Time for the New

This blog is no longer active.  Time to move onto the new blog at www.TheWonderfulWorldofaFacetiousRedhead.com

Toodles!

New at Running Wild Writers: Be Your Own Best Editor: Speed Dating Edition

Dates: June 30, July 7, August 25, September 1, September 8

Have you written the next New York Times bestseller and it's been stored under your bed, waiting for the light of day? Do you have an amazing story stuck amongst your grey matter and you need to tweak it out?

Join us for Be Your Own Editor: Speed Dating Edition where you will spend a full day with fellow creative types as you learn writing and revising techniques to help you take your story from eh to ahhhh (Insert Calgon sigh).

Why is this speed dating for your creative mind? Because you're going to jam through six weeks worth of materials in one intensive day, just like shoving a first date into a ten minute conversation but with guaranteed results and no nasty first date aftertaste.

The full day workshop will be held a block from Rittenhouse Square and within tripping distance of Dandelion and Tria. As a special treat, attendees will enjoy lunch catered by Philly's own DiBruno Brothers.Cost: $220 
Requirements: Come with a completed draft manuscript or an idea for a full length manuscript for workshopping.Minimum attendees per class: 4 Maximum: 12
Interested?  Email lisa@runningwildwriters.com

More info: www.runningwildwriters.com

My City

I grew up across the river. On Saturdays or Sundays my father would take me to Rittenhouse Square park and we played on the green, green grass or read. We got ice cream from one of the local establishments. An extra creamy mound of coolness that slid down my throat and brought a pleasant chill to my skin on a sweltering summer's day.

I attended Fleisher Art Memorial school with my mother on Saturday mornings. I sunk my fingers into the cool, wet clay and made structures out of blocks of gray mass and then later we found our way to the Italian Market for lunch. I can still smell the fresh fish, the vegetables, the smoke from a charcoal grill fired up for a summer's day grilling. I can hear the vendors barking their wares, ready to negotiate a lower price as we made our way past their stands. My eyes burned with the random cigarette smoke (my mother's) and the exhaust from passing cars.

I begged to eat at Ralph's Italian Restaurant for my 12th birthday and at the Moshulu for my 14th birthday (I became snobby in those two years). I thought I was drunk off of the Moshulu's signature dessert of the time - a rum soaked chocolate mousse. My father, a small 5'5" man with a wiry frame, fell out of his chair in laughter as I played up the sugar rush.

As a teenager I snuck out late at night to walk South Street and pretend I was much older and wiser. The first time I drove a car, I drove it (the wrong way) down South Street. Luckily it was a weeknight so traffic was light. My friends screamed in laughter as I tried to make a K turn to get the car to face in the right direction.

In high school, I fed the homeless here, volunteered at shelters, attended various churches (got kicked out of one by a rather feisty nun ... a story for another time). I snuck into over 21 clubs when I was underaged (or rather, they knowingly let me in, but that's just splitting hairs), I drove my father through the city to his work so that I could have our car for the night (my father worked the overnight shift).

My first boyfriend lived in the Temple University area which could have been convenient when I attended Temple for the incredibly long period of time .... six weeks ... alas we had broken up long before then even though he tried to get back together with me. His grandmother abruptly stopped his attempts when I called him back to say hi and she said, "Why can't all you sluts leave my grandson alone? He's got dozens of girls calling him every day!" I thanked her and hung up.

I partook in treasure hunts in Old City, Society Hill, and Washington Square West. I later attended and graduated from Drexel University. I moved to the suburbs but somehow the city of Philadelphia always called me back.

When I divorced over five years ago, I knew there was one place I belonged, and so that is where I made my nest. I returned to a neighborhood that I dreamed of, one in which I prayed I could afford to live among those who wandered the green, green grass. Even if I had to live in a small one bedroom hovel, I would live in a place that brought me comfort and joy as a child, as a teen, and as an adult.

In the last two weeks, I have been threatened by a young man in the Square.  He hawks water and soda. He wanders the park with a rolling ice chest.  He stops and at first seems polite, but then he becomes threatening. I won't go into significant details but I ask that if you live in the Philadelphia area and you see this young dark skinned African American man with a speech impediment and he typically wears dark sunglasses, please be wary.  I observed as he approached one woman and then backed off.  Today, two patrons intervened after he physically threatened me.  One of the patrons had his phone out, ready to dial 911.  

The fact that one of the places I have affiliated with safety and home has attracted someone unsafe saddens me.  I hope to return to the Square soon without feeling threatened and so my reflections on this fair area return to that of green, green grass and cooling summer treats.   

Even with this turn, I still view this as  my city from the homeless shelters to the historic buildings, to the mom and pop corner shops, to the Garces and Stephen Starr restaurants to the dog walking cell phone talking Gen X'ers to the skinny jean-t-shirtwearing-thick black rimmed glasses wearing hipsters. This is where I belong. This is home.

Now Available: Seventh Edition of A Writer's Jolt

The seventh edition of A Writer's Jolt is now available at the Running Wild Writer's Journal

Don't forget, you too can sign up for A Writer's Jolt and you'll receive a writing prompt each weekday morning. 

Here's how it works:

1. You receive the prompt via email.

2. You write against the prompt for that day.

3. You send your creative musings to your team and moi (the team to be pre-assigned).

4. The team members respond with the strengths of the piece and ideas for revision.

5. The Sunday of each week, I will post the top five strongest selections on the Running Wild Writers Journal.

It's that simple! 

To accommodate those who don't have the time for longer than a week of jolting and provide longer options for those who want a library of writing, we have the following offers. You can sign up for:

• one week at $5 and this can be renewed weekly.

• five weeks at $20 and can be renewed at any time.

