Writers On The Move: writing inspiration

Showing posts with label writing inspiration. Show all posts

Carrying on Charlotte’s 1974 Vision in 2026

“Writing Spider Inspired"
This columnist’s photo of a clipping from
the LA Times featuring the photo
from Descanso Gardens, LA Cañada-Flintridge, CA

How Is Charlotte Working for You?

Writing Spiders’ Influence—Now and Then

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, writer of fiction, poetry, and

the HowToDoItFrugally Series of How-To Books for Writers

A few years ago, administrators and docents of the lovely Descanso Gardens in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains where I live shared the story of writing spiders everywhere including the colorful orb weaver (you might know her from her yellow spots, her eight extra graceful legs (even for spiders), and her beautifully constructed notebook which she often weaves in gardens—like our famous Descanso—and our own backyards. (If she is dressed in bright yellow, then she is probably a she/her/them/they.) Today her job is to remind Karen Cioffi’s Writers on the Move visitors, subscribers and other literature lovers and writers to read or re-read the singular Newbury Award-winner by E. B. White about a writing spider who used words like “radiant” and was forever positive and supporting. It is up to today’s writers—spiders or otherwise—to keep White’s vision flourishing in this season determined to keep us intimidated by their fearsome reputation.

The author of Charlotte’s Web wove a fictional tale for children, but he might have known one personally. Perhaps one he had read about. It’s hard to know because spiders (and other inspirational beings) are often not given the credit they deserve. Halloween is a good time remind writers that the quality that makes great literature is how it reflects or affects real life. Nature. Us. What makes it great is that magical quality that attracts and—dare I use the word ensnares?—so completely it becomes known as a “classic.”

An orb weaver we call Charlotte was once an occasional and welcome guest in our yard. Even though she was only about an inch long, she fiercely kept harmful insects away from my precious chartreuse gladiolas. Unliked the webs of many spiders, her web-notebook was very tidy; hers is the one most artists emulate when they reproduce the delicate, magical web used for most everything spiders do. It’s was her bedroom, nursery for her cocoons, her home, and (Ahem!) her kitchen! Her web was as intricate as longhand and so she became…mmm…what creatives call “writing spiders.”

Halloween has been flaunting spiders as terrifying for much longer than it has been presenting them as adorable. If reading Charlotte hasn’t already changed your attitude about spiders, Halloween is a good time for writers to readjust their attitude and put “inspirational” at the top of their list of adjectives even if it pushes “silken” to describe their webs down to second place. I know, “silk” may be a handy way to create such a conversion, but really! We all know it’s sticky! But if we get up early enough to see one that has collected dew in the gentle morning sunlight, “inspiring” can be a lot more useful for us. Let’s write a pretty little poem about it. Or draw a spider on a Halloween greeting card to give to kids who knock on our doors. Let’s continue to embrace this holiday in ways similar to what E. B. White started in with his Charlotte’s Web .

Note: This article was re-inspired by a whole chain of creative souls, photographers to illustrators I found decades ago in a column titled “California Classroom” I clipped from the Los Angeles Times. It had found its way to the clipping notebook (real paper!) where I keep articles that have touched me. It re-emerged this year all nicely yellowed by time. That’s the kind of thing that can happens to writers no matter what we use to record our messages.

More About the Author:

Carolyn Howard-Johnson read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web illustrated by Garth Williams to her children when they were very small; it never occurred to her that one day she would appreciate that book on many levels beyond a lovely story with lessons to teach. She is now the author of a Modern History Press Series that began in 2004 with The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't. It’s now published in its 3^rd edition as a hardcover, paperback, and…an e-book! One of the books in that series is even available as Audio! Author White might never have believed in possibilities like that in 1974 for his lovely characters, his lovely story. Find Carolyn’s series on Amazon’s newly offered pages created for series only at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T. That Amazon feature is one of #TheFrugalBookPromoterTips she shares with writers so if (when?) they write a series, they’ll know there is a similar page just waiting for them to install it using their Amazon Central feature. Happy Halloween to all.

