Connie Hanstedt’s poem, “The Bath,” was a semi-finalist in Naugatuck River Review 9th Narrative Poetry Contest. It was published in Naugatuck River Review, issue 19. Lisa Small won First Prize for her poem, “Tuesday Appointment,” and Second Honorable Mention for “The Balloon Lassoed,” in the short poem category in the annual Maggi H. Meyer … [Read more...] about Contests and Awards
Clutter, Creativity, and the Writer’s Mind by Lani Longshore
I returned from an art quilt retreat to find my writing space covered with random pieces of paper. I shouldn't have been surprised, because that is the way I left it. Once again, I had succumbed to the oldest lie I tell myself: “I'll remember this later when I have time to write.” Although I had jotted down ideas, I hadn't labeled anything, much less organized it. Silly … [Read more...] about Clutter, Creativity, and the Writer’s Mind by Lani Longshore
How to RUE by Lani Longshore
RUE–Resist the Urge to Explain. Over-explaining is one of the quickest ways to get your readers to skim. The problem is, no one can define how much backstory is sufficient or can pinpoint the exact place to insert it. This is one of the aspects of craft that can drive even an experienced writer around the bend. The last time I read an article about RUE, I remember thinking … [Read more...] about How to RUE by Lani Longshore
Writing Can Be Fun by Julie Royce
Waiting for inspiration is the death knell to writing. If literary brilliance eludes you, don’t give up; write something fun. I have written one crime novel, one historical fiction, and two travel guides: one to Lake Huron’s shoreline and the other to Lake Michigan’s coast. When it’s hard to create a worthwhile sentence, I switch gears to something fun. I compiled a 406-page … [Read more...] about Writing Can Be Fun by Julie Royce
Writing What No One Could Predict by Lani Longshore
Isaac Asimov wrote that it was easy to predict the income tax, but difficult to predict the expense account. Futurists get a lot of things right, but predicting societal paradigm shifts is more akin to magic than logic. Writers could learn from this. We may be creating the world of our novels, but we are bound by our background. When we plot our stories, what makes sense to us … [Read more...] about Writing What No One Could Predict by Lani Longshore
