tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88481735418791059712024-03-19T02:44:59.540-07:0012Writing - Workshops for Creative Writers and TeachersOnline Resources for Writers and Teachers in Fiction, Poetry, and Memoir.Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-4582230704959566742020-02-05T18:57:00.002-08:002020-02-05T18:57:43.445-08:00On Not Reading Enough of the Right Books...About ten years ago, one of my creative writing professors was curious about where I learned to write. I had finally admitted that most of my stories were science fiction, and that most of my reading choices were similar. Unlike my classmates in the MFA program, I had never been a huge fan of "literature." I love a good book, yes, but I don't seem to have the attention span for great books. Getting through them is a real struggle for me — it should be no surprise that I usually earned B's in my college literature courses. For an English major, I wasn't exactly the best reader.<br />
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During my MFA in creative writing, my professors and classmates were always very, very surprised when they learned how many books I <span style="font-style: italic;">haven't</span> read. Like the time my thesis advisor — one of the most kind and caring people I've ever met — asked us to go around and mention what we'd been reading over the summer. Fitzgerald was mentioned, as was Bolagno. Several other well known literary figures came up — I was embarrassed to realize that I was the only one who didn't recognize their names.<br />
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Now, if I'd been fresh out of college, that would be one thing. In the grad program, one of my classmates was only 19 — he graduated <span style="font-style: italic;">college</span> at 17. He had read of the well-established literary authors than I had. Many more. And as a writer, he had a mastery of place and setting that I later came to envy.<br />
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But he was the youngest member of our class — I was one of the oldest. After fours years of college, five years in the army, and half a year of bartending, I had lived enough life to read the books that matter. Except I didn't. Instead I read <span style="font-style: italic;">Carrie</span>. And <span style="font-style: italic;">The Illustrated Man</span>. And <span style="font-style: italic;">Mother Night</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Left Hand of Darkness</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ender's Game</span> (the whole series, including the <span style="font-style: italic;">Ender's Shadow</span> books). And yes, Bradbury and Vonnegut and Le Guin are excellent and respectable authors — but they aren't Joyce. Or Fitzgerald. Or Atwood.<br />
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Finally, the summer reading question came to me. Fortunately, I went last. As I told everyone, I'd read another Stephen King novel, some chapters from an online comic, half a chapter from an enormous illustrated history of battleships, and a science fiction novel or two. I did not, however, mention the hours I likely spent reading romance advice columns. Back then, that's what I read. Nowadays we have Reddit.<br />
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I saw the faces staring back as I gave my answer. So I tried to soften the blow. "Yeah, my favorite authors tend to be like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Kurt Vonnegut," I admitted sheepishly, somehow thinking this would make my answer more acceptable. "I get a lot of funny looks from everyone when I say that."<br />
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Said my professor: "You mean like the look I'm giving you now?"<br />
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(Also, did I mention that my professor has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize? No...I did not enjoy getting the "I'm not sure whether to find you tragic or irritating" look from one of the kindest, most impressive writers I have ever known...but then, I guess I had it coming? I mean, I did smuggle myself into grad school as a science fiction writer...)<br />
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-9470860227813306522020-02-05T18:24:00.000-08:002020-02-05T18:24:17.337-08:00On Reading the Fantastic and Writing the MehI learned to write when I was "young." As a sixth grader — all of eleven years old — I developed a fixation on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lord of the Rings</span>. And also <span style="font-style: italic;">Dungeons and Dragons</span>. With character sheets on one corner of the desk and hand-drawn sketches of a "hobbit swashbuckler" in the other corner, I put all my attention to the beautiful blank page before me: <span style="font-style: italic;">the story.</span><br />
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It's not a surprise: I've always loved reading. As a child, I sometimes spent whole days just sitting a reading. As a student and as a writer, I've always had an advantage compared to many of my classmates — those years of devouring "cheap" science fiction from the 1980s also ingrained the the grammatical and editorial standards considered de rigueur in today's academic writing.<br />
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Naturally, there are some differences, but the drawn-out pseudo-scientific explanations I read in scifi have a lot in common with the research writing we see today — unlike tweets and text messages, which must often be far shorter and more direct in order to convey snippets of immediate information very quickly. And unlike my students, I've "always" had a "natural" feeling for where to break a paragraph. It was neither always nor natural — I simply read so many paragraphs growing up that I tend to know where they should break. But get me going in polite conversation, and my lengthy diatribes will kill the party.<br />
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As a teacher, this is part of why I appreciate <a href="https://udl.12writing.com/home/about-the-website" jsname="eLO0kc" target="_blank"><b>Universal Design for Learning</b></a>. It helps me understand why writing has always been "easier" for me than for my classmates. Even on the days I struggle with writing — such as the seven drafts I wrote for the opening chapter of my dissertation — I can always rely on the mechanics. I <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> my grammar will be decent because I'm always writing. Most days, I write more than I speak — often, I'm far more articulate on paper than I will ever be in person, and that's just the <span style="font-style: italic;">first </span>draft. Give me some time to revise, and I can make words that sound like something a professional would write. Which is good. It makes me feel better about that whole Ph.D. thing. Because let me tell you — grad school was tough. Seriously — less pay and longer hours than my time in the army. And half my grad school income was from the G.I. Bill — as a veteran, I still don't know how my classmates survived.<br />
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On the other hand, this realization also leaves me somewhat sad. Naturally, I want every student to become a great writer — and most students do. You don't need to be a novelist to be a great writer — there are countless websites, grant proposals, and social media feeds that make the world a better place, whether it's through raising funding for research to disseminating information for disaster relief. In these contexts — and countless others — quality writing helps shape reality.<br />
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But beyond this, there is an artistry to beautiful writing that is far more difficult. The "gift" of writing is neither easy nor guaranteed. And for most of my composition students, they will never attempt — nor have any desire to attempt — to become a novelist. It isn't that they can't — it's that they have better things to do. Unlike me, they typically have lives. You won't find them sitting alone in a community college classroom after the campus has closed for the snow. (Seriously — if security finds me stranded in the parking lot after I finish this blog post, I'm gonna feel very, very stupid.)<br />
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Let's be honest — creative writing is a gamble. However many thousands of words I write, I will still pick up <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter</span> and realize that J.K. Rowling is a better storyteller. Whatever anyone might say about the <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> series, Stephenie Meyer plugged into a scale of cultural zeitgeist that I am unlikely to ever reach with my own writing. And I also really enjoyed <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> — when I read it, I couldn't put it down. Sure, I could have reworded the sentences or restructured the paragraphs — as a grad student in creative writing at the time, I could have easily explained all the "mistakes" Meyer made in her writing. But as a <span style="font-style: italic;">writer</span>, I have to admit that Meyer's work does something impressive. It speaks to millions of people in a way that my own writing does not. Sure, my own writing may one day have die-hard fans — I want to have readers who love my writing. But would they love my books the way that some love <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>? Will anyone ever treasure one of my books more than <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter</span>? And also, why does it matter? Just as every writer is different, so is every audience.<br />
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Hell, even my <span style="font-style: italic;">own</span> tastes have changed with time. Like with <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span>. You know — the book series that started me on writing in the first place. I downloaded a copy from Amazon a few months ago. Then I tried to read it — I couldn't finish. I couldn't get through the first book. Frodo and his band barely made it out of the Shire, and then I switched books.<br />
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Saying this feels like blasphemy. I mean, can <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span> be boring? Is that even allowed??<br />
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But it isn't. It's a great series — a fun and fascinating read, especially for those who enjoy it. When I was young, I loved it. Now that I'm older — now that I'm a single parent typing up lesson plans, websites, and a novel series — my tastes have changed. As a recovering graduate student in creative writing, I can go through all the ways in which <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span> is a sophisticated and well-written series of novels. Given time, I could probably imagine a dozen ways in which the book is "better" than <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>. But again, what does that matter? The two sets of novels aren't competing with each other — they're very different books. They have similarities, they have differences, and I they speak to each reader individually.<br />
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And this, then, is the saddest part about writing. In terms of effort, structure, and sophistication, <span style="font-style: italic;">Lord of the Rings</span> was undeniably the harder book to write. Tolkien spent decades writing and refining — and inventing an entirely new language — before sending his book out for publication. Meyer, on the other hand, wrote her first draft of <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> in about three months. After a year or so, she was published — soon after, she was famous.<br />
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For every creative writer, this is the gamble we take. However well we write, however inspired we feel, however much effort we put into crafting each individual word, it's impossible to know what our audiences might be. Or even how the future may change those who loved our books to begin with.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Side Note</span> — following eight years of graduate school, I saw my views on <span style="font-style: italic;">Harry Potter</span> change somewhat. And I do have bone to pick with Ms. Rowling. Like, seriously — where are the grad students at Hogwarts? How are they even less visible than the house elves? Are they supposed to be some unpaid, hidden component of the academic teaching staff? Like a bunch of unclean vermin trapped in the lowest dungeon of the library, each one chained to a desk with one of those quills that engraves your own blood into the parchment? I mean, seriously — how did Rowling provide such an accurate depiction of graduate school without a single mention graduate teaching assistants?<br />
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-9825636848659794162020-02-01T11:15:00.000-08:002020-02-01T11:15:15.785-08:00UDL Project: Universal Design for Learning in English Composition<div align="left">