Creatively Dreaming

Last week my husband asked me, "Don't all authors only have one book in them?"

I think I almost snapped at him, "No, the saying is all people have at least one book in them.
Writers have too many to count and they just keep coming."

The reason I might have almost snapped, well everything is an opportunity for another project. Which is why it's such a struggle for some of us. We hear a snippet of conversation in a grocery store and it's the beginning of a novel or the scene for a great character. We see a movie and think, what if they'd gone a different direction? What would that have done to the story? I have so many ideas, and so little time to flesh them out. Right now my idea notebook is full, and I found my last one in a drawer a couple of weeks ago and thought, hmm, there's some good stuff in there.

As a creative writer, I'm finding that I'm constantly inspired - what causes me the most challenge is the 'behind' in the chair kind of work that is required to get them completed. Or even the 'which one should I work on now' kind of thought. Which is why I'm creatively dreaming these days.

Do you have a writing dream? Mine is a cottage or cabin far from everyday life. A place without internet or television, but with running water and heat. I think I could get by with just that.

So why don't you find me on a mountain top? That's a great question. One I'm still asking myself. I guess to some degree I feel selfish doing something that brings me so much pleasure. Your work shouldn't make you that happy. Right? Wrong!

But creatively dreaming inspires me to exciting realms of new thought. Places where I can be and do anything. It's better than reading a good book, only because I can determine the direction I will go, and even though right now I'm also working a 'real job,' creatively dreaming means I'm always ready to get to work when the moment presents itself.

The best news is, that creatively dreaming doesn't mean you can't have and live any of your other dreams. So today, start dreaming.

_______________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, House of Glass, Book 2 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Writing - The Best Part

For many writers, writing is what you do. What you have to do. If you aren't creating storylines in your head, you'd be writing poetry on receipts. Yes, I feel that way as well. And writing is work. Finding that perfect phrase, a unique metaphor or the correct emotion does not always come easy.

But it's fun too!

And for me, the best part . . .

is the learning something new part.

We are told often by experienced writers to write what we know. So we may start out writing about our lives, our families, and the towns where we grew up, but eventually we run out of material and that's when, in my opinion, the fun begins to happen. It's at that moment that you probably find yourself wishing you knew more about any number of things - so you learn about them first hand.

When I wrote Rocky's Mountains I needed to learn more about gold panning and read stories about lost gold mines in Wyoming. When I wrote Fire in the Hole, I took a long backcountry trip to Yellowstone and experienced first hand the land I would write about and rock climbed with guides. With Perception, I attended spiritualist churches and meetings where spirituality took stage.

Truly I feel blessed to be a writer, if only to have a reason to experience life more fully through characters that are formed in my head. Today I encourage you to do your research:

1. Learn a new craft - pottery, sewing, knitting, candle making or wood working.

2. Take a trip - explore the world around you with purpose.

3. Find an activity - go backpacking, rock climb, river raft, water ski or canoe.

4. Go back in time - discover clothes and jewelry, customs and habitats.

Where has your writing taken you? And better yet, where are you headed next!

_______________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

The Race

Years ago I would run. More than twenty miles a week on average. But that was years ago. My daughters, who are now about the age I was back then, decided we should create a team and run some fun 5K's for good causes. Great idea, except did I mention I used to run and it was a long time ago?

We ran our first race in March. As an older runner, I made the decision I didn't care about time at all, only finishing the race running. It wasn't the kind of race I had envisioned. For one, the race was at night. The only lights came from glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces. The route went from pavement to gravel to rutted dirt track and then back again. We ran around a body of water. The path tilted. All the while, colored water was sprayed at us at intervals.

Early on I saw an older woman fall. I slowed my pace. I saw there were obstacles that had fallen onto the path. I became afraid and slowed even more. A rock jammed into the heel of my shoe and I had to stop to remove it.

