March 26, 2009

This evening, two colleagues and I went to 4 by 4 Plays produced by extraordinarily gifted and hard-working Kim McMillon. Powerful plays:  “Under Burning White Sky” by Boadiba; “The Murder of Mother Mike” by Claire Ortalda; “Jack In Ghost-Town” by Gerald Nicosia; “Bathroom Graffiti Queen” by Opal Palmer Adisa.  Carla Blank directed three of the four plays; Hal Gelb directed ” Jack In Ghost-Town”

From the 4 plays, respectively,  I learned something about the people of Haiti; related to the simple question “How are you?”; appreciated Chuck Heinrichs’s portrayal as the aging Jack Kerouac; touched by the messages of a homeless woman.

I am so glad I went. The actors all did a fine job.  Great fun seeing Teasha Gable (related to author Alice Wilson-Fried) and Ayodele “Wordslanger” Nzinga in lead roles in “The Murder of Mother Mike” and “Bathroom Graffiti Queen”

www.penoakland.org

Catch a performance!

Support literacy and theatres.

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009

I just got home from being with 26 writers who showed up to help each other, and, I am still smiling.

Thank you, Marlene, for having created the Writers Forum of Petaluma. What a caring community you have attracted!

Tonight, Mickie, Carol, Jeanne, Malena, Nancy, Claudia, Eva, Elaine, Catherine, Susan, Christina, Connie, John, Janice, Meta, Armando, Linda, Brenda, Nancy, Mona, Dave, Sharon, Karen, Pat, Elizabeth and Marlene all helped me facilitate “Swap Meet/Circle of Sharing.”

These generous writers brought items from the list I had presented to Marlene months ago. Items included: Submission guidelines from agents and publishers; publications that accept unsolicited submissions; info on writers’ conferences, classes, workshops, writing contests; calendar of community events.

What was the purpose of the swap meet? To demonstrate that there are opportunities for all of us to sharpen our writing and marketing skills (conferences, workshops), compete for awards (contests), identify publications or agents, acquisition editors and publishers most suitable for the type of writing we wish to sell; be in the greater community to build relationships and write about the experiences.

Be the Matchmaker for Your Writing:

How to find the “right” agent or publisher (for books) or the “right” publication (for articles, essays, short stories, poetry): Examples: If you write novels for teens, pitch your work to agents or publishers who specialize in selling that genre. If you write personal essays, submit your work to publications that typically publish personal essays. Sending your work to places that don’t have the readership/audience for your type of writing is “rejection waiting to happen.” In other words: “Give them what they want.”

Honoring Instructions:

Whether you’re looking at submission guidelines or writing-contest rules, create a checklist so that you don’t miss any steps. In any competition, the contestants who follow instructions make the first cut. Again… “Give them what they want.”

Be True to Yourself:

What if you don’t want a website or a blog, not even an email address? That’s okay. You don’t want them because you don’t need them right now. Don’t force yourself. When the need arises, then, reconsider. Focus on what needs to be done, right now. If what needs to be done is your writing a letter to a friend who suffered a loss, then, that piece of writing would be the greatest gift you can give to your friend and yourself. If a mentor/colleague/friend says: “Everyone is doing [it] and if you want to succeed you’d better do [it] too!” . . . but your intuition says: “I’m not comfortable with the idea” . . . please trust your inner voice. My motto: I do what brings me joy and light; stress I don’t want.

Reaching Out (not stressing out):

Because we are writers, we can do outreach without leaving our homes.

We can write:

* “Letters to the Editor.”
* Book reviews on Amazon.com or bookstores’ websites or publishers’ websites or authors’ websites.
* Thank you notes to people who have inspired us.
* Tips on how to have fun and excel (in our hobbies).
* About our experiences after attending an event or receiving service (this could be as simple as posting a rating and review on YELP.com)
* on our blogs and post comments on other people’s blogs.
* an article for our club’s newsletter. Offer to write a recap of a meeting (focus on what you gained).