To provide new resources for my students, I've started a new website that applies <a href="https://udl.12writing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Universal Design for Learning to Writing Courses</b></a> like English 101. Much as I love Blogger, I'm finding that Google Sites offers somewhat more flexibility in terms of layout and organization, so I've been starting the site from scratch rather than continue on my <b>Intro to Fiction and Poetry website</b> at <a href="http://ifp.12writing.com/"><b>IFP.12Writing.com</b></a>.<br />
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Universal Design for Learning is prefaced on the fact that each student has unique interests and learning styles. Rather than attempt to create a single "best" way to convey information, UDL focuses on providing a variety of resources and activities designed to introduce and reinforce concepts while also providing students with rewarding opportunities to apply new knowledge.<br />
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For more information about UDL and how it applies to teaching, I recommend checking out the <a href="http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.XjXKQI7Yr-0" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">CAST UDL Website</a> for a quick introduction to the main concepts. Also, the <b><a href="https://www.heartland.edu/idc/instructionalInitiatives/UDL.html" target="_blank">Heartland Community College UDL</a></b> Page gives additional insights about how we apply it at my own institution.<br />
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Why Not Blend with the Intro to Fiction and Poetry Site?</h2>
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I've really enjoyed Blogger quite a bit over the past years, and I'll continue using it. However, Blogger is best for creating ongoing updates, and it doesn't work as well when you need a growing website that <b><a href="https://ifp.12writing.com/2017/?m=0" target="_blank">weaves together lessons on writing and usage with concerns of research and culture</a></b>. When it comes to naming pages and linking things together, Blogger can be a bit clunky - Google Sites has a far smoother interface.</div>
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On the downside, Google Sites don't offer a native blog function. I'm still looking for a way around this -- after all, "Sharing the Journey" still benefits from an episodic approach to website design. But without keyword tags or a native blog interface, I may well be researching RSS feeds and iframes.</div>
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How Does It Help with Online Teaching?</h2>
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UDL is more than simply a teaching framework -- it's also a mindset for teaching and learning. It forces you to consider how exactly students take in the information you're presenting, particularly questions about whether they'll be able to access it or apply it to prior learning experiences.</div>
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Is It Working Yet?</h2>
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So far, I've only just begun <a href="https://udl.12writing.com/my-udl-journey" target="_blank"><b>my personal UDL journey</b></a>. However, I am much happier with the results I've put together so far. Since the Google Sites interface is inherently more visual than Blogger, it's easier to move around the information to make it visually appealing as well as textually informative. I can add custom headers and sidebars to each individual page without having to delve into the HTML.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a> </div>
Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-36228177349285738752019-01-08T23:20:00.002-08:002019-01-08T23:22:24.163-08:00The Uncharted Neurology of Writing<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQoYd70D-WnDBwnIW6H0Z_D5vHwlCqL0ZhdzwLWbrH-8AxsQ0aARb5qY3drIc9cIOSAACflYj3muIsN/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">Presentation Slides</a></b> for the 2019 CTLT Teaching and Learning Symposium.<br />
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In neurology, imaging studies have shown specific locations in the brain associated with creativity, word recall, and the physical act of placing symbols upon the page. With these insights, we could theoretically come up with ways to better “coach” the brain to maximize student writing abilities. Neurologically speaking, variations in access to the digital world “wire” our students in different ways, and these differences may both enhance and limit their abilities to convey thinking through writing. But if we draw too heavily from neurology, there is an inherent ethical risk of imposing unfounded biological assumptions about the “normal” brain upon the unique skills and personalities of individual students.<br />
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In this presentation, I will discuss recovering from a wrist injury in Afghanistan, and how the physical limitations of that injury affected not only my ability to place words on the page, but the capacity to express thoughts. From there, I’ll look at the ways in which emotional investments have further affected my capacities to process and compose ideas. I will contemplate how my experiences may apply to our students, particularly in light of contemporary concerns surrounding “digital natives,” trigger warnings, and disability studies.
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-39697453921207272752018-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:002018-03-29T11:49:57.392-07:00Changing Directions: The Story of a Website<div align="left">
I started 12Writing just over ten years ago. At the time, I didn't know enough about websites, about teaching, or about writing. But I was confident. I was convinced I could do better than others who teach and write online.</div>
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And I was wrong. So as I turn my thoughts forward, here are some reflections on the past.</div>
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Networking: It's About Friendships</h4>
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I've always been told I need to network. It's the advice we all hear. But I long made the mistake of seeing networking as simply a business transaction. I thought that you go up, introduce yourself, and then establish some kind of professional relationship. Which is part of why I was terrible at it. I hate asking people for anything - and to me, establishing a "business connection" is a lot like asking for a customer to buy something.</div>
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As a teacher, I've found that my best semesters are the ones where I make friends with my students. We don't get through all the projects and assignments I have planned, but my students trust that I'll help them with their writing because I pause, I listen to their thoughts, and then I adjust my feedback to meet their needs. And this, I think, is what true networking means. Your aren't supposed to "ask" for something - you're supposed to listen. You exchange ideas and information, you get to understand each other, you see the ways in which an ongoing connection can foster an actual friendship.</div>
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To be honest, I didn't come to this realization on my own. One of my students actually explained this too me as part of his research. He interviewed a tattoo artist about how he runs his business, and the tattoo artist explained that he's not in the business of finding clients - instead, he's making friends.</div>
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Successful Websites Are Active, Not Static</h4>
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So I used to think I could simply post amazing stuff online, and then it would take care of itself. But that's not how it works. Everything online ages fast - sometimes within minutes of posting it. So it's not about what you post, but about how your work continues to impact those who read it. This is the lesson I keep having to remind myself, even as I write this long-ish blog post about having learned it...</div>
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Search Engine Optimization Matters Less than Personal Connections...</h4>
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Seems like a "duh" concept. But it's an important corollary to the previous two points. But the paradox to this is...</div>
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...but You Need a Solid Product to Sell</h4>
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Yes - it's true. To succeed at business, you need a product. For a long time, I thought that "teaching writing" was enough of a product. As long as I was "good" at it, I figured, people would pay me to offer the service. But how do you measure how "good" someone is at something so nebulous as teaching writing? Is it student satisfaction? Is it the teacher's publishing record? Is it the niche you fit into as a teacher?</div>
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I've since figured out that teaching writing online isn't as rewarding as I once thought. And closely following a business model for teaching can erase the most important element of education: the personal connection that comes with individual mentoring.</div>
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My Product Is Writing</h4>
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It seems obvious, I know. I'm a creative writer - I write. But I haven't published much. And given how diverse and unusual my writing is, I don't believer I will ever fit into the standard branding of a traditional marketing campaign. I mean, how would a publisher list my books? How would they place dinosaur children's books alongside science fiction time travelers alongside a poetry collection?</div>
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Rather than hold these works in, trying my hardest to figure out which agents to approach with this crazy concoction of creative works, I'm going to start marketing them myself. Some of them would never be picked up by a traditional publisher, and some of them would probably do much better if a traditional publisher placed them on the racks at Barnes and Noble. But if I manage this work myself, then I approach my audiences over time, not having to worry about marketing campaigns that end with the book tour.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-1152161925832517832018-01-10T10:05:00.002-08:002018-03-29T11:08:08.666-07:00Addressing America's Racial History<div align="left">
A presentation giving at the Center for Teaching and Learning Symposium on January 10, 2018.</div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRjGfH02jh3db0YsIa-3sIc63nW1WZfStEVrVZUmJZRY_X9lQLIsDmodGe5_HhMVv4rZ82P8tWgZMV2/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">Link to Presentation</a></div>
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Embedded Presentation: </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="340" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRjGfH02jh3db0YsIa-3sIc63nW1WZfStEVrVZUmJZRY_X9lQLIsDmodGe5_HhMVv4rZ82P8tWgZMV2/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="500></iframe>Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-59071511161822290422017-02-06T14:38:00.003-08:002017-02-06T14:39:52.015-08:00Lucas De Lima's Wet Land<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1k1DCAhSZw0f442x1yePIIGtQWE0Gj60-pM7b9BHpC7I/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" frameborder="0" width="480" height="285" allowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true"></iframe>Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-23327606917967580652015-05-29T07:28:00.000-07:002015-05-29T07:30:23.759-07:00Digital Autography: CWCon 2015 Presentation Slides<div align="left">
How do we assess writing students in a digital world where personal relationships remain largely untheorized?</div>
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<b>External Link to <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JTnf5ehodmLFEpczLWmhQlBl29-FUPcWB_HcSOweRqg/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" target="_blank">Presentation Slides</a></b></div>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-57614891070040192612015-05-14T10:31:00.000-07:002015-05-14T10:32:58.778-07:00A Research Gap: Life Writing, Epistemology, and Creative Writing Studies<div align="left">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KkdsqyoLHckShwqAlR9i1DJIjo3ooxwvjP5I-41Gh0o/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Link to Present</a><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="569" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KkdsqyoLHckShwqAlR9i1DJIjo3ooxwvjP5I-41Gh0o/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="450"></iframe>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-88085763851711086702014-06-29T12:58:00.001-07:002014-06-29T12:58:10.023-07:00Books for Small Children - My Recommendations<div align="left">
