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A Reader Talks About Reading and Writing, Part 1

Dec 13th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

Lesley Peebles is my close friend who's been part of my reading, and
just as importantly, my writing life for 25 years.

Because she's so prolific and thoughtful a reader and has given me
feedback on so much of my writing, I wanted to present her ideas about
writing and reading here.

- Lynette

How do you feel reading benefits people?
LESLEY1IMG_3088-

Lesley vacationing in Montreal

First, there are the pragmatic reasons. Most of us have to read to do
our jobs, even if we're just reading memos or instruction books. The
more you practice on your own, the better you get--not just faster but
deeper. Reading taught me how to write grammatically, a skill that's
still valuable though increasingly rare. It taught me how to think from
different perspectives--I'm able to translate two sides of a
conversation that otherwise would go nowhere.

And then there's the sheer delight of a plot turn, a character, even a
perfect sentence. The pleasure of new companions, all with new stories
to tell. The escape from the mundane, the escape to a new culture. The
sobering reflection to count my blessings. Reading has taught me
empathy.

I share my favorite books with my friends and family. When my mother
started passing me books she'd just finished, it was a rite of passage.
I read aloud to my children long after they'd learned to read
themselves, right up to the point where their longing to know what
happened next overwhelmed the comfort of my presence.

What do you read--and why?

Read Part 2 of this interview.

Posted in Fiction | No Comments ť

A Reader Talks About Reading and Writing, Part 2

Dec 13th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

My interview with my long-time friend and voracious reader, Lesley
Peebles. continues below. - Lynette

What are your favorite books from various eras in your life?
LESLEY1IMG_3088-

Lesley vacationing in Montreal

The Narnia books still inform my spiritual life.

When I was 11, I must have read The Descent of Woman--in which the
author proposed that homo erectus spent a couple of millennia on the
beach, thus the lack of fur and the presence of sub-cutaneous fat--at
least ten times. I was like a toddler watching a movie over and over
again, deriving new meaning each time.

As an adolescent, I loved Les Miserables. The melodrama of it,
especially the resolution--the hero on his deathbed, with his daughter
and her beloved beside him--reflected my own emotional life.

Now I have so many favorite book, but I don't reread them the way I
used to. Instead I press them on my friends. The most recent was Major
Pettigrew's Last Stand. I read Cider House Rules when it first came
out, and could hardly wait the ten years or I needed before I'd forget
enough about it to read it again.

Have you ever thought about writing a book?

There's one book I want to write. It would be for grade-school or
younger children. It's about a young man finding his vocation in a very
abbreviated and visual way.

Do any particular topics appeal to you?

I dream constantly about parallel lives. About the door I've never
opened in my house. About the back stairs and hallways that servants
used in estate houses. About worlds you can move between if you follow
the correct ritual.

In one recurring dream, I enter a spiral staircase at the bottom, climb
to the first landing and turn around. Suddenly, the staircase doesn't
end where I came in, but spirals down into another country.

These books would be for young readers: as you can tell, my imagination
is plot- and location-based, not character driven.

Do you think you'll ever write one?

Maybe. My cousin could illustrate my story. But I'd have to conquer my
internal editor first, and she's fierce.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I have opportunities to write from time to time. I wrote a devotional
for my church's Advent booklet, for example. I find writing very
satisfying - but only when I have something compelling to say.

What do you read--and why?

Posted in Fiction | No Comments ť

The Man Cave Craze

Dec 8th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

1224537_couch_potato- I'm mystified by man caves. Frankly, I'm
not even sure they exist outside of HGTV's home buying series.

"This would be perfect for my man cave," the husband always says,
leaning back and shaping his hands into a rectangle as he indicates the
spot on the wall where he'll hang the "flat screen." (The hip husbands
never say "flat-screen TV.")

