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Writer's Crossing
Created September 2002 - Updated September 24, 2002
P. June Diehl, Editor
September 2002
Volume 1, Number 3
© 2002 P. June Diehl
You are free to forward this publication in its entirety.
IN THIS ISSUE:
From the Editor
Feature Article: Poetry, Me?
Inspiration: Back to School
Link for Writers: The Falcon's Pen
Calling All Writers!
September Writing Contest
And the Winners are - August Writing Contest Winners
Writing Classes & Workshops
Classifieds
FROM THE EDITOR
It's that time of year: back to school. Remember those "golden" days? Long summers ending with back to school shopping? The excitement - or dread - of a new school year?
I love school and books and reading. In the summer, Mom would take the four of us to the library, getting books for the next two weeks. She's the reason I love to read, although she sometimes complained that while we read we didn't hear her telling us what chores to do. I believe that she would rather us be reading and miss a chore or two, than to not be in love with books.
Waiting at the crossroads,
June
FEATURE ARTICLE:
Poetry, Me?
© 2002 by P. June Diehl
Come closer. I have a secret to share: I feel uneasy around poetry.
Now, it's out. I've said it. Do you feel the same? Do you feel uncomfortable around the terms used to describe elements of poetry? Do you know how to critique poetry? Have you written a poem but have no idea how to edit or evaluate your work?
Yes, I do write some poetry now and then. I read it less often. Why is that? What is it about poetry that seems so foreign and strange, yet so beautiful and mysterious? What is it about poetry that scares some of us?
Whether you are comfortable with poetry or envision writing it from afar, let's try the following exercises, which will help to guide you along a path to creating a poem.
Exercise 1. Choose a Subject
Choose something you feel strongly about - a favorite activity, a loved one, an article you read in a newspaper or a magazine, a hobby, a passion, etc.
Write down what you have chosen. Try writing your subject with a single phrase.
Examples:
My daughter, Amanda
School age children killing other children
The ocean
My love of crafting
Baseball
My passion for writing
Exercise 2. Using the Senses
With your subject in mind, describe in one to three words some image or theme
about the following:
Smell
Taste
Touch
Sound
Sight
Movement
Example 1:
SUBJECT - My daughter
Smell - fresh spring hair
Taste - salty tears
Touch - bunny soft skin
Hear - colorful voice
Sight - joyous beauty
Movement - fast, jerky steps
Example 2:
SUBJECT - Passion for writing
Smell - tropical breeze
Taste - sweet fruit
Touch - warm sun
Hear - battle cries
Sight - goddess face
Movement - flow of ideas
Exercise 3. Phrases
Write four to eight phrases, expanding on the words you wrote for the last exercise.
Example:
Alien sun warming my face
My fancy is tickled with words
Goddess of my essence
Battle an ancient foe
Tropical breezes moving my hair
My ideas flowing in creativity
Sweet fruit delights on my tongue
Exercise 4. Creating a Poem
Take one or more of the phrases from the last exercise to begin the first line or your first thought.
Continue your poem with another phrase, until you feel you are done. Include as many of the phrases as you wish.
REMEMBER: Poetry doesn't HAVE to rhyme, yet many poems do tend to have rhythm.
* ALSO * There is no right or wrong! Your poem will take its own shape - let it grow. There is no right or wrong; like feelings, your words exist because you exist.
TIP: Try ending each line with a POWERFUL word. Shift the words around on the line. This tends to catch the readers attention and helps to create a strong, moving poem.
Words are your Soul's Desire - Let them speak!
Example:
I write
To feel a tropical breeze shifting my hair,
To experience an alien sun warming my face,
To battle an ancient evil.
I write
To create a flow of ideas,
To tickle my fancy with words,
To face the goddess of my essence.
I write
To entertain,
To motivate,
To delight.
I write
To escape,
To learn,
To grow.
I write
Because it is my soul's desire.
© 2002 P. June Diehl
INSPIRATION: Back to School
Ah - the beginning of another school year for millions of kids!
What memories do you have of getting ready to return to a new school year?
Did you help shop for new clothes and school supplies? Were you excited or anxious about your new teacher and the start of another year in school?
Email your answers and they might be included in a future edition of Writer's Crossing.
writerscrossing@hotmail.com
Subject - INSPRIATION: Back to School
LINKS FOR WRITERS:
The Falcon's Pen: A Writer's Resource
The Falcon's Pen is a visual delight, giving writers some of the best available resources. The website was recently awarded a Writing Tips Award from EditAvenue.com.
Here you can find information on software for writers, resources, publishers, links, and articles. A chat room and forums are also provided.
The articles cover a variety of topics: mystery, paranormal romance, nonfiction, romance, horror, screenplays, sci-fi, poetry, dark erotica, manuscript format, publishing, copyrights, rejection, and writing scams. Each article provides additional links to other articles and information.
Take a visit! You won't be disappointed.
The Falcon's Pen: http://dreamwater.org/art/falconspen/
CALLING ALL WRITERS!
Writer's Crossroads is currently looking for the following:
1. Submissions for the Feature Article section. Subjects might include: Your writing journey, how to articles, creativity, forms of literature, ideas for
getting published, elements of writing, the writing process, etc.
2. Articles that inspire - What motivates you to write, to keep writing? What challenges have you overcome?
3. Ideas for the monthly Writing Contest.
4. Poetry Contest submissions - See September Writing Contest.
5. Short Story Contest submissions - See September Writing Contest.
At this time, Writer's Crossing pays $25 US for an article used as the Feature Article. Payment is made on acceptance. All copyrights remain with the author.
Writer's Crossing is granted a one time right to publish selected articles that are submitted, both in the newsletter and online/electronic version of the
newsletter.
Please send all submissions to:
writerscrossing@hotmail.com
Or to the address in the Contact Information section below.
SEPTEMBER WRITING CONTEST
Rules for submission:
1. Short Story: Open to your imagination!
2. Poetry: The subject this month is - the wind.
3. The limit is 600 words for the Short Story Contest. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines, which includes blank lines. Titles are not included in the word count or the number of lines.
4. You must email your submission by midnight September 30, 2002. Regular mail submissions must be postmarked by September 30, 2002.
5. The copyright remains with the author. Writer's Crossing is granted a one time right to publish the winning submission, in a future issue of the newsletter and/or in the electronic/online version of the newsletter.
6. There will be one winner a month in each category (one short story winner and one poetry winner), if more than three submissions for a category are submitted (See #9 below).
7. Each monthly winner will receive $25 US.
8. The contest is open to all writers who have not been paid for any of their fiction or poetry.
9. If there are under three submissions in a category, the submissions may be rolled over to the following month.
Email your submission to: writerscrossing@hotmail.com
Please put the following in the subject line: September Writing Contest Submission.
Or regular mail:
I Write For You
September Writing Contest Submission
PO Box 1672
Fredericksburg, VA 22402-1672
AND THE WINNERS ARE: AUGUST WRITING CONTEST WINNERS
Congratulations, Sue Borgstad, B.C., Canada!
For her winning submission: untitled
(Short Story Contest)
Congruatulations, Robert Wilson!
For his winning submission: Fibonacci Dream
(Poetry Contest)
Winners will be published in the October issue of Writer's Crossing.
CONTACT INFORMATION
writerscrossing@hotmail.com
Or write to:
I Write For You
PO Box 1672
Fredericksburg, VA 22402-1672
http://clik.to/iwriteforyou
© 2005, 2006 by P. June Diehl
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