I had lost sight of my goal - running the race. I lost my ability to keep pace - my daughters were well in front of me. I felt alone. I felt like a failure. I gave up. I walked.

Why would anyone endure such a thing and call it fun?

Probably for the same reason writers write.

Writers face challenges too. They write alone. They face obstacles - family members who don't understand they are working and not just entertaining themselves with a hobby. They fend off callers and the internet. They set goals and then, all too often, give up when they can't attain them immediately. Writing is hard, but it is also incredibly rewarding as long as you don't give up the "race."

That evening in March it took me a while. I had to do a lot of self talk. Finally I got my head back into the game, as they say. Okay, I wouldn't run the entire race, but I could still run part of it. I found a pace that was comfortable, where I didn't worry about tripping and falling. I kept my head down and ran. It wasn't easy, but each step took me one closer to the finish line.

Writing isn't easy. Keep your head down. Work to remove your obstacles. Don't beat yourself up when you don't achieve the goals you set for yourself right away, instead celebrate your successes. After all, a novel or story is written one word at a time. Find your own pace and finish your race.

_______________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

The Ugly Peach Tree

Last year my husband and I traveled from Phoenix to Bakersfield, Ca. While there we decided to visit a local nursery where we found an ugly peach tree. The peach tree's limbs were stunted and both issued forth from the same side of the tree. But it had blossoms and it would fit in the backseat of our car. We chose the ugly peach and brought it home.

That summer the ugly peach produced six fruits, all small but incredibly sweet. Winter came and our ugly peach was introduced to a harsher than normal winter. At some point, one of its two main limbs was broken. My husband's solution was to graft the limb and keep it in place with tape. Gray, ugly, duct tape. The ugly peach became even uglier. We laughed at its ungainly shape. We shook our heads over what would happen next. And what did happen? The broken limb of our ugly peach has bloomed.

What does this have to do with writing, you might ask. Sometimes an idea for a novel or story comes our way in an unexpected way or place. It may not be complete or even well-formed but it is there. We take it and nurse it, putting words on paper to delve deeper into its meaning. Sometimes from this idea, other ideas spring forth - for articles, for poems, or for completely different stories. Some of those may even produce award winning results or financial gains. Things happen. Sometimes the story is lost and is relegated to a drawer, but then an idea issues forth again. New thoughts occur and the work is brought out once again into the light.

A writer friend of mine told me to never throw away my work. At first I had difficulty. My inner critic was ruthless. Some of it was so horrible, but I listened and kept all my writing, even those that for whatever reason I never finished. Years later I have often cleaned the drawer where these drafts reside, only to find a wonderful phrase, story idea and/or insight waiting for me.

May your "ugly peach trees" survive your inner critic, may your writing blossom, and your work bear fruit.

__________________________

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

The Olympics and Writing

The Olympics and Writing
by Elysabeth Eldering

What do the Olympics and writing have to do with each other? I subscribe to a newsletter from Writer's Relief and this came in my email the other day, some inspiration on how the Olympics can help you in your writing career. The Olympics are about to wrap up for this year. The next Olympics will be the winter Olympics of 2014. Set your eye on the goal, focus and persevere and maybe by 2014 you will have reached gold (publication or the next chapter in your writing).

10 Things Olympians Can Teach Creative Writers

1. Focus is everything. (stay focused on the end goal and with all your hard work, you will achieve it)

2. When you hit a wall, push off it and get some new momentum. (this really says something about writer's block; find a different way to get whatever you are writing written)

3. The writing life is like the balance beam; you WILL fall off. Olympians get back up again (and again, and again, and again). (Writers don't fall off per se but we do have to keep reinventing the box or think outside the box)

4. You can’t get to the big leagues without putting in your time. Practice, train, get confident; then trust your talent and all your hard work to carry you through. (in other words, learn your craft, believe in yourself and work hard to get to the end goal)

5. When you’re competing at a high level, even the little things matter.

6. Listen to coaches you trust: Criticism isn’t personal when it’s productive.

7. Be so dedicated that dedication becomes habit, and the habit becomes who you are. Write regularly, read regularly, SUBMIT regularly.