Why do I write?

· To connect with the reader on an emotional level.

· To speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

· To honor the people in the stories.

Why do YOU write?

“Goodnight and sweet dreams” to the awesome members of the Writers Forum of Petaluma who made “circle of sharing” a huge success. I encourage you to do a little outreach with the members who were not able to show up tonight. Ask each other these questions: “How are you doing with your project? What do you need to get to the next step?”

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog

Visit: www.thewritespot.us for more information on the Writers Forum of Petaluma.

Teresa LeYung Ryan’s Tips for Success

In the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world, how does one stand out in a crowd? Building relationships is one key to success in this business. Another key is to know how to translate the themes from your life to your writing and articulate those themes as community concerns. I want to see all hardworking writers realize their dreams.

• Make every word count—especially in your query letter and synopsis.

• Research when looking for an agent or acquisition editor/publisher. Who are their clients? How well are they connected in the industry?

• Learn about the industry yourself. Join organizations; talk to people in the business; find mentors; find joyful ways to network and gain resources.

• Say “Thank you” whenever anyone helps you. Being courteous goes a long way.

• Surround yourself with people who are supportive of your dreams and encourage others to do the same.

• Keep voicemails and E-mails succinct. Use bullet-points when asking questions.

• Follow-through will save you from “I assumed…” headaches.
• Remember that perseverance + talent + business savvy = dreams come true.

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

This is the speech by author Teresa LeYung Ryan at the 2009 San Francisco Writers Conference:

What is fortitude?  Strength of mind that enables One to encounter adversity with courage.

Of the 12 animals on the Chinese zodiac, the Ox embodies that trait. Fortitude. 18 days ago, we entered a new lunar calendar year. The Year of the Ox.

The story goes like this:

When the Buddha invited all of the animals-in-creation to come to him, the Ox was the second to arrive. He was beaten only through the cunning of the Rat who had made the journey riding on the Ox’s back and then hopping off last minute.  But the Ox arrived ahead of all the other animals for one simple reason….the Buddha had called him.

We -the presenters, the volunteers, the  sponsors, vendors, the board members of the San Francisco Writers Conference, BookShop West Portal, and the Women’s National Book Association-we have arrived for the simple reason . . . that Michael & Elizabeth and Barbara & Linda have called on us.

We are here to help you on your writer’s journey. In this industry, we can’t all get there first, but, through perseverance, we can make our dreams come true.

My co-presenter Elisa Southard and I have 3 wishes for you:

• that you’ll have fun while learning this weekend;

• that you’ll make new friends and help each other; and

• after the conference when you’re home working on the craft, that you will summon the Ox and hear him say to you: “Prosperity shall be yours through hard work and fortitude.”

http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog

www.prochoiceamerica.org Naral Pro-Choice America asks:

“On January 22, 2009 – the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade – we are asking pro-choice bloggers to join us for the fourth annual Blog for Choice Day!”

As an American, I honor people’s rights; as an American woman, I honor women’s rights.  I am pro  health, pro family love, pro peace, pro children, pro literacy, pro preserving natural resources, pro marriage, pro choice.  May America move forward, not backward. I celebrate the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade!

Teresa LeYung Ryan here. I’m reading Byron Katie’s book LOVING WHAT IS. Also, I’m watching clips on www.TheWork.com

“The Work” is a simple yet powerful “process of inquiry” that teaches one how to identify and question thoughts that cause suffering.

I see the “process of inquiry” as the answer to live a stress-free life. Fascinating!
The 4 questions and the turn-around. Wow!

Byron Katie asks: “Who Would You Be Without Your Story?”

Since I’m a writer and my job is to write stories, “The Work” is helping me figure out what is healthful for me (the author) so that I can be really alive and write my protagonist’s story with clarity.

Thank you, Byron Katie! My gratitude to Dusky and Toni for recommending the book.

August 6th, 2020 | Author: admin | Edit

 6 August 2020 California

Good day, everyone!

