Posted on

Remington Roundup: #Reading, #Writing, #Hosting

Roundup image: 1950s photo of woman sitting at Remington typewriter

March and April were full of conferences, conversation, writing ups and downs, and springtime observations. Here’s your Roundup of links to books, essays, and workshops to keep your mind musing and your pen moving.

#Reading

Roundup image: stack of books on desk

This is a stack of just a few books I’ve picked up over the last several weeks and miles of traveling.

I’ve got novels, a literary journal, a book on Native American medicines, and a book of fantasy fiction about a menopausal werewolf.

I’m gearing up for some major, very interesting, summer reading!

#Writing

Roundup: drawing of online symbol with symbols of people surrounding a paper and pencil

I’ve been teaching a great group of women in my Flash Nonfiction II course this Spring.

If you want to read some of their work (already published–these are real go-getters!), take a look at Gloria DiFulvio’s “Living on a Prayer” and Katie Vinson’s “Stealing Lilacs” on Life in 10 minutes.

This great online literary magazine speaks to my heart, encouraging writers to put pen to paper–just do it!–and start with 10 minutes. Because (as Founder Valley Haggard says) “it’s hard to convince yourself you don’t have 10 minutes.”

Outside of teaching on tiny essays, I’m spending the next several weeks revising my own, building a collection of essays and prompts to (hopefully) publish sooner than later. While you wait for that collection 🙂 you can read a few of the essays to be included here and here.

#Hosting

Roundup image: looking down on open laptop with woman holding coffee cup, phone and journal nearby, DREAM spelled out near laptop

You’re reading, you’re writing, you’re thinking about your next steps as an emerging author.

Hidden Timber Books is offering workshops for authors, with the first coming up soon!

Sign up by May 15th for Anne Clermont’s workshop on Author Websites: Your Calling Card for Readers. You’ll learn what makes for a great website that attracts readers, helps them discover your work, and keeps them coming back.

What’s on your reading & writing docket for Spring and Summer?

Posted on

Grant Yourself Permission to Create

logo for Veritas Rustic Writing Retreat in Permission: typewriter with birds and dates and place for the retreat

In a fews days, I fly out to teach with Elin Stebbins Waldal at our first retreat, Veritas Rustic Writing Retreat for Women. This year, our theme is on Permission.

Early on in our preparations, Elin and I divvied up the days, brainstormed ideas surrounding permission and writing and what holds us back from our own creativity. I offered to present on granting ourselves permission to fail and to succeed.

For the last several months, I’ve dogeared pages in my books, researched articles, saved links to essays; I’ve gathered perspectives and explored the ideas of failure and success.

“The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.”

~ Mary Oliver

image about Permission to create: book open with CREATIVE spelled out on spread of two decorated pages, with keyboard, glasses, and manuscript nearby

In that time, I’ve also been taking a closer look at my own creative aspirations, figuring out what feeds my creativity or what flattens it. I’ve sent out submissions, filed away rejections, quietly celebrated a publication here and there. I have embarked, head-on, into new adventures and wondered (…worried) what it will look like if/when I fumble and fall.

Not surprising, all my prep work to teach at this retreat is giving me insight into my own experiences in failure and success and helping realign my perceptions on permission to embrace both. Every page in a book I mark with a tab is saved for the workshop and for myself; each video I discover to share during a writing activity becomes another message from the Universe to pay attention.

Moving toward the unknown–a new story, the first lines of a difficult essay, a creative pursuit of any kind–is never easy. The journey is filled with excitement and fear, sometimes (usually) a little pain. We make mistakes–we have to make mistakes. We have tiny successes. We experience days when every action seems moot. But all of it–every rise and fall–is necessary.

“Don’t be afraid of mistakes; they tell you what you are trying that you don’t have control over. They suggest that you are venturing into new territory where you’re not yet sure what you are doing. They’re a sign that you are stretching yourself.”

~ Paul Skenazy on Brevity

What stories do you long to pursue? What creative opportunities are you pushing aside because of time, fear of failure, or what your mother would say? What is the risk in letting it pass you by? What is the risk in diving in?

Grant yourself permission; you may be surprised where the journey will lead.

Looking for online writing opportunities?

Flash Nonfiction II: Write, critique. Rinse, repeat. April 7-May 18, 2019. We meet online for 6 weeks and engage with lessons on voice, memory vs. memoir, omissions on purpose, and more. We write, we critique, we don’t stop for the inner editor. While flash nonfiction may not be your main form of writing, working on your short game improves your long. Only a few seats remain & registration closes April 4th. Read student testimonials and sign up HERE.

Study Hall: #AmWriting. Next session: April 7th, 3:30-5pm CST. Once a month we gather online to talk craft, read essays, stories, or poems. And we write write write. By the end of one session, you’ll have tackled 5 different writing prompts–and had fun! Registration is required. For the April session, sign up HERE by Friday, April 5th.

drawing of pencil with words on it saying, "Let's Write." Give yourself permission!
Posted on

Remington Roundup: #Listen, #Write, #Revise

1960's photo of woman at Remington typewriter

Snow, snow, and more snow means time indoors curled up with your next story. This month’s roundup features links to a local event where you can hear great authors read theirs, information on an upcoming online writing course so you can write yours, and details on in-person writing critique groups in order to revise.

#LISTEN. The Stories Behind the Stories

image: kim suhr

The Stories Behind the Stories is a panel of authors moderated by Kim Suhr (Nothing To Lose) at NO Studios, a new creative hub near downtown Milwaukee. The panel includes authors Jennifer Trethewey (Tying the Scot) and Jessie Garcia (My Life with the Green and Gold), and more.

From the Event Page: “Share an afternoon with some of Milwaukee’s literary illuminati…. Laugh, ask questions, listen to excerpts, and find out more about their different paths to publication.”

When: Sunday, April 14th, 3-6pm. Where: NO Studios, 1037 W. McKinley Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NO Studios members attend for free; nonmembers pay $10. Proceeds from the event will help provide financial aid for youth of the Creative Writing Camps and for writers of Red Oak Writing. RSVP online.

#WRITE. Flash Nonfiction II: Write, critique. Rinse, repeat.

The next session of Flash Nonfiction II: Write, critique. Rinse, repeat is open for registration!

image: typewriter with blank page in it and words below: flash nonfiction II: write, critique. rinse, repeat.

This 6-week writing-intensive course dives deeper into elements of flash nonfiction, such as voice and details, and specific elements of critique. We move through lessons and prompts quickly, so there’s no time to listen to that pesky inner editor.

If you love writing short and are looking for inspiration, community, and critique, join us! Information on the course and registration can be found HERE.

When: April 7-May 18th. Where: online. Registration closes on April 4th. Seats are filling up. Sign up soon!

#REVISE. Writers’ Roundtables at Red Oak Writing

Two people pouring over story with highlights and notes.

You’ve listened to stories, you’ve signed up to write your own stories, you’re looking for a place to polish those stories for submissions. Red Oak Writing has a new batch of Roundtables perfect for gathering feedback from peers.

From Red Oak’s website: “Our experienced leaders are published writers who are also actively pursuing their own writing goals. They are committed to helping you reach your writing dreams — big project or small — fiction, nonfiction, plays or poetry.”

You can participate in-person or online. In person sessions run from March to April and May to June, Online schedule varies. Seats are limited here as well, so sign up soon!

When: Begins March 3rd. Where: In person at 11709 W. Cleveland Avenue, West Allis, Wisconsin or ONLINE. Sign up for two in-person sessions at once for a discounted fee!

Now, no excuses….