NLjan2008

Another year has opened like a gift wrapped in shiny paper. As one ponders the possibilities that the gift holds it is natural to reflect. Last year proved a monumental year for me. I finished graduate school, a novel, mentored writers, and began a career as a college teacher. I wonder how I’ve balanced the load and managed the time. Writing the novel to earn a degree sure helped to keep my writing focused. With my current schedule I find myself balancing forensic classes, teaching multiple classes, nurturing my family, and writing. I guess I’m happiest when busiest.

As I sit to write this, Maine is weathering yet another snowstorm. I don’t particularly enjoy snow and find myself in front of the fireplace dreaming of summer sunshine. I do enjoy the fact that like fingerprints no two snowflakes are alike. This leads me to start brewing my crime novel in my head and then on to paper. I have done tons of research on crime scenes and murders that help me get the details just right.

I wish you a prosperous year of writing. This is our time to shine. Take a class that interests you and then write about the subject. Enter a contest and win. Invest in your dreams because we need to live in the moment. Make this year the best you’ve ever had. I know that I will be very successful this year and look forward to the rewards lingering along the path. Remember, I am always here to help and answer questions. What are you waiting for? Dig in!

Happy New Year!

We are often instructed in beginning writer classes to write what we know. This is easier for a newbie as they can tap into a knowledge source to find the right descriptions etc. Afterwards you begin writing about things that you don’t know but are interested in. That is where research comes into play. Sometimes researching something on the Internet will suffice for your article or story. Once in a while you need to have a hands-on experience with the subject. Other times you need a professional’s insight into the topic you choose. I have employed all three of these research methods and found them vital to my writing.

I recently read about a woman who worked as a personal aid for the elderly. She spent four months learning the struggles and successes of the lives she touched. The hardest part came when trying to translate this to the pages of her novel. This is an excellent way to research a subject for your next novel or article.

Perhaps, you already have a full-time job and you need other avenues to get hands-on research. Volunteering is a great way to learn about people or relevant topics. My local newspaper lists opportunities such as serving the homeless, mentoring children, bettering the town, and helping teach literacy. For example, in Sacramento you could volunteer to serve the homeless at Loaves & Fishes (http://www.sacloaves.org/to-volunteer/) to do research on why there is such a huge homeless population in California. You can find many opportunities to volunteer and research in your neighborhood by searching http://www.volunteermatch.org/. This could serve as both a creative non-fiction and fiction source of inspiration. You would have a first person glimpse at the topic at hand.

This year is a perfect time to learn something new and accomplish what you’ve always dreamed about. By invest a few hours of time you can reap a bounty of knowledge. Make a list of interests and make them a reality one at a time. Time will fly and soon summer will peek its brilliant head around to check on your progress. As for me I’m off to study fingerprints. I can already hear my children saying, “I’ve been framed, it wasn’t me!” In real life the evidence speaks for itself.

Trish Hopkins is a professional writer, creative writing instructor, and speaker at www.trishhopkins.com

Have you ever wondered why some writers are successful and others aren't? Why can some people rack up publishing credits with apparent ease, while others struggle over their keyboards day after day, surrounded by piles of discarded first drafts, with little to show for their hard work?

We talk a lot about professionalism in this newsletter, and I believe the difference lies in how these two types of writers view themselves and their place in this world. Professionalism is easy to understand in the context of business suits and corporations, but it's a little harder to grasp in the confines of a home office.

Freedom is a beautiful ingredient of working at home. Writers are free to work in their pajamas and in one or two-hour shifts anytime of the day or night. We're free to take a day off just because it's sunny, or to play a game with a child in between drafts. Yes, writers have lovely benefits, but I wonder if these come at the cost of taking ourselves seriously.

Professionalism needs to be an attitude deep inside us; a core belief about ourselves that doesn't change with our environment, and that doesn't depend on whether we're wearing a business suit or bunny slippers. If corporate America needs leadership seminars to remind its workers that they're professionals, how much more do we at home need to remind ourselves everyday that we're also leaders and professionals?

How do you define yourself? Are you a Go-Get-Em freelancer with the business plan and spreadsheets to prove it? Or are you a stay-at-home mom and sometime writer who works at the kitchen table? The latter is no less a professional than the former. If you have writing goals and consistently work to achieve them, you should take yourself seriously as a writer.