 In Loduskia “Dusky” Pierce’s blog post entitled “Vacations, 2020? she  says:

“Since the whole world is restricted in movement right now with the Covid 19 pandemic, it seems like the perfect time to let our imagination and computer images take us away on a vacation.  We’ll start with spectacular versions of more traditional vacations.  Awesome nature, sometimes with housing we could only dream of getting through Airbnb. Or flying in a drone to get another perspective.  Then we’ll move to oases…because why not?  Online is definitely the easiest way to visit an oasis. Finally, if you are the type, you might enjoy picturing yourself accompanying some of the daring adventurers found in the last section …. ”

To see all the magnificent images in Dusky’s Wonder Site blog post, visit: http://www.duskyswondersite.com/human-ingenuity-category/vacations-2020/

Elliðaey Island, Iceland – image from Duskyswondersite

To see all the magnificent images in Dusky’s blog post, visit: http://www.duskyswondersite.com/human-ingenuity-category/vacations-2020/

Penne, France – image from Duskyswondersite

To see all the magnificent images in Dusky’s blog post, visit:  http://www.duskyswondersite.com/human-ingenuity-category/vacations-2020/

oasis image from Duskyswondersite

Loduskia “Dusky” Pierce’s blog post “Vacations, 2020? transports us to magical places, safe from COVID-19.

For me … instead of  going on “vacation”, I went home to beloved City of Light via Dusky’s images.

Merci beaucoup Madame Pierce!

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For other blog posts from Dusky:  http://www.duskyswondersite.com/

Dusky Pierce says:

“Mind/body approaches such as EMDR and Emotional Freedom Technique are scientifically proven methods that we might use to address trauma or deep emotional wounds.

” … therapy is not only about dealing with problems; it’s also about nurturing strengths. It’s obvious life can be challenging, even tragic. I understand that there are times when no ray of sunshine shines through the dark. In that case, we focus on coping with the problems at hand.

“I also know from my work as a therapist and in my own life that in the midst of the most difficult times, moments of respite, appreciation, love or laughter are often found.

“Thanks to an expanding body of research in how the brain works, we know it’s possible to intentionally cultivate such moments, increasing our inner resources and feelings of well-being. We can literally create new pathways in our brains that heighten our ability to notice instances of positive experience in the midst of the most trying times.”

http://www.duskyswondersite.com/about/

Dear Dusky,

You have helped me turn phobias into joys, grief into insight.

And, your having Dr. Norman Doidge’s book The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science in your waiting room which led me to finding his next book The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity – the stories and resources in both books helped me help my father, friends and myself.

I am forever grateful.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

Love Made Of Heart ®

author Teresa Jade LeYung, mask by Emily O.

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10 Things You Can Do to Manage COVID-19 at Home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPoptbtBjkg

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10 Things You Can do to Manage COVID-19 at Home presented in American Sign Language  ASL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zDpHJdwBvw

For other posts in my blog, please go to: https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog

If you’re looking for my blog posts pertaining to our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity… https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog  look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”.  Please click on that category to get those posts.

Cheers from

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

 

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan is the author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW. Click here for print edition. Click here for Kindle edition. “Reach out, not stress out.”

Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.

Subscribe to  “Coach Teresa’s blog” Click here to start.

The words “Merry Christmas” sound like music, and, I like saying them myself. Yet, those two words also represent hard times for many.

