What do writers do when they are not writing?
Read? Do housework? Twiddle their thumbs? Get in trouble?
While all these solutions are possible, many writers enjoy a day to allow their creative muses out to play in the fresh country air with a like-minded group of writers. And what better place to let the muses frisk and scamper about than in an Upper Bucks County writer’s retreat. Continue reading “Brains, Butterflies, and Writers’ Retreats”
Recently, I found myself binge-watching United States of Tara, Showtime’s now concluded series. I was reminded of the series because May is Mental Health Month and the series deals with the Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) of Tara, wife, mother and artist. It is a comedy-drama, quirky, well acted and thought provoking.
I love this series. Not just because Toni Collette is wonderful as Tara, though she is. And not just because I’ve had a fascination with psychology for, well, my whole life. But because there’s something as a writer I find fascinating in the ability of the human mind to create not only what it needs to survive, but to develop whole personalities, essentially different people, to live in one body. Continue reading “Character Development”
Romances deal with character development while mysteries depend on plot development. The hybrid of the two genres is called romantic suspense which often depends on coincidence to make a satisfying read. However, something vital gets lost when coincidence strays into the realm of the unbelievable ending.
Ann Hood’s recent novel The Book That Matters Most is such a hybrid because it involves so much unlikely coincidence of events. In fact, the book itself combines many tempting devices on its journey to a happy ending. Remember that the romance genre usually ends with the restoration of order to a disordered society and the promise of continued order through a marriage and the possibility of new life. On the other hand, the mystery genre ends with the satisfaction of justice being done to restore order. Mystery often has an innocent pair of young lovers to carry out its eventual hope for order in society.
So where does coincidence come into play? Continue reading “Coincidence in Romance and Mystery”
First, please note the April Writers Guild meeting will take place at 1:30pm on Sunday, April 23rd downstairs in the Cultural Center (Red Barn building), Green Hills Farm, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA.
Departing from our usual third Sunday meeting date, to avoid the Easter holiday, has necessitated a location change, due to an earlier event booking upstairs at the barn. Please enter the building from the lower level off the walkway on the side of the barn facing the house.
Next, we remind all authors of the deadline of April 15th for our Pearl S. Buck Short Story contest. Here is a link to the details of the contest.
Finally, don’t forget to send in submissions to our Literary Journal – Issue 3, Spring 2017. You’ll find a link to the Submission Guidelines here. The deadline has been extended to May 15th. Any questions, please contact Cindy Louden, clouden@pearlsbuck.org.
Looking forward to seeing you at the April meeting, and remember to bring at least 10 copies of any writing selection – of up to 3 or 4 pages – that you would like to share.
It is finished. The puzzle, that is. The writing is never finished.
The writing is truly never finished, never polished enough, never edited sufficiently because the story never fully ends in my mind. The characters and events continue to exist in my internal universe. I am never satisfied because I feel as if I have abandoned my created children on an alien planet without a working spaceship.
That’s why I do puzzles when I write. I need the constant encouragement that there is an end in sight — that there actually is a last puzzle piece to plunk into place, the only place in the material universe that it will fit.
So why do I persist in both endeavors? Continue reading “Puzzles and Writing and the Human Mind”
We look forward to welcoming our current Writers Guild members and new Guild participants for our March meeting on Sunday, May 19th at 1:30pm in the Cultural Center [big red barn] at Green Hills Farm, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA.
Only one more snowstorm this winter – hopefully – stands in the way of Spring. On that note, don’t forget to send in submissions to our Literary Journal – Issue 3, Spring 2017. You’ll find a link to the Submission Guidelines here. The deadline has been extended to May 15th.
Our April meeting, originally scheduled for the 3rd Sunday has been moved to the 4th Sunday, April 23rd, thus avoiding Easter Sunday. Be sure to mark your calendars with this one-time scheduling change. May’s meeting returns to the 3rd Sunday on the 21st.
The Writing Center has many classes and workshops beginning this month and in early April. Visit our Writing Center program listings on the PSBI website to register online.
