your life and time.

I hope these links will be helpful to you.  Let me know what time management skills work for you!

~ Pamela