Growing up in the late 1960s Christmas meant reassembling our 3′ aluminum tree, decorating it with silver and gold-tone tinsels and red tinfoil balls. We were new immigrants in San Francisco. One year, a relative told my mother (in Cantonese) to take us to Emporium. This aunt said to me: “Professionally wrapped presents, in bins marked for boys and for girls and sorted by age.” I was the oldest (and had learned English quickly the first year in school–third grade), so, I felt it was my duty to interpret and to voice my vote to MaMa that she should take the three of us to this department store and let us each choose a wrapped gift. So, the next day while BaBa was at work, MaMa counted coins for bus fare and took a ten-dollar bill from the cookie tin (our family piggy bank), bundled me and my brother and sister in wool coats and scarves, and off we went onto the #15 bus. Emporium was one-and-a-half extremely long blocks from the bus stop. Inside the store, my cold face warmed up instantly. We rode the escalator all the way to the sixth, or, was it the seventh floor? Excitement would have been an understatement. I saw tables and tables of presents– lovely boxes, wrapped with Christmas paper, possibly containing dolls or dump trucks or Tinkertoy kits or porcelain tea sets or any number of toys that my siblings and I had seen at the Woolworth toy department.

MaMa did not speak English, but, the signs on the tables did not require knowledge of the language. Big signs: “$5 per gift” and “$10 per gift.” A sick feeling was churning in my stomach. I looked up at my mother’s face. Her expression reminded me of the time the driver told us that he had to return his bus to the yard and that we all had to get off. A saleswoman came up to us. She looked at my mother in a strange way. I wondered if it was because MaMa was wearing a thin coat, not like the other mothers who had big coats, with fur collars. “Merry Christmas,” the woman said. I had my smarts that moment. “Let’s go,” I said to my siblings. I led the way as we descended the escalator, all the way to the first floor. “Woolworth’s toys are better,” I said to our mother. She smiled. That sickly feeling in my gut was gone.

Looking back . . . we were poor, but, we three children never had to wear tattered clothes or shiver inside our apartment or go to bed hungry. BaBa had a job and MaMa was home for us.

I’ve been fortunate. Many families haven’t been. Many families still are not. I salute organizations that help families-in-need. Local. Statewide. National. International. Do you know about others?

• FESCO — the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition — is a nonprofit organization comprised of over 30 churches and community members in the Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo and San Leandro, California area…reaching out to serve homeless families with food, shelter, clothing, counseling and links to community resources. http://www.fescofamilyshelter.org/

• Western Service Workers Association 510-832-2111 Oakland, CA. WSWA helps thousands of low-income workers during the holiday season with “Pledge A Turkey Campaign”

• CARE’s Work Last year, CARE programs improved the lives of more than 55 million people in 66 countries. CARE not only feeds the hungry, we also help tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change. http://we.care.org
  
  

Cheers to the heroic folks at these organizations! Christmas is just the beginning of winter. May we all be fortunate and continue helping our communities through winter and into following seasons.

December 1, 2008

by Teresa LeYung Ryan

I was eight years old when my parents, my siblings and I came to the United States. An older cousin (who was born in California) gave me a picture-dictionary. “A” for apple, “B” for bus, “C” for cat, etc. I learned those words by listening to my cousin enunciate them. My first day of school (third grade in San Francisco) was a memorable experience. I was too scared to say anything, so, the other children laughed at me. Their laughter compelled me to learn English with urgency. By the time I entered fourth grade, the teacher couldn’t tell that I was a new immigrant.

However, mastering the language wasn’t that easy. My first language is Cantonese; there are no verb tenses in the Chinese language. In Chinese, we would say: I eat today; I eat yesterday; I eat tomorrow. In English: I eat today; I ate yesterday; I will eat tomorrow. Also, I had to remember to add “s” after the verb when the verb is used with third-person singular: He/She eats today; he/she ate yesterday; he/she will eat tomorrow.

And, the English language has many idioms. Idioms are common phrases that usually do not make sense when you translate the strong of words. Examples: “Keep an eye out” which means “watch for …” (I thought it was “keep both eyes out” and my friends would laugh); “Hold your horses” which means “be patient” (not “hold on to your horses” which invited more laughs.)

http://www.idiomsite.com/ is a useful website to learn English idioms. Be careful though; using idioms with someone who is not familiar with idioms could create misunderstandings. I’ve been speaking English for over forty years and sometimes I still have to ask: “What do you mean?”

