Writer Mama Riffs on Raising A Writing Career Alongside Your Kids

This is way too cool not to share.

Have you heard of Wonderful Graffiti?

The company is owned by a former student’s daughter and son-in-law.

Actually, the former student and her husband both took my class when I taught in Bellingham, Washington. They would sometimes quibble in class, so I called them “The Bickersons.”

It usually got them to stop and laugh about it. Now they’ve been married for fifteen years.

I love what a fun idea this is and how successful the owners have been in a short time.

Wouldn’t it be cool to have wonderful graffiti on every wall? Fun!

I have four movie recommendations to suit the following occasions:

You want something the whole family will enjoy in theaters
This would be Enchanted. J and I saw it today and wished we’d brought Samantha. We’ll have to prep her for the scary part though. But it’s not all that scary. Teenage boys might not go for it, especially in groups. But everyone else, especially the girls in the family, will love it. My husband even enjoyed it despite repeated efforts to talk me into seeing something else. View the trailer here or here.

You want to be inspired at the theater
If you are not a cynical person, you will love August Rush. If you lean to the cynical or even the intellectual side, you may need to suspend your disbelief…a lot. But I recommend it because it’s a really inspirational film that upholds the promise of my fourth movie recommendation. If you need help suspending your disbelief, watch recommendation four at home, then go to theaters and watch this. View the trailer here or here.

You want a chick flick you can view at home
I loved Waitress. We saw it on DVD when I wasn’t feeling well and it was thoroughly entertaining. For a movie that seems very lighthearted, it gave me a lot to think about. Especially because of the tragic death of the film’s director. Don’t miss it here or here.

You need a pep talk and you need it now
Apparently while the rest of the world was reading The Secret and watching the film, I was busy. And I’m still busy, which is perhaps why I welcome a positive message such as this film conveys. I am not sure it’s up to all the hype or that they’ve covered the topic very thoroughly, but I still enjoyed watching the film, especially over Thanksgiving right before seeing August Rush. We started a family vision board after seeing this film. I used to do this on my journal covers but I’d fallen out of the habit. Now I’m encouraging all of my friends to create vision boards too. Watch the trailer here or here.

Happy holiday R&R and happy movie watching!

Recognize any blogs on this list?

Here are the finalists for the top 10 blogs nominated over at Writing White Papers:

• Catalystblogger
• Copyblogger
• Copywriter Underground
• Copywriting Maven
• Freelance Parent
• Freelance Writing Jobs
• Get Paid to Write Online
• Golden Pencil
• Heather Strang, Writer
• Ink in my Coffee
• Renegade Writer Blog
• The Urban Muse
• Web Content Writer Tips
• Web Writing Info
• Write From Home
• Writer Mama
• Writer’s Resource Center
• Writing for Writers
• Writing the Cyber Highway

Check ‘em out over the weekend when you are not preparing for the holidays.

Try to say that ten times fast: Writing White Papers, Writing White Papers, Writing White Papers…

Not so easy, is it?

But who cares? We have made the list of finalists which will be reduced to a top ten.

Thanks, Writing White Papers!

Pretty dang cool for a Monday night. I mean what else is going on? (Oh, right. Football.)

Okay, everyone cross your fingers and get your kids and partners and pets to cross their, er, fingers…and we’ll see if we make the final cut!

Go us!

P.S. Michael, if you are over here shining a flashlight in all of our corners, please be sure to check out September 2007, so you’ll get a glimpse of how hard we ALL worked on the Writer Mama Back-to-School Daily Giveaway. (Now try to say that ten times fast–impossible!)

Have you heard about Debbie? Not only is she a talented writer, she’s also a terrific illustrator. I especially love her comics!

Check out this one she did about writer mamas. And while you’re there check out this one on juggling virtual life with real life.

AND—oh this is too great and just my cup of tea—Debbie has pulled together a terrific list of holiday gifts for writers.