The couple moves on to the master bedroom, which is easily capable of
holding their king-sized bed, a couple of easy chairs, a coffee table,
and a treadmill. It's as large as my living room. But the wife enthuses
over the "en suite," the bathroom off the master bedroom. As a harried
mother she longs for the en suite so she can luxuriate in its sunken
tub, forgetting that she hardly has time for a shower, let alone a long
soak in a tub.

big bathtub2-

"Oh, this is great," the home-buying mother sighs over the open concept
kitchen with its island and L-shaped counter that faces the family
room. "I can watch the kids from here while I cook." (And set the
table, clear the table, and clean up after meals.)

kitchen_007- So, why do husbands deserve a room all to
themselves? Don't wives also work, then come home and take care of the
house and the kids? And those mothers who stay home with the kids all
day? Where's their private space? Where do they sprawl out, unbothered
by messy toddlers, fighting grade school offspring, and sulky teens?

Maybe the wives are glad to have the husbands out of the way in man
caves, rather than underfoot. Well, they're still underfoot, in a
literal way--on a completely different floor--in the basement.

Posted in Personal Essays | 12 Comments ť

Seniors Write Stories from Their Lives

Dec 6th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

As I've written in other posts here, I teach boomers and seniors to
write stories from their lives. Our classes are moving, exciting,
suspenseful, and a whole lot of fun--because that's what the stories
the students write are.

My Legacy is Simply This

When new students tell me they have this inexplicable urge to write
about their lives, but don't know what to write about, I suggest they
take a look at My Legacy is Simply This, a book of short essays by
seniors living in various neighborhoods in Boston.

No matter what age you are, these are stories you'll enjoy. Among my
favorites is the story of his dangerous career, recounted by William
Boyle, a former fire fighter. As a young man, he helped quench the
big Hotel Vendome fire, which killed nine Boston fire fighters, in
1972. Even after pulling dead coworkers out from the rubble, he still
loved his work, especially because that day, he found his boyhood
friend, alive in the debris.

Boyle also describes being overcome by smoke inhalation in one fire,
and being asked by his wife, as he lay in the hospital, if he would
consider giving up the job. But, as his work was one of the loves of
his life (his wife being the other), he told her "No," and returned to
work as soon as he was able. His essay ends with the successful CPR
performed on a baby.

Dorothy Parks is a woman who lives each day as if it were her last, as
a result of the perils she faced in her travels, whether by train,
ship, or air. Her essay is the funniest in the collection, as she
recounts an absurd brush with death on an airplane with a wing on fire.

Holiday Gift Recommendation

If you're looking for an engaging gift this holiday season, consider My
Legacy is Simply This. Your gift recipient won't be disappointed.
(Note: I have no affiliation with the publishers or writers of this
book.)

And if you've been considering writing down the stories from your own
life, I hope you'll find the following posts helpful.
* Writing Stories from Your Life
* Supercharge Your Life Story with These Ideas
* Teaching Creative Writing to Boomers and Seniors, Part 2

You don't have to be a senior to join my Writing Stories from Your Life
class at the Arlington Center for the Arts. Just browse the winter
catalog and check page 6 for a description. You can register online.
For writing tips and resources, follow me on Twitter @lynettebenton.

Tags: autobiography, baby boomers writing, boomers, Memoir Writing,
seniors, writing resources

Posted in Memoir Writing, Personal Essays | No Comments ť

My Wonderful Creative Writing Teens

Dec 5th, 2011 by Lynette Benton
TEENS IMG_0563-

I'm at the Teen Reading podium

Yesterday the extraordinary teens in my creating writing class read
from their work in a public forum. It's true the audience was mostly
made up of the teens' relatives, but even that's meaningful. Some of my
students had never allowed their parents to see their work before. And
trust me, their writing is worth sharing.

When I agreed to teach teens creative writing at my local library, I
didn't know what to expect. I don't have teens, and haven't spent much
time with teens since I was one. In fact, the only teens I've spent any
time with were my husband's and my two nieces and two nephews.

I teach creative writing in numerous locations--to students decades
older than these teens. In my first meeting with the group a year or so
ago, I brought along my usual lesson plans. I'm glad I listened to them
read their work before I got started teaching, because after I became
familiar with their writing in that first class, I told them, "You
don't need any of this stuff," and I tossed my plans.

These teens were well beyond my introductory material.

What they needed from me were those tools and tactics published writers
use to keep readers engaged; reminders to avoid cliches in favor of
sharp, original wording; ways to shape a story so that is flows well;
and methods for making their ideas as clear as possible.