My biggest advice to ESL students:

• Connect with nature. Even if you and I don’t speak the same language, we have something in common–we appreciate the gifts from nature. So, go for a walk in the park/on a trail, visit a garden, sit near the ocean or under a tree; there’s something for everyone.

• Watch DVDs and turn on the subtitle feature (choose English of course) so that you can see the spelling of words while listening to them.

I welcome your advice to fellow ESL students. Please post your comments on this blog. Thank you.

www.LoveMadeofHeart.com

Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart, shares a personal story.

“Memorable Voices in Books” was first published in the September 2006 issue of Women’s Voices, the feminist newspaper by, for, and about women, published monthly in Sonoma County, California.

“MEMORABLE VOICES IN BOOKS”

A girl offers her own life in order to save her father’s when he is condemned to death for stealing a rose. She goes to the castle where the beast lives and speaks to him in spite of her fears. That [ Beauty and the Beast ] was the story that pulled me into the world of books when I was ten years old, an immigrant from Hong Kong who had not known a word of English just two years earlier. I was the oldest of three, and oftentimes I served as translator for my parents. What started out as a fun role for me soon became a burden.

Why couldn’t they speak for themselves? Why did I have to embarrass myself, asking a sales clerk at Woolworth’s whether they could lower the price of a pair of shoes when I knew that employees could not grant such requests? There were times when my parents did speak for themselves. I was more ashamed than embarrassed when they opened their mouths. They couldn’t get the “r” sound right or they would leave out the last consonant in words. “R” would sound like “L” so that “right” would come out as “ligh.” Thank goodness they never said “flied lice,” but then, they would never order that at a Chinese Restaurant since fried rice meant second or third-day old rice.

Sometimes I felt sorry for my parents, especially for my mother. While my father had the cocoon of working at a factory where his boss and coworkers all spoke Chinese, my mother did not have that sense of community. I saw how native speakers looked at her—at department stores, at clinics, at the donut shop. She didn’t speak like they did. I felt their contempt. Do I reclaim her dignity by speaking for her or do I side with the scornful critic? I chose the latter.

One day during summer break, I was grocery shopping at Safeway for my mother. [Back then, stores didn't have the hand baskets or check-out lanes for "10 items or less."] I was not about to push a cart; only housewives pushed carts. What if a classmate saw me?

A loaf of Wonder bread, half gallon of milk, a carton of eggs, and a bunch of bananas—that was the shopping list my mother dictated to me. And, she said I could buy a candy bar for myself.

The line was long and slow-moving; I had the five items in my two arms. I dropped the Snickers bar. When I dropped it a second time, that’s when a brilliant idea came to me. If I put the candy inside the bag of bananas, I would have only four items to corral. Then, at the check-out counter, I’d pull out the Snickers bar.

I was third in line. But, what time is it? I was wondering. My favorite television show, Dark Shadows, about a vampire living in a quiet town in Maine, was about to start any minute. I was now second in line. The woman ahead of me had a cartful of frozen dinners, sodas, paper products, and a TV Guide. After the clerk rang up the sale, the woman plopped her heavy purse on the counter, dug her hand inside and pulled out her checkbook. “How much was it again?” she asked the clerk. “What’s today’s date?”

She’s going to make me miss the first part of the show. The carton of milk was slipping from my grip. I shifted my weight to prevent it from falling. That’s when the candy bar fell out of the bag.

“Thief,” the woman screeched. Her checkbook fell to the ground, next to my reward for doing a good deed for my mother.

I couldn’t believe my ears. She thought I was stealing candy?

She bent down to pick up her checkbook and my Snickers bar. She shook her head disapprovingly and released a puff of air.

In my head, I had so much to say and I wanted to say it loudly so that everyone in line would hear my defense. To my shock, not a word came out. I couldn’t speak.

When I got home, Dark Shadows had already started. Barnabas Collins had turned into a bat and was flying into Victoria’s room. I put the groceries away. The milk went on the top shelf and the eggs went into the cups inside the refrigerator door. Even though I had paid for the candy bar, I didn’t want to eat it anymore. I threw it into the garbage can and covered it with the empty egg carton.

