Creativity: The Harmony of Form and Function

In keeping with our theme of conversations on creativity, we've expanded our discussion to include other disciplines. This week we spoke with Milan-based architect Maurizio Angeloni for his take on inspiration and creativity.

AA: Where do you get ideas for your work, and how do you incorporate originality?

MA: In occupying myself with architecture and the work I do, I get inspiration from the very area for which I'm creating the plans and drawings, from the actual form of the land, the morphology, paying close attention to what has been build around it, even in times past in that location. In other words, from the characteristics of the architectural traditions of the region.

AA: Italy is a place with a lot of old and new construction, to say the least. How do you deal with the contrast?

MA: What really spurs me on are the other, less obvious constructions in the area, even those that are old and unused. Regardless of why they were created, I see in their form the possibility of reuse and adaptability for the current needs.

"On a Clear Day: Editing for Clarity and Publication: Part 4"

Welcome to the last in a four-part series on editing your work for clarity and publication. Today we describe, diagnose and offer fixes for problems that relate to order.

Problem: Readers can overlook this problem in short descriptions, for example, a character experiencing spring after the seclusion of winter. Jody can go outside, feel the breeze, see the sun and smell the lilacs. The order of experience here isn't essential.

Diagnosis: Even in this small example, order can improve the scene. For example: Jody opened the door and stood on the porch. The breeze carried the scent of lilacs, and the sun dappled the front lawn. Aside from more-detailed description, this phrasing works better because time and events unfold in a way that allows Jody's experience to satisfy her and the reader's innate sense of order.

Cure: One great cure for disorder is doing a timeline. This works well for scenes, chapters and plots.

There's nothing like clarity for good prose, and in this competitive writing environment, it can help keep writers out of the rejection pile, too.

Here's a great Writer's Digest article on how this works for a novel, "Your Novel Blueprint."

"On a Clear Day: Editing for Clarity and Publication: Part 3"

Welcome to the third in a four-part series on editing your work for clarity and publication. Today we describe, diagnose and offer fixes for muddy wording—a real source of the blues for readers, editors, lit agents and writers.

Problem: Anyone who's read a contract knows what lack of clarity looks like, even if the writer was hoping otherwise. As the word implies, muddy writing is dull writing.

Diagnosis: Big words when smaller are better, long clauses, imprecise wording, mixed metaphors and inaccurate similes all make for unclear prose. Readers come away feeling like they need to clear their heads.

Cure: One way to fix lack of clarity is knowing what you want to say even if you're still figuring out how to say it. Let's start by defining metaphors and similes. A metaphor is a word or phrase that's used instead of another to suggest an analogy, for example, "drowning in money." A simile is figure of speech, often using "like," that compares two unlike things, for example, "cheeks like roses." These tools for writers need to be used correctly (in the right place at the right time) in order for them to function as they should.

As with wordiness, cut unnecessary text, use contractions for less formal prose and expand your vocabulary to make one word count for more. If you're still deciding what you want to say and how to say it, ask yourself what the scene or story is really about. Why did you create it? Then consider how it can be revised to reveal character and advance plot, preferably both.

For a great pro at editing, visit James Scott Bell, or check out his book Revision And Self-Editing (Write Great Fiction).

"On a Clear Day: Editing for Clarity and Publication - Part 2"

This is the second in a four-part series on editing for clarity and publication. For clear communication, it's best know what you want to say and how to say it. Today we describe, diagnose and provide fixes for the second of four common problems that keep writers from publication: wordiness.

Problem: Verbosity comes in variations. Words can be unnecessary, overabundant or repetitious. Repetition can also present as recurring text or scenes that don't add meaning or depth.

Diagnosis: Several ways to spot this problem are confusion, annoyance and, ultimately, avoidance. Readers will lose interest in descriptions or scenes that feel familiar and skip them altogether. If they really get annoyed, they'll walk away. If your trusted critique group or writing buddy has these responses, there's a problem.

Cure: Cut unnecessary words, use contractions, and expand your vocabulary by reading widely and using a thesaurus to make one word count for more. For sections or scenes that recur without added meaning or depth, ask yourself: What is this scene or story really about—why did you create it? How can it be revised to reveal character and advance plot, preferably both at once?

Betsy Lerner, literary agent and editor par excellence shares her knowledge of the subject at Betsy Lerner, Forest for the Trees.

On a Clear Day: Editing for Clarity and Publication

Welcome to a four-part series on editing your work for clarity and publication. There's nothing like clear communication to get a point across. Even writers of literary fiction need to know what they want to say and how best to say it, how to obscure and reveal. For clarity in revelation, we'll describe, diagnose and provide fixes for four common problems that keep writers from publication: clichés, wordiness, muddiness and disorder.

Today we start with clichés.

Problem: Two common clichés types are word choice and plot choice. Clichéd word choices are common because they're easy to write and understand. But to write with style and keep the reader's interest, clichés aren't recommended, except sometimes in dialogue to convey character. Plot clichés, where nothing original happens, are deadly.

Diagnosis: You know a clichéd phrase because you know a cliché. They're easy to spot, especially if you've stepped away from the work before editing (always recommended). You know a clichéd plot choice when a scene or story is predictable. No one wants readers to come away from a piece thinking, "I knew that would happen." Or, worse, "I could have written better."

Cure: To fix a clichéd word choice, ask yourself what you want to convey. For a clichéd plot choice, for example starting a story with someone waking up, conduct a what-if scenario for characters and plot. For characters, consider a possible flaw or secret. For plot, raise the stakes and increase the conflict. This will enhance the characters, too.

To see whether you've written a cliché, visit Cliché Site. To write with originality, visit Writing Forward, considered one of Writers Digest's 101 best websites for writers.

A Poetic Soul: Creativity in the Off-Hours

Award-winning journalist and list maker Jack Sheedy, news editor of the Catholic Transcript, finds the to-do list helpful in keeping him on the writing track, and to fire up his creative soul.

AA: So, what does a working writer and news editor do in the off-hours, especially before a holiday weekend?

