Teaching Writing & Creativity to the younger set

I was researching last night. The Gifted & Talented teacher at our son’s school and I were talking about programs to help increase the writing and creativity skills and talents in those K-5. The researcher in me went hunting. I found a bunch of great resources, which I will eventually post up when I feel like most of them make sense to ME.

But I had to share ONE that pup found the most fascination with tonight. Let me preface this by saying, we’re an artistic household. We love anything and everything creative…music, art, writing, drama…you name it, we’re probably game. We paint, we draw, we sculpt,….we turn cut up tree trunks into tables (at least that’s MY next project).

Pup created this tonight:

Yes, there’s not really a plot, well, other than in HIS mind…but it’s just his first shot. And, I was helping with the writing of some of the words. The point is…it’s a new outlet, one to help him be creative. It’s definitely a site we’ll be using over and over again through Summer Break.

How’d we do it?

http://www.bitstrips.com

Create your own. Ready, set, GO! Share up!

Writing….or Not Writing…

I’ve spent the last few weeks in a funk. A writing funk. Too many standard query rejections, contest non finalists…and more. I have always been a writer, but the last few months, I’ve been making a concerted effort to improve my skills even more. I’ve been sending out queries to agents (doing the standard work as all writers do before they are authors), working on the next book, sending out contest entries….but the rejections, lack of interest, all while trying to run a freelance business, it explains my lack of desire to edit or work on new projects. It’s been crushing me. So much so that I’ve been hard pressed to sit down and focus when I’m at my desk. Darn that empath nature.

Maybe it would be better without the form rejections? At least then I’d get some focus on where I should be fixing things. LOL. (And if someone could prompt my Muse to get her butt in the chair to work on book 4 & 5…then by ALL means….)

Let’s get this straight. I have a Master’s Degree in Professional Writing & Editing. I’m a writer and an editor (but I’ve been focused so long on business writing, the lines blur). I have been writing since I was three. I’ve taken classes, gotten degrees. I still have room to improve. So, that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been taking online classes. I share what I can, where I can and with whom I can. I write every day. Sometimes, it’s corporate stuff or blogs. Others, it’s fiction or articles. No matter what, I write. That’s what drives me to my degrees, to taking classes, to finding other writers to connect with…improvement.

So, the last few weeks, I felt like I’ve been getting kicked in the kidneys everywhere I turn. You know what….oh well. I love my books. I started out writing stories to entertain myself and keep myself entertained. I needed the escape.

But now? It’s time to share. These stories are beyond me. They want to reach out and touch others, beyond my beta readers. So, I have a goal…several in fact, to get the stories focused and engaging. Find an agent….find a publisher. Get moving forward….and if not…develop my writing so that even if I’m NOT published/agent’ed….that people are asking for my stories.

My goal: Kill the story so you guys want to READ IT. Bleed for it.

Breathe it.

*grins* You know you want to find out ways to capture and contain a goddess….how to make her fall in love..and watch her fight against contraints. And now…I have these darn characters….fighting to get out…and completely different than the Goddess Chronicles. Darn these stories.

Mario & Luigi Descend on the House

We survived the 6 year old’s birthday party!

Let me explain…usually we host his (pup’s) parties at some place like Kids N Motion. They let them run loose in rooms of oversized, inflated slides and bouncing room. It’s loud. The kids get over heated and more accidents occur. It’s hard for the parents to hear and in the second room, it’s even harder to keep track of them because of the layout of the room. They get pizza and cake afterward, and some sort of colored, flavored drink (never really sure what’s in those things). It can also run you close to $400 or more for 25 kids or so. If there’s enough left over, the parents might get to sneak in some pizza as well.

This year, we hosted here. And by here, I mean 20+ kids running through my normally quiet house. We don’t run through our house except on rare occasions, and there is certainly no yelling or screaming. You want someone, you come find them. I’m a Holistic Health Coach and trained Hypnotherapist…our house is very calming and relaxing. So yes, we all agree I’m insane (it’s the voices in my head, really it is…) to have the party here, but hey, I managed to host for under $200 (saving money always a plus) and pup wanted to have his friends come over here this time.

With our son’s recent addiction to all things Mario related, we had a Mario & Luigi birthday party. Removable stickers still grace the walls of my house. And somewhere, somehow, we lost four of the coin stickers, pup is most annoyed.The cats hid (wise of them as the little ones really wanted to pull on fur). The cake was a challenge. He ended up selecting a plainly decorated one and we just added some of his Mario & Luigi figurines to the top. Hey, they’re washable.

The results of the party?

