One thing I have been proud of over the years has been the way I have gotten to know my students and have allowed them to know me. The old saying, “My pride and joy,” definitely fits the way I feel about my students. I have spent hours correcting their papers and even more time …
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Experiences are Stories Waiting to be Told
Since we have been allowed (somewhat) to re-enter society, I have taken it upon myself to enjoy quiet walks in areas where cement sidewalks are lined by tall trees. Usually the only sound is the chirping of birds, and sometimes, especially in my favorite place–an outdoor mall in Southern California–the almost quiet sound of a …
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Remember Your Reader
When we write anything (unless we are writing in our journals), we must keep our readers in mind. We must remember, too, that they are not reading what we have written for the pure joy of it (unless we are James Patterson or Anne Tyler or Nora Roberts or Stephen King–or any of those who …
Do Readers and Writers Escape Reality through the Written Word?
I recently picked up Jane Yolen’s book, Take Note: A Writer’s Guide to Loving the Craft (2006), and was immediately drawn to a comment she made in the opening chapter: “Writing takes us into another, brighter, deeper more engaging world than the world we actually live in” (7). Even though in this statement she is …
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A Few Words on Allowing Someone to Read What You Have Written
No one likes to be critiqued – whether the critique follows the writing of a paper for a class and comes in the form of a grade or comes as feedback after you’ve written and published a story, a poem, or a book. Critiques can be harsh. This is especially true when either family members …
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The Impact of Our Writing
I have often said I am inspired at the oddest times and have no notion where my ideas, which I call germs, come from or even what they mean– not until I write about them; with that in mind, I would like to tell you, Dear Reader, about a dream I had. It focuses on …
A Touch of Grammar
A Touch of Grammar This blog will be devoted to some grammar. There is so much to go over, and I would like to touch on most of it. The best way to work with grammar, though, is too discuss it in pieces so the reader doesn’t get bored, or worse — lost. The first part …
The Importance of a Strong Open
The Importance of a Strong Opening Nora Roberts’ first sentence in Dance Upon the Air immediately captures the reader’s attention: “In the dark green shadows of the deep woods, an hour before sunrise, they meet in secret.” This sentence is outstanding in establishing the first scene where the initial action place. Through what Roberts presents, …
wonders in writing 