In the living room, when my mother asked me if I had gotten a treat for myself, I nodded yes.

Later that day I wondered what would have happened if I’d told my mother about the accusation. Would she have gone back to the store with me and yelled at the clerk for letting that other shopper shame me?

Almost forty years have passed. I love stories with feisty protagonists—from Lucy Honeychurch, in E. M. Forster’s A Room with a View, who had no inhibitions when voicing her opinions—to young Maxine, in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior, who became so angry that she lost her voice.

I write about feisty women now—they start out not sure of themselves, and along the way they gain courage.

I often think about the story that captured my heart so long ago—the one about the daughter who spoke in her father’s defense. And I remember the incident at the grocery store when no one spoke up for me. My hope is that my stories do give voice, that they speak for people who cannot speak for themselves.

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

Do you have a similar experience to share? You can click on ‘comment,’ type your story, include your blog address, then click ‘submit comment.’ Thank you!

Cyberspace Coach Linda Lee reminds us the vitality of blogs.

Plot Coach and Author Martha Alderson asked me to blog about building a platform/promoting novels.

Read blog comment

Martha, thank you for posting this subject. Promoting a novel or memoir is a major challenge because unless you are already a best-selling author or your publisher has committed a six-figure marketing budget for your book, how do you give your book the attention it deserves?

I remember how excited I was when my mother-daughter novel Love Made of Heart was released by New York publisher Kensington. Although I landed readings/signings at bookstores (through friends’ and colleagues’ help), I soon received this response from media folks: “We can’t interview/invite you. Not interested in novels…”

Then, Elisa Southard (non-fiction author and PR coach) came along. She said: “YOU are bigger than your book. What are the ‘issues’ in your novel?”

Then, Anny Cleven (Area Marketing Director at Borders Books) reminded me that I was shedding light on ‘mental illness’ and ‘domestic violence’ in the Asian-American community.

Kim McMillon, friend and colleague, pitched me to be a guest on KPIX “Bay Sunday” when she saw that I was ready to speak out on the issues. I became Teresa LeYung Ryan who advocates compassion for mental illness and the author who helps survivors of family violence find their own voices.

Now that I’m a career coach for writers, I encourage all my clients to build their platforms by articulating the themes in their stories as community/national/global concerns.

So, after you have used the tools from Blockbuster Plots to structure your story and you have the first draft of your project, look for the issues or self-help elements to weave what Martha Alderson calls “thematic significance.”

Writers who have spent years working on their books (fiction or non-fiction) deserve recognition for their dedication. I want to see all diligent writers shed light on “the issues” and thus speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Happy Writing!

Teresa LeYung Ryan

author of Love Made of Heart

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

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Nina Amir of Write Non-Fiction in November asked me to blog about “How to Make Your Manuscript Compelling” and so I wrote “How to Look at Your Manuscript with an Editor’s Lens”

How to Look at Your Manuscript with an Editor’s Lens

By Teresa LeYung Ryan

Manuscript Consultant and Career Coach

Author

Since writing a story with the intent to engage the reader is so much like meeting a stranger and wanting him/her to be interested in you, I will focus on how to make the first quarter of your story a compelling read.

I love working with diligent writers who want to transform their manuscripts into page-turners. However, there are things you can do before you give your work to an editor. Let me show you how you can help yourself.

As an editor, the four biggest mistakes I encounter are manuscripts that are weak in these elements:

• Planting hook(s) or story-question(s);
• Grounding the reader with the three Ws (Who? When? Where?);
• Showing (not telling) what the protagonist wants;
• Paying attention to language and rules

Let’s learn from the pros.

Planting Hook or Story-Question:

In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Maxine Hong Kingston hooks us with the first line: “You must not tell anyone,” my mother said, “what I am about to tell you…” Then, Ms. Kingston transitions into her story with: “Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one . . .”