JS: Last night, I decided to drag out the old charcoal grill and make myself and the cat some hamburgers. They were delicious, but I had forgotten how long it takes for charcoal briquettes to heat evenly. I was still cleaning up at 8 p.m.

AA: What about the writing side of life?

JS: Oh, I did have a to-do list that included something like “Do some writing,” but it was kind of a vague self-assignment. By the third or fourth day, it had not been crossed out, and so I searched for some old poems I had started. There was one that tried to express something about my father, something that may have something to do with his special brand of selective competitiveness. As I looked at it, I realized I may have a similar failing: a fear of accomplishing something, compensated for by a zeal for accomplishing other things. The poem is still unfinished, but here is how it stands today:

The Man Who Never Ran
By Jack Sheedy

Dad never ran.
It’s not that he moved slowly —
it wasn’t that —
I just can’t see him

in a sprint for the prize,
necktie loosened,
forehead glistening,
gray fedora lost in the wind.
Not my Dad.

Still, there was nothing slow about him.

He walked briskly. Drove fast.
Solved problems quickly. Spurned calculators.
Bought books on rapid math, rapid reading.

But he never said, “Let’s race
to the willow tree” — never tried
to best me, though he could have.
I don’t even know why
this is important —
but doesn’t everyone run, sometimes at least?

Oh, once at the river I was swept downstream,
eight-year-old limbs no match for the current,
and he quickstepped to the bank,
dove in, hustled me to shore, laughed
at our “great adventure” —
then squeezed his eyes shut, lost his voice,
gripped my hand all the way home.

But that wasn’t a sprint — it was an Australian crawl.
Weeks later, at Burr Pond, I studied his strokes,
long and slow and easy,
then jumped in, flailed to stay afloat, moved
arms and legs twice as fast as he did.
It was no use.
There was no way I could keep up with him.

To see Jack in his natural habitat, visit Jack Sheedy.

Writing Nonfiction: Creativity in the Off-Hours

Award-winning journalist Jack Sheedy takes some downtime to refuel his creative juices. Jack's wife is the poet Jean Sands.

AA: As a full-time working writer who also freelances, how do you work writing into your nonworking time, if we can call it that?

JS: I had a golden opportunity this week to get caught up on my writing. My wife took a few days away to visit our grandson in Maine , and, since I couldn't get the time off from my work as news editor at The Catholic Transcript, I had to stay. So, I had some quiet time – ideal writing time. Did I take advantage of it?

AA: Did you?

JS: Well, you know how it is. My wife usually takes care of our cat, Farino, making sure he has fresh water and food and that he has several opportunities to go outside, come back in, go back out, and so on. She wasn’t here. It became my job.

My wife usually prepares the evening meal, or else we surrender and get take-out. Well, I was determined to take advantage of my kitchen privileges to prepare a few dishes I’ve been aching to try but didn’t dare embarrass myself with in front of my wife. One day, for breakfast, I prepared pancake batter from scratch, using a recipe from a copy of The Joy of Cooking I inherited from my mother. I hadn’t done that in years. The pancakes came out just fine. Next time, I’ll make sure I have pure maple syrup, not a two-year-old bottle of corn syrup that was stuck to the refrigerator shelf.

To see more of Jack's work, visit Jack Sheedy. To see Jean, visit Jean Sands.

Writing Nonfiction: Creativity Without Compromise

Society of Professional Journalists award-winning journalist Jack Sheedy tackles tough subjects with a clear, creative touch.

AA: What was the award, and how did the idea for the winning story come about?

JS: Last year, I received an award from the Society of Professional Journalists, Connecticut Chapter, for a story in The Catholic Transcript (May 2008) about a Jewish rabbi whose 1993 book A Rabbi Talks with Jesus captured the imagination of Pope Benedict XVI. Because Rabbi Jacob Neusner was originally from the Hartford area, and since the Transcript serves the Hartford archdiocese, I saw a story there. I drove to Rhinebeck, N.Y., to interview [Neusner].

AA: How can nonfiction writer — a journalist, for example — be creative in a case like this without compromising good reporting or the facts?

JS: The interview was filled with theological terms, both Jewish and Catholic, and I was worried that my readers — for the most part, everyday pew-sitting Catholics — would be bored. I needed a strong headline and lead that would establish a local tie-in and stir curiosity. I wrote the headline, "Native-son rabbi 'talks' with Jesus." The story began: "Rabbi Jacob Neusner grew up in West Hartford, corresponded with the Pope and spoke with Jesus after the Sermon on the Mount. That last feat got everyone's attention. Especially the Pope's."

I could have begun the story another way. I could have written: "Is Jesus a fulfillment of the Torah, the Jewish law? Or is the Torah the final word? That's what Rabbi Jacob Neusner wanted to know when he set out to write about an imaginary conversation with Jesus." I'm bored already. Aren't you?

Visit Jack at Jack Sheedy.

Getting the Words Right: Revising Your Story With Award-Winning Writer Connie Keller

Short-story writer and Tassy Walden Award winner Connie Keller works to make every word count, especially in descriptions.

AA: What is it about descriptions of settings that makes it tough for them to rise above the mundane?

CK: It's hard to use descriptions of place to build tension (without sounding like a cliché—"it was a dark and stormy night"), characterization or advance the plot. But when it's done right—it's masterful.

AA: How do you edit a scene that's bogging down the story?

CK: I was thinking about the editing process, and it occurred to me that even action can get in the way of plot. Today, I was editing and realized that in the midst of an important plot point, I needed to get my characters from point A to point B. And I did so in the space of two or three sentences. Then I realized the action was really just "stage directions," and that the sentences needed to be combined and cut in order to get my readers back to the plot. The action had gotten in the way.

Also visit Connie at A Merry Heart.

First Things: Don't Forget the Writing

After returning from Italy, I did some housecleaning — mental and otherwise — and eliminated a few pretty large, but nonessential, tasks. No sooner did those things get dumped than a bunch more came in to take their place. Amid this daily shuffle — the changes and the work — it's easy for the writing to get lost.

