Some time ago I read about a group of seven ex-patriate British women, living temporarily in the Far East.  They were all facing new challenges, meeting new people and having new adventures.  They had something else in common …. they were all experiencing a sense of loss for what they had left behind.  For some it was friends and family, for some it was the familiarity of places that were as comfortable to slip into as the folds of an old overcoat.  They were all feeling vulnerable.

They wanted something more than the superficial expatriate relationships.  They decided to form a writers’ circle.  It began casually after they heard a talk by a writer on the benefits of speedwriting, or what is known to writers as “stream of consciousness”.  The speaker explained how this kind of writing can be used to free inspiration and find out who you really are.  Sometimes, while writing on one topic, another will come into your mind as if by accident.  Natalie Goldberg, in her book “Writing Down the Bones” explains it as:  “Shake the apple tree and you get oranges.”

You don’t need to be a professional writer, or even have ambitions in that direction, to benefit from this kind of writing.  You just sit down with a pen and some blank pages and start writing about whatever comes into your mind. Let it flow without worrying about grammar, spelling or syntax.  When you write in this uninhibited way, your internal critic and censor doesn’t get a look in.  You can write on a particular topic (the women I mentioned chose “home”) or you can make up a heading like “Morning Pages” and see what happens.  Random thoughts will flow on to the paper and some of them may surprise you.  You’ll find that you peel away protective facades and allow yourself to express your vulnerabilities.  Whether you decide to do this on your own or with a group of friends as the women in the Far East did, you’ll discover honesty  and maybe it will be cemented in tears, letting you come to grips with sorrows you had buried in your subconscious that needed to be expressed before you could move forward with your life.

If you form a Writers’ Circle, to meet for this kind of speedwriting, it can develop into a closely bonded group.  Members can take turns to think of a topic but it should only be disclosed at the last minute when everyone is ready to write.  I tried the experiment once with a group of my students and the subject was, believe it or not, “door handles.”  It was amazing what they came up with when they let their imaginations flow unimpeded.  Door handles were turned to enable them to step into magic gardens; to new and better lives; to entering places that were forbidden to them until then.  The important thing to remember is confidentiality must be assured when you open up your secret imaginings and fantasies, judgments are never made, all emotions are admissable and both laughter and tears are held in equal esteem.

                                                                            

To those who want to write and are just taking their first steps, “stream of consciousness” writing is a wonderful way to overcome writers’ block.  It lets loose intense emotions that can come to the surface and provide inspiration.  In such a safe environment, it is easy to be honest with yourself.

Many authors, like Virginia Woolf, have even published their stream-of-consciousness writing.  Psychologists have often used it in therapy for anxiety-ridden patients or those experiencing traumatic nightmares.  The very act of writing down one’s secret fears helps to banish them.  You should not try to do it on a computer, because the technology interferes with your unimpeded flow of words.  I have tried this kind of speedwriting sometimes, and when I’ve read it over later, have occasionally found an unexpected poem hidden among the words.

When asked why I write (and I write a minimum of 1,000 words a day) I usually reply that I do it to clarify things for myself, to help me understand my life and put things in perspective.  I find this happens even when I am writing fiction and different events are happening to characters I’ve created in my mind.  My motto, printed on my letterhead, has always been: “Every act of creation is a self-portrait. Autograph your work with excellence.”

Godfrey Howard, speaking to the Authors’ Club in London, said: “Writers write because they love language, because they want to share their visions, and because they want to throw a bridge across the void.”

I believe writing is one of the most therapeutic things you can do.  If you have never done more than write letters, try it.  If you want to get rid of writers’ block, try it.  Lose your inhibitions and let the words pour out unimpeded.  You may be surprised and delighted where they will take you.

Happy writing. I am here to help you (free) with any writing problems. Contact me at: dwaysman@gmail.com

                          THE JOY  OF WORDS

                        by   DVORA  WAYSMAN

There is a beautiful Chinese quotation: “Keep a green tree in your heart, and maybe the singing bird will come.”  For me, the green tree stays alive because of the joy I get from writing – a gift that took root when I was a little girl of seven and had my first poem published in a children’s magazine.  Now, more than eight decades later, I have nurtured it through 5,000  published articles, poems, stories and 14 books.