A professional has the following traits:

· A professional has goals. Professionals take time to create goals with measurable outcomes. This doesn't mean you'll write that short story or poem "someday." It does mean you'll write the first draft this month, the second draft next month, with further revisions the third month, and you'll submit it to a publisher or contest four months from now. Depending on your circumstances, your timeline might be longer or shorter, but the end result is the same: A completed piece ready for publication.

· A professional considers his job (or even his hobby) to be a central part of his identity. When people ask what you "do," what do you say? You might say you're a mom or dad first, which is appropriate. But do you eventually say that you're a writer? Even if you haven't had anything published yet, the fact that you spend time over a keyboard or notepad permits you to claim the title. This is a great way to let others know about your talents and goals, and you might be surprised by the resulting networking opportunities.

· A professional embraces new opportunities. Whether it's a new topic idea, the chance to improve your skills, networking opportunities, or just growing as a person (which makes you a better writer too), be on the lookout for these connections with serendipity and take advantage of them. This "can do" attitude toward new things is an important hallmark of successful writers.

Finally, believe in yourself! You have the inherent qualities to be a successful writer, whether it's full time or just an hour once a week. You can be a professional - even in your bunny slippers.

Abby Plambeck is a freelance writer in Milwaukee, WI. As a former nurse, she specializes in health writing, but has lately also begun to dabble in fiction and auto finance. Visit her website at http://www.abbyplambeck.com/.

In many businesses the uppers in the company pay big money to individuals using words and phrases to make the worst things sound like a bonus. “We’re going to restructure the organization to better respond to the drop in productivity. That way we will be better equipped to deal with are clients and respond to employee needs.” Translation: we’re not making enough money to keep this site open so you’re all being laid off. This fancy talk ensures they’ll all skip merrily to the unemployment lines and not sue the crud out of them. Lawyers and insurance companies spend most of their money on ways to confuse you with the hidden art of language to get your money or time, as much of it as they can.

Have you ever heard the term limited lifetime warranty? When you ask what that means they say something like it’s guaranteed for the life of the part. Nice people think it’s covered until the car/ CD player / refrigerator is broken and then shell out the extra money for the warranty. Only what they just said is really ambiguous and nonsense. First, parts aren’t a living thing. Therefore, by the statement “for the life” any coverage is invalid as the part is no longer, nor has it ever been living. Second, the first part of that statement is just as vague and ambiguous as the second part … is guaranteed… to what? We guarantee that this part will break before your dead unless you die sometime in the next 6 weeks then all warranties are void? If you ask them, what’s it guaranteed to do? They look at you like your crazy. Sometimes they say it’s guaranteed to work. I love that one. So when my car breaks down I just shove this onto my transmission and it will work? You just said it’s guaranteed to work?

Contract people hate me. I want plain English. Say what you mean. If you’re not really giving me anything for my money, I won’t give it to you.

But back to everyday people. We all use the hidden art of language to play social games and tell white lies to people. You never lie you say, not ever! Well what about when your feeling depressed, sad or sick and some one you know (but not super well) asks you how are you? You respond fine or good. You just lied. You’re not fine; you’re miserable. It is a social game. To respond in any other way would send you spiraling into a relationship with this person that wasn’t invited or in many cases wanted by either party. When said person asked how you are they were really just acknowledging that you exists, they don’t really care how you are.

The idea that we use words like weapons is no secret; there have been tons of books written on the subject. When I read a book very seldom do I see that very human trait come across in many of the characters. In fact, the only people who do this in stories are the tricksters or the villains and yet everyone, everyone, everyone does it.

We are all attracted to the personality of Jack Sparrow even though he is a lying, cheating, murdering pirate. Why? Because most of us can identify with his all too human traits. When you try to classify or categories yourself you find that you can’t. Your not too much of that, but some of this, really a little of that there but only on days when you’ve had too much coffee. We people are dynamic things and some times the most devout and holy of us is a little more like a pirate than they might think.

