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What You Missed

Pre-Holiday Sale: Get it While it Lasts!

10/31/2022

 
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Why I Write: Revision is Writing

10/18/2022

 
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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Poetry needs as much revision and editing as novels, short stories, and articles. 
There’s always something in the writing that could be better. That’s why you could find yourself rewriting many drafts before coming to a conclusion that it’s the best it could get before an agent or editor gets their hands on it. 
Sometimes, we have to settle for the best instead of the greatest. And you know what? It’s okay. The important thing is to get through the process of polishing the manuscript. It helps make you a better writer, and that’s what readers want: better writing.
A poem I wrote titled “Seasons” is an example of a poem I would go back and revise. There are a lot of good images, but I feel it needs tightening in the Autumn section.
I’ve gotten a lot of good responses from a poem I wrote for Valentine’s Day called “Veteran’s Wish.” I hope you enjoy it.
                       
You can check out “Seasons” in the Fall 2013, Issue 60  
You can also see “Veteran’s Wish” in the Free Love, Issue 2 on 


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Night Prompt Attempt

10/4/2022

 
Here's my attempt at: In the middle of the night, I heard ___________ outside.
My first thought was to do something paranormal, but I stared at a children’s book, and got another fun idea. Here’s my attempt:
 
In the middle of the night, I heard a rasping sound outside. I immediately pulled my covers over my head to block it, but it didn’t work. My heart pounded with each terrible rhythm against the wall; there was no controlling it. The shadows from the moonlight didn't help, either. Gulping, I mustered enough courage to check the origin of the rasp.
I threw my covers on the floor and slipped on my shoes. When I had them on, the sound got louder. I was amazed that no member of my family had woken from its clobbering, but there was no time to find out whether they had.
I slid the window up and crawled out. I stubbed my finger with the rocks beneath and came face to face with IT! 
Its eyes were large, brown bottle caps. 
Its nose, wet with goo protruding out one nostril. 
Its sharp, long teeth were white like a crescent moon. 
Its wooly fur was messy. 
Its breath was grueling, like onions mixed with ice cream. 
I almost fainted. 
And you know what that thing did? 
It licked my cheek and jumped on me!
 

Writer’s Workshop: Night Prompt

9/20/2022

 
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Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels
Try the following writing prompt: 
 In the middle of the night, I heard ___________ outside.
 Tell what you heard and what you did to investigate. 
 Come back next time for my attempt!
Need more inspiration? Join the News!

Quote of the Day

9/6/2022

 
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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Photo by fauxels from Pexels
​Wishing for something is different from wanting to reach a goal.
Wishing is like dreaming without providing any action to attain it, whereas the goal deals with motivation and a desire to succeed. 
For example, “I wish for a nice birthday.” This doesn’t tell you how it will happen. In other words, you need to be a little specific.
Consider the following: “I am making my birthday a nice event by doing x and x.” Those x’s will help make the goal a success.
If you apply this thinking to writing (or work), you will see that you’re more motivated to get it done.
I, for one, have set a goal to complete my outline for my novel by making sure to add a line or two a day. Then, I can write the thriller brewing in my head.
I didn’t ask myself for much, but enough to get me wanting to do it so I could reach my goal. The reward is a great feeling you’ve been productive. Then again, a nice scoop of my favorite ice cream wouldn’t hurt.
So far, making a goal has helped me achieve a complete edit for my Young Adult novel, write ten new poems, and allow time for reading. Maybe it can help you.
What are your writing plans?

Death as Metaphor

8/16/2022

 
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Photo by Bonnie Moreland from Picography
​Figurative language makes what is literally written to be more interesting. How? Through alliteration, allusion, personification, and simile. The most common type is a metaphor.
A metaphor compares two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” The way to do this is to describe or refer to a thing as something else it resembles.
For example, a poet may refer to a person as a “stone” if they do not show emotion after a loss OR a person could be referred to as a “snake” if they are sneaky and take advantage of others.
Metaphors are powerful tools used in poetry to explain or help interpret ideas or emotions that are hard to describe.
Sometimes, a metaphor can make it easy to identify the language and symbols used in a poem. It can also help facilitate the interpretation of a piece, as is the case for some poets who use figurative language to refer to mortality.
What's one way you use metaphor?  
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Poetry Publications as Writing Prompts

8/11/2022

 
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Photo by Oleksandr Voloshchenko on Unsplash
In case you missed it, here are a few places where my poetry got published. All the themes are different, so they might help prompt a poem or story of your own. Check them out!