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<td>When I was little, my favorite book of all time was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0448400715/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0448400715&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=AC3VXSMKIPSSNVQM"><b>The Little Engine That Could</b></a>. My mom says she read it to me so often that she had the book memorized. Apparently, so did I - if she turned to the wrong page and kept reading from memory, I would call her out on it. (Which would probably explain why she was tired of my not reading on my own...all the more reason to teach your children early, yes?)<br />
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Now, we had many books at home, but there were always those few that stood out. With my own son, I'm finding the same phenomenon - there are certain books he loves, and he will keep pull those out from his little cubby while others gather dust. Some of these books are touching, others are beautiful, and still others just beg for small fingers to touch their pages. Here's a short list of favorites.</td>
<td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0448400715/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0448400715&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=4VJHX2KVGMRDRC2D"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0448400715&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0448400715" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></td></tr>
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For Tiny Babies - Under One Year Old</h3>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1845063546/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1845063546&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=4J7V6LDIJVNMJ57W">Ten Tiny Tadpoles</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1845063546" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b> was the first book my son fell in love with. The tadpoles are small plastic and stand out from the page - and which each turn of the page, one more tadpole wanders off one its own.<br />
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A great counting book for the little guy, and the text is nicely melodic. I read it with a sing-song voice, and then count the tadpoles so he can start matching numbers to text.</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1845063546/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1845063546&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=4J7V6LDIJVNMJ57W"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1845063546&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1845063546" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<tr><td>I still remember my dad reading us <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399226907/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399226907&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=5YIO7QKTOZE54V32">The Very Hungry Caterpillar</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0399226907" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>, and we now have two copies for our son. We keep one in the car, and we'll often give it to him to leaf through when he's in his car seat. He loves poking his fingers through the holes in the foods our Very Hungry Caterpillar is eating, and there's something about the colors and textures that draws in a small child's attention. This is also a good counting book, but it's especially a good foods book. As we introduced different fruits to our son, he'd light up in recognition upon seeing oranges and apples on the page.</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399226907/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399226907&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=5YIO7QKTOZE54V32"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0399226907&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0399226907" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<tr><td><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399234276/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399234276&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=SITD6MIQY7PGY2MA">The Very Lonely Firefly</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0399234276" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b> isn't quite as engaging as the previous two books, but Eric Carle's knack for shape and color from <i>The Very Hungry Caterpillar</i> is very strong here. What my son loves most, though, are the flashing LED fireflies on the last page - it's actually hard to slow him down as he's flipping to that page. But the it's worth the time - the story itself introduces a family and pets, and I think those interactions will keep this books interesting in the years ahead.</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399234276/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399234276&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=SITD6MIQY7PGY2MA"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0399234276&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0399234276" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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For Less-Tiny Babies - One to Two Years</h3>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039923103X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039923103X&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=AP2EJAIKPRQ5FBVY">10 Minutes till Bedtime</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=039923103X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b> is visually one of the funniest books I've seen in a long time. A little boy has ten minutes to get ready for bed...but then hamsters start arriving for the "10-Minute Bedtime Tour!" You need to check the numbers on the little hamsters - there are ten baby hamsters with their two parents, and you'll see that each hamster continues its own little narrative as the story goes on. (And be sure to read the newspaper the dad is holding...and then visit Peggy Rathmann's <b><a href="http://hamstertours.com/">Hamster Tours Website</a></b>.</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039923103X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039923103X&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=AP2EJAIKPRQ5FBVY"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=039923103X&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=039923103X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763642649/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763642649&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=2OFJZ3L6GGBJZYTD" style="font-weight: bold;">Guess How Much I Love You</a><b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0763642649" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b> is simply a touching book, especially for fathers to read to their sons. Little Nutbrown Hare is getting ready for bed, and Big Nutbrown Hare is tucking him in with the kind of charming love that any parent can relate to. We see the small child's desire to love and be loved, and it's nicely tempered with the elder rabbit's fun bits of irony.</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763642649/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763642649&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=2OFJZ3L6GGBJZYTD"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0763642649&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0763642649" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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For the Pre-School-Aged Child</h3>
I might be an oldest, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689712022/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0689712022&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=N6ADD5CROKFTA3JZ"><b>I'll Fix Anthony</b></a> was one of my favorite books as a child. Never mind that the book advocates exercise and the eating of vegetables - it's the revenge that counts! Yes, this poor narrator is suffering horribly at the hands of his older brother, but he has plans! And once he turns six...<br />
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I know, it plays a bit to base emotions...but this book really was fun. So much fun, in fact, that I picked it up again in high school to read for a speech team competition. Mostly for that classic line: "When I'm Six...I'll Fix Anthony!"</td><td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689712022/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0689712022&linkCode=as2&tag=12writing-20&linkId=N6ADD5CROKFTA3JZ"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0689712022&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12writing-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12writing-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0689712022" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Don't forget: <b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2014/06/read-your-toddler-books-all-day-even-if.html">you can read to your child anytime during the day!</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-84867519122377036542014-06-29T12:58:00.000-07:002014-06-29T12:58:06.862-07:00Read Your Toddler Books All Day - Even If You Never Finish One<div align="left">
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<td>Yes, everyone knows you should read aloud to your child. It's common wisdom - read a book at bedtime, instill a love of reading. But is that really enough? I don't think so. Instead, find those quick opportunities for all-day reading.</td>
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Here's the problem with reading to a toddler at night: bedtime is a stressful time. You're trying to get teeth brushed, a child settled, and everyone quiet. Then you throw a book into the mix. Maybe this works well for children after age three or four, but what about toddlers? I know my little guy will do anything to stay awake - focusing on those dim pages lit by a desk lamp comes in a very distant second to running for the toy box.</div>
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This is why I recommend reading all day. Not that you're saying "okay, child, now we read! And again!!" Instead, look for any spare moment. Right after breakfast works well for my son - right after he's eaten and pooped and had a diaper change (TMI, I know...), he's generally pretty calm. It isn't nap time and he won't be hungry again for another hour, so I tell him to go grab a book. It helps now that he's old enough to understand and walk over to the bookshelf and pick on out himself, but I started this back when he was still learning to crawl. Basically, I was so tired one day that I just didn't have the energy to chase him around after breakfast - so I reached for a book, set the little guy on my lap, and got in a solid ten minutes of him slapping at the pages while I read off the words on the page.<br />
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It only lasted maybe ten minutes. And I know that doesn't seem like much - but how much time does anyone get at bedtime? So I try to get in those ten minutes at least three or four times a day. Which is good, because sometimes there isn't a book at bedtime. Drives my wife nuts that I'll put him to bed without reading to him first, but I'm not going to keep him awake if he nods off in those thirty seconds between drinking his milk and brushing his sharp little teeth. But I think it's okay. I usually get in a book right after his dinner. And after lunch. Or just whenever there's a spare moment where he's energetic and fed and doesn't need a new diaper yet. He's used to it, now - any time of day, I might say "okay, let's read a book! Go get a book!" and off he'll go to his little cubby of books. Sometimes he'll spend ten minutes ferrying over books - three or four or even five books - before he decides which one we'll read. And we never quite get through one. But that's okay - <b>it's more important that you engage your little one in the reading</b>.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Also, you may like my short list of </span><b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2014/06/books-for-small-children-my.html">recommended books for small children</a></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-70368974346559974372014-06-23T16:16:00.000-07:002014-06-23T16:26:52.902-07:00Manage Yourself Past Writer's BlockLet's be honest - I hate time management. I hate the thought of planning out my days, of regimenting my writing. I prefer the idea of inspiration, like <a href="http://www.12writing.com/2008/02/hit-your-muse-with-rock.html"><b>breaking the rules and ignoring your muse</b></a>. But there are days when even that doesn't work. That's where time management comes in. And the acronym <b>CREATE (Chunk, Read, Eat, Associate, Time, and Endeavor)</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, you can manage your time. But it might get messy. Not like this picture, which is disturbingly optimistic in it's portrayal of personal control. (Original image courtesy of Stuart Mills on <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/plan-diagram-displays-strategies-for-business-work-and-life-photo-p264800">FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a>.)</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>First, let's recognize that you face pressure as a writer. Chances are, you don't pay your rent from your writing - maybe you're with your kids all day, or you wait tables, or you spend all day locked in an office answering phones. Writing isn't your day job - it's another life, and people don't necessarily understand. They think "oh, that sounds fun," or maybe they ask "why are you wasting so much time at the computer?" So you have little time, and the time you get is often a "guilty pleasure" - or, at the very least, you feel guilty because there are "better" things you could be doing. As a writer, you spend your life being stalked by the hourglass of expectation. (At least that's how I feel...could be I'm just paranoid?)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Story of my life right there...(Image courtesy of jesadaphorn on <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/time-follows-me-photo-p236764" style="font-weight: bold;">FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a>.)</td></tr>