If you're like me, this happens to you, too. But let's not forget that writing is the thing, why we do the other stuff, the editing practice, the classes, the workshops. Not the other way around. Let's make sure we don't lose the forest for the trees. As editor and literary agent Betsy Lerner reminds in her book The Forest for the Trees, "… you will never finish any piece of writing if you don't understand what motivates you to write in the first place and if you don't honor that impulse."

Let's honor the impulse and nurture it, not suffocate it with a thousand things that have little or nothing to do with our calling. Make the time to write, pull it out of the air, wrest it away from the other tasks that swallow whole these short, wheeling days and arm wrestle the time to the ground — and write.

The Saving of a Vacation: 179 Ways and More

Most people would kill for a trip to Italy, but with family and other concerns, this year's visit was less than stellar for us. Still, there were bright spots, most notably revising my novel from my cousin's architecture studio overlooking ripening grain fields of the March region and the Adriatic, and reading 179 Ways to Save a Novel, by Peter Selgin.

The pastoral setting between the sea and the foothills of the Apennines was perfect for seeing problems with the text of the novel that I probably wouldn't have caught in more familiar surroundings. But even if you're not on vacation, check out this helpful book at Amazon.

It's a great help, whether you're working on a novel, short fiction or even nonfiction. Also check out Peter's new blog, Your First Page. Billed as a place to submit for free the first 350 words of your novel, it can be beneficial for other works, too, since many of the same principles apply.

Ciao, e a presto!

In Between Time: Food for Thought and Consumption

Barring volcanic eruptions or other unforeseen circumstances, I leave tomorrow for Italy for three weeks. So, I was thinking, since I'll have limited email access, what can I leave you with for that time?

 

One of the best things I could leave is a roadmap to better writing. To that end, here are 21 tips from Robert Bausch, author of The Lives of Riley Chance, A Hole in the Earth and The Gypsy Man.

1. Be passionate.
2. If you can make it work, there aren't any rules.
3. Write daily.
4. Don't complain about not having time to write. Complain about something else.
5. Never surrender.
6. Last changes — look at the end [of your piece] to tighten all the words.
7. Write with your experience, not from it.
8. Even if you're writing nonfiction, tell a story; don't report the facts.
9. Use different voices for different points of view.
10. Inhabit all your characters, especially for point of view.
11. Don't have character convey what it's your job as the author to communicate.
12. The narrator tells, and characters show; know the difference and when to do which.
13. Get ideas from other books; look for the inspiration, what inspires you. What touches you in a way that nothing else does?
14. Have a deep emotional attachment to what you're writing.
15. About endings — if you're surprised by what's happening, the reader will be, too.
16. Around the middle, a book will take its own direction, and you have to go along for the ride. If it takes you in a different direction, and it doesn't work, then you go back to where it diverges and rework, but let it go.
17. Cultivate the capacity to let go when a work wants to be something other than what you thought it would be.
18. Find out what your own rules are, and follow those.
19. An author is usually not the narrator, or any of the characters.
20. You don’t have to like or approve of a character to identify with him or her. You only have to be engaged in what happens to the character.
21. An author does not put things in a story or poem to stump the reader. What we find in stories and poems—the metaphors or symbols, or themes—come from a waking dream, the author’s unconscious mind at work.

For more information, visit Robert Bausch and my online writing workshop, The Art of Editing in Writing.

"Inner" and "Outer" Story: With Award-Winning Author Mary Carroll Moore

Award-winning writer Mary Carroll Moore, author of Qualities of Light, concludes this week's insights on transitioning from nonfiction to fiction.

AMA: Can you explain the concept of "outer story"?

MCM: If you imagine "outer story" as what happens, where it happens, who it happens to—the great newspaper reporter's questions—"inner story" explores why and what it means. In newspaper writing, we left that up to the reader, many times. We just reported the facts. Now, I was learning to weave meaning (the story behind the situation) into my writing. As soon as I began incorporating "inner story," a few of my short stories were published, even won awards. It took five more years of learning about "inner story" and listening carefully to three of my most interesting characters before I could evolve into long-form fiction. My novel, Qualities of Light, was published last year and has been nominated for a PEN/Faulkner award.

AMA: What about "inner story"?

MCM: The element of "inner story" is what I love most in my writing; it's what lingers long after all action subsides. My journey into a new genre taught me that meaning—in life and in writing—can't be outlined or plotted. Meaning seeps in when we're not looking or planning anything. All we can do is listen for it and be ready to pay attention.

For more information, visit Mary Carroll Moore and her blog, How to Plan, Write and Develop a Book.

For a great upcoming writer's conference, visit CAPA University. Keynote speakers are doctors Henry Lee and Jerry Labriola on "Writing True Crime."

The Inner Story: From Nonfiction to Novels With Mary Carroll Moore

This week, award-winning writer Mary Carroll Moore, author of Qualities of Light, shares her insights on transitions and debunks the myths.

AMA: Since going from nonfiction to fiction wasn't as easy it seems, how did you address the learning process?

MCM: I took a deep breath and made myself a humble beginner again, signing up for Fiction 101 at a local writing school. I studied there for five years, reading voraciously between classes, talking with other fiction writers. I learned that very few of them used outlines. Maybe as a first step, to plot action. But they all talked about the story taking over, the characters beginning to speak to them. Never in the newspaper world did I encounter this.

AMA: Interesting point. What would you recommend for those of us like you who have a journalism background but want to become better fiction writers?

MCM: One fellow nonfiction writer, also making the transition, recommended Vivian Gornick's The Situation and the Story. Gornick analyzes meaning and how it emerges in essays and memoirs. As I read her examples, I finally had a name for the elusive element that makes literature last in our hearts and minds. For want of a better term, I began to call it "the inner story."

For more information, visit Mary Carroll Moore and How to Plan, Write and Develop a Book.

Also visit National Novel Writing Month, voted one of Writer's Digest's 101 best writing websites.

For a great upcoming writers' conference, visit CAPA University. Keynote speakers are doctors Henry Lee and Jerry Labriola on "Writing True Crime."