• ten weeks at $45 and can be renewed at any time.

You too can become prolific and published.

Interested? Email me at lisa@runningwildwriters.org
Next jolt will hit the inbox on Monday, May 28, 2012.

A Writer's Jolt is offered through Running Wild Writers. Find out more by going to www.runningwildwriters.com

New Writers: How to Find a Writers Group

In the last several weeks I've heard some horror stories about new writers and their interactions with writers groups.  With the advent of social media like Meet Up, FaceBook, LinkedIn, and a dozen more online spaces, finding writers groups has become significantly easier.  Unfortunately, it has also become significantly easier for anyone, no matter their credentials, to start a writers group.  With this in mind, if you're a newbie and you're seeking a writers community or writers group to join, here are some tips:

1. Start with a well reputed site like Poets and Writers www.pw.org   They have a fantastic search engine for finding writers conferences, workshops, schools, and such. Oftentimes other groups may be mentioned on the sites of the conferences, workshops, schools and such. This implies a certain level of professionalism, which is what you want.

2. If you find a group via Meet Up or FaceBook, look for the leader's credentials.  If the person hasn't published, been an editor, gone to an MFA or doctorate program, or had some other significant credentials, seriously think about NOT joining this group.  There are so many reputable writers groups available for both free and at a charge (depending on what you're looking for) why bother with a group that is being led by someone without credentials?

3.  If you submit work and the leader's criticism isn't based in the writing craft (story arc, characterization, environment, theme, tone, etc) or if the leader rewrites your piece, run the other way and don't look back.

4.  If the group leader doesn't manage the room.  Meaning: if the group leader doesn't keep members on target in terms of focusing on craft, if the leader doesn't maintain a healthy environment for giving and receiving criticism, or if the group leader seems to be encouraging negative commentary, then I suggest approaching the group leader about your concerns in private. If you feel as though your concerns aren't addressed in the future, then consider finding another group.

5.  Make sure you join a group that writes in a similar vein as you or a workshop leader who is well versed in your genre.  If you are a mystery writer and  you join a romance writers group, then you're going to get some feedback that won't make sense, for good reason.  Mysteries and romances have very specific structures that are very different.  Anecdote: A dear friend had been told that her writing was romance, so she joined RWA and for two years received feedback on her work that confused her. She then joined a cross genre writers organization, www.pennwriters.org, and discovered that she was a commercial fiction writer, not a romance writer.  Suddenly much of the feedback she had received made sense because the feedback was based on the context of her writing in romance and it also made sense why she didn't understand or agree with it, because she wasn't writing romances.

I hope these tips help.

Additional thoughts/questions are more than welcomed.

Sixth Edition of A Writer's Jolt

And so we came to the end of the very first series of A Writer's Jolt. The sixth edition is now available at The Running Wild Writers Journal. 


I hope you enjoyed the pieces as much as I did.  I'm so proud to have had such talented writers grace these pages.  




Here's one of our Jolter's thoughts on A Writer's Jolt:


"I just finished the Writing Jolt program, which I've told some of you about. I highly recommend it. Not only did I learn that I can write flash fiction -- something I've always believed was beyond my abilities -- but it got me into a great creative habit of writing every morning for at least half an hour. Even on days I did not feel inspired. Some of the writing prompts got me into a terrific flow of writing. Some were more challenging, but I learned I had the discipline to sit and write despite feeling uninspired -- a very useful lesson. And I got to read some excellent pieces by other writers, and get their honest and helpful insights in return.

And at a dollar a day, about the most cost-effective writing program I can imagine! It's especially nice that now there's the option of signing up for a week at a time. And if this coming week doesn't work for you, there are always others."

Sign up for A Writer's Jolt and you'll receive a writing prompt each weekday morning. 


Here's how it works:1. You receive the prompt via email.2. You write against the prompt for that day.3. You send your creative musings to your team and moi (the team to be pre-assigned).4. The team members respond with the strengths of the piece and ideas for revision.5. The Sunday of each week, I will post the top five strongest selections on the Running Wild Writers Journal.

It's that simple! 

To accommodate those who don't have the time for longer than a week of jolting and provide longer options for those who want a library of writing, we have the following offers. You can sign up for:

• one week at $5 and this can be renewed weekly.

• five weeks at $20 and can be renewed at any time.

• ten weeks at $45 and can be renewed at any time.

You too can become prolific and published.
Interested? Email me at lisa@runningwildwriters.org
Next jolt will hit the inbox on Monday, May 14, 2012.
A Writer's Jolt is offered through Running Wild Writers. Find out more by going to www.runningwildwriters.com

Don't Miss Your Jolt

Feel a little drained in creativity? Need a jolt? Then this is the class for you. 


Sign up for A Writer's Jolt by Sunday, May 13 at noon and you'll receive a writing prompt each weekday morning. 


Here's how it works:
1. You receive the prompt via email.
2. You write against the prompt for that day.
3. You send your creative musings to your team and moi (the team to be pre-assigned).
4. The team members respond with the strengths of the piece and ideas for revision.
5. The Sunday of each week, I will post the top five strongest selections on the Running Wild Writers Journal.


It's that simple! 


To accommodate those who don't have the time for longer than a week of jolting and provide longer options for those who want a library of writing, we have the following offers. You can sign up for:

• one week at $5 and this can be renewed weekly.

• five weeks at $20 and can be renewed at any time.

• ten weeks at $45 and can be renewed at any time.

You too can become prolific and published.

Interested? Email me at lisa@runningwildwriters.org

Next jolt will hit the inbox on Monday, May 14, 2012.

A Writer's Jolt is offered through Running Wild Writers. Find out more by going to www.runningwildwriters.com