Women on Writing - WOW and WOW!
Women On Writing is an online magazine and community for women writers. Among major topics are novel writing, indie publishing, author platform, blogging, screenwriting, and more. Lots of contests and general jocularity sans frittering on the part of Earth's most powerful humans.
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We are excited to welcome 2nd place creative nonfiction essay winner, Jacqueline V. Carter, with her winning essay, "The Colors of My Life," to our blog this Valentine's Day to talk about writing and contests and her essay! Here's a little about Jacqueline in her own words: This is the first time I’ve entered a writing contest, and I’m very encouraged by the response to my essay. I’ve always wanted to be a creative writer. But my professional life went in another direction. For years, I worked with government agencies and national organizations to develop and promote public health campaigns targeted to policymakers, providers, consumers, patients, and the media. I loved…
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Whether you are submitting your first manuscript or your thirteenth, on some days rejection is no big deal. You will have other opportunities. Perhaps the next person to read your manuscript will want to publish it or represent you. No matter. You get on with your day. But other days? On those days rejection makes you question why you keep putting yourself through this. Here are five things to help you lessen the sting. Set a Limit I’m not going to get into the psychology of rejection and why some rejections are worse than others. But if this one rocks you back, take some time to feel the agony. No really. Stomp around the house. Gripe at the cat. Whatever it t…
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Hello WOW Readers! I have been one of the first-tier contest judges for WOW’s quarterly flash fiction contest for over a decade, and it has been a huge pleasure to read your stories. I am writing this blog series on Flash Fiction Contest Tips to help you strengthen your flash writing and maybe even place in one of our contests! Tips are based on our scoring criteria and craft trends I’ve seen throughout the decade. TECHNIAL is one of the scoring categories for the flash fiction contest, and one criterion within that category is overuse of adverbs. Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, clauses, or other adverbs. If a story contains too many un…
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When I was a child, I loved watching my maternal and paternal grandmother cook whenever I visited for the weekend or for a family gathering. I'd stand beside them full of questions and learn that the blackened skillet they used to fry a batch of chicken or catfish in, or to make skillet cornbread, was what seasoned the food and gave it flavor. I'd watch as they added fresh herbs or spices to their recipes, and get lessons on snapping the ends off of string beans, and how to clean collard greens. I treasured being in their company as delicious aromas wafted through their kitchens. I especially loved when they lifted a pot lid off of a pot of stew or soup simmering on the s…
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It’s no secret I’m a fan of the book You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. I’ve written about it on The Muffin and my own blog before, but today I want to talk about a particular idea that the author presents which I think pertains to most writers--even non-writers--but especially me. Here's the quote from the book (on the daily calendar page from a couple years ago. I like this quote so much I saved this and posted it on my bulletin board.): Break on through to the other side! Won't you come with me? When I read this section the first time in the book, it was an "a-ha" moment for me. I feel uncomfortable all the time--I don't know if it's more or less than any other human …
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Oh, to be Stephen King. If I were Stephen instead of Sioux, I’d have dozens of people working to make me happy. They’d be scurrying to ensure I was comfortable at my book signings. A full water bottle at all times. Eyebrows combed to look appropriately intriguing. A chair that wouldn’t make my bony rump ache. Okay, I don’t aspire to have eyebrows like his, and King’s rear end is probably bonier than mine, but still… Wait. Wait a minute. Before the chair would be positioned and the water bottle set in place, somebody would set up the book signing tour. A whole lot of somebodys. Since most of us are in the upper nose-bleed section, instead of courtside with Stephen King, …
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As a writer, I’ve always had the tendency to hide behind my words. While I don’t mind being on camera every now and then, every time I’ve been asked to appear on a TV news segment (only a handful of times in my editing career) I get really anxious and nervous beforehand but usually do pretty well. Starting up a podcast wasn’t that much of a stretch for me, once I got set up with microphone, got my scripts in shape and figured out the proper balance of themes to cover, background music and sound effects. But again, I was hiding faceless behind a microphone and had/have control of the editing process. It my was my teenage daughter (and tech support) who suggested I create…
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Gráinne Faller lives on the west coast of Ireland. Writing has always been part of her life, but she only recently drummed up the courage to start showing her work to anyone at all. This year she got a notable mention in the 2020 Cúirt Literary Festival New Writing Competition and had a story published in the Storgy Annihilation Radiation short story collection. She is currently working on a novel. In the real world she was a journalist for many years and now has her own communications company. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading too much, growing food and swimming in the Atlantic. This essay is dedicated to her coven of witchy mermaids, t…