Learning the Inner Story, With Mary Carroll Moore: A Journey from Nonfiction to Novels

Mary Carroll Moore is an award-winning author, novelist, artist and teacher whose work has appeared over 200 publications. Her latest novel is Qualities of Light. Mary has a particular gift for helping writers find the emotional truth in their work to make it the best it can be. This week, she shares insights on transitions and the writing life.

AMA: What aspects of writing do you find most exciting, especially going from one genre to another?

MCM: An exciting aspect of the writing life, to me, is the option of skating into a new genre. I used to think my twelve years as a newspaper columnist, my twelve nonfiction books, would create a smooth transition to fiction. Was I ever wrong.

AMA: How did you transition from nonfiction to fiction?

MCM: I started writing short stories 10 years ago. Not so distant in form from a compact and focused newspaper column, the short story also has a beginning, middle, and end. But that's where the similarities stop. Not knowing this, I outlined a couple of story ideas, turned on the creative imagination, and waited for miracles. But my characters were flat as if they'd emerged from badly written sitcoms. They moved, they faced conflict, but essentially the story had no meaning. There was more to learning this new genre than I expected.

For more information, visit Mary Carroll Moore and her insightful blog, How to Plan, Write and Develop a Book.

For one the most well-known writing challenges, also visit National Novel Writing Month One, voted one of Writer's Digest's 101 best writing websites.

For information on the seventh-annual CAPA University writers' conference on May 8 in Hartford, CT, visit CAPA-U for more information. Keynote speakers are doctors Henry Lee and Jerry Labriola on "Writing True Crime."

Heart and Mind: Engaging the Reader

Beth Bruno is a columnist, author and book editor. Her first book, Wild Tulips, was published in 2001 and went into a second printing in 2002. Beth is on the board of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association (CAPA) and has worked with numerous literary agents and publishers. Based on her referrals, several authors whose manuscripts she edited have seen mainstream publication. Her eclectic interests have given her broad experience in editing, and she shares two key insights here.

AA: What aspect of the writer-editor relationship is key to the success of working together?

BB: After completing a sample edit, the author and I shape the focus of the editing together. Providing feedback during the process is an integral part of our collaboration.

AA: What do feel is the most important requirement for a book, fiction or nonfiction, to be published?

BB: If the author doesn't effectively engage the mind and heart of the reader, the work probably won't find its way to publication.

Visit Beth Bruno at Book Editing Associates. Also visit Preditors and Editors, a trusted guide for information on publishers and writing services for serious writers.

Visit CAPA University for information on the seventh-annual writers conference on May 8 in Hartford, CT. Keynote speakers are doctors Henry Lee and Jerry Labriola on “Writing True Crime."

Inspiration: Capturing the Emotion

A writer's inspiration has boundless sources, everything from dreams to doing laundry. What makes the difference is how that inspiration gets put to use.

Poet Doris Henderson, author of What Gets Lost, talks about her inspiration and how she uses it. Note the eloquent language of her explanations.

AA: What inspires you as a poet, and how do you put that to use?

DH: Dreams are a wonderful source of inspiration. A woman is drowning, and calling my name. I can't see her in the evening dusk. The water is terribly cold. I strain, I wait, then suddenly the calling stops, and I am alone. "Would you have plunged into that icy water if you had seen her, just glimpsed her? Would she have pulled you under? You walk away, and no one calls your name." It's not necessary to recall every detail of the dream. And you can change portions of it to make the story more effective. The important thing is how the dream made you feel. This is what you try to recapture.

AA: Is there a way to hone the ability to put inspiration to use?

DH: There is the "free write." Write in a notebook every day for ten minutes or so. Write quickly, whatever comes to mind. Do not censor yourself! You will discover thoughts and feelings you didn't know you had: "I wish to be a mountain lion in my next life. A lazy one." These pages can be a source of new poems, or they can just be "warm-up" exercises. Either way, you get the creative juices flowing. It may take many revisions to refine the poem, but the kernel of it is there.

Visit Doris Henderson at Antrim House Books. Also visit the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, for ways to develop your creativity. Also visit The Connecticut Poetry Society.

Inspiration and Ideas: A Poet's Take

Prolific poet Doris Henderson, author of the poetry collection What Gets Lost, has been published in various literary journals and anthologies. She also has three chapbooks: Transformations, Leaving the Plaza and Distances. This week, she discusses the role and sources of inspiration in writing.

AA: What's the role of inspiration in poetry?

DH: Inspiration in writing — certainly it plays a major role. Poets don't plan their work by figuring it out logically ahead of time. It has to be spontaneous, at least in the first draft. Sometimes it comes from memories — moments from childhood, recollections of one's relatives. I see my grandfather sitting with his visiting "little sister," drinking homemade elderberry wine and reminiscing about their past life in Italy, by the hour, completely transported, as though their present life didn't exist at all.

AA: Poets often an original perspective and approach to writing? Where does that come from?

DH: Another approach is to have a different "take," or point of view, on an ordinary experience, like pulling weeds, and it suddenly occurs to you that we are intruding on their territory, not the other way around. What are they thinking? "In June the heather weed and Queen Anne's lace blow their heady fumes. They long to put us all to sleep for just a century or two, with all the engines rusting in the field, sweet William, tiny buttercups sprouting from broken hub caps, wild grass over the dirt-blown roadway, sunflowers over the plate glass windows at the mall..."

Visit Doris Henderson at Antrim House Books. Also visit the Academy of American Poets for more information on this creative genre.

Flexible Flyers: Writing in Multiple Genres

Writer Dawn Aldrich, author of the children's picture book Auntie's House, is working on a nonfiction book for adult daughters of divorce. Today, she talks about deadlines, accountability and audience.

AA: How do you feel about deadlines that also demand a shift in different writing styles?

DA: Now, with the rewrite of my adult book looming over me, as well as composing another children's story, I find myself torn between these two genres. I read last night that writing in multiple genres simultaneously doesn't prove productive. To some extent that's true.

AA: How do you divide your time and writing efforts between writing for children and writing for adults?