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So, to help get past the sense of terror that accompanies this stress, I've come up with a handy acronym to help address not only time management, but also this sense of "I'm a writer! Please, somebody tell me I'm a writer!!"<br />
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<b>CREATE: Chunk, Read, Eat, Associate, Time, Endeavor</b></h3>
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Yes, I totally made up this acronym to make it sound cool and memorable for creative writers. There are surely other acronyms for CREATE. But this one reflects my take on the range of habits we need in order to stay motivated in our writing.<br />
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Chunk: Break up your work into pieces.</h3>
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A poem can be short. I might be able to write a nice, quick poem in about fifteen minutes. But the world isn't looking for a nice quick poem. The world is looking for poetry with something to say. So to write a "good" poem, I need to write a lot of poems. One or two might be good, but fifty more might be kinda so-so. But that's okay. I can go back and revise. I can pick and choose which ones I like. But most importantly, I need to realize that I'm not about to churn out the world's greatest poem just sitting down for fifteen minutes. Instead, I need to be a bit strategic. I need to plot out what exactly I'm trying to do, and then how many poems I'll need to write in order to get there. If I need one good poem - one <i>really</i> good poem - it might take ten or twelve false starts, nine or ten revisions, and then another three rewrites before yet another round of revisions. So it is with fiction, too. Yes, I like the idea of just sitting down and pumping it out, but stories don't always come out clean - sometimes, you just have to go back again tomorrow and try again.<br />
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This can be demoralizing, I know. But it's part of the process - one you can plan for. Rather that heap added pressure on yourself - something like "I need this amazing poem today!!" - it makes more sense to account for quality control. Go with "Today I'm gonna draft some poems, and tomorrow I'll pick one or two to revise. The next day I'll see where I'm at, then decide how to go from there." If you're writing a novel, it might be more like this: "Every day I'll write 500 words. Good or bad, I'll write 500 of them. At the end of the month, I'll pick which sections I like and expand on those."<br />
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Most importantly, be specific and be reasonable. Give yourself a word count. Give yourself a set number of pages to revise. And give yourself a deadline. Something like "In the next hour, I'm going to write 250 words" is a good goal - it's fast, it's doable, and it might lead you to just keep going.<br />
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Read: Keep reading other authors in your field. And beyond your field.</h3>
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Would you trust a physician who never went to medical school? No. Clearly, this person can't know enough about medicine. Likewise, I'm wary of writers who "avoid reading" because they don't want to "contaminate" their work. How, I wonder, can you know enough about writing if you aren't exposed to writing every day?<br />
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For me, I tend to write best when I'm also reading novels by established authors. I write science fiction - reading good stories with spaceships and time travel helps me focus on the craft of storytelling, kind of "priming" my mind to produce ideas of my own. But sometimes, I don't have anything good to read - instead, I read some of those junky $2.99 books off Amazon Kindle. (You know the kind - the ones where the writing is bad and the characters are flat, but you just can't stop reading because you need to know if the zombie gets the guy before the girl can save him...) These books are also helpful. Those "annoying" parts of the book help me better see which parts of my writing might annoy readers. And some books are so annoying, in fact, that they push me back to the keyboard, getting me fired up to write something that will be way better. Or at least somewhat less terrible.</div>
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Eat: Take care of yourself. Because your brain needs to fuel, just like a car.</h3>
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They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - what they forget to mention is all the hundreds of pounds of food you'll need to consume before you complete those thousand miles.</div>
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As a writer, you might find yourself caught up in the moment. You might write through the night, or skip a few meals, or nurse the caffeine like some elixir of life. But these habits don't work well long-term. Coffee can make you <i>feel</i> energized, but it can't actually make a tired brain creative. Creativity instead comes through long hours and years of training. Like a marathon runner, you have to fueling your body for the long haul. I recommend fruits, vegetables, and a balanced mix of carbs, proteins, and fats. (Yes, your brain does need saturated fat in order to function - just not so much that your heart stops working.)</div>
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Associate with Other Writers. Because non-writers don't completely understand.</h3>
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No, I don't always make it to writing conferences. And I don't have a stable writing group at the moment (finding one is on my to-do list...sigh...) But when I'm really and truly stuck as a writer - when the ideas aren't flowing - it's often because I feel disconnected from the writing community. My family might support me as a person, but that doesn't help if I feel useless as a writer. This is why it helps to hang out with other writers. It's not that you ask for new ideas - it's that you relate to each other. Share your experiences. Laugh about this crazy existence that centers around words on the page. Cry because there is no escape from this addiction to literary pursuits.</div>
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Beware, though - some folks recommend "buying a beer" or using alcohol to both overcome the awkwardness and "loosen up" the inspiration. This isn't necessary. Coffee on a Thursday afternoon with a friend who writes is often the best kind of social support - just a kind of "yeah, that's our life." Late-night drinks on Saturday might leave you hung-over on Sunday - which not only kills half a writing day, but also makes the memory of those amazing conversations just a bit foggy.</div>
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Time: Yes, you need to allocate time to your writing. And maybe go over time.</h3>
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Time management doesn't just mean "hey, twenty minutes a day, and I'm gonna be famous!" Instead, it means being aware of just how busy we are and then shifting priorities to make sure there is enough time to write well. Like when I was preparing for comprehensive exams, I spent about eight hours a day reading PDF articles about autobiography and the internet, and then the rest of the day was family/teaching/grading - sure, I was "writing" every day, but none of that was for my novel-in-progress. So I set a date for after the exams when I would get back to work on the novel. And it's been hard - now that I have hours of "free" time, much of the idea for the novel has slipped away. It might have been better if I had given myself the ten minutes a day just to keep the ideas fresh. But for me, there's a problem with only ten minutes - I can write some funny stuff, but it's hard to write the kind of focused, solid text that I need for my novel.</div>
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This is where the blocks of time come in. If you can, set aside big blocks of time each week. I recommend at least two days a week where you have some serious time alone with your stories - three or four hours away from family, away from e-mail, and <i>definitely</i> no Facebook.</div>
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Endeavor: Be Ambitious. Try Hard. Dream Big. And Keep Chugging.</h3>
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This is where goals come in. You can't manage your time if you don't know what you're using the time for. But don't just give yourself a goal - remind yourself frequently. Writing a novel, I often have to remind myself that no one chapter is super important - instead, I'm looking at the book as a whole. Having completed NaNoWriMo a few times, I like to set month-long goals for my word counts, going with 50,000 words of drafting (not final draft, mind you) to be completed in 30 days. But you can go more conservative, too - 10,000 or 20,000 words in a month is a good pace. By going with month-long goals, I can do more words on some days to make up for lost days rather than feel guilty for every missed day. Also, I try to be flexible - the goal is words, not genius. If I write 1,000 words on Wednesday, but by Friday I think those words are awful, I just move those words to my "deleted text" file. Those 1,000 words are still part of my word count - writing them has still brought me closer to my goal. Because the goal is writing a good novel - and writing words that don't work helps me better understand what <i>will</i> work.</div>
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Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-84843197383962391882014-01-14T08:53:00.000-08:002014-01-14T08:54:51.316-08:00Spoon River Poetry Contest<div dir="ltr" id="yiv298572700docs-internal-guid-725d1816-8ea7-e23b-c2a0-0c4c5b7a1b2c" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11254" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <i>Spoon River Poetry Review</i> (SRPR) announces its Editors' Prize Contest</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">(</span><a href="http://www.srpr.org/contest.php" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11252" rel="nofollow" style="color: #2862c5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11251" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.srpr.org/contest.php</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">)</span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11250" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">First Place Prize</span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11246" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">: $1,000, publication, and introduction written by prominent outside judge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">Entry Fee</span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11248" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">: $20, includes one-year subscription to SRPR (two issues).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">Deadline</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1389717881_0">April 15, 2014</span> (postmark)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">Submission</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">: ONLINE as well postal</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1;">Click on for more details! Or simply visit their website for the submission form and more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">SRPR (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">Spoon River Poetry Review</span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11266" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">) is pleased to announce the opening of our annual Editors' Prize Contest! One winning poem will be awarded $1,000, two runners up will be awarded $100 each, and three-five honorable mentions will be selected. All winning poems, honorable mentions, and several finalists are published in the winter issue of SRPR. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">Please note that we are now accepting online submissions.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11268" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Recent judges include David Baker, C.S. Giscombe and Jeanne Marie Beaumont. Judges are announced after winners are selected. Please check our new website in August for announcement of winners. For full guidelines please visit our website:</span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11270" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.srpr.org/contest.php" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1389658632800_11271" rel="nofollow" style="color: #2862c5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.srpr.org/contest.php</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-43887678828645156582012-11-16T13:26:00.001-08:002012-11-16T13:26:28.960-08:00Life Writing: A Bridge Between Writers and Researchers<div align="left">