Grounding the Reader with the Three Ws:

In Woven of Water, while the story timeline spans from 1957 to 2005, Californian author Luisa Adams brilliantly shows us who she was as a girl (not with a year-by-year narrative, but with a single exquisite chapter). Because she grounded us with “who, when, where,” we eagerly follow as she takes us into her enchanted world of a “cottage in the forest.”

Showing What the Protagonist Wants:

In The Other Mother, young Carol Schaefer wants to ask questions: “Was there any way to keep my baby? Was there anyone who would help me find a way to do that?”

Paying Attention to Language and Rules:

Read the first five pages of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and you will see how this wordsmith plays with language and rules. (You can “bend” the rules to create flow, but you must not ignore them.)

Sentences Deserve Your Attention:

Nina Amir’s post on her blog http://writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com/2007/11/ is a must-read.

Remember Groucho Marx’s line “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas…”? That sentence got a lot of laughs. But, what if you didn’t want to be funny (ambiguous in this case)?

How would you rewrite these poorly constructed sentences?

• He likes to fish near the Farallon Islands and they jump when they’re hungry at dawn or dusk.
• She insists on knowing when I come home and leave, not to be nosy, but for safety reasons.
• Being cautious as not to step on the dog’s tail, the children tip-toed away from him while sleeping.
• My husband still in bed snoring, I have always enjoyed rising before dawn and I eat my toast and drink my green tea on the terrace.

To improve your sentence structure and other skills, I recommend these books:

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
• Woe is I: Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner

More Advice:

• In all four stories (The Woman Warrior, Woven of Water, The Other Mother, Angela’s Ashes), the authors present memorable experiences by employing authentic details, unusual story-worlds though real, and poetic language. You want to do the same for your story.
• Also, these stories have another vital component-all four plotlines have what Martha Alderson, author of Blockbuster Plots, Pure and Simple, calls “Cause and Effect” linked scenes. Another must-read blog: Plot Whisperer
• When you’re writing non-fiction and do not have the luxury of rearranging the sequence of events to create a page-turning plotline, you can engage the reader by using concise expositions to leap over blocks of time in order to focus on the core themes and fast-forward the story. A helpful website: http://www.memoriesandmemoirs.com
• You the author must show the reader what the protagonist wants, even if the protagonist doesn’t know at first.
• We don’t have to “like” a protagonist, but, we do need to connect with him/her on an emotional level.

In the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world, how does one stand out in a crowd? Building relationships is one key to success in this business. Another key is to know how to translate the themes from your life to your writing and articulate those themes as community concerns. I want to see all hardworking writers realize their dreams.

My best wishes to you!

Teresa LeYung Ryan

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

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If you’d like a website or blog that speaks your messages, ask Linda Lee to design one for you.

AskMePc-Webdesign

Smart Women, Stupid Computers

Joining a writers’ organization can help further your career. If you’re in

California, there is abundance of groups to check out. Look at their past newsletters; see how their members further their own careers.

Even if you can’t attend meetings on a regular basis, membership benefits could include on-line promoting for members, networking opportunities, newsletters, mentoring programs, access to critique groups and other resources.

And, if you really want to build your name in the writing community, get involved on a committee, perhaps run for office. Learning how to run an organization will serve you well if you want to stay connected in the industry. Enjoy the writing life.

Here are just a few organizations:

California Writers Club www.calwriters.org

Women’s National Book Association www.wnba-books.org

The American Society of Journalists and Authors www.asja.org/

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators http://scbwi.org/

Romance Writers of America www.rwanational.org/

Sisters in Crime www.sistersincrime.org/

Writers Guild of America, West http://www.wga.org/ (for script writers)

Women Writing the West http://www.womenwritingthewest.org/

Society of American Travel Writers http://www.satw.org/satw/index.asp

Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. http://www.sfwa.org/

Poetry Society of America http://www.poetrysociety.org/psa-calendar.php

For conferences and workshops: http://writing.shawguides.com