DA: While I tend to gravitate to children's writing because it's fun, the adult book stays on the back burner. However, by joining a writers' group that includes some well-seasoned authors and editors, I've received encouragement and accountability to keep up. Writing for my blog, Dawn's New Day, also keeps me in practice and accountable to my adult audience.

Visit Dawn at her blog, Dawn's New Day, or her website, Dawn Aldrich.

The Great Divide: The Challenges of Writing in Multiple Genres

Writer and busy mom Dawn Aldrich, author of the children's picture book Auntie's House, is working on a nonfiction book for adult daughters of divorce.

Today, Dawn discusses the emotional and professional challenges of writing in multiple genres.

AA: In what ways did shifting gears from writing for children to writing for adults challenge you as a writer

DA: Switching gears to write adult nonfiction last summer was a challenge in every way. It challenged me emotionally because I had to relive some painful experiences. It challenged me academically as I researched and read other authors' work on the subject.

AA: What about your writing and the professional side of being an author?

DA: It challenged my writing as I sometimes lost my true voice and bored my reader. It challenged me professionally as I learned the value of being guided by an outline, composing a professional book proposal, learning to handle rejection from publishers.

Visit Dawn at her blog, Dawn's New Day, or her website, Dawn Aldrich.

Writing in Multiple Genres: Challenges and Conflict

Dawn Aldrich is a writer and mother, and the author of Auntie's House, a children's picture book. She's also a member of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association, and is working on a nonfiction book for adult daughters of divorce.

Here, Dawn discusses what it's like to shift gears to write in a different genre.

AA: What is it like to make such a dramatic shift from children's books to adult nonfiction?

DA: Writing in multiple genres makes me feel a bit schizophrenic at times. While my subjects for both my children's and adult audiences are based on true stories, the words I choose, the voice I use and the focus of my writing must be completely different.

AA: What were the challenges, and how did you resolve them?

DA: Writing my children's book, Auntie's House, was very easy. Based on my relationship with my great niece and the days she spent playing at my home, research was minimal. The simple words worked their way out on paper in the child's voice and in rhyme in one sitting. My biggest challenge was coming up with a problem for my character to solve. As my editor explained, without a problem for the child to solve, all I had was a nice little poem. Inventing the problem took some creative thinking and revisiting my own childhood experiences at several aunts' homes. I asked myself, "What made those visits enjoyable or not so enjoyable?" My answer was the toys or the lack of them. Once the problem appeared, the story took on life and not only entertained the reader but also engaged them in solving the problem of the missing toys!

Visit Dawn's blog, Dawn's New Day or her website Dawn Aldrich.

Something Lovely: Revising, With Christiana Langenberg

Award-winning author Christiana Langenberg is not only a writer, but a professor and a very busy mom. Thanks again to Christiana for her fresh, down to earth perspective on revision as part of the writing process.

AA: What is it about the process that you find exhilarating?

CL: Revision is time-consuming, but it's also my favorite part of the writing process. It's where the real excavation of the story takes place. Getting the first full draft hammered out is torture compared to the relative giddiness of being able to have back at it and work that lump of clay into something lovely.

AA: How do you deal with the inevitable distractions?

CL: Because I work full time and am constantly interrupted by students and advisees, and I have classes to teach and student stories/essays to grade, (not to mention children who apparently need to be fed regularly), I'm not always guaranteed a long block of time to concentrate on revisions, so I have to make do with chunks of minutes or hours here and there. In the rare event, though, that I do have a whole day or two to myself, I can definitely spend nine or 10 hours fine-tooth-combing a story and working at my keyboard with few breaks.

For Christiana's compilation Half of What I Know, visit Christiana Langenberg.

Revising Is Writing: With Christiana Langenberg

Here's another post from multiple award-winning author Christiana Langenberg. Also an honored short story writer, Christiana authored the compilation Half of What I Know.

AA: How you approach the revision process?

CL: Usually after I've fleshed out an entire story and it's undergone 10 or so revisions, I start paying attention to the language, the prose rhythm, sometimes even the placement of certain consonants and vowel sounds. I want to be allergic to deliberate alliteration or moments in the narrative where the language calls attention to itself in an "ooh this is pretty writing" kind of way. I figure the lyricism of the prose should feel UN-conscious to the reader. Put another way, the reader should be able to move through the story without overt YOU ARE HERE....DID YOU GET THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT?...places in the writing (language use) and should arrive at the end of the story with lots of reasons to remember both the characters and the prose used to evoke them. I guess I've just sort of outlined my personal philosophy there on the importance of crafting the prose itself and not simply focusing on revealing character and advancing plot.

For Christiana's Half of What I Know, visit Christiana Langenberg.

Wrong or Write: Adventures in Imaginative Writing

Writer, blogger and satirist Lauren Salkin blows open the doors of traditional thoughts on writing and the writing life. Today, she posts on imagination.

"Sometimes there are regrets after I realize the word I deleted, and can't undo, actually fit the phrase perfectly. If only words were like a pair of shoes to put on and get a sense of how they feel in motion. It's hard when words lie like dead weights on the page, with no personality or color. Though, colorful red or green words hurt my eyes and are distracting on the page. It is the way in which the words flow that makes them colorful. And that is a very good reason for tap, tap, tapping the keys. I enjoy hearing the clicking sound. It means that something is happening right below my nose. Somehow, my lips and chin are involved but only through proximity."

"Sound is good for writing, as long as it is comforting and not annoying like the dry cleaning bags. Often when I write I can't see what lands on the page until I look at the monitor. Like dry cleaning bags, writing can also be surprising, especially when a word appears like gobbledygook. Sometimes, I supervise the progression of words and stare at the white rectangle that is supposed to simulate a page. I can make words appear or go away, like an old blouse that hangs in the dark, scary part of the closet with seasonally incorrect clothes. Sometimes, my mind is dark and scary. But, I need to go there at times to air out my thoughts with the tap, tap, tapping of keys. That's why I write, to right the wrong."

For more musings from the gravitational pull of the mind, visit Lauren's blog, Think Spin.