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by Deborah K. Shepherd 2018 “I like it…,” said the (very) young literary agent. I waited, with bated breath, for the “but.” Because it was most definitely coming. “…but I don’t represent historical fiction.” It was my first in-person agent “pitch.” I’d submitted the first 20 pages of my novel, So Happy Together, to three agents. Two had passed. This one was my last best hope for a perfect match. “But it covers the ’60s to the ’80s. That’s not historical.” That’s my youth! “It is in publishing,” she said gently, aware she was labeling me a relic, as well. In 1987 I started writing a novel that was (very) loosely based on my student ye…
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Remember that science fiction mystery movie, Signs? Holy moly, that movie had me on the edge of my seat, building the suspense with every sign telegraphing, “Something strange is going on in Doylestown, Pennsylvania!” Until…well, I don’t want to ruin it for you if you haven’t seen Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix in this M. Night Shyamalan thriller. The point is, all the signs were there, and the signs came together at the end into this climax of revelation that was very satisfying. I’m a firm believer in signs. Wherever they come from, and whether I see them in a dream or sitting on my desk, I’m always going to take a minute to do a little discerning. What does this sig…
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Natalie Beisner is a writer and oral storyteller. She is a previous WOW! Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest first-place winner and honorable mention respectively. Her work has appeared in antonym, VISIO, The Dead Magpie, ArtAscent, and Gulf Stream Literary Magazine and has been recognized by Kaleidoscope: A Reflection on Women’s Journeys. She is a StorySLAM winner at The Moth. Natalie holds a BFA in Acting from California State University Fullerton. You can find her on Instagram @nataliejeanbeisner and at her blog: http://thisisnotalie.com/. Make sure you read Natalie's story, "Out," and then come on back and read our interview. -- Interview by Nicole Pyles WOW: First of a…
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I thought I hated writing query letters and synopsis until I discovered loglines. Simply put, a logline is a brief description, up to two sentences long, which sums up your book in a way that will hook your reader. If you’re a film writer, it summarizes your screen play and entices producers. I had to write a logline for a conference I’m attending online. They provided a helpful article which explained that a strong logline includes all of the basics – who, when, what and why. And it can be up to 75 words long. Fortunately, I had all I needed. Who: Ava, the scientist, her older brother Jaxon, an athlete, and youngest brother, lovable Teddy. When: Approx. 2…
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"The gratification comes, for me, in the doing of it. And once I've done it, I can't do anything about it if it's good or if it's bad." - Cicely Tyson (1924- 2021) In this theater of life, both personal and the writing life, the show must go on. Just as the revered award winning actress, lecturer and activist, the late Cicely Tyson, a trailblazer in theater, film, and television, is quoted as saying, "I can't do anything about it if it's good or if it's bad." For this celebrated legend, in life and in theater, the show did indeed go on, gracefully and beautifully, for 96 years. What a legacy and body of work she…
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Caroline Flynn writes lovely romance books that are clean and sweet! So she's the perfect author to feature, as we get ready for February, the month of love and romance! Caroline is a Canadian writer from Northern Ontario. She doesn't have to imagine what small-town life is like--she lives it every day. Caroline loves everything book related, whether it's reading them or writing them, and she's the dog-mom of an eccentric brindle boxer named Jazz (who makes a special appearance in one of her books, The Forget-Me-Not Bakery!). Caroline uses her coffee addiction to fuel her writing passion, and the truth is, she can't imagine devoting her life to being anything other than a…
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by Carrie Jade Williams Daydreaming will one day kill me. Literally. The part of the brain that engages with daydreams will one day be gobbled up by the Neurological disease chomping its way through the grey matter housed in my skull. To me, writing is simply daydreaming on a page- it brings me joy. I know I am not the most talented writer--I will never write a great literary work, but I am disciplined. I write every morning. I hold myself accountable. I love that I have the time to leave behind my thoughts. It’s like being an intentional ghost. I’m planning to haunt those I love with the words I leave behind. I writ…
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“When I changed the way I looked at things, the things around me started to change.” --Darrion Cockrell, 2021Missouri Teacher of the Year Recently I watched a video about Darrion Cockrell’s accomplishments. He was born to a drug addict. He was a Crip before he was 10. He was a foster kid. A kid like that usually goes down the tubes. Prison or the cemetery. Mr. Cockrell defied the odds. He’s now a St. Louis educator, and was named Teacher of the Year for my state this year. Am I proud of this young man? Mos def. Am I inspired by what he’s achieved? Yes. But it was what he said--the quote at the beginning--t…
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Back in December, I wrote the following in an Instagram post: Here’s something you need to know about creative people. We have notebooks all over the place filled with our ideas and scraps of projects. We drink a lot of caffeine. We have periodic bouts of insomnia because we can’t turn our brains off. We get discouraged when we can’t see immediate results from the creative process. We drive our loved ones crazy. But is who we are, and we can’t change that. Nor would we ever want to. There are times when my brain is flooded with ideas and I can’t keep track of them. And then there days when I feel I don’t have a creative bone in my body left. The problem is that I strugg…