Hello, writers.<br />
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If you check this website often, you will undoubtedly noticed a lack in activity. Ryan, Emily and I have been tangled in work and personal obligations, but hopefully as the semester winds down we'll be making more regular posts here.<br />
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Anway, on to the post!<br />
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As a rhetoric studies person (the only one at 12Writing), I spend most of my time looking at other people's writing instead of creating my own texts. I tend to think less about aesthetics and more the work that writing does in the world. If you think it seems strange that I am working on a creative writing website, you wouldn't be wrong.</div>
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Traditionally, the was an invisible wall between rhetoric studies and creative writing studies in the academic world and often this wall extended outside of the university to artist and researchers outside of academia. This wall has been breaking down in recent years as interdisciplinary studies and hybrid writing gains popularity, but old habits die hard, as the saying goes. This habit is the reason for my post today. <br />
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Boundaries between disciplines create limits on the knowledge we can gain from each other. Seeing another group as an adversary accomplishes nothing productive. As people who have dedicated their lives to the English language, through research and textual production, we should be working together.<br />
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And through my research of genre and my experience of the creative writing world, I am of the opinion that life writing can finally dismantle the lingering animosity between the different academic schools of writing. Because it is a creative genre, it appeals to creative writers and because it depends so heavily on personal narrative and recollection, it also appeals to rhetoricians. It is also an easily accessible genre which can appeal to many different people, as poetry and fiction can seem intimidating. <br />
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If people from many different situations and writing abilities attempt life writing and share their writing expereince, we can learn valuable information about how the mind works when it creates a text. So I encourage you to try out life writing if you haven't already and to share the results of your effort with the world. <br />
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Try checking out <a href="http://www.lifewritersforum.com/">Life Writers Forum</a>, a forum specifically for life writing. You can post stories, read other people's stories, ask questions, and share your writing experiences. There are also links to several blogs dedicated to the art of life writing. Share your writing experiences with others. You could possibly advance our knowledge of how and why people write which could do wonders for how we teach and learn to craft a world with words.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a> </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-9015007079215164442012-08-08T17:50:00.002-07:002012-08-08T17:50:07.846-07:00Writing Workshops: The How-To of Sharing Your Work<div align="left">
Hey there, Fellow Writers!</div>
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Here's a list of blog posts describing the writing workshop process and what to look for as you seek your own workshop.</div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span>
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<a href="http://www.12writing.com/2011/05/traditional-workshops-vs-freewriting.html"><b>Traditional Workshops, Freewriting, and the Amherst Method</b></a></div>
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Writing workshops have evolved a great deal over the past eighty years. Here's a look at the different formats currently used as well as their pros and cons.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2010/03/writing-workshop-feedback-positive.html">Progressive Workshop Feedback</a></b></div>
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Progressive feedback will help you improve while encouraging you to keep writing. This is the kind of feedback we strive for at <a href="http://www.12writing.com/"><b>12Writing</b></a>.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2008/02/make-most-of-writing-workshops.html">How to Make the Most of Workshop Feedback</a></b></div>
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Offering your work to workshop critique is a major step toward becoming a better writer. Here's some advice on how to accept feedback - both positive and negative - as you develop as a writer.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2010/04/choosing-right-online-writing-workshop.html">Choosing the Right Online Workshop</a></b></div>
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There are so many online workshops out there that it can hard to choose "the one" to help you succeed. Factors such as price, time commitment, and your personal writing goals are all important considerations.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2008/02/inspiration-for-creative-writing.html">Inspiration to Keep You Writing</a></b></div>
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Any writing workshop you take should foster the inspiration which fuels your writing.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/2008/02/beginning-writer-workshop.html">Why I Teach Workshops</a></b></div>
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I have long dreamed of becoming a writer, and writing workshops have played a major role in my progress. Here's a look back at why I began offering workshops of my own.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/search/label/workshop">More Posts on Writing Workshops</a></b>
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-77251743829758593482012-08-08T17:37:00.002-07:002012-08-08T17:37:19.193-07:00General Writing Advice and Tips<div align="left">
<b>(Coming Soon!) </b></div>
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Looking for ways to improve your writing? We have compiled some websites that offer you tips and tricks to make your writing life more productive.</div>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-22435736669186189382012-08-08T17:26:00.001-07:002012-08-08T17:26:31.439-07:00Your Writing: Tips for Getting Started<div align="left">
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Hello Writers!<br />
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Here are some links to pages with advice for getting started. There is all kinds of different advice from what to eat to be more creative to different writing prompts to get your creativity flowing. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://creativebits.org/toolbox/what_eat_be_creative">What to Eat to be Creative</a><br />
Eating junk food not only makes your body sluggish, but it makes your mind sluggish too. If you are looking to boost your creativity, look here for some advice.<br />
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<a href="http://www.whatmakesthemclick.net/2009/04/20/5-steps-to-more-creativity-using-brain-science/">Five Steps to More Creativity Using Brain Science</a><br />
Use the tips in the article to work with, instead of against, your brain to become more creative.<br />
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<a href="http://tunkuhalim.wordpress.com/2007/04/13/creative-writing-where-do-i-start/">Creative Writing: Where Do I Start?</a><br />
Getting started is often the hardest part about writing. That's why we've dedicated an entire page to it. Here Tunku Halim shows us how a simple moment, like a man putting a box down inside a coffee shop, can turn into a murder mystery or a romance.<br />
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<a href="http://theblob.org/raina/prompts/">Creative Writing Prompts</a><br />
Feeling less than inspired? This website has 70 writing prompts to spur your creative side.<br />
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<a href="http://stacienaczelnik.hubpages.com/hub/Five-Poetry-Writing-Exercises">Five Poetry Writing Prompts</a><br />
These writing prompts are tailored toward poetry, though you could use them to inspire a short story.<br />
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<a href="http://goinswriter.com/writing-prompts/">The Last Writing Prompt You Will Ever Need</a><br />
Writer, Jeff Goins, claims that you don't need a writing prompt. He claims that prompts are just practice and you don't need to practice anymore. You don't have to agree with him, but he does make a few good points.<br />
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<a href="http://www.writerlylife.com/2010/02/why-that-writing-improvement-book-wont-help-you/">Why That Writing Improvement Book Won't Help You</a><br />
This isn't bashing all writing books and websites, just ones that don't help. This article gives you the knowledge to identify a book or website that is giving you bad or worthless advice.<br />
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<a href="http://harrywolff.com/2011/09/writers-jujitsu-how-to-write-when-you-dont-want-to-write/">How to Write When You Don't Want to Write</a><br />
Being unmotivated about your writing is a problem everyone faces. Read this blog post by Harry Wolff (yes, that's his name).<br />
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<a href="http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-journal-writing/journal-writing-%E2%80%94-11-tips-to-stay-motivated-in-2011/">11 Tips to Stay Motivated</a><br />
Here are eleven more ways to motivate yourself if the previous tips didn't work for you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.chrisg.com/too-busy-blog/">Seven Ways to Blog More Productively</a><br />
Whether you blog or not, these tips will help you write more productively when you do sit down to write.<br />
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<a href="http://naturewriting.com/frideas.htm">Ideas for Nature Writing</a><br />
Interested in nature writing but don't know where to begin? This website has several prompts and advice about nature writing.<br />
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Keep checking back here and to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/12Writing">Facebook page</a> for more writing tips and advice. Happy writing!<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
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<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-63845651576551224832012-08-08T17:24:00.003-07:002012-08-08T17:25:12.625-07:00Publishing Your Work<div align="left">
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Hello Writers!<br />
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This page is dedicated to information about getting published. These links will help you get ready to publish, how to find a publisher, and how to avoid literary scams. Publishing can be a drawn out, ugly process. Let these links be your guide.<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://janefriedman.com/2012/04/18/writing-publishing-terminology-101/"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Writing and Publishing Terminology</a><br />
Here is a great beginner's guide to getting published. Former publisher and current university professor, Jane Friedman, provides definitions for popular publishing terms and tips for how to find the publishing information you are looking for.<br />
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<a href="http://warren-wilson.edu/~creativewriting/coverletter.php">How to Write a Cover Letter</a><br />
Most literary journals require that you send a cover letter in with your submissions. A poorly written cover letter can sometimes cause your submissions to be less desirable. Check out this guide before sending in your work and have a better chance at getting published.<br />