Wrong or Write: On Inspiration and the Writing Life

Writer, blogger and satirist Lauren Salkin blows open the doors of traditional thoughts on writing and the writing life. Today, she posts on inspiration.

"It's a good thing I enjoy surprises now and then. A good game of, 'what's inside the dry cleaning bag?'offers hours of stimulating interactive fun, without commercial interruption. My closet has to be fun, yet orderly. I don't want to waste time hunting for casual clothes and that requires some kind of system."

"I like my closet organized by season. It's hard to find a summer blouse hanging among the winter blouses. Long sleeves have an advantage over short and often dwarf them, unless the short-sleeve blouse is colorful like its spring and summer counterparts. Choosing the correct, seasonally colored blouse is similar to choosing the correct word in a sentence. Placing the wrong verb in the wrong place can really screw things up, as does choosing the wrong pair of shoes for an outfit. Once you've arrived at the office, it's too late. Those shoes aren't going away until the end of the day, when they're tossed in the closet. Words, on the other hand, can go away at any given moment with a strike of a key."

For more musings from the gravitational pull of the mind, visit Lauren's blog, Think Spin.

Wrong or Write: On Organization and Inspiration

Lauren Salkin is a writer, blogger and satirist whose musings blow open the doors of traditional thoughts on writing. This week, Lauren posts on organization, procrastination and inspiration. It's sometimes hard to tell the difference.

On organization:

"Every time I sit down at the computer a message scrolls across my brain, 'Clean out the closet!' I used to think it was a deterrent, but in fact it was a well disguised metaphor. My subconscious realized something my consciousness didn't. Cleaning out a closet is a lot like writing: getting rid of unnecessary items, and then arranging clothing, shoes and accessories into some type of accessible order."

"Even though words aren't color-coordinated or seasonal like a story, a closet has protagonists: new clothes and antagonists: old clothes. The new clothes taunt the old clothes, as do the plastic dry cleaning bags that are annoying and noisy when handled. Sometimes, plastic sticks to my hand, reminding me that I need to pay attention to the clothing inside."

For more musings from the gravitational pull of the mind, visit Lauren's blog, Think Spin.

Working With Editors: Questions to Ask Before Signing Up

Here's the last post in the series on working with editors.

Before hiring an editor, ask these questions:

• How long have you been doing this?
• What's your specialty (fiction or nonfiction, and genre)?
• How much do you charge, and how do you charge (by the hour or the page)?
• What books have you edited? Would I know any?
• Can I give you a four- to five-page writing sample to edit free of charge before committing?
• What's included in your price (character development, plot, transitions, etc.)?

Bottom Line: At some point, all of us work with an editor, maybe more than one at various stages of the work — before your agent sees the manuscript and before publication. So, it's important to understand and make the most of the relationship. Remember that balance is key, and when in doubt ask before assuming.

Working With Editors: The Working Relationship

Here's the next post in the series on working with editors. Today's entry is on the working relationship between writers and editors, and how to make the most of it.

First, it's best to send your best work to an editor, otherwise you waste time and money. Once you polish the draft, here are some tips:

• Referrals are preferable, even in a nonpaying arrangement.
• Problems will arise, so professionalism, even with friends, is key.
• Don't react immediately when you see the corrections, which are likely to be more extensive and different than you thought. Instead, put the manuscript aside for a day.
• When you come back to it, review all the observations before passing judgment. Then test the changes by implementing them. Most often, you'll see improvement.
• If you're still in doubt, write out your questions and review them before sending them to your editor, making sure to use the opportunity for clarity and not to sni
• Each writer-editor relationship is unique, so don't be surprised if your experience differs from that of others even when you're working through a referral.
• At some point the honeymoon will be over, but this can be an opportunity for the relationship to mature. How you handle it sets a precedent for how you'll handle other aspects of the writing life, like reviews and publicity.
• Remember, this is a business — for both of you.

Editors: Three Basic Types

Editors come in various flavors, but there are three basic profiles — development, content or line, and proofreaders:
• In a nutshell, development editors scrutinize for big ticket items: character, plot, theme and transitions. They consider other aspects, too, like grammar, punctuation and spelling, but their strength is the big picture.

• Content or line editors scan for the big picture, but they're looking largely for whether the writing flows, scenes make sense and the story generally works. They also watch for grammar, punctuation and spelling.

• Proofreaders, the good ones, get out the magnifying glass. They're detail-oriented and look for errors you pray don't show up in the draft you send to your agent. Some development editors recommend using proofreaders before sending the final draft.

Editors: Why Work With a Pro?

Writers often opt for professional editors and literary agents often recommend them, especially for first-time authors, because mistakes, simple and complex, are easy to miss.

Simple mistakes (grammar, punctuation, spelling) can be easy to fix, but complex problems (plot, theme, character development, transitions) can be tricky. An editor with knowledge in these areas can be invaluable. So can one with a thorough knowledge of grammar.

Working with a pro can save time, money and aggravation by showing you sooner rather than later the recurring errors that may be keeping your work from publication.

You may want to take your work to the next level, and a professional editor can provide the necessary perspective.

It can be an investment in your future. Writers often invest in master's degrees and conferences, but degrees are expensive and time-consuming, and you may need a more personal touch than conferences allow. A good manuscript edit educates you in areas of weakness.

Although publication is never guaranteed, not even for authors with multiple books in print, your chances improve as your work improves. You can also gain notice from publishers who would otherwise pass on your work because it lacks polish.

Professional editors have contacts in publishing, and many have worked in the field. Not only can they offer wisdom about those relationships, but some also provide referrals if they like your work.

Here's what editor Beth Bruno says: "If the author doesn't effectively engage the mind and heart of the reader, the work probably won't find its way to publication."

Visit Beth at Beth Bruno at Book Editing

Tutorial: Making the Most of Working With Editors

At some point in our calling as writers we'll work with an editor, maybe a professional hired to review our work, or a friend we've asked for help. For the next week, we'll focus on tips for making the most of this relationship.

There's a fallacy about editors that those who can do, and those who can't teach. But good editors understanding writing, the writing process and writers. Many write, too. Your editor probably won't become your best friend, but should strike a balance between professional objectivity and nurturing your talent.