If you have an ambition to  be a writer, you should realise that talent alone is not enough. Determination is necessary, but what you really need is compulsion.  Writing must be such an integral part of your life that if you are breathing, you are writing. You want to share your eyes with your readers, and all your other senses too, enabling them to hear, smell, taste and touch the world you have created for them.  If your words speak to them and you can make them feel joy and pain, smile and weep, feel empathy and compassion, then you are indeed a writer.

As a long-time teacher of Creative Writing, I also taught my students to be salespeople because you need to learn how to get your words out to the reading public.  They must learn, as you did, sometimes to face rejection and not give in to despair.  My way was always to give myself periodic encouragement rewards.  When I write a book, the time to complete it and find a publisher can be awesome, so during the writing I submit short stories or magazine articles.  These are easier to sell, and the temporary triumphs are confidence-boosters for the stamina you need to keep working on much longer projects.  Usually with articles, I suggest that students do not invest time in writing and researching the whole piece until they have  sent out a few query letters.  Only when an editor indicates that he/she likes the idea, should you complete the work.  However you must make your query letters as creative as you  can, and give the projected article a title as irresistible as you  can make it. I tell my students that the only way  that they will never be rejected is never to submit anything, and that every achievement in life begins with two small words: “I’ll try.”

Joy in writing also springs from joy in reading. They are inseparable.  Time and again I travel back to the leisurely, masterful narratives of Somerset Maugham and Evelyn Waugh; revel in the humanity  and poetic descriptions of John Steinbeck; chuckle at the rapier wit of Noel Coward and Dorothy Parker; and dream with yesterday’s poets who didn’t write of politics and technology but were lyrical – Byron, Shelley and Keats; W. B. Yeats,  Rupert Brooke and A.E. Housman.  All these authors probably date me (my grandchildren have probably never read them) but their works are timeless and remain an inspiration.

Sometimes our own words disappoint us. Edith Wharton wrote: “I dream of an eagle, I give birth to a humming-bird.”  So we try and try again, sometimes managing to capture just a little bit of heaven in our quest to be crowned with stars.

And when we do, there is nothing to compare with the joy of accomplishment. Our spirits soar along with our words, and the singing bird builds its nest in the green tree we have kept alive in our heart.

               Happy writing. I am here for you – contact me with any writing problems (free) and I will try to help you. My books are available on Amazon, or direct from me at dwaysman@gmail.com , and I am always happy to hear your comments.

Most of us find the behavior of other people fascinating. Maybe because real life is so unpredictable. This gives us plenty to think about, so why do we need to read or write fiction?

Maybe because fiction doesn’t encourage us to compare ourselves with real people who have achieved success or notoriety. It doesn’t make us jealous or resentful – quite the reverse, because fiction can be comforting, whereas real life can overwhelm us.

When we identify with a character in fiction, we give ourselves permission to lead a different life. We can feel all the emotions which the character feels. Real life might be a solution-free zone, fiction has positive duty to offer solutions. It offers us justice because the characters usually get what they deserve. Fiction sets our imagination free, offering writers a perfect playground to explore alternative lives and destinies..

What about readers who say they never read fiction? Don’t they also need structured stories with beginnings, sustained middles and satisfying endings? I’m sure they do because many may be sports fans and events always follow a pattern of set-up, development and conclusion. Footballers don’s wander off the pitch before the game ends, and runners don’t stop half-way on the track. Authors of non-fiction can learn a lot about structuring, plotting and characterisation from writers of fiction.

Is it worth writing fiction? As someone who has spent most of my long life making up stories, and reading remarkable novels, I continue to believe it must be.

If I can help you with any writing problems, write to me (free) at dwaysman@gmail.com – I am here to help you. I have written 14 books now, and my own personal favorite “Esther – a Jerusalem Love Story” has just been republished in Israel this time, by chaim.mazo@gmail.com; or you can get it on Amazon or direct from me. I am always glad to hear your comments.