They also needed a place where they felt comfortable revealing their
work. I'm amazed at how considerate they are in offering feedback to
their classmates, and how willing they are to help one another come up
with a title or a name for a character.

They write dystopian and fantasy/SF fiction. One writes mainstream
novels. Another writes brilliantly intellectual, yet thoroughly
accessible short fiction. And one of them even undertook the ambitious
writing of a villanelle, a highly-structured, 19-line poem. (Dylan
Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is a villanelle.)

While I listened to my students read their work to the public
yesterday, I was as proud as their parents. (I'll post photos of them
reading if I get permission from their parents.)

Tags: baby boomers writing, creative writing

Posted in Fiction | 5 Comments ť

Guest Post by Author Lisa Dale Norton

Nov 8th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

Shimmering Images cover- I often use Lisa Dale Norton's gem of a
memoir-writing book in the memoir and life story writing classes I
teach. Her small book, Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to
Writing Memoir (St. Martin's Press), leads writers along the pivotal
path to the heart of our personal stories.

In her guest post below, Lisa explains the critical relationship
between the structure of memoir and its meaning. (And don't forget to
check the bottom of this post so you can tune into her AuthorChat on
November 10.)

- Lynette

Memoir: Let Your Story Tell You Its Structure
lisa-

Author Lisa Dale Norton

I work with a lot of writers on their stories, and one of the hardest
things for most to accept is that the shape of their memoir will not
reveal itself until they know what they are trying to say. It's counter
intuitive and certainly not what we are taught in school where there
are tidy formulas, all of which are useless when you are pushing
forward the fragile idea of a memoir: you live your life, you remember
your life, you attempt to make a story out of parts of that life. But
quickly, questions plague the would-be memoirist: What do I use? What
do I leave out? Should the story be chronological? How much background
is necessary, and how do I make it mean something?

Structure follows meaning; it rises out of meaning. You can't get to
one without the other.

So what's a writer to do?

I advise writers to keep writing the memories, or shimmering images as
I call them, those shiny moments you remember above all others. You
remember them because there is a key inside them that is a clue to what
you are trying to say in the manuscript. If you allow those memories to
articulate through story they will help you figure out the meaning of
your memoir. In that organic process the inevitable structure will
reveal itself.

Here's an example. In my new book of narrative nonfiction I combine the
story of my experiences in Europe with tales of my parents' travels
there shortly after World War II. But that's not a story.

Somewhere inside those various tales of travel and discovery there has
to be something bigger. It's taken much work to reveal what that
something is. How did I get here? I kept writing drafts of my parents'
stories, my stories. As I researched locations, studied ephemera,
searched maps, and hunted my heart for hot points of sadness and joy, I
began to understand why those parallel journeys rivet me.

In other words, I have figured out what they mean to me; I know what my
story is about. And now I know its shape.

The only way to get here, and it's a stretch in our control-oriented
culture, is a leap of faith. You have to let go of the notion that you
know what your story is about, and let it tell you.

Lisa is also the author of the memoir, Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the
Heart of the Sandhills (St. Martin's Press). You can follow her
memoir-writing tips on Twitter. twitter/lisadalenorton

Writing a memoir and need some tips? Ask Lisa Dale Norton Live!

We all have great stories to share about our lives, but how many of us
could translate our life experience into something more permanent...say
a memoir?

Join bestselling author Lisa Dale Norton for a live front-row seat as
she shares her insights and writing techniques regarding the difference
between memoir and autobiography, how to claim your voice, and the art
of storytelling.

Lisa Dale Norton is the founder of the Santa Fe Writing Institute and
teaches writing at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

AUTHORCHAT

DATE: NOV. 10th, 2011

TIME: 5:00PM Pacific / 8:00PM Eastern

How to join in:
* Click widget link: t.wbx.me/gb45q
* Use the guest tab (not registered users tab)
* Enter your name in the guest field
* Click the enter button to join

Tags: autobiography, creative writing tips, Memoir Writing

Posted in Creative Writing Tips, Memoir Writing | 3 Comments ť

I'm Innocent, Officer: Thinking About Memoir. Again.