8. Healthy competition will help you be the best you can be.

9. If you’re going to jump, jump as high as you can. If you’re going to swim, swim as hard as you can. If you’re going to write, write as hard and as intensely as you can.

10. Olympians don’t hesitate. They do not hoard their personal courage or save it for a rainy day. Every day, they give everything they have to give. Writers can too.

Whether you are writing for contests or for publication, remember that hard work, focus and perseverance will get you where you want to be with your writing. Don't give up on yourself. Hoping you all achieve your end goals and that you never give up. Keep reaching for the stars.

-------------
Ms. Eldering is the award winning author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series. Her stories "Train of Clues", "The Proposal" (available as an ebook), "Tulip Kiss" (available as an ebook), and "Butterfly Halves", all placed first, second, or runner up in various contests to include two for Armchair Interviews and two for Echelon Press (Fast and ... themed type contests). Her story "Bride-and-Seek" (available as an ebook) was selected for the South Carolina Writers' Workshop (SCWW) anthology, the Petigru Review. Ms. Eldering makes her home in upper state South Carolina and loves to travel, read, cross stitch and crochet. When she's not busy with teenaged children still at home, working her full-time job as a medical transcriptionist or participating in virtual classroom visits, she can be found at various homeschool or book events promoting her writing.

You can find out more from Elysabeth and her writing/JGDS series at the following places:
Elysabeth's Writing Emporium blog
Elysabeth's author website
JGDS series blog
JGDS series website

Mono Vision

After years of wearing glasses and contacts, this past week I made the decision to have Lasik surgery for my eyes. At my age, which I don't really keep track of, my eyes now have the challenge of seeing both distance and close up. Such a struggle. Years ago, with contacts, I was introduced to what is called Mono vision. Mono vision is where one eye is adjusted to see distance and the other to see up close.

For some people this can create challenges, for me it is heaven. So when the time came for my Lasik procedure, it was exactly what I wanted.

In writing too, I have the same desire. That of seeing up close and distant at the same time. Up close means writing from the beginning taking all the room necessary to give the nuances and details time to develop. Yet, for me, I must also have the vision of the end. Not all the details of what will happen, but a final scene. A picture in my head that I write toward.

One of my favorite quotes is: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." -Lewis Carroll.

Many times when I finally get to the end of a piece, when I am on that road, so to speak, I change course at the last minute. That is also fine, because I know I'm still in the right vicinity.

Whether writing non fiction or an article, knowing where you are headed will help you to draw your readers to the right conclusions. And try writing a novel with just that one end scene in mind. See if knowing where you're headed will also help you find direction.

See you all on the road.

______________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and Young Adult Science Fiction. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with her coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

Her novels are available in electronic format here, or print format here. You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

What Inspires You?

By Kathleen Moulton

Some writers are inspired by watching people. Others are inspired within their own imagination (where Sci-Fi just has to come from!) Still others draw inspiration from uncovering information in other times and places. And only hearing a word can spark a title and an idea for a novel.

Me? I am inspired by nature. No, I am exhilarated!

Recently, I was talking to my son, who is a Border Patrol Agent in Texas. I was telling him I woke up that morning hearing a cardinal.

“You heard it?”

He thought it was strange that I would know what a cardinal sounded like.

I had been trying to bring cardinals to the feeder for a few years. When I heard it, I bounded out of bed, grabbed my camera, and peered out the window. I’ve also been known to slip on a pair of boots donning only a cami and sweatpants, and crunch along the snowy yard to capture frozen, crystal droplets hanging on branches. I can’t help it. The sun makes them so beautiful!

Yup, that’s how much I love nature. I’m just wired that way.