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Susan Moffson has been working in the field of international development for over 20 years, some of that time spent living and working in Africa. For the past 10 years, she has worked for the non-governmental organization, Jhpiego, the leading partner in a consortium implementing the global health project, Momentum Country and Global Leadership. She has written several work-related blogs about the positive impact Jhpiego-led programs have had on many women and children and has realized she is a journalist at heart. Susan loves to write fiction, pulling from her time abroad, to capture the incredibly rich and varied cultures she has been fortunate to experience. If y…
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Recently, I sent my story around on a critique forum to get feedback, and one piece of feedback I received stopped me in my creative tracks. They accused my story of being boring. Worse, I believed them. I re-read the story and thought, good grief they are right. I almost overhauled the whole thing until I received a rejection letter. My story - yes, the one I planned on changing completely - had been rejected. Yet, something in this rejection made me pause. It made me wonder if that other person had been wrong. You see, the rejection was positive. It said, "It was good; it just wasn’t a perfect fit for the issue." Now, I know from my past experiences that receiving a pe…
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Late in 2020, I prepped to write a middle grade science fiction novel. Because I read a lot more fantasy than science fiction, I knew I needed to compile a reading list. I found very little for this age group so I asked book fans and writers. I found online lists composed by reviewers and librarians. I requested a dozen recent middle grade novels and War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. After I read the first contemporary novel, I examined the others. Every book was a boarding school story on another planet. Harry Potter goes to Mars, etc. Why oh why was the only unique recommendation War of the Worlds? And why didn’t science play a bigger part in these books? I also…
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I didn't realize I was a walking talking ball of encouragement until my husband pointed it out. Well - he didn't say it quite that way. In fact, he began by pointing out how weird I am because I hollered out the car window at an acquaintance. I guess I thought everyone did that kind of thing. I posted about the scenario on social media and learned a lot about myself from the comments made by friends and family. I'll back up a bit. I love coffee and I especially love Starbucks coffee. I fell in love with it decades ago when I was traveling for work. I appreciated the consistency of their product and customer service. No matter where I traveled, I Could count on a Venti Va…
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by Deirdra Eden The modern world works on billable hours, clocks watched, and the mantra, “Produce, produce, produce.” Even among other creatives there is a massive emphasis on getting more done, not to mention the competition. The pressure can kill creativity, damper the joy in your work, and knock you off balance. You might find yourself somewhere between totally overwhelmed at the prospect of managing your time or you’ve tried and failed so often you are ready to give up. It’s because you are a creator! You see the world in terms of expression and potential. You dream the impossible. You have exactly what it takes to make life functional, balanced, and beautiful a…
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I often mention in writing posts that I knew I wanted to be a writer from a very young age. I knew that once I became an adult, I'd graduate from writing stories cross-legged on my bed in black and white notebooks to writing stories for those glossy magazines I saw at the newsstand or were spread across the coffee table in my Livingroom. I know now, that had I not been so passionate and dedicated to achieving my writing dream, it may have continued to simmer on a back burner in my life, and I would have stayed in the shadows, writing in notebooks for my eyes only. If that had been the case, I would have wished for a fairy godmother, herself an accomplished writer, who …
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Like you, I keep up with the blog posts here at The Muffin, and when I read a few recently—namely, Jeanine DeHoney’s A Writer’s Prayer for Serenity and Sue Bradford Edwards’ 3 Steps to Developing that New Writing Habit—something clicked in the dark recesses of my memory. Hadn’t I written something similar? It took a while to find the blog post (I knew it had something to do with writing but as you can imagine, that was not a helpful key word for my search), but eventually, it popped up on the screen: Just For Today, For A Writer. It ran right here on The Muffin in January of 2013. 2013! That was eight years ago. Well, firstly, I was pretty darn impressed that I rememb…
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Seetha’s Bio: Seetha Nambiar Dodd grew up in Malaysia, surrounded by Enid Blyton books. She studied English Literature at university in the UK, and now lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and three children in a chaotic adaptation of Five Go Adventuring Again. Seetha writes creative nonfiction on her blog and was inspired by the Australian Writers’ Centre to try her hand at flash fiction. Her prose, poetry and freelance articles have been published in anthologies and on various online platforms. The pieces she is most proud of are the ones that honour and celebrate her family, who gave her roots, wings, and the confidence to fly. Seetha has had Honorable Mentions…
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