Nov 2nd, 2011 by Lynette Benton
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA-

That's me

To prevent narrators from coming across as a whiny victims, modern
memoirs seem to require that the narrators take responsibility for
their complicity in the disasters they're recording.

There are times in life when s**t happens, when you're standing on a
street corner with your back safely against a building, and a taxi
jumps the curb and hits you. Are you guilty of placing yourself in
harm's way? Is a child born to grifters or alcoholics, for example,
complicit?

My memoir (or family history) tells the story of what happened after my
dying mother let me know she wanted me to find money she had concealed.
Who had she concealed it from, and why? What had her kids done that
made her want to hide her money from us? (We know why she hid it from
our father.) And, had she ever intended her secrecy to cause the
subsequent fallout--to herself and to her kids alike--that it did? Say,
the IRS got wind of it and seized it. (It didn't.) Who'd be responsible
for its loss?

My take? Sometimes you're largely an innocent bystander, writing about
your family's foibles.

If you're writing a memoir or family history, you might like these
posts:

Must-Have Memoir Writing Aids

Is It Memoir or Family History?

Memoir or Family History? A Deeper Look at the Differences

Follow me on Twitter @lynettebenton for more writing talk.

Tags: creative writing, Memoir Writing

Posted in Family History, Memoir Writing | 2 Comments ť

Writing for Oneself vs. Writing for Others, by Jane Rowan

Oct 28th, 2011 by Lynette Benton

RIVER- Jane Rowan is the author of The River of Forgetting: A
Memoir of Healing from Sexual Abuse, which details her struggle to
remember and rebound after realizing she had been abused as a child.

Her guest post below describes what she learned about the differences
between--and responsibilities of--writing for oneself and writing for
an audience.

- Lynette

_______

For more than 30 years, I've been a passionate journal-writer. Fifteen
years ago, when I first got an inkling that I might have been sexually
abused as a child, the journal became a life-line. I had a wonderful
therapist, but I needed an everyday friend to hear my ramblings.

I'd sit at my kitchen table and scrawl, no structure, no cohesion, just
the outpouring of doubt and pain. I followed Peter Elbow's advice of
"freewriting," letting it come uncensored, pen flying, words repeating.
Over and over I told myself, "It's just for me. No one will ever read
it."

When I received the inspiration to write a memoir, I knew I'd draw on
the earlier journals for details of conversations, memories, and
emotions, but the new writing was startlingly different. Having an
audience in mind gave me responsibility for creating a narrative
thread, finding a clear voice to address the reader, and honing the
prose to carry the story forward. I used snippets from my journals to
give more vivid glimpses of my state of mind.

It was hard, often frightening, work to bring the innermost feelings to
the surface in this new way and articulate them for unseen readers,
because I had the clear intention to show the intimate journey of
healing with all its thickets, swamps, caves, and labyrinths. It was
delightful work to find dialogue, and difficult to trim my burgeoning
prose. I put my memoir through at least six major revisions before
getting critiques from a group and then sending it to a pro for
comments prior to its publication as The River of Forgetting: A Memoir
of Healing from Sexual Abuse.

When we write for ourselves, it can be formless, chaotic, swirling and
dense, repetitive and rambling. Our duty is to discover truth. When we
write for others, we have the responsibility to be grammatical (it's
just good manners) and to craft interesting prose by choosing vivid
words and images, avoiding clichés. We need to be conscious of how we
set scenes and how to draw the reader along. Above all, we have the
responsibility to create a form for the story, a boat that will hold
the reader and bring her safely across the choppy seas. You could call
it the "ark" of the story.

Find Jane on Facebook; follow her on Twitter.

If you're wrestling with a difficult memoir, you might also like: When
You Hate the Book You're Writing: Series Introduction and When You Hate
the Book You're Writing: My Solution.

Tags: boomers, Memoir Writing

Posted in Creative Writing Tips, Memoir Writing | No Comments ť

How to Choose a Creative Writing Class

Oct 21st, 2011 by Lynette Benton

Writers, like musicians, athletes, and even astronauts have to
constantly strengthen their skills. For writers, attending classes is
one good way to do that. But writing classes have their pros and cons.
How do you assess which class is right for you?

