Category: Memoir

The Hook, The Body and The Twist

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By Linda Donaldson

July’s Writers Guild meeting this past Sunday was full of shared work and spirited discussion. Anne introduced a guest, Lonnie Barone, author, lecturer and editorial writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, who spoke about blogs and opinion editorials or op-eds.

On Sunday, Lonnie told us his simple 3-step formula: a hook, followed by the body or thesis, and the twist. Start by capturing the reader’s interest, tell the story, and end with something unexpected that will make the reader think. You can find Lonnie’s blog under our Resources heading entitled On Blogs and Op-eds. Continue reading “The Hook, The Body and The Twist” →

Creatively Intertwined

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By Linda Donaldson

One constant in our guild meetings is the connections we writers make with each other through our writing. A poem inspires a short story, a memoir fosters several more, or a villanous character’s doppelganger is conjured in another author’s imagination as a protagonist.

Sometimes sharing our personal experiences can create a sort of “network” effect. I have made many references at guild meetings to my recent Daughters of the American Revolution membership and my quest to visit the towns in which my ancestors lived. At our June meeting, Jane Bleam brought in a recent certificate she was given from the Bucks County Chapter of the DAR honoring her for 30 years of dedicated service.

A singular achievement, and one full of years of volunteer work on behalf of our veterans, historic preservation, and promoting patriotism. Jane has written of her childhood in a loving family, a career in nursing and her work with the Girl Scouts. We look forward to stories of her work with the DAR.

I know I speak for us all when I add: Jane, we thank you for your service!

June 2016 Guild Meeting shared 8 submissions

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By Ye Olde Editor,

A sunny day at Green Hills Farm greeted the dozen members of our prolific Writers Guild, who brought eight stories to share! We even received an emailed story from a member who couldn’t attend, but wanted our feedback.

Cindy Louden and I greeted the group and told them that Anne was under the weather, and she would not attend. We reminded everyone to follow our blog, and use the link to submission guidelines for the Fall Issue of the Literary Journal.

Happily for the author, Paul Sullivan is busy promoting his book, The Irishman’s Song. Paul will appear on the radio broadcast of WBCB 1490AM on Saturday, June 25th at noon, during Bristol’s Celtic Days celebration. Tune in to enjoy! Continue reading “June 2016 Guild Meeting shared 8 submissions” →

On A Few Useful Memories

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By Anne K. Kaler, PhD

“Writers waste lots of paper but few useful memories.”

Is that a provocative sentence for a writer? Tony Hillerman uses it to end a paragraph describing how he uses a memory of an actual helicopter ride deep into a canyon as a major action in his mystery Hunting Badger.

Anne Kaler Head Shot
Anne Kaler

If a novelist as skilled as Hillerman can use his memory, why can’t we as writers use our memories – good and bad alike – to flesh out our fictions? Well, we can and we do.  Pearl Buck herself employed familiar touches in her writings to enhance the scenes.  Her children have even recognized several of them and treasured them.

In a way, we as writers inhabit many worlds, some of which are real. One of those worlds lies in our memory bank, just waiting to be withdrawn and put to use in another of our worlds, that of our writing. Of course, once the memory is withdrawn and staring us in the face, it must be transformed to fit the place it will be deposited into our story. That means that we have to revisit just how the memory affected us then and how it affects us now. Continue reading “On A Few Useful Memories” →

How to Write a Book Synopsis

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By Anne K. Kaler, PhD

“Send me a synopsis,” says your literary agent or editor.

Anne Kaler Head Shot
Anne K. Kaler

“Synopsis,” you say, “Sure. I’ll get mine in the mail to you.”

“Just as soon as I figure out just what it is,” you add under your breath as panic scrambles the few brain cells you have left.

And you thought writing was easy?

Do you run to the dictionary to check the meaning of the word?  Do you Google it? Do you call up a writing partner to advise you? Or do you give up in despair because you know that you are going to have to venture into the major leagues of the craft of writing without a bat, ball, or glove. Continue reading “How to Write a Book Synopsis” →