Happy writing/

Successful writers share a secret. They don’t write all the time. Maybe one-third – market research, idea development and query fill the remaining hours. If you want to be more successful in 2023, note these tips”:

1. WRITE REGULARLY – but not always for publicatio. Writing improves with practice, but growth occurs when you are free to test new techniques and ideas. Take time to write something nobody else will see – a journal, a short story, a poem … This creates a safe way to mine your emotions.
2. DEVELOP A WRITING RITUAL:Maybe start with a cup of coffee; sit in the same space; make a note of all the things you are grateful for …. these rituals and routinmes can sharpen your focus and help prepare you for the worki ahead.
3. WRITE SOMETHING NEW: You can write articles for papers and magazines, and at the sam,e time be working on a novel. Don’t get locked into a routine of writing for a particular market and forget the cvreativity that comes from playing with words, structures, ideas.
4. PIQUE YOUR INTEREST : 90% of the work is making sure you like what you are writing about. Connect with something you care about in the story and your work will take on a passion that will make readers care too.

5. JOIN A WRITERS’ GROUP; Communicate with other writers. You must hear other writers and get different perspectives.

The best groups expect members to submit work for a regular critique and discussion, where members offer educated and supportive but honest feedback. Look for a group with engaging smart people who write regularly and share their opinion in courteous and constructive way.

6. ENTER A WRITING CONTEST: This is a way to attract the attention of editors and publishers. Powerful motivation!

Sometimes publication is the prize , or an evaluation by agents and editors that is very valuable.

7:DREAM BIG: The best results often come from taking calculated risks. Swallow your fears and forge ahead. It’s more likely you’ll hit on a lucrative success. What is your dream assignment? Which agent do you want to represent you? Sets your sights high and do one thing today to move yourself closer to that goal. You risk rejection but there is always a publishing possibility. A positive attitude, savvy marketing and a blend of writing and business basics will take your talent to the next level.

HAPPY WRITING: I am here to help you with any writing problems (free of charge). Contact me at dwaysman@dwaysman

if you are interested in any of my 14 books. My latest novel is “Searching for Sarah” and my own personal favorite “Esther – A Jerusalem Love Story” which has been out of print for many years, has just been re-published by Chaim Mazo Publishers in Jerusalem, and is available from him, from Amazon or direct from me. I am always glad to hear your comments.

You are feeling in a creative mood and want to write, but can’t think how to start a story. Here are some quick ways to find inspiration and get started.

1. LISTEN CAREFULLY: Eavesdrop at a cafe, on a bus or on a train. Record the bits of overheard conversation. You might be surprised how a bit of dialogue can spark inspiration.

2. READ THE OBITUARIES: Ever wonder about the part of a person’s life that isn’t reported in the death notices? Use your imagination to fill in the gaps.

3. PUT YOURSELF IN ANOTHER PERSON’S POLACE;: Pick a character in the Bioble and read the story carefully. Write a story as though you were the character.

4. TELL THE STORY BEHIND A PHOTOGRAPH:: Find a picture that intrigues you or stirs a memory, and write about it. Maybe an early photo of your parents. It might even inspire a children’s book.

5. LISTEN TO THE STORIES THAT FRIENDS OR RELATIVES TELL YOU; A friend told me she sat on a park bench and was writing, when an old woman sitting next to her suddenly said: “I bet you think I was never in love.” That night she turned the old woman’s narrative into a short story that was later published.

6. START WITH A SETTING: Find a setting, describe it in such detail that it can’t be mistaken for any other place in the world, then let people loose there. This is a great way to get started.

7. USE A MAP TO PUT YOUR MIND IN MOTION. I’ve always loved maps – their colours, lines and the names of towns. Maybe choose a town with an odd name, wonder what it would be like to live there, and start writing.

8. START WITH A COLOR: Say a color out loud – e.g. purple – and start writing. Or say red, and think of russeet apples, roses, maybe a flag.

Happy writing. I am always here to help you (free of charge) with any writing problem. You can contact me direct at:

dwaysman@gmail.com – I am always happy to hear from you.

                         

There is a beautiful Chinese quotation: “Keep a green tree in your heart, and maybe the singing bird will come.”  For me, the green tree stays alive because of the joy I get from writing – a gift that took root when I was a little girl of seven and had my first poem published in a children’s magazine.  Now, more than eight decades later, I have nurtured it through 5,000  published articles, poems, stories and fourteen books.