Tips for Choosing a Writing Class

1) The class should be challenging, but not so difficult that you can't
do the assignments or understand the terminology being used.

2) Check the instructor's background and credentials. Has he or she had
work published, and if so, what? You want an instructor who's been
published in your genre. Where was the instructor's work published--and
how recently? And call the program director or registrar to find out if
the instructor's gotten positive evaluations from past students.

3) Ask around. People in your neighborhood, library, church, gym, or
even your poker buddies might know of writing classes that are what
you're looking for.

4) Find out what the format of the class is. Some writing classes
require that you not only produce your own work, but that you read and
critique your classmates' writing. This is a great way to expand your
knowledge about writing, but if your time is limited, you might find
that requirement too onerous.

5) Don't forget the discussions of peripheral issues that can further
enhance your writing. Will the class cover issues like overcoming
writer's block, making time to write, staying inspired to write, and
publishing your work?

6) Choose a writing class based on your writing goals. If you want to
complete a particular writing project within a certain amount of time,
take a class where you're expected to turn in a piece of writing or
read a passage from your work each week. Most of my students take my
classes year after year, partly to maintain the discipline and momentum
of writing regularly.

Do You Shy Away from Writing Classes, or do you take them? What have
you gotten out of them?

To help you with your writing, you might be interested in 3 (or 4)
Terrific Books for Aspiring Writers.

For lots more tips about writing, follow me on twitter @lynettebenton.
And I'd love for you to subscribe to this blog. Thank you.

Tags: creative writing tips, writing resources

Posted in Creative Writing Tips, Polish and Publish | 4 Comments ť

Guest Post: What You Deserve From Your Copywriter

Oct 21st, 2011 by Lynette Benton

In my past work as a marketing communications director, I hired and
supervised a ton of copywriters. Shakirah Dawud is among the best I
know.

In her guest post below, Shakirah explains what you have a right to
expect from any copywriter you engage.

- Lynette

You want to send an effective message via your branding, brochure,
advertising, or press release. You need to communicate clearly to get
the reaction you desire from your intended audience. So you're in
search of a good copywriter--or you're about to work with one you've
already chosen. Make sure you're getting your money's worth.

A professional background you're comfortable with. Check the portfolio
of the writer you're interested in. It's not necessary for every
project to fall within your industry, but it is necessary for you to
feel drawn to her style--or the flexibility of her style--for your
purposes. If yours is an ultra-specialized or socially sensitive area,
ask about her background with those types of projects, and how she's
addressed such issues in her writing in the past.

Appropriate language. Although we all learned English at home and in
school, marketing copy is not a college essay. Ask about or be aware of
differences in expression, spelling, or grammatical constructions that
may be common and correct in one context but inappropriate for your
purposes.

Talent. It comes in many forms, and your definition of talent may be
totally different from mine, but you know it when you see it. It makes
you want to read more, find out more, and eventually contact a
particular copywriter. Another copywriter may be technically and
stylistically excellent, but like any art, greatness of expression is
in the eye of the beholder. Don't settle for less.

Communication--as much of it as necessary. If you want to know what's
going on at any point in your project, it shouldn't be a hassle to get
hold of your writer. Keep leaving messages? Are emails left unanswered
for more than 24 hours? Try setting up weekly meeting times to get
updates, ask and answer any questions, and offer further input as the
project takes shape.

Professionalism. Can your copywriter meet the tight deadlines you throw
at her? Can she meet those deadlines without sacrificing consistently
high-quality results? Is she honest with you about her capabilities?
Find out what past clients say about her work and her working style.
You can do this by getting references and testimonials, running a
Google search, or placing a few phone calls. The extra effort is worth
it when both your peace of mind and your business's reputation are on
the line.

For more wisdom about copywriting, visit Shakirah's site, Deliberate
Ink, and follow her on Twitter @deliberateink.

You can also read Shakirah's post, The Mystery of Character in Memoirs.

Tags: baby boomers writing, writing resources

Posted in Business Writing | No Comments ť

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