Here's a good example from writer, editor and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association board member Beth Bruno. "Whether editing fiction or nonfiction, I focus on enhancing the author's voice, style, tone and content, always keeping the reader in mind."

Visit Beth at Beth Bruno at Book Editing

Fine-Tuning the Short Story: With Christiana Langenberg

This Word for Words segment features multi-award-winning author, writer and professor Christiana Langenberg. Also an award-winning short story writer, Christiana has authored the compilation Half of What I Know, and a number of short pieces.

In Half of What I Know, Christiana shows the results of fine short story writing, and discusses the challenges of that genre.

AA: What do you find most challenging about writing shorter pieces?

CL: Several things. It can be difficult to follow the initial impulse to write a story and trust that eventually the characters will reveal the plot, etc., to me as they themselves develop.

AA: What types of things do you have to decide?

CL: Point of view (usually first or second for me, though occasionally third) and then figuring out if there's going to be something particular about the way the narrative is shaped can also take lots of rumination (I long ago discovered these things can't be rushed).

AA: Do you adopt any techniques to help with the process?

CL: I try not to talk about stories when I'm working on them because I feel it takes away the energy from the writing. I also do not show any of my close editor/friends any drafts until I'm fairly sure the story is nearly completely finished. I then use feedback to fine-tune certain scenes or images and to verify that the beginnings (maybe more importantly the endings) work. Another couple of revisions later, and the story is usually ready to send out for publication.

For Christiana's Half of What I Know, visit Christiana Langenberg.

Re-Vision and the Cold Light of Reason

Meet multiple award-winning nurse poet Cortney Davis. Also the poetry editor for Alimentum literary journal, Cortney has authored Leopold’s Maneuvers and a number of poetry books. Her latest book is a series of essays, entitled The Heart's Truth: Essays on the Art of Nursing.

An active and working caregiver, Cortney finds joy in the revision process of writing.

AA: Give us a sense of your writing process.

CD: I find that, at least for me, the writing process is one part inspiration, one part making-my-self-sit-down-and-do-it, and two parts revision. I've discovered over the years that I really don't like to write—until I get into it.

AA: That's an honest appraisal. Take us through the process after the initial idea.

CD: I might have an idea or an inspiration, a vague and amorphous "something" following me around, but until I make myself sit at my desk and get to work, that inspiration goes nowhere (and can so easily be lost). And I can find plenty of excuses not to get to my desk: plants to water, bills to pay, floors to sweep, phone calls to return. But when I finally do get to writing—perhaps hours or even days later—-hen the creative process takes over and I'm in another world. Hours may go by, but it seems as if time stands still.

AA: What happens in the next stage?

CD: Once that initial "blob" of writing has been done, once I have a rough draft or two of a poem or an essay printed out, I must let that initial work rest for several days. If I try to revise or edit too soon, I can kill any piece of writing. It's as if that initial creative burst, that fire, has to have time to cool before I can sift through the embers.

AA: That's an important point. We've all ruined work by going back too soon. What happens then?

CD: A few days or a week later, I can return and, in the cold light of reason and craft, re-vision the original work and make it better. Although I drag myself kicking and screaming to the initial writing process, I love to revise. There is nothing better than spending time re-reading, re-thinking, going deeper, looking at sounds and words and sense and taking that initial raw inspiration and turning it into something that goes beyond the first impulse, beyond the self.

AA: Nathalie Goldberg mentions "re-visioning" as well. What happens when you hit a dry spell? Or do you hit dry spells?

CD: Alas, I'm a slow writer; sometimes there are no inspirations, and so I must force myself to sit and stare at the empty page until something happens. There are plenty of times that an idea might arrive, but it falls apart in my hands or I can't do it justice. Rarely, very rarely, the urge to write is so strong and compelling, and a poem comes so rapidly, that it takes my breath away. Those are the shining moments every writer lives for. But, usually, my creative process is a plodding one.

AA: What's your advice to writers in general?

CD: Do the work; let it rest; look again and revise, all the while hoping that all my years of trudging have taught me something: to do the work even when I find it difficult, to have the patience to wait, and to trust that mysterious inner voice that shapes the final product.

Visit Cortney at Cortney Davis

The Essential Writer: Writing as if Life Depends on It

Meet writer Linda Merlino, awarded the Connecticut Press Club Runner-Up for Best Fiction of 2009 for her novel Belly of the Whale. Linda is a real working writer, as in a writer who has two novels under her belt and a third under way but still juggles other work, family and, well, life.

Now crafting her most demanding novel ever, Linda knows the less romantic side of writing and the importance of what used to be called the "perspiration" side of inspiration.

LM: Writing my third book in 10 years does not exactly make me prolific — persistent, maybe, but not prolific. The third manuscript should be a piece of cake, as the cliché goes; but, no, cake it ain’t.

AA: What's involved in writing this book, and what role does daily discipline play?

LM: For one thing, the discipline needed chafes my inner free spirit; a five a.m. start is the key, but not always achievable.

AA: Most of us write, and — meaning we work at other jobs and write, too. What's a good day in the writer's life like for you?

LM: When I am in a rhythm, it clicks — rise at five, dog, yoga, write, work, home, dog, dinner, write, sleep. Throw in, or throw out, the following: fending off life’s surprises, also life’s responsibilities and oh, yes, having a life.

AA: Where does your inspiration come from?

LM: My inspirational thought: Nothing to do but write, write as if my life depended on it.

Visit Linda at Linda Merlino

Strength in Numbers: What Happens When Writers Collaborate

Meet Emmy winner Susie Bedsow Horgan — with a background in drama on Broadway, in Los Angeles and in daytime TV as a writer and producer, Susie was on the writing team of One Life to Live, and was executive producer as well.

Now a life coach whose niche is “designing the next act of your life,” as well as a writer venturing into screenwriting, Susie knows what real collaboration is.

AMA: I'd love to get your take on writing in collaboration—what was it like writing for a daily TV show?