If you have an ambition to  be a writer, you should realise that talent alone is not enough. Determination is necessary, but what you really need is compulsion.  Writing must be such an integral part of your life that if you are breathing, you are writing. You want to share your eyes with your readers, and all your other senses too, enabling them to hear, smell, taste and touch the world you have created for them.  If your words speak to them and you can make them feel joy and pain, smile and weep, feel empathy and compassion, then you are indeed a writer.

As a former teacher of Creative Writing, I also taught my students to be salespeople because you need to learn how to get your words out to the reading public.  They must learn, as you did, sometimes to face rejection and not give in to despair.  My way was always to give myself periodic encouragement rewards.  When I wrote a book, the time to complete it and find a publisher can be awesome, so during the writing I submitted short stories or magazine articles.  These are easier to sell, and the temporary triumphs are confidence-boosters for the stamina you need to keep working on much longer projects.  Usually with articles, I suggested that students do not invest time in writing and researching the whole piece until they have  sent out a few query letters.  Only when an editor indicates that he/she likes the idea, should you complete the work.  However you must make your query letters as creative as you  can, and give the projected article a title as irresistible as you  can make it. I told my students that the only way  that they would never be rejected was never to submit anything, and that every achievement in life begins with two small words: “I’ll try.”

Joy in writing also springs from joy in reading. They are inseparable.  Time and again I travel back to the leisurely, masterful narratives of Somerset Maugham and Evelyn Waugh; revel in the humanity  and poetic descriptions of John Steinbeck; chuckle at the rapier wit of Noel Coward and Dorothy Parker; and dream with yesterday’s poets who didn’t write of politics and technology but were lyrical – Byron, Shelley and Keats; W. B. Yeats,  Rupert Brooke and A.E. Housman.  All these authors must date me (my grandchildren have never read them) but their works are timeless and remain an inspiration.

Sometimes our own words disappoint us. Edith Wharton wrote: “I dream of an eagle, I give birth to a humming-bird.”  So we try and try again, sometimes managing to capture just a little bit of heaven in our quest to be crowned with stars.

And when we do, there is nothing to compare with the joy of accomplishment. Our spirits soar along with our words, and the singing bird builds its nest in the green tree we have kept alive in our heart.

Happy writing. I am here to help you (free) with any writing difficulties. My personal favorite novel “Esther – a Jerusalem Love Story” which was out of print for many years, has now been republished in Israel by Chaim Mazo and is also available on Amazon or direct from me at dwaysman@gmail.com I am always happy to hear your comments.

                               SHAPING A POEM

                                 by  DVORA WAYSMAN

The definition of poetry that I’ve always liked the most is “emotion recollected in tranquillity.”  If no profound feelings are involved, then the words could more easily have been expressed in prose.  But sometimes prose just won’t do … the depth of emotion felt by the writer demands the poetic form.

The stimulus that inspires a poem is different for everyone, but you need to be observant and experience all your five senses, absorbing the sights,  sounds, taste , smell and tactile impressions you encounter.  Something is tingling inside you, maybe an excitement that you need to capture.  According to a record left by Wordsworth’s sister, he was thrilled to see the daffodils seeming to dance at Ullswater, but it took two years for him to write the poem we all learnt at school:  “I wandered lonely as a cloud…’His poems originated in stored memories.

Poems can come when we are joyful, dejected, angry, lonely, spiritual or loving. Your feelings color what you see and remember, and even though most subjects like nature, love, death, fame, war and the transience of human  experience have all been covered through the ages, your view can still be fresh and unique.  The subjects may be limited, but there are always possibilities to approach them in a new, imaginative way.

A poem is an intricate composition. There is the narrative poem, tied to events. A.E. Housman’s “Eight O’Clock” is an example. It moves you because it implies the public execution of an un-named man for an unspecified crime. A descriptive poem is different.  It depends on conveying a scene, a sound, a personality or feeling, although you can combine narration and description.  Many modern poets write persuasive  poems deliberately to change attitudes, sometimes using satire.  Although this type of poetry does not appeal to me, it often employs stark realism to shock the reader into changing his or her view on a subject.  Randall Jarrell, Allen Ginsberg and James Wright employed this kind of poetic persuasion.