Resounding success. No injuries, no meltdowns, no screaming (after I got after them all the first time) and no pizza! Our little guy won’t touch the stuff (and no, I’m not so sure he can be MY son and not like pizza), so we had a hot dog party followed by cake. I had 2 games planned, but they were needless. The kids just ran through the house, played on the PlayStation and generally entertained themselves and allowed the adults to chat and relax. And, I only had to take away the play weapons once. Easy clean-up, and thank god for one of my friends for running back to her house to get cups. I usually plan better.

This was after I’d done a 3-hour Health & Wellness Fair at the Four Seasons. Had to pitch my voice louder there (55+ community) and then loud again for the party. So what did I do with my evening? Pop-Pop came and got pup. Nick headed out to sing his heart out at a show. I snuggled down on the couch and watched Serenity.

Course, I completely forgot about the time change, so I’m a little off today. At least, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

Sleep Sounds Divine….

Today has been a day of writing, and no, unfortunately, NOT fiction. Although, if you tilt your head and squint, perhaps some of what I was writing was fiction…I was crafting content for a proposal. And if you just blinked and said, what? It’s ok. See, I was raised with a strong work ethic…and thought, well, there’s a limited chance I’ll ever make it in the publishing world, I better darn well know where and how to apply my writing skills in other endeavors. (Yes, if I’d applied those same ethics to my fiction…well, I’d probably be published and this would be a moot point now, right?) Anyway, I’ve spent most of the day writing technical content about Management Approach to Project Management, and technical stuff about a project and team. SEVEN hours I did that.

I’m so very tired now.

And, I should take the limited time I have at the moment and edit a Chapter in either book that needs it. Or, I should be writing book reviews…or writing more on the proposal. But, my brain is tapped out. I’ve flitted around on Twitter, added some interesting new friends to follow, sent out links on FaceBook, and generally goofed off for about an hour now.

I thought this summed it up quite well:

RT @WendyMaynard: I need to take lessons from my 3 cats & 2 dogs. Not a one of them EVER feels like they are being unproductive while relaxing.

So, I have to crash in 30 minutes, can’t be late for Court in the am! I’m going to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children (CASA for short). I’ll be learning to practice patience with families (other than mine) and hopefully, get to help some children who otherwise might not have someone looking out for them. It should be great character development too, on both fronts.

My question for you is….how have you applied your passion/talent to your work? Or have you found a way to do so yet?

Music & Writing

Are you a write in silence person? Or a must need music person?

I’m normally a silence writer – I am completely comfortable, after many years of meditating, with silence, in fact 90% of the time, I prefer it (that explains SO much when I’m out in crowds)…but in recent years, I’ve learned the power of using music to fuel a scene. And, if anyone has ANY suggestion on how to get a 5 year old, almost 6, to STOP talking ALL the time, I will greatly appreciate them.

Damn my husband (sharing a picture, kinda sexy in a grrr way, yeah?) for introducing me to that! Now, of course, he has to make me playlists for each book. I get fussy about not having a whole playlist; he spoiled me. It is totally his fault! I am such an only child and prima donna Riiight. And I have some land to sell you.

On the one hand, it’s great. I have a list, he’s got the knowledge…on the other hand, I have to explain the book theme first so he can build the correct soundtrack. *facepalm* That means I have to know where the story is going other than here’s the characters, they fall in love. He wants to discuss the ups the downs and the challenges so he can make sure I have the correct songs to power me through the hard scenes. Universe, bless him. I’m sure the Goddess of Fire book will be eternally grateful. And, it is a HUGE help when I’m trying to write a query letter or synopsis.

Plus, shhh, he’ll help me plot anytime, anywhere…although, our favorite place to do so is in the hot tub!

Here, we’re at lunch with pup, but he’s wondering why the hell I’m taking iPhone pics of him at Glory Days. Silly man, he’s sexy…I take pics whenever I can Psst, plus, he loves it….whereas I hide.

My Goddess of Fire book, Phyxed, had a great list of songs…I even use them in the gym to power through a heavy lifting cycle. One reason? She’s a fighter, not much on thinking things through….hello, a GODDESS of FIRE. It’s not like she does a lot of slow burn kind of things. And he nailed the songs.

Favorite Writing Bands

So, while my loving husband can make me a playlist that rocks….I have a few favorites for all types of scenes (I’m sure he has more.)

• Celldweller
• Pink
• hed PE
• Enigma
• Tim Easton
• Nickelback
• FreakKitchen
• BuckCherry
• Division
• Type O Negative
• Garbage
• Black Eyed Peas

Lord…do I write some heavy scenes or what? LOL. Do a search on any of them. I’m not linking to a specific CD. If I’ve listed them, I have all of them, or we do. Go find them…support the bands. FUEL your writing!

What playlist do you have running when you write?

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