Trapping the Muse

     No matter how much I love writing, there are always those days when I need inspiration from one muse or another. Every writer needs to find stimulation, some flash of genius, in order to be successful. When it comes down to it, inspiration should help produce inspired writing. I’m not sure about you but I often find my motivation in the most unlikely places.

     I created a down and dirty list (under 10) of some of my favorite ways to find inspirational nuggets. If I were a betting lady, I would wager that some are rather obvious while others less so. Regardless, it’s always good to re-think possibilities and perhaps find a new avenue on the journey to artistic creation.

     1. Books - Books are, hands down, my favorite place to find inspiration through characters, both real and imaginary. Memoir and nonfiction are my true loves but when I need a good dose of creative energy, I gobble up a good fiction. My new year’s resolution was to try new genres and I’m begrudgingly sticking with it, mainly to help expose myself to unique characters and story lines.

     2. Overheard dialog/People Watching - Okay, I admit it. I eavesdrop terribly. I am that person. I love hearing the conversations other people have, watching their body language change as they react to one another. Even if I can’t hear them clearly, I pretend I know what’s happening and create an imaginary conversation in my mind. Sometimes it gets pretty juicy! I don’t go out just to people watch but it happens, and I get some of my best ideas from these moments. This is when carrying a pad of paper comes in especially handy, especially if your memory is not great (like mine).

     3. Advertisements - I love a clever ad, both in print and on the television. The only reason I sit through any part of the Super Bowl is for the commercials. And those Groupon and Woot! writers are some darn funny people. If you have never actually read some of their work, take a minute and check them out. Reading advertisements is a great way to sharpen up on word choice and voice. These writers know they have to make every word count and when it works, it is magic!

     4. Blogs - I am also a huge fan of blogs and not just blogs on writing, reading, and teaching. I try to read new blogs each week and am amazed by the creativity in topics I come across. Besides the wealth of new knowledge, I also find satisfaction in seeing other like-minded people share their ideas.

     5. Friends and Co-Workers - Conversations with my friends and co-workers have inspired some of my favorite posts and stories. I think being a teacher helps with this, as does hanging out with fellow writers. You will frequently hear one of us say, “There’s a story in that” after listening to a retelling of a bad date, a difficult work day, or a dream vacation. Having friend you can discuss your craft with is a blessing. These people, the truly honest ones anyway, help you work through a block, cut useless words, and tell you when it’s time to let an idea go to the graveyard.

     6. Writing groups - Similar to a good chat with friends, having a solid critique or writing group is a must. If you don’t live near a group, start one on your own! Too busy, find one on the internet. Seriously, this has been one of the absolute best things I have done for myself as a writer. And it’s more than just the networking and critiquing, though both are important. I love my writers group because I feel at home with them. I know there are people out there who think like me, scary as that may be. Sometimes this is all the inspiration I need.

     7. Music - I find music motivating for a number of reasons. I love the rhythm and cadence of music and find it relaxing. I just seem to work better, whether it is writing, exercising, etc., with music playing. I also find great inspiration in the lyrics of many of my favorite songs. I will hear a song and often think, “That would make a great story!” I have a couple friends who are amazing songwriters and in turn, great storytellers.

     8. Children - My husband and I have four kids, and they are my favorite people in the world (my husband, parents, and in-laws being right up there on that list too). I love to spend time with them, talking, and hearing their ideas and thoughts on life. As with any family, our adventures sometimes turn into misadventures and these times are fuel for a funny story. A couple of the stories I enjoyed writing most have been about our family experiences- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

     9. Contests - Enter a contest you never thought you try. Last month I tried a Writer’s Digest weekly prompt about an Open House that goes terribly wrong. Not my usual kind of story but it was a fun experience. More than that, it pushed me to try something new and out of my comfort zone. There was no entry fee and no pressure. I have no idea if I did well and honestly, I am not all that concerned. It just felt good pushing out of my ordinary writing realm. This month – poetry! Wish me luck!

     Good luck with your inspiration. If my list didn’t help, let me know what works for you. Some days, we all need a little boost! – Karen

Someone Get Me a Mixing Bowl!

     Each month the writer’s group I belong to, Saturday Writers, challenges its members to write short stories. This year the contest theme revolves around color. Rather than simply being genre based, we must include certain color words or images in our writing. It is a bit trickier than one would think at times. While we are only a few months in, I enjoy this new twist on the monthly competitions. 

     I began to wonder what other contests like-minded folks find themselves inclined to enter. Writers Digest has a litany of unique weekly and monthly prompts, sometimes based on a picture and other times with just a sentence starter. They are also hosting a Poem-A-Day event right now celebrating Poetry Month. As I investigated writing contests a bit, I focused on the competitions that had some kind of unique idea or premise. Exploring this seemed like a great way to generate new ideas, review work by other writers, and perhaps find an idea I could really sink my writerly teeth into. 

     I stumbled upon the Washington Post Invitational contest by Merge-Matic Books. It was featured on a blog I follow, Closed the Cover – Book Blog, which is great fun if you are interested. In this challenge, readers were asked to combine the works of two authors, and to provide a suitable description of the merged book. The event, now closed, was a tremendous success with the Post receiving many cleverly fused story blurbs. I would love to see our group incorporating something like this. What a witty idea! I can only imagine the creative combinations many of our members would come up with. 

     Here are a few entries that really stood out to me and got the creative energy running. Not all were winning submissions but I sure enjoyed them. Being a Shakespeare fan, the Hamlet story was, of course, my favorite. 