How do you start to write a poem? Usually you put your feelings into words, jot down images, metaphors, alternate phrases. The days are long past when verse had to rhyme and you had to contrive artificially to express your thoughts. Sometimes beginning with a structured form, however, is the best way if you need that deliberate discipline.  Blank verse is an alternative, comprised of unrhymed lines, each line a pentameter of five metric feet. Each foot is an iamb (a 2-syllable unit) with the second syllable stressed.  Iambic pentameter couplets are also called heroic couplets.

Once when Somerset Maugham was asked how to write  a novel, he said: “There are seven rules to writing a novel.  Only no-one knows what they are.” I feel the same about poetry.  Most of the poems I have loved have been in free verse, not committed to a predictable pattern of rhythm, rhyme or stanza. Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams wrote in free verse.  This sounds as though it’s easy to write, but it’s only easy to write it badly. It may lack metrical precision but it should have cadence, with its own pace and rhythm.  You can even find free verse in the magnificent translated Psalms in the Bible, and you should read T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, a long poem of irregular stanzas and lines; some surprising rhymes as in “fingers/malingers; ices/crisis”.  You are always conscious of the poet’s change in mood, rhythm and vocabulary.

                                                   

When you write prose, your first thought is clarity.  With poetry it’s not always the most important choice. A certain ambiguity can sometimes enrich a poem. Also, you no longer have to start every line with a capital letter .e.e.cummings dispensed with them altogether.  Punctuation, too, is optional. If you wish you can let line endings and breaks between stanzas indicate a pause.

Naming your poem is like naming your baby. Bestowing a name is an act of magic, to give reality to a hope or wish to be fulfilled. You can dispense with a name in a very short poem like a “haiku”, but a name confers value,  Usually the title emphasizes an element of the poem.

Although I always loved poetry and memorized hundreds of lines, writing poetry came to me late in life.  Maybe, as we mature, we feel things more deeply.  All the emotions that bring tears to your eyes or joy to your heart are stimuli for poems.  When I turned 70, the three score years and ten allotted by the Bible, it was a time of deep introspection, particularly thinking of dreams unfulfilled and how short a time was left.  It was truly therapeutic to verbalize this sadness.  I just let the feelings flow, and surprised myself with a poem:

                                              PAST REGRETS

          When autumn lays out her lush carpet

          Of scarlet and gold and brown

          I’ll think back to spring and summer

          And of all I let slip by.

          I had my chance,

          But so many times I hesitated,

          Afraid of consequences

          That may never have happened.

          We do not regret the things we did

          In this life, that passes so rapidly.

          No, it was when we failed to grasp the moment

          The one that never came again.

          To you who are still young,

          Take life with both your hands;

          Laugh and love, travel roads untrodden

          Or, like me, face a winter of regrets.

I am here to help you with any writing problems (free). Contact me at dwaysman@gmail.com Happy writing!

We call them Op-Eds, because they are printed to the right of the Editorial. Usually, they are not paid for, but give you wonderful practice in getting an article published, and also getting your by-line out toi the public. Here’s what makes it publishable:

THE CHOICE OF TOPIC: It must be relevant to the readers. Give careful attention to the subject matter.

BE RELEVANT: It should be a topic that touches on a larger issue .It’s not just responding to some decision you’ve read about – that’s for a Letter to the Editor. Address the larger issue – maybe personal freedom versus a desire to protect children, if the decision was to prevent children accessing pornographic sites. Address the issues behind the news, if you want to increase your chances of having your Op-Ed published.

BE UNIQUE AND TIMELY: You must address the events of the world around you through your unique perspective. Address your topic as only you can. Are you an attorney? Give the legal perspective. Are you a parent? Look at the issue through a parent’s eyes.

LETTER OR OP-ED/ One characteristic that distinguishes a letter to the editor from an op-ed is, that while a letter can be filled with angry rhetoric, an op-ed must present a reasoned argument. If you want to get published, you must learn to filter out emotion without losing passion. Remove anger and irrationality, but leave in the passion for your subject that caused you to write it in the first5 place.