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<a href="http://www.underdown.org/covlettr.htm#1">Rites of Submission: Cover Letters and Query Letters</a><br />
This guide, written by the editor of a literary magazine, may help ease some of your anxiety about submitting your work to a publisher. There are several examples of bad letters broken down to show you what makes that letter bad.<br />
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<a href="http://www.aboutus.org/Learn/9-Common-Title-Tag-Mistakes-and-How-To-Avoid-Them">9 Common Tag Title Mistakes</a><br />
If you put your work online, you need to be able to correctly tag your work so that it shows up at the top of a search engine. This article will help you avoid dooming your work to the bottom of the page.<br />
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<a href="http://www.vistaprint.com/">Cheap Business Cards</a><br />
If you are meeting with publishers in person or are doing a public reading of your work, you may want to have business cards to hand out. Go here to order professional-looking cards of your own design.<br />
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<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B/messages/6461">Listserv for Creative Writing Submissions</a><br />
Use this Yahoo group to sign up for e-mail notifications of calls for submissions, contests, and journals accepting work. Be warned that this group sends out lots of e-mails. It is advisable to direct these e-mails to a special folder or to set up a whole new e-mail address just for the alerts.<br />
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<a href="http://windpub.com/smallpress.htm">Writing for Small Press Publication</a><br />
Trying to get published through a small press is different than trying to get published through a larger publishing company. As the article explains, small presses have to be extremely choosy about what they accept as they cannot swallow loss as well as a bigger company. If you want to get published by a small press, use this guide to help make your work more appealing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.backhandstories.com/">Backhand Stories: A Publishing Blog</a><br />
This blog publishes short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction, and essays from unpublished or new writers. they publish just on their blog, so this is a good way to get your name out there and also a great place to read the work of other new writers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.everywritersresource.com/bestonlineliterarymagazines.html">The Best Online Literary Magazines</a><br />
This page ranks the top 20 online literary magazines according to several criteria including what they do for writers, what they have done for writing, and what they do for readers.<br />
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<a href="https://duotrope.com/">Duotrope: The Online Publishing Resource</a><br />
This is a free searchable database of publishers all over the world. They currently offer information on 4,200 active publishers who publish all kinds of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. You can search for publishers based on response times, acceptance/rejection ratios, genre, or sub-genre. Check it out!<br />
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<a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/advice-for-writers.php">Advice from Salmon Poetry on Publishing</a><br />
The Irish publishing house, Salmon Poetry, has put together a tips about how to get your work published both through their company and others. While you're there, check out the books written by two poets we know personally: <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=220&a=192">Drucilla Wall</a> and <a href="http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=248&a=149">Eamonn Wall</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://www.newpages.com/">New Pages Writer Resources</a><br />
This website is a haven to writers with information and guides to bookstores, publishers, literary magazines, periodicals, record labels, and more.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pw.org/content/network_how_to_use_twitter_to_connect_with_readers">Network: How to Use Twitter to Connect With Readers</a><br />
Getting published is only half the battle. If your work is published in a journal or book that costs money to own, you need to attract people willing to pay to own it. Let's face the reality: popularity and money often go hand in hand.<br />
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<a href="http://www.write-thing.com/2011/02/01/11-reasons-you-wont-get-published/#11">11 Reasons You Won’t Get Published</a><br />
Everyone wants to get published. Some succeed and some fail. Make sure you look at this list of mistakes made by writers trying to get published and give yourself a better chance at succeeding.<br />
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<a href="http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/avoid/av_avoid.php">Literary Scams and Dishonest Publishers</a><br />
Not all advertised publishers are legitimate. This website lists scams and dishonest publishers as well as provides resources for you to report an organization if you feel they have not delivered.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-66427903927255484822012-08-08T17:23:00.000-07:002012-08-08T17:23:14.672-07:00Just for Fun<div align="left">
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Hello Writers!<br />
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Writing is serious business, but sometimes you just want to have fun. Fun is what this page is for! We've collected several quirky, silly, funny, and interesting links about writing and literature. These websites and videos make for quick diversions that not only entertain, but may just stoke your creativity. Enjoy.<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://htmlgiant.com/roundup/things-ive-been-thinking-about-promotion-links-salter-soap-operas-etc/#more-85990"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />A Blog Post from Writer Roxanne Gay</a><br />
Writer and editor of HTML Giant, Roxanne Gay, muses about multiple writing related things in this amusing blog post.<br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=journal&view_type=gallery&ship_to=ZZ&min=0&max=0">Handmade Journals</a><br />
Looking for a new journal? Here is a link to a collection of journals made by artists or small producers for a range of different prices. There are many different different styles and colors so you're sure to find one that you like.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UnfyoTSZZw&feature=related">Neil Gaiman Reading Instructions</a><br />
Here is a good example of how to do a successful reading. This video is both fun and educational in that way. Neil shows you how to entertain the audience both with your stage presence and your writing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-realizations-that-will-ruin-science-fiction-you/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=new+article&wa_ibsrc=fanpage">Four Realizations that will Ruin Science Fiction</a><br />
Cracked.com ruins science fiction for you by exposing four major plot components that all science fiction seems to have.<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/NP74VM1Itdc">B*tches in Bookshops</a><br />
Two women riff off of "N*ggas in Paris" by Jay-z and Kanye and make their own literary parody. Explicit lyric warning.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZSfvHHMr4">Song: I Like Big Books</a><br />
A middle school in Texas, USA does a literary parody of Sir Mix-a-Lot's song "Baby Got Back."<br />
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<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/tag/grammar">The Oatmeal: Grammar Comics</a><br />
Here are some witty and silly comics explaining commonly misused words, punctuation, and literary elements. If you roll your eyes every time someone used the word literally incorrectly or when when you see a comma splice, these snippy comic strips should make you laugh.<br />
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<a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html">The Alot is Better Than You at Everything</a><br />
If you hate it when people make a lot into one word, you'll enjoy this comic filled blog post from Allie Brosh. She takes a normally irritating grammatical mistake and creates a way to laugh about it instead.<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-46250448041211047952012-08-08T17:21:00.001-07:002012-08-08T17:21:06.571-07:00Revising Your Writing<div align="left">
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Hello Writers!<br />
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Revision can sometimes be a difficult and confusing process. Fortunately, we have compiled a list of guides and articles about revising and workshopping. Now matter how difficult the process is for you, remember that revising is just a way of making your work better.<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://cynthia-jones-shoeman.suite101.com/creative-writingrevision-matters-a146268"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Revision Matters: Techniques to Polish a Novel or Short Story</a><br />
Here is a step by step guide about revising your work before taking it to workshop. This guide offers specific examples of things to look for such as "deadly" adverbs or how to notice if you are telling instead of showing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.freelancewriting.com/articles/steps-to-become-your-own-best-editor.php">5 Easy Steps to Become Your Own Best Editor</a><br />
Revising and editing your own work can seem daunting, but use these five simple steps to help make sense of the madness. Once you've learned how to clean up your own writing, you're not only better prepared to improve your own writing, but you will also be a better member of your workshopping group.<br />
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<a href="http://www.infideas.com/leisure/creative-writing/editing.asp">Techniques for Editing Your Own Work</a><br />
Here is another good article about editing your own work. The author includes a list of things that may be damaging the quality of your work and it also has some suggestions about how to edit. The author cleverly suggests using different color pens to correct different problems such as using green only to correct dialogue.<br />
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<a href="http://clichesite.com/alpha_list.asp?which=lett+1">The Largest Collection of Cliches and Overused Phrases/Sayings</a><br />
We want to avoid cliches in our writing, but sometimes it hard to know whether something is cliche or not. This site offers an extensive list of phrases in alphabetical order. If you find something on this list in your writing, you don't necessarily need to get rid of it, but try to put a fresh spin on it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gvsu.edu/cms3/assets/C7078FCF-E2C3-F3DD-7F8E1630561E3F3E/creative_writing_revision_strategies_gg_final.pdf">Revision Strategies from the Fred Meijer Center for Writing</a><br />
Here are a few quick steps to take when you don't know where to start revising.<br />
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<a href="http://www.writingforward.com/writing-tips/tips-for-critiquing-other-writers-work">Tips for Critiquing Other Writers’ Work</a><br />
Working with other writers is a great way to get feedback from people who understand the creative process, but there are a few things to consider when giving others criticism. Follow the guidelines set out by this article and you may find yourself a group of writing friends that will last a lifetime.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2154461_give-feedback-writing-workshop.html">How to Give Feedback at a Writing Workshop</a><br />
Here is some more advice about how to give feedback about other people's writing. When you try hard to help others, they will try hard to help you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/12/13/how-to-take-criticism/">How To Take Criticism</a><br />
If you want to be a published writer, you have to learn to accept criticism. Everyone has an opinion and they are going to share it with you whether or not you ask for it. This article will help you cope with having your work criticized and give you steps to better yourself.<br />
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<a href="http://www.protagonize.com/">Protagonize: An Online Writing Community</a><br />
If you are looking for an online writing community, check out this website. Originally, this site was used by writers wanting to create collaborative pieces but is has expanded to allow you to write traditionally and share you work with other writes. You can post here or join up just to read the work of other current writers. Seems like a lot of fun.<br />
