Greetings,
Today I'm sending you a bit of sunshine from a wonderful location in the U.S. If you're from a cold climate, like I am, many of you probably thought about traveling to a nice hot spot this winter to soak up some sun even if for just a few delightful days.
Places you've traveled to can be a mighty handy tool too when writing a story or poem. Don't forget to jot down unique names of shops, towns, street signs, billboards, license plates and other unique novelties you see along the way. I have two typed pages full of unique names. On our lake there's a Lutefisk Lane.
I used information I collected from Colorado and Frankfurt, Germany in my first novel China Connection. My third novel, Mayhem With A Capital M used information I gathered from many trips to Mexico.
One short story I wrote about two years ago began in the U.S. and ended in Ireland. I don't think I could have done the people and pubs justice if we had never taken a trip to Ireland. Another short story I wrote pertained to Native American Pow Wow's.
Sometimes if you really want to get a short story published you have to change the area it takes place in. A story of mine, "The Gulper Eel Lounge", found in the 2014 Southwest Florida Stories and Poems anthology used Florida as it's location because that was one of the requirements. The original story, "The Blue Fin Lounge", revolved around a location in Minnesota. Having traveled to Florida and staying in particular areas helped me change the feel of the original story.
So, remember when traveling, take a little notebook with like my mother used to do and I still do and jot down things of interest you see along the way. You never know when you'll run across a Coon Valley or a Crime Ink Tattoos.
Until Next Time
This is Marlene Chabot
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Topic 3 Putting Life Experiences to use
Greetings.
In the past month, I've explained how a writer can discover excellent dialogue exchanges for future writings by simply listening to conversations around him. I've also shared how you can glean supplemental writing material through means of mass communication: newspaper, magazines, TV, and radio. Today, I'm going to discuss Life Experiences--Part One--Jobs.
A deceased writer friend of mine, Winston Borden, wrote in his book Ruminations,
"Today, grab some flowers from your garden...and make your own arrangement."
.
Life experiences are the flowers in your garden. so don't be afraid to arrange them in your writings. Chisel away at your life, you might find gold.
I graduated with a degree in education. But when I searched for work in my field I couldn't find anything in the area I lived. So, I took two part-time jobs. I was a Key Punch operator at night for a huge bank and a teacher's assistant during the day. Then I babysat on and off. As the years rolled along, I substitute taught, took 2 different bank jobs, worked for Kelly Services, did security work for a big department store, went back to college for an A.A.S. degree, helped my husband in our optical store, served as an assistant manager at an apartment complex, taught at a history lab, took on many volunteer jobs, and even worked in the corporate office of a newspaper company. Oh, did I mention I raised two children?
I didn't start writing my first novel until I was fifty, Yes, fifty. But think of all the things in my garden I could use since childhood. In my first three novels with PI Matt Malone, I reference Matt's Air Force days (my spouses background). But I also mention Saint Cloud State University and Matt's marketing background. I attended said college and have a degree in marketing.
In my second novel North Dakota Neighbor, the mystery revolves around a school being built in the Anoka-Hennepin school district, The story requires my teaching and history lab instructor experience and interest in antiques.
The third novel, Mayhem With A Capital M, Matt Malone's involved with two cases. One has to do with a coffee company and the other with a painting. It draws on my religious beliefs, love of Spanish decor, art minor degree, and a broken ankle,
My new Mary Malone series, Death at the Bar X Ranch revolves around an unemployed teacher who takes a job intended for her brother. In between she substitute teaches and takes on a part time job at an optical store. My teaching experience paid off for this new series. So did working in our optical store. Unfortunately, I don't own a horse. That's where research comes into play, but we'll save that for another time.
Don't forget to use the flowers in your garden.
Until Next Time,
this is Marlene Chabot
In the past month, I've explained how a writer can discover excellent dialogue exchanges for future writings by simply listening to conversations around him. I've also shared how you can glean supplemental writing material through means of mass communication: newspaper, magazines, TV, and radio. Today, I'm going to discuss Life Experiences--Part One--Jobs.
A deceased writer friend of mine, Winston Borden, wrote in his book Ruminations,
"Today, grab some flowers from your garden...and make your own arrangement."
.
Life experiences are the flowers in your garden. so don't be afraid to arrange them in your writings. Chisel away at your life, you might find gold.
I graduated with a degree in education. But when I searched for work in my field I couldn't find anything in the area I lived. So, I took two part-time jobs. I was a Key Punch operator at night for a huge bank and a teacher's assistant during the day. Then I babysat on and off. As the years rolled along, I substitute taught, took 2 different bank jobs, worked for Kelly Services, did security work for a big department store, went back to college for an A.A.S. degree, helped my husband in our optical store, served as an assistant manager at an apartment complex, taught at a history lab, took on many volunteer jobs, and even worked in the corporate office of a newspaper company. Oh, did I mention I raised two children?
I didn't start writing my first novel until I was fifty, Yes, fifty. But think of all the things in my garden I could use since childhood. In my first three novels with PI Matt Malone, I reference Matt's Air Force days (my spouses background). But I also mention Saint Cloud State University and Matt's marketing background. I attended said college and have a degree in marketing.
In my second novel North Dakota Neighbor, the mystery revolves around a school being built in the Anoka-Hennepin school district, The story requires my teaching and history lab instructor experience and interest in antiques.
The third novel, Mayhem With A Capital M, Matt Malone's involved with two cases. One has to do with a coffee company and the other with a painting. It draws on my religious beliefs, love of Spanish decor, art minor degree, and a broken ankle,
My new Mary Malone series, Death at the Bar X Ranch revolves around an unemployed teacher who takes a job intended for her brother. In between she substitute teaches and takes on a part time job at an optical store. My teaching experience paid off for this new series. So did working in our optical store. Unfortunately, I don't own a horse. That's where research comes into play, but we'll save that for another time.
Don't forget to use the flowers in your garden.
Until Next Time,
this is Marlene Chabot
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