BE CONSTRUCTIVE: Make sure you are not just being critical. Try to offer a solution. Try to avoid writing in the first person singular, and eliminate “I think”, “in my opinion”. An op-ed does offer your opinion, but if it’s written in the first person, it may be rejected. Overt-use of “I. Use the third person or first-person plural. gives the piece a “know-it-all” tone.

WORD COUNT: Usually, it is between 500 – 800 words, so learn to focus. Don’t forget to document references or quotes. Be able to back up statements you attribute to others.

Writing Op-Eds is a wonderful way to express an opinion in a powerful forum.

Happy writing. I am always happy to hear your comments and to help you (free) with any writing problems. Contact me at dwaysmasn@gmail.com My latest novel is “Searching for Sarah” and my own favorite of my 14 books is “Esther- a Jerusalem Love Story” which was out-of-print for many years, but is now available on Amazon or from my Israeli publisher, Chaim Mazo.

Interviewing is a great technique to have in your research toolbox. First you need to prepare, and to decide what you want to achieve. The information you need; the best person to interview; an expert quote; or perhaps an eyewitness account.

Once you’ve understood your aim, you can formulate relevant questions. For a live interview, you may need several sessions; but getting a quick expert statement can be done via telephone or through e-mails.

Plan your questions, jot down anything that comes to mind. There are open and closed questions. Open ones begin with “what”, “how” or “why” allowing for lengthy answers. Closed questions, the answers answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, give less scope for explanation. How are you going to record the interview? If you’re planning on a recorder, video camera etc., make sure to know how it works and that it’s fully charged.

Arrange the meeting so that the place and time are convenient for your interviewee. If it’s an unknown person, always meet in a public place to ensure your safety.

Explain why you want the interview and how you’re planning to use the information. Ask for their consent. If someone wants to be anonymous, respect their wishes. If you want to record, ask for permission, and invite the interviewee to ask any questions they may have. Spend some time building a rapport, to help him / her relax.

Your main task is to listen and allow the interviewee to do the talking. If you don’t understand something, ask to clarify. Keep the interview conversational. At the end, express your thanks and encourage them to contact you later if they remember something else relevant.

Send a thank-you note to the interviewee. Analyse your notes – did you get everything you need? Identify any facts that need verification. Becoming a good interviewer requires practice and can be improved, like any skill. The more you practise, the better you’ll become.

I am always here to help you (free) with any writing problems. Contact me direct at dwaysman@gmail.com My latest novel “Searching for Sarah” is available direct from me; and my own favorite novel “Esther – a Jerusalem Love Story” has now also been republished. I am always glad to hear your comments. Happy writing!

When you choose a subject for your novel or story, it is always autobiographical in part, Sooner or later, almost every writer must get out of his system a story of the end of his own innocence – the day his childhood ended, and he stepped, jumped or was pushed into manhood. It also applies to women writers. Katherine Mansfield, in “The Garden Party”, used this theme so subtly – a young girl’s first step into womanhood, her first venture into a world beyond her blissful childhood, and her first experience with death.

If you plan to use your own experience, you must study yourself, understand your feelings about yourself and establish your own identity. Who are you? How do you look to yourself, to the people who love you, or those who hate you?

While investigating yourself, you may learn that although the end of innocence does not challenge you as story material, some other period in your life is a drama. In everyone’s life, there is surely a turning time, a moment, day or week, that has made a difference. This is story material,

The protagonist of Salinger’s “For Esme – with Love and Squalor” is a sergeant in World War II, but the important time for him during all those war years was the time of his friendship with two children – because of the effect on the rest of his life.

When you have selected, modified and arranged the elements of your story, it may not be recognizable, but the drama will have been born out of one of those significant times.

Do some writing exercises. The scene is the visitor’s room in a mental hospital, where two sisters are talking. At the end of the visit, the sister whose conversations seemed unintelligent and without meaning, is seen to be the visitor, not the patient.

Here’s another one. A prostitute passes a garden where a small blind boy is playing. She knows he is her son. Could you develop this story without sentimentality?

Almost everyone you know has a story. Think of five people you know – do they suggest stories to you?

Happy writing. I am here to help you (free) with any writing problems. Write to me at dwaysman@gmail.com. My favorite novel of all I have published has just been republished – “Esther” – and is available on Amazon, Kindle or direct from me. I’m always glad to hear from you.