THE ELUSIVE MUSE: Journaling your way to writing

     Journal prompts are a great way to kick off a writing session when you’re feeling uninspired.  We all have days when writing ideas are nowhere to be found, but that doesn’t mean you have to go a day without writing.  In fact, on those days when my muse is being elusive, I like to either work through some writing exercises to stretch and strengthen my writing muscles–or I evaluate my writing goals.  Often, this means I spend time making notes about my writing goals to see how far I've come as well as where I’m going and how much work I have to do before I get there.  

Answer the following questions every day in writing:

Do you know what kind of writer you want to be?

Have you set any writing goals yet? 

How close are you to reaching them? 

What projects are you working on?

Now, here are some prompts to get you started:

10 Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers

1. As a writer, my dream come true would be…

2. The difference between my dreams and my true goals as a writer is…

3. The number one goal I want to achieve as a writer is…

4. To reach my main writing goal, I need to…

5. In order to reach my writing goals, I have done the following things in the past week…

6. During the past month, I have worked toward my writing goals by…

7. Things that have been interfering with my goals include…

8. I can eliminate these interferences by…

9. In one year, I will be closer to fulfilling my writing ambitions. I will have…

10. Write three journal prompts for next time building on what you've already written.

ANOTHER READING; this time with video

Chicago Calling

READ A REVIEW

Review of "Unveiling the Mind"

DO YOU WANT TO LISTEN?

CHICAGO CALLING: READING FROM MY NEW COLLECTION

I WRITE; THEREFORE I AM: Memoir Writing

One of the first questions we encounter when we think about writing memoir is what are the rules?  In other words – how much can we make up?  Can we trust our memory?  Writers and teachers of writing debate these questions often. There are as many answers as there are writers and teachers.  My personal philosophy is that it is ok to make up details, embellish or fill in information we don't remember.   A memoir – as differentiated from autobiography – is a meditation on an aspect of one's life.  It requires interpretation.  Therefore, the small details need not be factual.  However, we do have to write honestly about our lives and we must refine our skills so the writing can communicate effectively. 

What is a memoir?  The memoirist TELLS the story and MUSES upon it, tries to understand its SIGNIFICANCE in the larger scheme of her or his life.  RETROSPECTION is also essential.  An ENGAGING VOICE is very important for the reader to care about the writing.   (VOICE is like the fingerprint: the sentence rhythms, the images used, the linguistic quirks.)  Modern memoirs for the most part try to speak to the reader in a comfortable and INTIMATE manner.  The modern memoir also has many of the characteristics of fiction:  believable DIALOGUE, switching back and forth between SCENE and SUMMARY, controlling the PACE, etc.

Another difference is that most people will write one autobiography but can write more than one memoir. 

Another way of looking at memoir is the way one remembers one's life.  

Travel writing often has the qualities of memoirs and there are many examples of wonderful travel books. 

The difference between memoir and fiction:  the author says to the world – this is true, this happened.  This has an effect on the reader.  When you name something "memoir" you enter into a contract with the reader.  To honor that contract all the raw material can only be what you experienced.  Imagination is circumscribed by the facts.   If for example you conflate several characters to create one, you must acknowledge that in the book.  The same if you compress several years into one.  Don't abuse the readers trust.  

Another characteristic of the memoir is the process of judging or struggling to understand the past.  Judgment does not have to be nasty.  Neutrality is boring.  Self revelation without analysis is boring and embarrassing.  

If you have a writing project and need help keeping up with the work I can help you:

Writing Coach

$50.00/hour

Free 1 hour private consultation

Send me a message and we can talk about what you need and what I can do for you.

LISTEN TO SOME POETRY

Last Saturday I read at an international event: 100,000 poets for change.  Here is a recording :

https://chicagocallingartsfestival.bandcamp.com/track/bones-and-unveiling-the-mind

 

POETRY FOR ALL

     

Summer has left us behind. Leaves are changing colors, falling.  The sky is gray and foggy.  The air is cool and growing colder.  It's the season for poetry.  Let's write some.  Here are a handful of ideas:

1. The hallmark of great poetry is imagery. A truly compelling poem paints a picture and invites the reader into a vivid scene. Choose an image or scene from one of your favorite poems and write a poem of your own based on that image.

2. You’re feeling under the weather, so you put the teapot on. Soon it starts to scream. Write a poem about the sound of a whistling teapot.

3. Write a poem about an inanimate object. You can write a silly poem about how much you admire your toaster or you can write a serious piece declaring the magnificence of a book.

4. The beach, the mountains, the vast sea, and deep space are all great for tributary poems about places. Write about the city you love, the town you call home, or your favorite vacation destination.

Send me your poems.  I'd like to read them.  And if you want feedback, let me know or take the workshop listed below:

POETRY FOR ALL: A WORKSHOP

AT CULTURA IN PILSEN

1900 S. CARPENTER, CHICAGO

FOUR TUESDAYS IN OCTOBER - 7 TO 9 PM

TO REGISTER GO TO: 

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/chicago-latino-writers-4-week-poetry-workshop-tickets-13290838255?aff=eac2