Hello, and welcome to my blog. My name is Belinda Nicoll, and I work as a freelance writer and creativity coach. I’m an active blogger and author of a memoir titled Out of Sync—a story about my expatriation from South Africa to the U.S. in 2001, arriving at JFK International Airport on the morning of … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the SERIES on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Madeline Tasky Sharples. You can connect with her here: Facebook / Website / Twitter:@madeline40. Madeline’s bio Madeline Sharples studied journalism in high school and college and … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the SERIES on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Laura Dennis. She blogs at The Adaptable (Adopted) Expat Mommy. Connect with her on twitter or email laura@adoptedrealitymemoir.com. Author’s bio Laura Dennis was adopted in New Jersey, … Continue reading »
The A to Z April Blog Challenge 2013 was a new experience to me. I’ve never participated in any kind of blog hop. When I saw it promoted, I was immediately drawn to the dare because I realized it could serve a dual purpose: force me to speed up my writing; I’m a very edit-conscious writer, … Continue reading »
Considering the benefits of the A to Z Blog Challenge—discovering fascinating blogs and meeting fabulous writers—it’s appropriate to finish it off with some kind of official recognition. So I thank Maggie from Expatbrazil for nominating me for a Liebster Award. Liebster is a German word meaning dearest, sweetest and beloved. I often come across nastiness … Continue reading »
ZZT—AN AUDITORY ANCHOR Alas, we’ve come to the end of the A – Z Blog Challenge. It’s been great fun and I wish to thank Arlee Bird for his ingenuity. As far as I know, more than 1,800 bloggers signed up; not everyone followed through, but I certainly discovered some great blogs and met wonderful … Continue reading »
YouTube is a video-sharing website that was created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005. It gives users the ability to upload, view and share videos. Unregistered users can watch videos, while registered users can upload an unlimited number of videos. Viewing YouTube videos on a personal computer requires the Adobe Flash Player plug-in … Continue reading »
XENOPHOBIA is a fear of strangers or foreigners (or of their politics or culture) or of anything—person, place or object—that is perceived to be strange or foreign. The term is often erroneously confused with racism, which refers to prejudice based on ethnicity. Xenophobes seem to fear losing their own identity as a result of exposure … Continue reading »
WRITING MODELS Creative Techniques and Sources of Information Literature, no matter the genre, can be intellectually, socially, and spiritually uplifting. While some people read for pure pleasure, others want to be educated, like writers reading with the objective to become better writers. After all, talent aside, writing is a craft that needs to be learned and … Continue reading »
VOICE Making use of an I narrator as the main character (protagonist) is the standard practice of first person perspective. The reader experiences the story only through the eyes, thoughts, emotions, and opinions of the narrating character. The advantage of using first person point of view is that it allows writers to create an optimum … Continue reading »
UNIQUE Expression vs. UNIQUE Perception Just as we all relate to real events in a unique manner, art affects us in a meaningful way, whether its subject matter is kind or cruel, noble or vainglorious. Joan Connor maintains that setting is “the formal aspect that gives stories their mood,” but that it’s really the writer’s … Continue reading »
TENSION the Protagonist – Antagonist relationship In fiction, tension is requisite for keeping the reader’s interest and moving the story from start to finish. Tension stems from conflict—any difficult situation that requires a resolution: the protagonist should wrestle with discordant interests or conflicting desires, or be at odds with an antagonist (usually the villain of … Continue reading »
SOCIAL MEDIA Are You An Effective Social Networker, Or Are You Just Flirting With The Idea? Social networking is no longer just a way for people to share information about mutual interests and activities through online communities. The art and logistics of social media have evolved into academic topics, and social media has become an … Continue reading »
RELATIONSHIPS: the sweetest side of marketing So says Cate Russell-Cole, an experienced creativity teacher and author. She has been published in many local and Internet e-zines, magazines and newspapers; and she has researched, written and taught her own courses since 1990. Her most successful course to date is Write Your Life Story, which has a thriving … Continue reading »
QUOTES about CHANGE Society is undeniably preoccupied with the implications of globalization: on the topic “a new global world” Google returns more than 3,670,000,000 pages. The World Economic Forum’s take on global risks: In an interdependent, fast-moving world, organizations are increasingly confronted by risks that are complex in nature and global in consequence. They identify … Continue reading »
PRIMITIVE CULTURE The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the first Greek-letter student society in North America, was founded in 1776 at a college in Virginia. Greek letter organizations are typically known as sex-based initiatory organizations and is associated with the terms ‘fraternity’ and ‘sorority’ in the U.S. According to Wikipedia, “fraternities and sororities began with students … Continue reading »