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<a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/critical-analysis-creative-writing-6386320.html?cat=10">Critical Analysis in Creative Writing Workshops</a><br />
This article is about the pros and cons of writing workshops (both online and in-person). This link focuses on fiction/prose workshops but it does mention word choice, which should be of interest to you poets out there. Also, the article includes a list of workshop forums that are available online. Some on the list have membership fees while others are free. Check it out.<br />
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<a href="http://stancarey.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/the-red-pen-effect/">The Red Pen Effect</a><br />
How do you feel when you see red marks on your work? If red ink makes you feel more upset than blue, you are not alone. The color red is associated with anger, aggressiveness, and critiques.<br />
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<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0036042">Font Size Matters</a><br />
This is a research paper about the psychological effect of text. According to the article, larger sized fonts elicit more of a reaction than small sized fonts. This is an important thing to think about when polishing your work.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-2998226725311052902012-08-08T17:12:00.000-07:002012-08-08T17:12:59.195-07:00Genre and Literary Elements<div align="left">
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Hello Writers!<br />
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This page is dedicated to information about genre and literary elements. Not sure how to write a love poem? Or maybe you're struggling to put dialogue in your story. Check out the links below for all sorts of tips and how to's.<br />
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.publetariat.com/write/writing-different-genres-writers-tool-belt"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Writing in Different Genres</a><br />
We use ideas of genre to distinguish between different kinds of writing. As a writer it is good to know the differences and similarities of two styles of writing, such as poetry and narrative writing.<br />
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<a href="http://mindworkscoaching.com/coaching/2011/08/playing-with-words-ekphrasis/">Ekphrasis: Literary Representation of Visual Art</a><br />
It is not uncommon for writers to be inspired by visual art (painting, sculpture, photography, etc.) and to use this in their own writing. John Keats, Williams Carlos Williams, and W.H. Auden all found inspiration in visual art. This article will give you ideas on how to start using works of art as your inspiration.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cthreepo.com/writing/laws.shtml">10 Laws of Good Science Fiction</a><br />
While most of these "laws" can be broken (and frequently are) the author brings up good points to think about if you are interested in writing science fiction. "Law" number four is especially important to look at and is applicable to all genres of fiction.<br />
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<a href="http://www.creative-writing-now.com/memoir-writing-interview.html">Memoir Writing Tips</a><br />
A published memoir writer shares some tips on how to write a memoir that succeeds.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thetrendsetter.org/2007/09/24/creative-nonfiction-memoir-how-to-write-a-memoir/">How to Write a Memoir</a><br />
This is a good introduction to memoir writing. Memoir and other forms of creative non-fiction are growing in popularity. This article discusses the main tenants of memoir and how it is different from autobiography. It also introduces the idea of conventional life writing and experimental.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ghostwriter-needed.com/tips-on-writing-memoirs.html">12 Tips on Writing Memoirs</a><br />
Here is yet another link discussing memoir writing. While the article is aimed at memoir writers, there is good advice for all genres here.<br />
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<a href="http://howapoemhappens.blogspot.com/">How a Poem Happens</a><br />
Several poets share their poems and talk about how they created their poems including where the inspiration came from and how they revised the initial draft.<br />
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<a href="http://poetry.org/termsin.htm">Terms in Poetry</a><br />
Do you know what anacrusis means? You can use this page from Poetry.org to find out the definition to anacrusis and many other poetry terms. The list also has definitions for different schools and styles of poetry so if you are interested in finding and author who writes differently from you, try clicking on a style you've never heard of before.<br />
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<a href="http://transanthology.com/thoughts-on-the-poetic-statement/">Thoughts on the Poetic Statement</a><br />
If you've never written a statement of poetics, or even if you have, take a look at this article. This link is a nice discussion of what a good statement of poetics contains and at the end there are some questions to ask yourself when you are drafting your statement. No matter what stage you see your writing in, writing a statement of poetics can help you focus your thoughts and your work toward a goal.<br />
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<a href="http://www.writersbeat.com/showthread.php?t=4454">The Basics of Free Verse Poetry</a><br />
This is a great link for beginner tips on how to write free verse poetry. It has explanations for abstractions, imagery, syntax, and formatting. It also has little nots on grammatical errors, cliches, and alliteration.<br />
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<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/article/182917">How to Write Love Poetry</a><br />
How do you write a heartfelt poem to a loved one without sounding like a lovesick teenager spewing cliches? Four poets share examples of their love poetry and give advice at how to create beautiful and creative love poetry.<br />
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<a href="http://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-a-haiku.html">How to Write a Haiku Poem</a><br />
Have you ever written a haiku? They are traditional Japanese poems that can often be quite beautiful and may lead you to experiment with leaving verbs, adverbs, and adjectives out of your lines of poetry. This succinct article gives you the basics of haikus, a few examples, a step-by-step creation guide. Check out the reader haikus in the comments at the bottom of the page.<br />
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<a href="http://poetrynprogress.com/2011/02/10/a-verbal-aesthetic-notes-on-spoken-word-poetry/">Notes on Spoken Word Poetry</a><br />
Unlike other forms of poetry, spoken word poetry really only exists when being performed in front of a live audience. Therefore, it has different conventions from written poetry. In this article the author explores her experiences with and observations of spoken work poetry. Its a good starting position if you are interested in poetry slams or performing your poetry in public.<br />
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<a href="http://www.scriptshark.com/script-journal?detail%2FC17%2Fwhat-i-took-from-taken-how-tim-earnheart-wrote-his-buzz-worthy-script-in-7-">Writing a Script in Seven Days</a><br />
Tim Earnheart, a screenwriter, shares his story on how he wrote an a noteworthy television script in just seven days.<br />
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<a href="http://www.webcontentcafe.com/2010/10/10-ways-in-which-social-media-writing-is-different-from-traditional-web-writing/#axzz1uErNjEn8">10 Ways in Which Social Media Writing is Different from Traditional Web Writing</a><br />
A look at how different social media writing is from traditional web writing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.songlyricist.com/lyricorpoem.htm">The Difference Between Song Lyrics and Poetry</a><br />
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It has been said that a song is just a poem set to music, but that is untrue. They are two very different genres and often can't be substituted for each other. Let this article show you the differences.</div>
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<a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/portal/854485p1.html">Integrating Narrative into Game Design: A Portal Post-Mortem</a></div>
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Here is analysis of the narrative writing done for the game <i>Portal</i>. Sometimes it's hard to think about video games from a writer's view, especially when you're busy blowing off the heads of zombies, but most <b>good</b> video games do have a story to them and are not all guns, blood, and guts. </div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">More Tips for Writers</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-77969020918478622132012-08-08T17:10:00.000-07:002012-08-08T17:10:15.236-07:00How to Teach Creative Writing<div align="left">
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Hello Writers and Teachers!<br />
<br />
We have collected a few links to provide you with help and inspiration when creating your creative writing curriculum.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/p/writing-links-tips-on-getting-started.html">More Tips for Writers</a></b></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9652000/9652745.stm"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Can great writing be taught?</a><br />
In this article from BBC news, several professors in the United Kingdom give their opinions on whether creative writing can be taught. In a time where there are thousands of creative writing degree programs and courses offered in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada, this is an important question to ask.<br />
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<a href="http://goodwriterbadwriter.com/2011/08/13/can-writing-be-taught/">Can writing be taught?</a><br />
Here is a similar article written about the teaching of writing. The author is a writing consultant at a university in the Midwestern United States who changes the conversation about writing by asking us to change our attitudes about teaching.<br />
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<a href="http://talkingwriting.com/?p=22530">A Teacher's Opinion on Teaching Writing</a><br />
Kate Geiselman, a freshman composition teacher in Ohio, gives her opinion on whether writing can be taught. Like most others, she gives it a definite "sort of." Her thoughtfully constructed reflection offers some good insight for those of you still working on your teaching philosophy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150519539443917.400366.350631238916&type=1">Classroom Management: Managing Multiple Discussions</a><br />
Our web administrator, Ryan, has created a comical slideshow about managing a creative writing classroom using a collection of plastic animals and a Darth Vader keychain. Laugh and learn (and maybe sigh) as you click through the pictures.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150521871958917.400675.350631238916&type=1">Conducting Small-Group Workshops</a><br />
Another plastic animal slideshow by Ryan. This one deals with how to break students up into groups to do workshops.<br />
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<a href="http://catlintucker.com/2011/10/digital-storytelling-funky-fairytaales/">Digital Storytelling: Funky Fairytales</a><br />
English Honors teacher, Catlin Tucker, shares her experience using technology to teach collaborative creative writing. She gives details of how she used technology to get the students to work together and gives examples of the writing the students accomplished together.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.12writing.com/p/writing-links-tips-on-getting-started.html">More Tips for Writers</a></b><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com">12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</a></i>
</div>
<br />Ryan Edelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758241690217530997noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-13152384248387350612012-07-19T20:12:00.000-07:002012-07-19T20:12:01.674-07:00Link Review: A.D. Jameson's Teaching Creative Writing<div align="left">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This link review covers an extremely level-headed perspective on teaching creative writing while adding one significant detail that could further this link's useful breakdown analysis a touch beyond its already wonderful quality of discussion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Link:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p><a ;"="" href="http://htmlgiant.com/craft-notes/teaching-creative-writing/">http://htmlgiant.com/craft-notes/teaching-creative-writing/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why This Link Was Featured:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because Jameson makes a straightforward explanation of how creative