Our complimentary book discussion groups occur once a month on the 3rd Monday. Read and discuss books by and about our award-winning author Pearl S. Buck.
Concerning stories and poems for our Guild’s critique segment: If you plan to bring copies of your latest writing to share for comments, please limit excerpts to 3 or 4 pages and bring 10 to 15 copies to hand out.
Since we only devote about 10-15 minutes to each selection, remember to put your email address on your work to invite further comments after our meetings.
Become a follower on this blog and get immediate notification of blog posts with links. We feature helpful articles to get you started on your writing projects, and to polish your poetry and prose.
By Anne K. KalerMy plot line, you ask. No, no, I say, I wouldn’t want to spoil the ending for you.
What I am really saying is that I have no plot and possibly no ending and very possibly no novel at all. . . on paper. What serves me as a plot is like an elusive butterfly floating somewhere in my mind waiting to settle down so that I can capture it. Quick, hand me that butterfly net, please.
The mind of a writer seldom determines the entire plot of a piece of prose before the actual writing begins. While the brain may be able to retain knowledge by repetition – think nursery rhymes or familiar songs – the mind does not work that way. Think of the familiar drawing of the brain as a series of connecting dots and lines. Each dot is a separate experience which must reach out and touch another experience to become active and solidified. Continue reading “Plot Lines and Puzzles: How to Master the Craft of Writing”
How can a jigsaw puzzle help you with your writing?
Let’s start with the metaphor of your writing as a boxed jigsaw puzzle.
You already have everything you need to complete the puzzle picture on the box because no puzzle maker would stay in business long if he left out some pieces. Those writing pieces are lodged securely in the storehouse of your brain, just waiting for your agile mind to activate them. So you already have all the pieces within your life experiences.
Just like the jigsaw puzzle box your mind contains all the “pieces” necessary to re-create “the picture on the box.”
But there’s the problem, isn’t it. After you open the box, spill the pieces out on the table, shuffle through them, just where do you start the re-creation process? Continue reading “Jigsaw Puzzles as Writing Strategies”
Presenters: Orlando R. Barone, op-ed writer, poet, author and educator
Jennifer Lin, noted TV journalist and author
Registration is $75 and includes an abbreviated Writers Tour of the Pearl S. Buck’s National Historic Landmark House. Presenters will also read from their works, and have books to sell. A panel of authors & editors will take questions and offer additional writing suggestions to interested participants. Bring your own bag lunch. Coffee, tea, water will be provided. A 10% Discount on Gift Shop purchases is also included. Register for the Spring Writing Conference at www.pearlsbuck.org/writing
By Linda Donaldson
Our PSB Writing Center’s calendar of 2017 workshops, classes, discussion groups and Writers Guild meetings is now always available through the heading Calendar of Events appearing as a link at the top center of our blog. The calendar is organized by date.
To register and pay online for any program, visit PSBI website’s Writing Center page http://www.psbi.org/writingcenter and choose the programs you’re interested in. During inclement weather, we urge you to refer to http://www.psbi.org for cancellation information.
Following is a summary of 2017 calendar:
First, classes that offer something for everyone!
Dates for our 2017 Writers Guild Meetings: March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17 and October 15.
Save These Dates!
Plus two Susan Wagner Workshops!
There are Discussion Groups of Pearl S. Buck’s works held each month from March through October. The Book Discussions are from 2:00 to 3:00pm on the 3rd Mondays of each month. The Short Story Discussions on the 2nd Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:00am.
Welcome back to Anne Kaler, Sue Wagner, Anita Nolan, Sandra Cody and Orlando Barone as returning presenters. We look forward to Janet Ruth Falon’s new course: Journaling and How to use it in Your Other Writing.
We’re proud to offer such a comprehensive list of programs. Three cheers to Cindy Louden for coordinating these offerings!!!
Now, more than ever, we have an abundance of reasons to Keep Writing!
Pearl S. Buck Writing Center 