Naturally, when translating this to the literary world it becomes very refreshing to see those that kind of dynamics in the characters you read about. The character is a true hero, and doesn’t like the color green but it looks good on her. He is avid for the environment, but tosses his empty pop bottles in the trash and gets embarrassed when someone points it out. Sometimes he does it to get to the girl in green. He watches her flinch when it happens, but she doesn’t say anything. He wants to ask her out, she seems aloof and then she’s so flirty it seems she wants him to ask her out. Oh it is all so confusing! He wants to grab her and say marry me but settles for a cup of coffee at the local espresso shop, feeling only slightly self-conscious that the other oldest person there is a good ten years younger.

The characters then will make small talk at the coffee shop. This small talk is so important because it’s the hidden art of language. He’s trying to get her to commit to a long-term thing and she’s trying to stay as vague as possible and that dance of social idioms is entertaining and as insightful. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to work on your dialogue and really let us get wrapped up in a beautiful and dynamic character.

Aaron Hopkins is an artist, children's book illustrator, art instructor, and founder of Pigmi entertainment www.pigmientertainment.homestead.com. If you are looking for art, illustration, logos, photo editing, or Flash animation, he is the go-to guy.

Travel Guide:

Hi my name is Starla Confer and I will be writing a monthly bit about travel. When researching locations for novels, you might not always have the luxury of visiting yourself. My specialty is cruises. I take many cruises to different spots. I can help you understand what a cruise ship is really like and give you the low down for your sea-faring novel. Look for me next month.

Starla Confer is a travel agent and avid reader.

You can find out more at http://www.starlitetravelservices.com/index.html

Writing Tip:

Browse a used book sale at your local library or yard sales this month.

Find new novels or short stories you've never read before.

Expand your mind by reading something that really interests you.

I recently read a book on Ted Bundy by Ann Rule and I suggest her

to anyone into true crime or detective stories.

Trish Hopkins

Writing Prompt :

Write down dialogue from a conversation you have with someone, unedited. Take this dialogue and edit into a scene with fictional characters. Trish Hopkins

Your Thoughts ForumPlease feel free to send in any comments, questions, or articles you have for us regarding this newsletter or writing. We will be happy to answer your questions as quickly as possible and may even put them in the next newsletter. Also, send in any story starts you might like to share that blossomed from the writing prompt and we might put them in the next newsletter or on the website www.trishhopkins.com. This newsletter is for your benefit and we want all the readers to be interactive with us. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to stellarsensibility@msn.com

Looking For Writing Contests

If you have written your masterpiece and now are looking for a market or contest to put it, the best place to look is FundsforWriters, www.fundsforwriters.com. Hope Clark not only has four newsletters full of contests and such, but the articles she publishes are most illuminating! You have so much to gain by letting Hope Clark into your inbox each week, so go sign up today!

Ebooks

If you are looking for quality ebooks on writing then check out the line by Hope Clark. You will find them showcased on my website at http://www.trishhopkins.com/FictionWorkshop.html. I have bought many of them and just think they are must haves for the serious writer!

Need a life coach? As a writer, life coach and educator Tracy Carreon is committed to creating products and programs that inspire people to expand self-awareness, deepen experience, and envision, choose and create the life they desire - to embrace a "self-authored" life www.invisionlife.com. She has the answers for people who are looking to find their dream town www.yourdreamtown.com.

Shopping

By the Sea ~ Brunswick, Maine

Join the Winters family as they embark on a whimsical adventure following childhood dreams. From California to Maine, journey with your friends Nick, Annie, and their folks to a new home. Discover the new people and places that their father left behind from his childhood in Brunswick, Maine. Included are paper dolls and Maine fun facts for hours of enjoyment.

48 pgs, 8.50" x 11.00" Full Color, ISBN: 978-1-4303-0345-9 $20.00 Purchase your copy now at http://www.lulu.com/content/438243

Online Mall

In a hurry? No time to beat the rush at your local mall? Shop at your leisure from your computer desk at my mini mall. I have a plethora of stores to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. You have plenty of variety with Wal-Mart, Monterey Bay Clothing, Toys R Us, K B Toys, Hickory Farms, Things Remembered, Linen and Things, Hilo Hattie Hawaiian, Sharper Image, and Extreme Geek to name a few. Also, make it special with gifts purchased from Personal Creations and Personalizations Mall. This is the most convenient, fun, and safe way to shop.

Check it out today! http://www.trishhopkins.com/favoritelinks.html

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