Category: ORW

Last weekend I attended a workshop to learn to create digital stories.

You can check out my first one here.

Hope you enjoy it!

My colleague Leah introduced me (virtually) to her pal TJ Beitelman. He’s a poet and creative writing teacher, and he has written a fantastic manifesto. I’ll wait while you go read it.

Wasn’t that amazing? Don’t you want to emboss the word “Try” on everything around you?

Reading that, and participating in Courtney’s The Goodblog Project have led me to today’s post, in which I want to share what I’m trying.

A few years ago, I put out my shingle as a writing consultant. I was critiquing manuscripts, copyediting websites, reviewing grants as favors to friends. This is work that I love, and I was doing it for free.

What if, I thought, I made this into a business?

So, as Holly Golightly might say, I bought some furniture and gave the cat a name. Okay, I gave the business a name, asked a friend to create a logo, knocked up a website, and Open Road Writing was born.

This spring, I decided that I want to try to make something more out of ORW. I want to see if I can reach a place where my part-time business becomes full-time, allowing me to help more writers in a meaningful way.

And I need your help. I’m not comfortable asking for it, but, dear reader, we’ve been together a long time (seven years in August!), and I believe you might be willing to try to help me.

Here’s what I’m hoping you’ll do for me:

• Share the news about Writers Write: Carving out your Writer’s Groove, my online workshop. It’s going to be chock full of practical and inspiring material to get the creative groove moving. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from the workshop, well, I’d love to see you (or them) there!
• Suscribe to the Open Road Writing blog. I’ve got plans for a super fun summer project, more writing prompts, and interviews with creative gurus. I don’t want you to miss any of it!
• Invite your friends to do the same. I’m so grateful for the wonderful readers (and now friends) that I’ve connected to through PoMoGolightly, and like a great cocktail party when I get to meet my friends’ friends and realize they, too, are fabulous, I want to mingle a bit more.

There’s a book review and a give-away contest over at Open Road Writing!

Check it out! Tell your friends! Tell your family!

My beloved grandfather used to say that nice things happened on Tuesdays.  A Catholic, he would pray 13 Hail Marys, 13 Our Fathers (this link leaves off the true ending of the prayer, but I'll let it stand), and 13 Glory Bes every Tuesday morning. 

My mother, a devoted daughter, visited her parents every Tuesday and Saturday.  She'd take care of chores for which they needed help, bring my Gram to lunch and shopping, and generally cheer them with her presence.  Before I started school and during the summer, I always tagged along.  You can imagine what a fond memory it is for me to think of my grandfather saying that on Tuesday morning as I ran over to hug him hello.

Even though I'm no longer a Catholic (well, can one really leave behind the religion of youth?  I suppose, yet I haven't fully done so), I say my 13s (how can I resist the number?)every Tuesday morning, and I look for the nice things that happen around me.

Today I decided to offer what I hope will be a nice thing for my writing friends.  Each Tuesday, I will post a writing prompt on Open Road Writing.  Use them freely, and please link to the site if you are sharing them. 

I'd love to hear from you if a particular prompt has sparked a scene or story.  Enjoy!