"Fahrenheit 451 of the Vanities" - Winner - Mike Long
An '80s yuppie is denied books. He does not object, or even notice.

“Green Eggs and Hamlet"- First Runner-up, Robin Parry
Would you kill him in his bed? Thrust a dagger through his head? I would not, could not, kill the King. I could not do that evil thing. I would not wed this girl, you see. Now get her to a nunnery.

"Where's Walden?" - Honorable Mentions- Sandra Hull
Alas, the challenge of locating Henry David Thoreau in each richly-detailed drawing loses its appeal when it quickly becomes clear that he is always in the woods.

"Curious Georgefather" – Honorable Mention - Chuck Smith
The monkey finally sticks his nose where it don't belong.

"The Silence of the Hams” – Honorable Mention - Mark Eckenwiler
In this endearing update of the Seuss classic, young Sam-I-Am presses unconventional foodstuffs on his friend, Hannibal, who turns the tables.

"See Moby Dick run." 
In a freak nuclear accident genetic anomalies teach children about relationships and friends.

"The Lord of the Flies over the Cucko's nest" 
Join Piggy, Ralph and Jack, when after thier return to civilization, they are sentenced to join Chief and Randle Patrick McMurphy in a zany iconoclastic look at Western Mental Health Care.

     See what I mean? This is some fantastic writing, fusing stories old and news and intertwining characters that have no business associating with one another. I love it! I will have to keep working on my own. Feel free to share any ideas you have. I would love to read them!

A Step in the Right Direction

     When I started this blog, I had every intention of framing it around writing, books, and the creative process. The deeper I delve into this artistic realm, I realize my writing is so often linked to my day-to-day life. I write because I have stories to tell, they eat away at me when kept at bay. I would love to say I can separate life and work, but that is simply not the case. Recently, I began posting about my uncertainty with my job and how that affected me. While the posts were not directly related to the writing field, I think many of us, as authors, teachers, electricians, or mechanics, understand the universal message behind this writing. These posts are a part of my story. I needed to share it as much for myself as for anyone else struggling with the same issues.

     Decisions are rarely black or white but rather a muddled mess of gray. I often think it would be easier if there was a clear cut wrong or right, yay or nay. Perhaps if we were void of emotion, created like machines, this would be the case. Instead, the most significant decisions in our lives are bombarded with the gray matter of emotion, doubt, and questioning.

     I recently made a decision, a major one. I did the analyzing, played out endless scenarios in my mind, conversed with my husband for hours on end, and finally, made a resolution.

     I took that leap of faith. I resigned from my teaching position for the 2013-2014 year.

     And now, I find myself in that gray, embarking on a new journey. I am proud of myself for having the courage to admit I had not found satisfaction with my position. I recognized that I am capable of more and should be doing more. I am scared of the unknown facing me and let’s be honest, there is plenty of that right now. I am hopeful for what is to come and believe that I made the best decision for myself and my family. I am sad to leave the many friends that I’ve had the privilege of working with these past four years. In short, I am about as far from black and white as you can get.

     But I know I will get there, wherever “there” is. It starts with letting go and I took a step in that direction on Thursday. In publicly acknowledging my decision, my resolve was first shaken and then steeled. I knew this step would be tough, that many would not understand my choice. I also knew that those who love and support me for me would understand my need to find my own place. I took a deep breath and said the first of many goodbyes.

     Thank you for helping me be brave enough to chase my dreams. Here’s to starting the next chapter in life.

Stop and Give Me 20!

 Can You Spare 20 minutes?  Sounds silly, right? I mean we all have an extra 20 minutes in our day when we think about it. The St. Charles City-County Library Foundation recently launched the TAKE 20 and READ campaign for literacy. The program focuses on the importance of early literacy and helping families build critical literacy skills for children to succeed in school and for adults to continue reading and lifelong learning.

Why 20 minutes? Reading to a child is the easiest and best way to help that child succeed in school and later in life. I grew up immersed in language and literacy. We read with each and to each other. We talked about books, discussed characters and themes. My husband and I have raised our children the same way.

Let’s just think about this mathematically. Let’s pretend we read just 20 minutes a day.

20 minutes x 30 days = 600 minutes or 10 hours per month

10 hours x 12 months = 120 hours per year

120 hours x 5 years = 600 hours over 5 years

That would mean that our children started kindergarten with over 600 hours of knowledge building, engaged learning time BEFORE they ever set foot in the classroom. The power of 20 minutes a day!

But what happens when children and adults don’t get those same opportunities? 

Sadly, currently 35 percent of children arrive at kindergarten unprepared to learn. Most reading problems are not outgrown which means students who are struggling readers in the early grades will continue to struggle as adults without proper intervention. Reading effectively as an adult directly impacts opportunities in all aspects of life, including education and job preparedness but also self-esteem and quality of life. But with just 20 minutes a day, we will see a change in fundamental language and literacy skills. 

                                                                           

The St. Charles City-County Library Foundation is challenging everyone in St. Charles County to Take 20 and Read! I hope you will accept the challenge to read at least 20 minutes every day. It doesn’t matter what you read, just read! 

Our family took the pledge. I hope you will stop and give me 20 for yourself, your children or grandchildren, and for your greater community. If you complete the program you will also be eligible to win a mini iPad! To register, visit http://www.take20andread.org/ or www.stchlibraryfoundation.org. 

Photo Credit: St. Charles City-County Library Foundation