ONDAATJE, Michael Like similarly talented peers, Michael Ondaatje tends to defy conventional form. This is especially evident in Coming Through Slaughter, a fictionalized retelling of the life of the New Orleans jazz pioneer, Buddy Bolden, published by House of Anansi in 1976. Ondaatje can be considered an accomplished literary genius, having won various awards: the Booker Prize, … Continue reading »
NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP) Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) was developed as a method for helping people to change their behavior. It is based on an understanding of the dynamic interaction between neurology, language, and behavior. According to the model, the way we experience our reality (life) is shaped by the way we take in information through our … Continue reading »
METAPHORS A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase representing one thing is used in place of another to indicate a similarity between them. Example: “My home is a prison.” Metaphorical representation is a very common and powerful way of engaging new associations with respect to the understanding of an … Continue reading »
LOGICAL LEVELS OF CHANGE While Gregory Bateson developed the idea that natural hierarchies occur in our processes of thinking, learning and communication, Robert Dilts introduced the Logical Levels of Change model in his book Changing Belief Systems with NLP. The basic idea of this model is that change needs to take place one level higher than … Continue reading »
KINESTHETIC refers to tactile, proprioceptive and visceral feelings and is one of the primary sensory modalities with which we build our models of the world. We use all of our senses—sight, sound, feeling, taste, and smell—to learn and communicate. In his NLP encyclopedia, Robert Dilts says, “We are constantly linking together sensory representations to build and … Continue reading »
JINGOISM Jingoism means “extreme nationalism characterized by a belligerent foreign policy”—also known as “chauvinistic patriotism.” According to Wikipedia, jingoism refers to a sociopolitical doctrine that advocates “the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests.” The term jingoism arose as a euphemism for … Continue reading »
IRONY – an MFA essay Part II – The American Short Story and Its Writer: An Anthology was on the recommended reading list of my MFA program. This anthology is unique in that it offers an array of critical commentaries by the writers themselves. As I studied various short stories, I enjoyed discovering the power … Continue reading »
HUMOR – an MFA essay Part I – The American Short Story and Its Writer: An Anthology was on the recommended reading list of my Master of Fine Arts program. This anthology is unique as it offers an array of critical commentaries by the writers themselves. As I studied various stories, I enjoyed discovering the … Continue reading »
the GIFT of art – an MFA craft essay – Does art require talent or skill? In Steering the Craft, author Ursula K. Le Guin maintains that art is a gift that cannot be earned, but skills can be learned—therefore, in learning to do your art well you can earn the gift. She also says … Continue reading »
FANTASY To fantasize means forming a mental image of some desired outcome that hasn’t happened yet—usually an extravagant or whimsical idea of a pleasant nature. Fantasizing is inherent to the human condition and we all indulge in some form of mental escapism every so often. A vivid imagination, however, refers to the ability to form mental … Continue reading »
EXPRESSION – an MFA craft essay – Expression is the “act of transforming ideas into words”…you know—that stuff that writers do to convey mood, setting, thoughts, dialogue, emotion…tell stories. In a second anthology by Kitchen and Jones, In Brief, some of our finest authors get downright personal by reaching deep into their souls to give voice … Continue reading »
DISASSOCIATION I’d like to introduce the concept of disassociation as a state that occurs on a continuum of pathological (dissociative disorders) to non-pathological (mild detachment from immediate surroundings). Seeing as dissociative disorders fall far outside the scope of my experience as a life coach, this discussion centers on how an understanding of mild cases of … Continue reading »
CHANGE The classic maxim, the only constant is change, is as true of the ever-evolving social media and information technology phenomena as it is of the increasing complexity of life in today’s globalized world. Although change implies survival and growth, too little of it can cause people to be passive and their goals to lie … Continue reading »
BOUNDARIES Do you have a healthy sense of self, or do you try to be who everyone else wants you to be? To define your identity you need to set clear boundaries on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels in your life and relationships. Boundaries delineate what is acceptable behavior and what is not. The … Continue reading »
AWARENESS Awareness incorporates both our internal and external worlds. Whereas sensory awareness helps us to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel aspects of our environment, introspective awareness puts us in touch with our thoughts and emotions. We need both types of awareness to survive, learn new stuff, make decisions, and transform our lives. This truth … Continue reading »