You simply must check it out. Here’s a bit more about Debbie from her “About” page:

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a freelance writer and illustrator based in Toronto. She’s author of The Writer’s Online Marketplace (Writer’s Digest Books), and was also the creator/editor-in-chief of Inkspot. You can find more information about her in her personal homespace or my workspace.

In the February issue of Writers on the Rise, Kristin Bair O’Keeffe illuminates the technique of compare and contrast for writers, briefly and thoroughly.

If you are stuck with whatever you are writing, stop and try this quick and easy trick. It really doesn’t matter what genre you are working in, this technique is helpful whether it’s a feature article, a novel, or even a poem.

I’ll let Kristin, an seasoned writing instructor, take it from here…

Shanghai vs. Beijing: Compare and Contrast

I am doing some housecleaning today…on my websites and blogs.

I’ll tell you what, there are a lot of tasks that are website and blog-related that I find fun. The kind of stuff I am doing today (transferring data) does not fall under the “fun” category.

But there are some real bright spots. Like this short article, “Pitch it Good” by Abigail Green that comprehensively answers the question: “How do I pitch my article ideas?”

If I were you, I would turn it into a checklist (like some that I offer in Writer Mama) and use it to check your work before you submit.

Need more help than this with query writing? Sign up for my Pitching Practice Class that begins on August 15th. In it, you’ll write six queries in six weeks and, as a result, you will master the art of pitching…your way, not according to a rote form.

Okay, I’m not allowed to blog any more until I get this drudgery done. Back I go. Pinching my nose…

There should be a winking smiley face at the end of that title so you’ll know this is all very tongue in cheek.

However…I have proof.

A study of 72 married couples from Iowa found that wives, on average, exhibit greater situational power — in the form of domineering and dominant behaviors — than their husbands during problem-solving discussions, regardless of who raised the topic. All of the couples in the sample were relatively happy in their marriages, with none in counseling at the time of the study. (“Quick Look” at the study.)

Call it a  “family meeting,” call it “a sit-down talk,” call it whatever you want to call it. If you want to fight for your time to write, you now have a study that’s got your back.

Of course, I had it all along. But your husband doesn’t even want me to come over.

Well, I have just finished reviewing the 2007 Willamette Writer’s Conference schedule and I all I can say is, “WOW!”

If you are a writer in the Pacific Northwest, simply put, you do not want to miss this learning and career-growing opportunity.

In fact, if I had to say what has made the biggest difference in my writing career, ever, I would have to give credit to my membership and participation in Willamette Writers and the Willamette Writer’s Conference.

As a member, I go to informative monthly meetings, keep tabs on the all the latest publishing industry breaking news, keep up with local goings on via weekly e-mail announcements, and get to enjoy hanging out with new and old writer buddies!

I write a column on platform development for the monthly newsletter, which is a valuable resource for both traditionally published and self-published writers.

As a presenter at the conference, I get to give workshops, critique manuscripts, have a signing for Writer Mama, hang out at the Writer’s Faire with fellow authors, meet attendees, spend time with awesome folks from the publishing industry (like Writer’s Digest Books Writer Mama editor, Jane Friedman) and so much more.

I think that the organizers of this year’s conference deserve a standing ovation!

And this year, Retrofit Films will be making a documentary film of the agent and editor pitching process! How totally awesome. I can’t wait to see it!

If you are thinking about coming but you are on the fence for any reason, all I can say is:

Do not miss the Willamette Writer’s Conference.

You’ll thank me later.

And if you are not in Portland or the Pacific Northwest, I suggest that you find a writer’s conference near you OR make plans now to be here for next year’s Willamette Writer’s Conference.

And be sure to look me up if you come.

It’s Sarah Ban Breathnach’s birthday and she’s giving away this awesome poster:

Ten Authentic Truths to Live By

I love it. So I’m sharing it will all of you.

You can download it here.

One of my favorite lines is:

“The more risks you take, the luckier you become.”

That is so very true. At least, I have found it to be true.

Check it out! And let Mother’s Day week begin!