My Favorite Tool

Do you want a way to organize all your ideas and find them anytime you need to, just by typing a word? Add the ability to tag each idea, and search the tags. Wouldn't it be nice if in that same place that you keep all your ideas, you could drag anything from the Internet into it, and connect that information to one of your ideas as simply as you drag a word around in a .doc? What if you could link ideas,with one easy stroke, and then step back to visually see any patterns that form, as you build a story. Imagine if this was a simple application, and built into it was a screen that you can type in, for each idea, for each Internet item. And what if you could link documents to each idea. What if you could easily run reports to list those documents.

Well these are just a few of the extraordinary functions of Personal Brain. I've been using it now about 4 years, and it is the greatest single application I've ever found. I spent months looking for a program that would help me with all the above. If you would like to try the Personal Brain, you can use it free for a month. When the time is up, you won't lose any of your work. It just won't let you to add any more. The support from the company is phenomenal. They offer free weekly seminars on line LIVE, plus many more live presentations by a variety of users. And there is a users forum that is very helpful. If you have any questions you would like to ask, email me at heather@tillybud.com.

Unmoored, adrift, unsettled, to borrow Heather’s word from her previous post: that’s exactly how I feel if I don’t write on a regular basis. Fortunately, over the past few years, I’ve managed to carve out some time each day to devote specifically to writing. As a result, I feel a powerful sense of momentum in my writing – it’s physically easier to sit down and get right to it, plus my mind stays involved in the story when I’m away from the page. And it keeps me (relatively) sane.

What I’ve also found extremely helpful is being involved in writing communities, such as the Writers Workshop. There’s nothing quite like sitting in a room with other writers, sharing the successes and struggles we encounter along this nonstop, sometimes solitary, sometimes roller-coaster-like journey. As much as our families and friends try to sympathize, they can never truly empathize with the writer’s life unless they’re living it, too.

When we last met, several of you acknowledged that you’re either returning to writing after a long interruption or “finally” making good on your promise to yourself to sit down and write once you retired. Hopefully these monthly gatherings will help all of us get settled into the rhythm of writing, giving us goals and deadlines to shoot for, perhaps a little inspiration, and the all-important camaraderie and solidarity of communing with writers like ourselves.

Grub Street Writing Assignment:: Week One

Hi, Kids,
Here's my first Grub St. assignment, as promised. I actually did some writing this weekend because of it! For months, I've felt so unsettled. I just couldn't make myself write ANYTHING. It's embarrassing when you've told the world you are a writer, and then you don't write. You start to believe you are a fraud.....and that compounds the blockage. I think this new class is going to be good for me. We sat down, and the teacher had us take out a piece of paper. She told us to write down five reasons we haven't been writing. Then she said, "Now, scrunch your paper up into a ball, and throw it over your shoulder". and we did. "OK", she said. "In this room, right now, those things are done and gone. Now, let's write"! and I did!

Assignment One:

(1000 words max.)

Think of something that really annoys you about somebody that you love. This can be a family member, a friend, a spouse, or an imaginary character that you make up. Write a story (1,000 words max) that reveals that person’s faults and foibles, showing the myriad dimensions of love.

Don’t be afraid to draw from your own experience.

Your memories are a wonderful and vital place to start.

As always, have fun!

Write or Die

Hello, Fellow NRAS Writers Workshop! Heather here, with a little somethin' somethin' you might like.

Write or Die Dr. Wicked's Writing Lab to be found at: http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html is a web application that encourages writing by punishing the tendency to avoid writing. Start typing in the box. As long as you keep typing, you're fine, but once you stop typing, you have a grace period of a certain number of seconds and then there are consequences.

Many people find themselves unable to write consistently. If you find yourself easily distracted, you may find the Write or Die site quite helpful.

A tangible consequence is more effective than an intangible reward.Write or die satisfies this need to be held to the fire.

Consequences:

• Gentle Mode: A certain amount of time after you stop writing, a box will pop up, gently reminding you to continue writing.
• Normal Mode: If you persistently avoid writing, you will be played a most unpleasant sound. The sound will stop if and only if you continue to write.
• Kamikaze Mode: Keep Writing or Your Work Will Unwrite Itself

Check it out and let us know what you think.

Thank you all for attending the first meeting of the NRAS Writers Workshop.

Dates of Upcoming Meetings:

October 20 -- Jen, Susan, and Kristine will present their work for critique.

November 17 -- Robine, Joan, and Heather R. will present their work for critique.

December 15 -- Buck, Heather S., and Donna will present their work for critique.