Academy of the Heart and Mind: Next, thankful, and Miss You, July 7, 2022
 
Al-Khemia Poetica: I Am An Elephant, July 26, 2022

Spectrum Online: within, stop me, A tree of life, August 5, 2022

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Pet News: Dog Triggers

8/2/2022

 
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Photo by Picography in Wildlife
​Do you know how you could tell which situations might get you upset or frustrated, maybe even hysterical? Well, your dog has 'situations' like that too. Except, it’s our job to make sure we don’t put them there in the first place.
Why do we want to avoid triggering these situations?
For one: it stresses our pets out (even if we get stressed).
Two: they respond by running, barking, or biting the nearest thing available (watch out for the hands!).
Third: many people think they’re at the end of their ropes and, instead of working on the problem, decide not to have their pet (big no-no).
So, what can we do when, let’s say, the person on a bike or skateboard passes right next to us dog-walking people?
For one: don’t panic yourself. It only works on transferring the emotion to your pet.
Two: make sure your dog is secure with a leash, better yet, a harness, so as not to choke them if they pull.
Third: move your dog to the opposite direction of the oncoming person (safely) or cross the street. Sometimes, giving your dog a command helps, such as “Stay,” “Sit,” or “Leave it.” Treat on hand.
If you’re inside a fenced yard, again, don’t panic. Call your pet to you and if that doesn’t work, distract them with something else. Have your dog sit next to you while keeping a hand on his collar while the person passes. Maybe consider placing a fence taller than your pet to deter them from jumping after anyone.
Certified pet trainers at local pet stores or online can assist you if the problem is severe. Always look for options. Many books, magazines, YouTube videos, and online resources are available that discuss this topic thoroughly. A little research goes a long way.
 
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Short Stories & Such: Killing Your Best Friend’s Wife, Draft 4

7/19/2022

 
There was a writing prompt from Writer’s Digest titled: Killing Your Best Friend’s Wife. You had to write about how the character confronted the victim and how the murder played out. Here's my third shot at it:
                                                                           Killing Your Best Friend’s Wife
Harry’s not the kind of close friend one lets down. His idea of a good time was playing chess with the boss’s daughter, frosting in mind. Yet, his wife, Patty, was innocent as a fawn chewing green pasture in the middle of hunting season. Harry couldn’t afford to have her anymore. He had gotten too big. Too corporate. Too stained. And nosy wives were an obstacle.
Harry wanted Victor’s help in killing her.
To Harry’s expectation, Victor agreed without hesitation- not because he disliked his wife, but because she’s the only person who knew Victor’s deepest and darkest secret that could ruin his life forever. The truth of him committing credit card fraud was nothing compared to that. Luckily, she never found out about the hijacked cars, the business computer hack, or cleaning up after Harry. Nothing like that particular secret: participating in her best friend’s suicide attempt.
Harry got all of the materials ready for the big day. He had it all figured out, too. Victor was to pick Patty up from the airport since she traveled to visit her mother out of state. Then, Victor was to deliver a demise to which she would not return.
When the big day arrived, Victor did not hurry to his destination. He first had to imagine Patty dead and remove any small grain of pity from his heart. He envisioned his fingers around her swan neck while he puffed a smoke.  
“Hi, Victor.” Patty put her bags down and gave Victor a quick hug. Little did she know it would be the last attempt to save herself. 
“Hi, Patty.” Victor reached down for the bags and placed them in the trunk. “Sorry, your husband couldn’t make it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he's far too busy at the office.” She brushed some loose hair from her face. “But I’m glad someone took the time to come.”
On the freeway, Victor pictured Patty’s bulging eyes and pale cheeks as his fingers squeezed...
“You know, Vic, you don’t have to just drive on account of Harry. He might be a little bossy, busy, and ungrateful for all you do, but I’m not. I can see how much you have helped him.” 
Throughout the trip, Patty did most of the talking. Even when Victor took the wrong exit, she talked, probably due to nervousness. Her hands shook on her lap when she wasn't using them. And when Victor pulled into a deserted gas station, locked her side of the door, and placed his leather gloves on, she stuttered.
“What are you doing, Vic?”
Tears streamed down Patty’s eyes as she clutched her mother’s necklace. 
Victor placed some drops on a handkerchief. “Don’t take this the wrong way…” and he smothered her mouth with it.
Patty struggled to break free, but Victor was too strong for her petite body. 
“There,” Victor licked her cheek.
She shrieked, and Victor pressed again, snapping her neck, keeping her motionless. 
Victor caressed her face and smoothed out her fine brown hair. 
“Won’t Harry be proud?”

Writer’s Workshop: Message Prompt

7/5/2022

 
The following writing prompt was handed down to me during a workshop.
I went ahead and extended it to include ‘hesitation’ and a title.
Use it to form some specific details about this character.
Could be a short paragraph, story, or the beginning of a novel. 
=) Good luck!
 
                                                                                        A Pointless Game of Fetch
 
A young woman has been waiting by the phone for a while. She hesitates in picking it up. Is she calling someone important? She dials, and the answering machine picks up. She leaves a voice message. What is that message?
Like some nifty prompts? Join the News!
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    Maria A. Arana, Editor

    Hi! Welcome to my blog where you'll find tidbits of interest to me and tips on writing. 

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