Short and Sweet: Creative Writing Fun

Posted on January 14, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Do you want to stretch your creative writing ability?

Here’s another fun challenge, this one offered by children’s author Susanna Leonard Hill.

Short and Sweets is a great way to get your mind thinking outside the box!

This week’s prompt, called “Saying It Without Saying It”, invites you to describe a childhood event or common childhood occurrence…such as a Birthday Party or a Camping Trip. The trick is not to use certain words that are often associated with that particular event or feeling.

If you’d like to take part, click on this link: http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2013/01/monday-short-and-sweet-saying-it.html

Here is my entry:

We hold hands…the long windowless hallway seems to go on forever.

“You’re squeezing my fingers!” I try to loosen my grip. “Sorry.”

A cloud covers the faint sliver of the moon as we enter our room and feel our way to the beds. My sister dives into hers…blankets rustle as she covers her head.

At the edge of my bed, I hesitate. “Can I sleep with you?”

“Do you have to?” comes the muffled reply.

“Please!!!”

A sudden rush of air tells me she has flung back the covers. “Alright…but stay on the edge and don’t move around!”

Arms outstretched, I shuffle over to her bed and crawl in silently…warm…safe…waiting for morning to come.

Can you guess what I am describing? Hop over to Susanna’s Short and Sweet post…I’m sure you will know which of the 15 choices I picked.

I hope 2013 has started well for you…I feel like I am digging my way out of a mountain of emails and unread blogs after having been virtually (no pun intended) computer-less for almost two weeks. Visiting with my kids was a fantastic way to start the year…I’ll share some photos in another post.

9 Outstanding Apps to Teach Creative Writing (educatorstechnology.com)
Susanna Leonard Hill: Welcome To Summer Short And Sweets!!! (onewaytowonder.wordpress.com)
Writing changed – perhaps even saved – my life (danasitar.com)
Creative writer fulfills acting dream (fijitimes.com)
Creating Your Own Settings in Creative Writing (tomlaing.wordpress.com)

Sunday Post: Goals…and the Writer’s Desk Competition

Posted on January 13, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…the past week’s theme was GOALS.

Did you set goals for 2013?

I did! If you click here, you’ll see that many of them involve writing.

When Nancy at Spirit Lights the Way issued a “Writer’s Desk” challenge, I knew I had to participate.

Nancy says:

“ Write a short essay or poem (between 33 and 100 words) about your writing desk, your writing rituals, why you write, how you write, how you stop writing, or . . . surprise us with a tantalizing tidbit about your writing life.”

For all of the rules, please click on this link. There is still time to join the fun…deadline is January 25.

I used to have a room that doubled as both an office for me and a guest room…it looked something like this:

Then, my husband retired and discovered the world of watercolor painting. I gave him that room to use as his studio and now it looks like this:

So I do most of my writing at the dining room table…and for me, fortunately, writing has very little to do with location, location, location and very much to do with motivation, inspiration and perspiration.

I WRITE, THEREFORE I AM by Vivian Kirkfield

A writing space by any name does serve me well.

By lamplight or with sunlight streaming

Ideas flourish while I’m dreaming.

From mind to pen words quickly teeming

Pages fill with stories beaming.

In quiet or with children screaming

Cluttered desk or table gleaming

I’ve found my heaven…not to write would be my hell.

Do you write? What inspires you? Check out the Writer’s Desk Competition and join in.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

Extra Post: The Writer’s Desk (kateshrewsday.com)

Hello 2013…Turning The Next Page

Posted on December 31, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Happy New Year, Everyone! We say goodbye to 2012…and hello to 2013.

A new year gives us all the opportunity to:

Start afresh
Create a plan
Say sorry
Keep a promise
Make a vow
Get in shape
Change direction
Share love
Connect with nature
Eat healthy
Take a breath
Reach out
Stand up
Step in
Work smart
Practice time-management
Smile more
Move forward

I’m excited to be taking part in several writing challenges for 2013:

Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 (to write 12 picture book drafts in 2013)

Alayne Kay Christian’s Sub Six (to submit 6 picture books in 2013)

Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday (to review a picture book every Friday)

Nancy Hatch 1st ever SLTW Writing Contest

Highlights Fiction Short Story Contest (thank you, Hannah, for the heads-up about this)

I’ll also be doing Emma Walton Hamilton’s Just Write for Kids online picture book writing course that I won as part of Julie’s 12×12 Prize Extravaganza.

And I’ve just found another challenge that will add some balance to this picture book writing/submitting frenzy…No/Low Spend and De-cluttering January Challenge sponsored by Carla at My 1/2 Daily Dozen

I’ve been wanting some encouragement and support for these tasks…not sure which will be more difficult…budgeting or throwing away stuff we don’t need! I actually think it will be the de-cluttering. But I know that a less cluttered workspace can mean less stress and more efficient use of time…no more hunting for hours for that slip of paper with the important story ideas. If these are areas where you need help, check out Carla’s link above.

So, this is my plan:

Stick to our budget by trimming spending to only necessary items.
Reevaluate at the end of the month to see if more cutting is necessary.
I already cook/bake almost everything myself…I treat myself to take-out Indian once a month.
Go through the house…one drawer, cabinet, closet at a time…perhaps there is money to be made (which will help the budget) by selling stuff we no longer need/want/use.

I’ve connected with the most amazing people…writers, photographers, artists, teachers, librarians, moms, dads and kids…I thank all of you for visiting my blog and commenting on my posts.

We donated 20 copies of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking to libraries in 8 states and 3 provinces in Canada.

We also donated 12 copies of Show Me How to schools in the US and Canada.

A portion of the proceeds from my book sales went to several children’s organizations:

JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
Bess the Book Bus (a mobile literacy outreach)
STAR (Sit and Read Together…a literacy program funded by CPCD in Colorado Springs)
Books of Wonder (for renovation of this NYC indie children’s bookstore)
Kids Are Heroes (recognize children all over the world who reach out to help their community)
Reach Out and Read (nationwide program that connects books and kids via pediatricians)

As most of you know, there are big changes in my life…I am retired as of January 1^st.

What does that mean?

As my son so aptly wrote, “We wish you all the best as you turn the page to the next chapter in your book of life.”

I could not have said it better!

So on this first day of the New Year 2013, I wish all of you the best as you turn the page to the next chapter in your book of life!