writing <i>can </i>be taught.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His broken down pedagogical areas do well at demystifying creative
writing as a process and as a field. His emphasis on discipline is down-to-earth
in conveying that writing is work as much as it is play. His attitude is
supportive of students and liberating for instructors. I don’t know about you,
but “What creative writing programs should offer is access to a wide and varied
body of knowledge, as well as the time and space to study, experiment, and
practice.” relieved so much stress from my green teacher shoulders that I put
it on a Post-It note so I could read it every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jameson is fair in putting appropriate responsibilities on
instructors and their students. Students are responsible for how much they want
to get out of a class. Teachers are responsible for providing the space,
support, and guiding knowledge that directs students towards various methods of
creating writing. Even under the heading “It’s Perfectly OK for Student Writers
to Suck Horribly”, there’s still the conviction that anyone can improve their
writing through relevant lessons and practice. As Jameson convincingly shows in
this post, creative writing isn’t just for some gifted few, but for anyone with
an interest and dedication to learn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Grains of Salt:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There isn’t much attention given to teaching the content
side of creative writing. True, teachers can’t make students care, but teachers
can guide students towards discovering what topics and ideas draw personal
investment into their creative work. For instance, asking students a list of
ten things that really piss them off will evoke emotional investment in a
social topic that students can use to fuel their writing. As important as craft
and process are, it’s equally important to investigate the subject matter that
the process and craft are applied to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Overall:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This post on teaching creative writing stands up, makes it
point, and could probably use the space for an encore. I’d love to hear more
about these five pedagogical areas if A.D. Jameson ever decided to write further
on them. It would be nice to see content included with craft, but the fact that Jameson recognizes writing processes as malleable and about knowing various
techniques to use as the time calls for them puts him miles ahead of straight
workshop or rigid process pedagogies.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>emoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13201974360629183541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-43985670655785058732012-07-15T21:27:00.000-07:002012-07-15T21:27:08.560-07:00What Can Creative Writing Learn From Web Comic Communities?<div align="left">
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As of late I’ve been exploring the web comic world. Why? Because there is an artwork being provided to an audience for free and it seems to do well enough to stay afloat. My main resources for this reading and speculation have been from <a href="http://pvponline.com/" target="_blank">PVP</a>, <a href="http://penny-arcade.com/" target="_blank">Penny Arcade</a>, and <a href="http://www.questionablecontent.net/" target="_blank">Questionable Content</a>. The following are three observations that creative writers can note from these web comic communities.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Content is crucial.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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As Jeph Jacques of QC says repeatedly in <a href="http://questionablecontent.net/about.php" target="_blank">his About page</a>,
“Don’t suck.” The comic is central. It has to be good. If we’re creating
something, especially if we want to share that something with an audience or
maybe even possibly make enough money to eat, sleep, and make more somethings,
then the something that we offer up has to be good enough to keep an audience interested.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Besides, if you’re putting all that effort into an art, wouldn’t you want to produce something worth the time, energy, and care you give to it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Advertising, merchandising, or crowdfunding.</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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How do you manage to make any sort of living from a web
comic? Some comics or corporations charge their audience for access to
the comic itself. What I love about PVP, QC, and PA is that the content is
free. Let’s face it: if you’re a nobody and you’re trying to make a living off your art of choice, it’s going to be downright exasperating trying to get
people to buy your work when they have no idea what your work is like or why
they should support you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is why free content seems preferable. Let the audience
see what you can do, because if you’re making a comic or a story that people
enjoy, they’ll come back to read more. If they come back, then there are a couple options for
making money that doesn’t cut off potential audience members from becoming a fan of your work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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First, if you establish a steady flow of sizeable traffic to
your site, you can monetize by putting up advertisements. Maybe
this isn’t the prettiest option, but it’s a more stable way of ensuring income. Plus, you can always orient your page design to minimize the intrusiveness of
the ads as best you can. Advertising is a balancing game of deciding how much money for you is worth how much ad space your audience has to navigate through (and there is a point where ads will
sink your ship rather than keep the waters steady).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other option I’ve seen is merchandise sales. Put an iconic picture on a
T-shirt, write a quippy phrase on a tote bag, or make a plushy animal and all
of a sudden you have a way for the audience to help contribute to creative
production. Merchandise also serves as a way for more people to become introduced to your work
through exposure to those labeled products. This isn’t a guaranteed paycheck every month,
but it is a way to allow an audience to become a dedicated community that more directly supports the artist.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Find your audience.</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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You don’t need to reach everyone in the world or have 100%
approval ratings. You need a niche. Whatever your subject or genre or common
cause is, you need to find the community that is interested in what you’re
providing. This generally means being an involved community member yourself. If
you expect people to come to your story site or your web comic page, then you
need to be out participating on other people’s sites too. It’s not just a
supply and demand chain in this system. You can’t be the mysterious stranger
walking into town and expect everyone to come running. It’s a community so you'd better slap on a “Hello, My Name Is:” badge and start shaking hands.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This isn’t an easy task, and in all honesty, I’m
not quite sure how to do it. The hope is that I’m producing this content and
you’re enjoying it. That’s really it for this stage in the game. Hopefully
you’ll come back and check out the site now and then, maybe leave a comment,
but you have the choice of whether or not to support the site because you're the one deciding if it’s a site worth supporting.<br />
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See you around the interwebs,</div>
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Emily<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>emoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13201974360629183541noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848173541879105971.post-31761053322555318682012-07-14T13:13:00.000-07:002012-07-14T13:13:40.044-07:00Link Review: Five Winning Habits of Successful Writers<div align="left">
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12Writing frequently features links on our Facebook fan page, but why? This is the first of hopefully many future reviews to come that explain what we find so interesting about the pages we share and how we approach these writing resources for ourselves as writers. Not every page is perfect, but many pages are providing amazing information. We hope these reviews will help you get the most out of our featured Facebook posts and be a site for continuing discussion on the writerly subjects that matter most to you.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/guest-posts/five-winning-habits-of-successful-writers" target="_blank">First of all, click here for the featured link!</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why This Link Was Featured</b></span></div>
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Because it’s good advice. Simple as that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Giving yourself permission to write trash ensues that at the very least, you’re persistently writing. The more you write,
the more experience you’ll gain in discovering what you want your writing to be
and how to get the words just the way you want them. Give yourself the freedom and go with it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Watching soap operas or scifi movie marathons isn’t a waste
of time; it’s research. You’ll begin implicitly recognizing genre tropes and
craft patterns that you can try in your own work. It’s important to
remember that, while watching actors can give you an idea of how people move and speak, it’s also another artist doing their
interpretation of a character and not the characters themselves being "real people".<o:p></o:p></div>
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This brings us to the eavesdropping habit. Again, this is very
similar to suggestion two, only you’re going right to the source for
observations and you probably won't find genre tropes. Do this considerately. Observing people in public and
copying down bits of conversation seem to be acceptable practices, but be wary
of violating someone’s personal privacy by using real names or sensitive
information.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The five minute timeouts suggestion was some of the best
advice I’ve read recently. I don’t know about you, but I put off writing so
I can attend to issues of the moment all too often. This step proved to me that
excuses are excuses and any five minutes can be five minutes more writing than
I was getting done before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And of course, rewriting is a fact of an engaged writing
lifestyle. If trash writing is the first step, revision is all the steps you take
up until you call a piece finished. Revision generally takes even longer than initial writing does and so I'm glad that this crucial habit of rewrites made the list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Grains of Salt</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Something to consider with this article is the emphasis on success and winning.
Success is a term to be defined on a personal level. My success might mean
publishing a book of poems. Your success might mean writing 350 daily for the
rest of your life. The goals are different, so the paths to winning those successes
will differ too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also, habit helps, but the creative writing market is a
competitive one. Factors such as networking, publisher selection, and funding
will affect whether or not great writing is a success. Additionally, <i>great writing </i>is a term that publishers
and editors define differently, much like writers should define success for
themselves.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>End Notes</b></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal">
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This article offers some fantastic habits that will mold you
into a further developed writer if you stick with them, but it is not the
end-all plan for monetary or recognized success. Read this article for the
betterment of yourself as a writer, but don’t email Dr. John Yeoman when your
chapbook doesn’t sell. It’s good advice, but it’s up to you to make the most of
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until next time, warms regards and write on,</div>
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Emily</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.12writing.com"><i>12Writing: Write Your Inspiration</i></a>
</div>emoodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13201974360629183541noreply@blogger.com1