Let me tell you a little more about how I got to be an author and a teacher of creative writing. More specifically, since my A to Z Blog Challenge series will be mainly about my creative writing guide, I’d like to explain how I’m applying the totality of my skills to this work in … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the SERIES on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Susan Weidener. Ways to connect with her are: Facebook, Twitter, and her website: Women’s Writing Circle. Susan’s bio: A former journalist with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Susan … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the series on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Paige Strickland. Ways to connect with her are: Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook. Paige’s bio Paige is a teacher and writer from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her degree is … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the series on literary themes and premise, I’d like to review the much loved memoir, The Glass Castle, by the well-known author, Jeannette Walls. From the book description and Amazon’s exclusive Q&A with Walls, as well as the author’s Facebook Page, we … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the series on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Mary Gottschalk. Mary’s bio Mary has made a career out of changing careers. After finishing her MBA, she spent nearly thirty years in the financial markets, … Continue reading »
A sound premise and compelling themes are undoubtedly the hallmarks of great writing. In another addition to the series on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Kathleen Pooler. Kathy’s bio Kathy is a writer and a retired Family Nurse Practitioner who is working on a memoir about how the power of hope … Continue reading »
THE HALLMARKS OF GREAT WRITING A Sound Premise and Compelling Themes In another addition to the series on literary themes and premise, I’d like you to join me in welcoming Kim Wright. Kim’s bio Kim has been a fulltime freelance writer for over thirty years. Along with a longtime travel series for Fodor’s, she is … Continue reading »
In addition to the ongoing marketing of my memoir, Out of Sync, another important goal this year is to make good progress with my novel and creative writing guidebook. As you all might know, book publicity is a big part of a writer’s life these days; you have to generate interest in your work-in-progress long before the publication date. Hence, … Continue reading »
THE HALLMARKS OF GREAT WRITING A Sound Premise and Compelling Themes Last week, I discussed the need to identify your story’s themes in order to construct a sound premise that will convince both an editor to publish your book and a reader to buy it. Please join me in welcoming Brad Windhauser as the first guest … Continue reading »
THE HALLMARKS OF GREAT WRITING A Sound Premise and Compelling Themes Congratulations—you have defined the genre of your writing project, are creating a bond with your characters, and the plot is developing at a satisfying pace. But have you identified any themes yet, or asked yourself what the story really means? Effective book publicity relies … Continue reading »
Daniel Romo is one of those types of artists I revere: a poet—you know, those writers who can tell a whole story in a few abbreviated lines and make is sound romantic, and sexy, and intelligent. He’s the author of Romancing Gravity (Pecan Grove Press, 2013) and When Kerosene’s Involved (Black Coffee Press, 2013). His poetry and … Continue reading »
My recent blog post—A Holistic Approach to Book Marketing—attracted a great deal of attention from members of a LinkedIn group, who have very kindly shared some of their innovative book promotions, which I’ve summarized below. As a contribution to this generous thread, please leave a comment below to let us know what has been your most … Continue reading »
Indie publishing is alive and well, and book marketing has become a thriving business. In fact, many books have been published on the art and science of book marketing. Blogs abound with tips and links to online resources. Publicity consultants offer enticing services, and if you don’t have the money for a top-level marketing plan, … Continue reading »
It’s that time of the year again—Thanksgiving—a tradition rooted in English customs dating from the Protestant Reformation and associated with harvest festival. These days, it’s primarily celebrated as a secular holiday. While Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year in the United States, it is not a custom in South Africa. I’m … Continue reading »
Mary Gottschalk has made a career out of changing careers. Born and raised in the Midwest, she spent nearly thirty years in the financial markets working as an economist, a commodity banker and then a financial consultant to multinational corporations—first in New York, and then in New Zealand, Australia, Central America and Europe. In the … Continue reading »
Some people refer to Sixto Rodriguez as the Jesus rock star because he rose from a lifetime of obscurity in his home country to stardom, albeit in a faraway land on a different continent. And even there, despite his cult status in South Africa, he was believed to be dead due to a myth that … Continue reading »
Rick Daley lives in Lewis Center, OH with his wife and two sons, and they all live with a neurotic schnauzer named Leo. Rick is the author of The Man in the Cinder Clouds, a gripping tale about Kris Kringle and how he came to be known as Santa Claus. It wasn’t easy. Rick is also the … Continue reading »
Initially, I activated my blog setting for ‘approving comments before publishing them.’ Considering the spam I was getting from time to time, I felt confident it was the right choice. In fact, at one point my blog was so flooded with spam that I called WordPress on their inability to effectively detect and block the … Continue reading »
Kathleen Pooler is a writer and a retired Family Nurse Practitioner who is working on a memoir about how the power of hope through her faith in God has helped her to transform, heal and transcend life’s obstacles and disappointments: divorce, single parenting, loving and letting go of an alcoholic son, cancer and heart failure … Continue reading »
