Creative Writing Workshop

I just completed presenting a month long workshop on creative writing for the county schools continuing education program. We had a terrific, creative group of adults. It was a pleasure to work with them. Their enthusiasm for writing was contagious. Their questions and ideas stirred me to new thinking. And my constant research to present the different elements of writing was an adventure in discovery.

I tried to introduce and expand on as many topics as I could in that short time–character development, dialogue, plot, theme, setting, conflict, POV, show, don’t tell, and more. On top of all this, we devoted time to writing!

I relied a lot on Stephen King’s book On Writing and Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones as resources. I am including a list of books I feel would be great additions to their library. Do you have outstanding books you would suggest for new and veteran writers?

Thanks.

BIBLIOGRAPHY- CREATIVE WRITING

 Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Author: Anne Lamott

Chicago Manual of Style

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing

Author: The Editors of Writer’s Digest

Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books

How to be a Writer: Building Your Creative Skills Through Practice and Play

Author: Barbara Baig

The Elements of Style

Author: William Strunk and E.B.White.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Author: Stephen King

Publisher: Scribner

On Writing Well

Author: William Zinsser

Reading Like a Writer

Author: Francine Prose

Publisher: HarperCollins

Writers on Writing: Collected Essays from The New York Times

Editor: John Darnton

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Author: Natalie Goldberg

Publisher: Shambhala

 

Related articles

• Ode to Natalie Goldberg (the-confident-writer.net)
• Wednesday Workshop! (idhbic.com)

Just Write

In February I will be presenting a creative writing workshop through our local public school’s continuing education program. I think this poster will be a great visual for the participants to keep in mind.

We all get overwrought worrying about what we’re going to write. Staring at a blank page is a bit intimidating. I will help lift the pressure off the workshop attendees by telling them no one will be reading their writing. We will just practice writing with the freedom of knowing we don’t ever have to show it to anyone. Just write.

Remember the days when writing was so much fun? Creating dragons, flying through the puffy clouds, and making up all kinds of fantasy worlds on paper. Go back to the joy of spewing out all those marvelous ideas.  Have fun with it and just write for yourself.

Just write…

KDP–Kindle Direct Publishing–I Tried It for Self-Publishing

Yes, I tried it. I published my short story, The Good Neighbors, on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) using my pen name, J.Q. Rose. I am not a guru when it comes to formatting, so I was really nervous about getting it right. I learned a LOT about formatting. I think the short story, 4000 words, was a good one for the first (and last?) project because there were no chapter headings to worry about formatting or any need to add hyperlinks to them.

The most difficult problem for me was to come up with a book cover. I am not satisfied with this one…pretty amateurish, but I wanted to clue readers into the idea that it is a funny, holiday story. And hey, selling a book for 99 cents doesn’t leave any cash to pay an artist to design a book cover. Since the same characters are in this story as in my e-book, Sunshine Boulevard, I wanted to connect the two stories.  I did that by choosing a flamingo. Two flamingos are on the cover of Sunshine.

 

Actually the process is very simple for a short story anyway. After I pubbed it, I discovered a ridiculous, obvious error, so I re-pubbed it with no problem after fixing the error. I was also amazed the story showed up within 24 hours for sale on amazon.

The story features characters, Jim and Gloria Hart, from my mystery e-book, Sunshine Boulevard, published in March from Muse It Up Publishing. I hope to use it as a promotional tool to garner interest in Sunshine Boulevard.  I am donating the royalties from the story to local food pantries. The story is only 99 cents, so not much income for donations, but I’ll just throw the change into the pot to add to my monthly donation to our  local food pantry.

Check out my humorous story, The Good Neighbors on amazon. While you’re there, discover Sunshine Boulevard on amazon or at the Muse It Up Publishing bookstore and major online booksellers.

Let me know about your experience with self-pubbing on KDP.

Happy New Year 2012!!

 

Merry Christmas!

The Nativity scene from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Florida

Wishing you all the gifts of the Christmas season–peace, joy, hope, and love–

now and throughout the new year 2012!

Mystery author Marilyn Meredith spotlights my mystery, Sunshine Boulevard on her blog. Comment for a chance to win my holiday, short story, The Good Neighbors.

http://ping.fm/kzJ2C

J Q Rose
NEW for the holidays-The Good Neighbors short story at http://ping.fm/DsNPP
Sunshine Boulevard, mystery/light horror
www.jqrose.webs.com
www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com

Join me at Gail R. Branan’s delightful blog, Flowers on the Fence.

http://ping.fm/Hzcvz

Leave a comment to be eligible to WIN the random drawing for a PDF copy of The Good Neighbors, a short holiday story that will make you smile.

The Good Neighbors–Jim and Gloria Hart, snowbirds from Michigan, always help out the neighbors in their Florida retirement community when asked. Who knew being good could turn out to be so bad?

J Q Rose
NEW for the holidays-The Good Neighbors short story at http://ping.fm/q4qRZ
Sunshine Boulevard, mystery/light horror
www.jqrose.webs.com
www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com

this will make you smile

http://ping.fm/GqHr9

J Q Rose
NEW for the holidays-The Good Neighbors short story at http://ping.fm/43TkP
Sunshine Boulevard, mystery/light horror
www.jqrose.webs.com
www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com

Winding up the Good Eats, Great Reads event with Janie Franz’ recipe developed by her son, Chef Scott Franz. Janie calls the pumpkin a powerhouse of nutrients, so come on over to discover a tasty healthy dish and her romantic thriller,Ruins: Discovery.

Join us at http://ping.fm/7f0q0

J Q Rose
NEW for the holidays-The Good Neighbors short story at http://ping.fm/7N3De
Sunshine Boulevard, mystery/light horror
www.jqrose.webs.com
www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com

Howdy, Folks. Historical author Larion Wills’ shares her timeless recipe for Sour Dough Bread and introduces us to her latest release, Tarbet. You’ve got to try this recipe…Nothing says home more than the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.

Join us at http://ping.fm/Mlzgv

J Q Rose
NEW for the holidays-The Good Neighbors short story at http://ping.fm/RWA6s
Sunshine Boulevard, mystery/light horror
www.jqrose.webs.com
www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com

5 STARS from Reviewer Rochelle Weber on my new short story for the holidays, The Good Neighbors.

Rochelle wrote– I disturbed the peace at Wendy’s because I was laughing so hard reading this while I had lunch today. It’s another great waiting room read–the kind of short-story you can devour along with a quick burger or while waiting to see the doctor. But try not to laugh too loudly unless you want to tell people what you’re reading. On second thought, go ahead. Laugh out loud. Don’t be afraid to let people know how much you’re enjoying Ms. Rose’s writing. Isn’t a good hearty laugh in the middle of Wendy’s a great recommendation for a book?

Read the entire review on the amazon link http://ping.fm/FEENc