The Powers of Observation

While our son was home over the winter break, the three of us went out to lunch.  As I buttered my bread, I fixated on a family a few tables away.  

“What are you staring at?” asked my husband, Bob. 

Without turning around, my son responded.  “She’s looking at cute little kids.”

“How do you know that?” asked Bob.

“Because of that goofy look on her face.  She always has that look whenever she sees babies or toddlers. She has another one for dogs.”

When Bob turned his body around and saw that Tofer was right, he shook his head in awe of him.

I wasn’t surprised at all.   Tofer’s one of those creative types.  Are you?  Do you notice details that others sometimes over look?  Find yourself picking up on tiny instances, observations, comments, or senses? 

Nurture this ability.  Observe people as though you were watching them as characters in a book or movie.  Listen to their dialogue and find out what is captivating about it?  When does it get boring?  When is it funny?  Don’t be obvious of course, unless in the case of looking at cute little kids or dogs.  (Then you can always tell the parents they have adorable babies or pups.)

Writing Prompts:

1.  Write a scene where details matter to the story/plot.

2.  Write a scene about where you were today. W hat do you remember about it?  Describe it in a slow-down-the-moment way.

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Cool Research Site!

http://www.libraryspot.com/

Library Spot – Check it out!

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Shine with your Photography – Contra Costa County Residents

The Arts and Cultural Commission of Contra Costa County announces a new  Artbeat Featured Section: “Photographs of the Month. ” 

 In an effort to expand the effectiveness of the AC5 Mission, which is to be a convener of the arts, and to make the arts available to everyone in Contra Costa County, we would like to raise “arts awareness” through monthly publishing of photographs submitted by local artists and photographers.

We request and encourage our readers to submit photographs of their art or, artful photographs. Include in your submission a brief description of the photo(s) and any web links that relate to the work. Please limit the number of photographs to four photos per submission.

For the January issue of Artbeat, the submission deadline is January 15, 2010. Send submissions as image file attachments to ac5@a c5.org. 

 Arts & Culture Comission of Contra Costa County

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The Past and the Future

When you were young, how did you envision yourself all grown up? When I was an eighth grader in Wisconsin, our English class assignment was to interview each other and write up the interviews about our classmates in the far-away future space age . . . the year 2000. Someone made a booklet cover with a space ship flying among the stars and we were all set.

As for the article about me, I was to be a teacher, with a terrier, who lived in California.

Although I no longer teach, I did for many years. And the photo of my Yorkshire Terrier, Zoie, is at the right and also on my website. I came to California for college and never left, except for visits to the Midwest.

But as a child I never dared dream I’d be a children’s book writer. That wasn’t an available choice. The closest thing offered on the guidance counselor’s form was “newspaper reporter,” which was of no interest to me.

Fortunately today, young people see authors in classrooms, bookstores, and online as examples of what they may become. There are contests and opportunities for them to become published in magazines, newspapers and even books. So although many of us lament what has happened to the “good old days,”  opportunities have been created for writing and the arts.

1. What about YOU? Write your history of what you wanted as a youngster and how it has differed. Or has it?

2. If you are a student, what do you hope for your future? You can write about your career, or your family, the world situation, your spiritual growth or any topic you choose.

3. How can you help advance writing and creativity today? Can you sponsor a contest? A brainstorming session at your school or library? Start a book or writer’s group?

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Play Find the Blog Post

I’ve gone back into the files and found some topics which might be of interest to students, teachers and writers.   If not, send me comment what you’d like to talk about here.

Action in Writing August 31

Drama and Emotion in Writing  June 12

Dreams and Writing  August 17

Favorite Books  July 27

Game – Play the Universe Writing Game  June 9

Ideas for Writing     June 17

Memoirs – Six Word Memoirs  September 1

Mystery – How to Write One!  June 19

Reference Books  July 31, July 24

And a few personal ones:

Of Death and Humor  June 3, 2009  Saying goodby to my dad

Lessons from a Rat  September 2 and those immediately following and September 25 (with photos)

Australia  November 23

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Love This Comic

http://www.arcamax.com/mothergooseandgrimm/s-653888-257046

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Funniest Book Shelves Ever!

http://www.thisintothat.com/secondeditions.html

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Book of the future . . .now?

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Student Writing Contest

Students! Show off your horror-spooky-writing skills by entering the contest below. Finish a story by R.L. Stine and win prizes for you and your classroom!

http://www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks/games/sweepstakes/get_goosebumps_contest/

(Special thanks to Fatima for finding this one!)

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Students Groan Over Rewriting

This question from Fatima:

Did you like rewriting as a student? Or did you start liking to rewrite as you became an author? Students at school start groaning when we have tp rewrite as essay or story.

I didn’t like rewriting as a student. But usually I wasn’t ASKED to rewrite as a student. (Which means the teachers weren’t asking enough of me!) I only liked rewriting after I had been writing awhile. This is very common. In the beginning, rewriting is VERY difficult. It’s only after practice that it becomes fun and addictive.

I don’t blame students for groaning at all! Most of the time it’s because students don’t know HOW to improve their writing. Another reason is that they may think their story is just fine the way it is. Another reason is they have tons of other work to do too.

I KNOW students have tons of other work to do. However, the “just fine the way it is” reason is NOT true. Lois Lowry, author of THE GIVER and NUMBER THE STARS, says she never reads her books after they are published. Why? Because she starts rewriting them even when they are in book form. She isn’t satisfied even with her award winners! That is a typical reaction from a writer. We are never satisfied our work is good enough and ALWAYS want to improve upon it.

Writing Exercise: Rewrite a story of yours. Ask a trusted teacher, writing friend, or critique group member to read and offer suggestions.
When can you put in the main character's thoughts, reactions, or senses to slow down an important moment?

When does your story need exciting action? Does your story have a complete beginning, middle, and end? Does your character have an epiphany? An "ah-ha" moment where she learns something? Doesn't have to be huge. But your protagonist should change in some small way.

Exercise 2: Enter a contest for a genre you like to write. This is a good way to help your rewriting skills, especially if it has a word limit and your piece is too long. Then you will discover the fewer words, or writing tight, is the best way to write. Each word needs a reason to be there.

Note: I am under a time deadline at the moment so I am rushing to write this blog. I first answered this question under the comment section VERY quickly. Next, I copied and pasted that answer here. I reread it and I thought how I could improve upon my writing. This is a quick example of rewriting. If I had MORE time, I'd rewrite it ten more times!

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