I often use the beauty (and the not-so-pretty) outdoors to connect with a point I make in my writing. The visual touches me so deeply and it pushes the words I have inside out on paper.

What inspires you? Soak in it. Allow it to take you places you thought you could never go. Something is resonating inside you and you may not even be aware of it. We’re so busy with our heads down and focused on accomplishing our goals that if we’re not careful, we can miss our uniqueness that will make writing easy. Everyone is different. We can learn from each other but sometimes we learn too much and find that we are trying to imitate what works for someone else.

We’re all inspired by nature to a certain degree, but don’t necessarily think my inspiration will be yours. What is in you will find its way out. It’s quite a natural process that will suddenly occur to you.

Discover yourself!

~~~~~~~~~

Kathleen Moulton is a freelance writer and nature lover. She is married, has 8 children, ages 10-28, and has been homeschooling for 25 years. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at http://kathleenmoulton.com/

Inspiration and Motivation for Your Writing

The rush of the Holiday season, with all of the shopping, the wrapping, food preparation and dinner parties, can drain one emotionally and leave little time, if any for your own writing. When all is over and done and the presents and dinner are but a memory As you recover and rest from your busy shopping days, let the following writers give you inspiration for your writing.

“Only those that risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

T.S. Eliot

“You are never to old to be who you might have been.”

George Eliot

“To be a goodwriter, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care.”

Anne Lamott

“I heard an angel speak last night, and he said, ‘write’!”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

“In the end, the best thing a writer can do for his society is to write as well as he can.”

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

“Anyone can become a writer. The trick is staying a writer.”

Harlan Ellison

“I nearly always write just as I nearly always breathe.”

John Steinbeck

Rebecca Camarena is a virtual book tour coordinator with Pump Up Your Book. She is a freelance writer in Southern California with a background in Journalism and Literature. Her published articles cover a variety of topics from health, weddings, book reviews and animals.
You can find her at
Hollywood Daze
Paperback Writer,
Writing Daze,
Dogs Rule Cats Drool,

Feeling Inspired?

Where does the inspiration come from? It's the question I'm most often asked when interviewed.

For me, inspiration is found in many places. Almost always it comes when my senses are inflamed. For example:

1. The calming feeling of being outside is naturally inspiring. Walking with leaves at my feet, the sun on my hair and water flowing nearby is always invigorating and consequently, I find myself quickly jotting down notes. But it isn't only nature that does this to me.

2. I can find inspiration at the local mall as well. I generally find a nice busy spot and people watch. I create stories for the "characters" I see walk by. I listen, (yes, I know it might be considered rude,) to conversations. Some of my most favorite quotes have come from people I don't know.

3. On warm spring days you will often find me laying in a hammock with my eyes closed. If you, like my husband, were to ask me what I'm doing, you'd learn I'm working. Yes, napping, relaxing, long baths, all those also give me inspiration.

4. Music is another way I am inspired. Lately I've been using spa music, but I'm not picky, rock, hip-hop and rap have also worked depending upon what I'm working on. In fact, when I'm struggling with a particular story line, most often music is what will take me through to the other side of the challenge.

5. I'm surprised, but occasionally when I'm sitting down to a fantastic meal, it also stirs the creative in me. When food dances on my palate and the taste comes together to create the unforgettable, I can't help but record it all in detail.

6. Where else has inspiration called? Rose gardens, movie theaters, and the kitchen when I'm baking cookies or even washing dishes. It calls when I'm reading non-fiction or watching a documentary.

Really, inspiration is always calling to us. It's just that sometimes we become to busy to listen, to notice, to feel. So inspiration comes when we allow the muse to get our attention. Let your muse speak to you through your senses. The results are amazing. Good luck!

________________________________________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction. She loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is the author of Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception, her latest book dealing with the subject of death and the afterlife. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

Her novels are available in electronic format here, or print format here.

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Or you can just contact her at d.jeanquarles@yahoo.com

Writers On The Move