SBH: I think collaborative writing is one of the most exciting ways to write. For years when I worked in soaps, collaboration was a big part of our writing process. First of all, it's always so thrilling to hear other's great ideas; that in itself sparks your own creativity in ways that sitting in front the blank screen can't. Also, its fun to exchange ideas and then to have those ideas greeted with enthusiasm and support. I spent many happy hours sitting around the writers' table with my colleagues hammering out stories and episodes. We'd laugh as we wrestled with the knotty problems unique to daytime television. The experience bonded us, and we are all still friends.

AMA: What about the collaborative writing you do today—what form does it take, and how does it energize you?

SBH: I find that being in a writers workshop also does the same thing. Sharing your writing with other writers who are supportive, as well as knowledgeable and talented, spurs one on to work harder, go deeper and be truer to one's own voice. In addition, I continue to collaborate with a number of different people on different projects. The connection with another creative being is always energizing, exciting and very productive. I love the combination of writing on my own and writing with others as well.

Visit Susie Bedsow Horgan at Get a Life With Susie

Quite a Character: Making Them Memorable

Here's the latest in a series of dialogues between writers — this time with short story writer and novelist Connie Keller of A Merry Heart.

CK: Something in your postcard sparked thoughts about place/setting. I've read to treat place as a character. I understand what's meant by that, but I wasn't sure how to translate it to the page for a murder mystery without slowing the pace. And, of course, I want those place/setting phrases to serve a double function within the novel to create layering.

Then it occurred to me that one way to create place and develop character is to use the different responses of the characters to place so as to define it and create contrast between characters. For example, my main character, who's new to the South, finds it confining and claustrophobic. Another character finds the heat empowering—it fuels her.

AA: You can show the response of two characters to where they live through an occasion where they are naturally together, and through dialogue and scene show how they react to where they are and each other. One obvious way to deal with setting is weather, but there are lots of nuances to southern living, especially for a transplant. Even more interesting is the prospect of a role reversal, if it's organic, where the transplant finds the weather empowering (sick of the cold) and the native finds it a downer (looking for change). The same could occur with other aspects of southern living. The transplant thinks everybody's cordial; the native finds them superficial.

CK: Yes, I think if we really want to show place as a character and still develop our characters that's the way to go. Then place becomes as contradictory and complex as a character. And we can use it to show growth and change in characters as their relationships change. I did a bit of this in the novel (in a subtle way), and I'm really excited to do more and be a bit bolder about it.

As I was thinking about editing this novel and working on the sense of place, I read something by Flannery O'Connor. She has very little pure "place" writing. There are a few "red clay soil" phrases, but not many. Mostly, she establishes a sense of place by character attitudes and writing Southern idiom, which I wouldn't attempt. But there are other techniques, like characterization, I can use to create place. Or even through action and plot. For example, what would a Southerner do/say when a "bad guy" is murdered? That gives me an opportunity to combine plot/dialogue/place (even characterization) all in one sentence.

Show or Tell: How Do You Know?

It's amazing how a simple conversation can spark a line of thought. That happened with friend, writer and multiple Hemingway style award-winner Jack Schmidt. He posed a writing question we all consider: Is it always better to show than tell?

The usual answer, that showing is better, is a point made so often it has lost its meaning. For clarification, here are two examples:

• Stabler stared at the money on the desk. It was clear from his bemused expression there was some interest. [not bad]
• Stabler gaped at the stack of twenties, then wiped his mouth. He looked at me. "What do you want me to do?" [better]

Generally, showing is better because the writer uses detail and more precise language, rendering him or her invisible and making the reader's experience more satisfying. Think of classes where the instructor used the inductive approach instead of lecturing for an hour. As in the above example, showing works best in setting scenes, creating dialogue and moving the plot along through the characters' eyes, preferably all at once.

But one great point made in a recent post is that in writing, rules are made to be broken. Telling usually works better than showing when the writer must convey a lot of information (e.g., back story) in a short amount of space. This can be done through devices like flashback, but sometimes it's best to just say Cal Jones was in prison instead of showing him there.

Ultimately, the test question is: Which technique serves the story best at that particular point?

Let me know how "show versus tell" works for you.

What’s in a Name: “Call Me Ishmael”

Can you imagine Herman Melville's Moby-Dick starting with the line, "Call me Steve?" A dear writing pal and I were talking on the phone last night during our monthly long-distance writing group, and she mentioned something quite profound. She was telling me how hard it is for her to come up with character names: "Then I found this name that when I put it into the story, I said, 'Yeah, that's it.' Then I knew who my character was." Of course, my friend knew who the character was—we were discussing the protagonist, and the first draft of the story is done. But when my friend put that particular name into the story, she not only had the satisfaction of a name that matched the character, but a character who matched the name and whom she now understood in a way she hadn't before. That kind of insight will make editing draft two a lot easier. It also gives readers an immediate sense of the person, or place, they're reading about. After all, a rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but it somehow seems better as a "rose" than "cabbage."

As promised in the New Year, we're sharing links and resources. So, here's the link that helped my friend select a great name for her main character:

Writing World (Names)

If you have a trusted writing site, including your own, to share, send it to Adele Annesi. To put today's musing into action, check out the writing tip at the top of the list, and let me know how it goes.

Want to Keep Writing? Try Editing

It's January, the weather is bad or about to get bad, or worse. Your toe hurts, the cat's rubbed on everything you've just vacuumed, your in-laws are moving closer and closer and closer … You feel as much like writing as getting a root canal. But the quote for this month is right on target. Writing can drive you to distraction, yet it can be a great encouragement. One way to get back into it is to edit something. Not your entire novel, at least not in one sitting, but a scene or short story. If you haven't written in a while or if you haven't written yet today, your first thought will probably be a list of reasons not to. The best thing to do is shut your mind off, like I have to when I consider exercise. Go pull out the piece like you'd pull out your cell or your remote. Don't give it a second thought. Just get the piece up on the laptop or out of the drawer, open it and read. Pretend it's someone else's. Get out your pen or mouse and chip away, one word at a time. That's it. Well, what are you waiting for?