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![[ { FOOD FOR A GREENER PLANET: WHAT YOU CAN DO } ] by Wroble, Lisa A. (AUTHOR) Dec-01-2010 [ Hardcover ] Hardcover](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31rF0F9KLPL.SR160,240_BG243,243,243.jpg)
Author Updates
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Blog postIt’s that time of year. As the old year fades away, we spend time making resolutions, creating New Year’s intentions, or setting goals. I’m big on goal-setting with the added detail of creating action steps toward reaching those goals. At first it seems like more work, especially when those action steps seem to lengthen the to-do list, but the end benefit is a sense of satisfaction in seeing the steps toward a goal accomplished. I like the gratification of crossing an item off my to-do list (
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Blog postGetting into the spirit of the holidays.
It’s that time of year again. Fueled by our Thanksgiving feasts we’re ready to begin the holiday dash. We enter the frenzy of buying, wrapping, shipping, stamping, mailing, cooking, baking, and battling the long To-Do list for preparing a “magical” holiday for family and friends. It seems impossible to find a spare minute to focus on putting words on paper. I’ve discovered that THIS is the time of year to read or plan a -
Blog postYou’ve finally set aside a chunk of time for your project. Your writing area is set up and all distractions eliminated. Now you’re ready to make progress on your work-in-progress. Yet the words have fled and the blinking cursor mocks your writing goal.
What happened? you wonder. All the usual elements are in place. You’ve followed all the advice from the pros you’ve read or heard. Why isn’t it working?
Don’t allow frustration in. Trying to force creativity isn’t the -
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Blog postAt some point in our development as writers, we compare ourselves to other writers and our confidence suffers. I see it written across the faces of students after someone shares beautifully written prose in writing classes. From their expressions I can almost hear the negative self-talk broadcasting in their minds of the other participants. “Well forget reading today; I’m not going to follow that” or “It took me hours to get this chapter just perfect and it stinks” or “I knew I would hav
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How do you measure your writing progress? Do you count words or pages? If you do, then what happen when you’re revising? Do you count pages or hours? Then again, what if you write children’s books? A children’s picture book is generally less than 750 words. Each title in my Kids Throughout History series is 800 words. But neither type of book is written in one sitting, one afternoon, nor even in one week. This is probably the hardest detail for new writers to understand.
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Blog postHas your creative energy run out? After a strong opening, you may find yourself floundering. Some writers refer to this as the muddle of the middle. Others simply feel stuck. They call it writer’s block. What’s really happening is you’ve taken off like a rocket and now your creative energy is running on fumes. So, how do you re-energize?
Personally, I like to take a break and read or listen to music to to refill the creative well. Sometimes I go for a walk or a swim. These p -
Blog postSummertime. Freedom. More time for fresh air, sunshine, outdoor and leisure activities. Many of us focus on watching what we eat and getting healthy. Why not put your summertime writing on a diet too?
Drafts can be padded with excess phrasing and vague or unnecessary words. The point of the draft, after all, is to get thoughts to paper. But, once a writing session is completed, I like to go back and trim the empty calories–the “filler”–then focus again on drafting more. (Later, during -
Blog postThis has been a whirlwind month. I am shocked by how many things I successfully juggled. While excessive busy-ness often warps my attitude, the month of May felt like a marathon I had been conditioning myself for. (Good thing I went to that retreat the end of April!) I managed to keep my focus and juggle a rush job on top of regular clients, editing, teaching, and my own writing deadline. I’m pleased to say I plowed through problems and projects alike. Like running a marathon, I felt a huge s
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Blog postA view of the lake and connecting waterway.
April and May are reflective times of year for me. I often dwell on goals and achievements still unreached so I can set new goals, prioritize, and move forward. Interestingly, it has become a time to reconnect with past publishers. Not quite a week ago, I received an email from an educational publisher I worked with regularly for many years. The same happened with another publisher about a year ago. It’s even more interesting (and amazi -
Blog postI don’t know exactly how it began, whether it was training for my goal to become an author or not, or due to journalism classes in which we focused on the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why), but I notice details everywhere. The pattern of tile in grocery store. The flap of wall covering coming down in the corner of a room. The cut design of crown molding or the texture of plastered walls. The color of front doors, or a burst of color in flowering shrubs in landscape.
These are importa -
Blog post"Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors." —African Proverb To recap what we discussed during class (and to aid those who are not in my class or missed the session), these are key points for preparing successfully for class discussions: Read the assignment before class and write down any questions you may have about it. Ask questions based on critical thinking skills: How can I
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Blog post"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that people reached in life as by the obstacles that they have overcome." —Booker T. Washington To recap what we discussed during class (and to aid those who are not in my class or missed the session), these are key points for successful studying: • Study in a place that has minimal distractions. • Stay healthy and relaxed. • Attend each
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Blog postThis topic invariably comes up in my writing workshops and classes. It doesn't matter the age of the group or whether they are taking the class for personal enrichment/lifelong learning or for college credit. When we communicate---whether verbally or through writing---the outcome is always the same: to convey thoughts. Knowing your purpose and audience determines HOW you will communicate your
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Blog postThought for the week: "You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down." —Mary Pickford NOTE: Learning Style Tips gleaned from exercises in our College Writing Skills textbook and MyWritingLab.com (I LOVE that program!) and recapped in the weekly course newsletter. Your learning style guides how you
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Blog postThis is dedicated to my students in the College Writing Skills program at ESC, though any writer--or student--will find it helpful. When I began teaching writing at the local college, I created a weekly sheet to help freshman students learn to manage the syllabus. It evolved into a "newsletter" of sorts complete with articles, study tips, and motivational quotes. I'll now post those on my blog (
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Blog postA version of this entry appeared Jan. 23, 2013 on "Wonderings & Wanderings," my blog about living the writer's life. The best way to learn to write well is to note how published authors have applied all the elements of strong prose you’re learning about. Dissect published stories and articles to see how the pros build the writing puzzle. Select your favorite short story from an anthology or
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Blog postA version of this entry appeared on January 19, 2013 at "Wonderings & Wanderings," my blog about living the writer's life. A regular writing routine sets a career in motion. Finding time is tough at first, so once you've set a schedule, it’s frustrating when life messes with it. It’s okay if the schedule is sporadic from time to time. It will settle back into place when the timing is right.
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Blog postI don't often have trouble with writers block. As a big talker it's rare for me to have nothing to say. During deadlines, though, I might freeze; sometimes because I'm working with a new editor and wonder whether I'm on target or not. Sometimes I even get stalled on projects without deadlines, such as my short stories and novel projects. When this happens, I use a variety of techniques to get
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Blog postSo, have your created goals for the year? I encourage my workshop students to, complete with action steps toward achieving them. Many who are in my workshops view the class as an action toward a goal. Perhaps you're doing the same, or perhaps you're reading some books on writing craft. If you're like a few of my workshop students, you may be facing a new problem -- freezing up or struggling to
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Blog postThe new year is upon us. Have you set your resolutions yet? I hate resolutions. Declaring your purpose for the new year doesn't make it happen. I resolve to lose weight, exercise more, and get more done, but without a plan my enthusiasm waivers and I find myself drowning in my own resolve. About a decade ago affirmations and intentions were the latest thing at the new year. Both are more
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Blog postWork on observing your surroundings using all five senses. What does the wind smell like? What does rain taste like? What does a wooded area sound like? Describe the bark of different trees. How is today’s rain storm different than yesterday’s? How is a hot day different than a hot night? Start now to really notice the world around you—listen, feel, taste, experience it. Next, translate these
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Blog postNOTE: I'm trying to fix glitches with links between my different accounts. This blog, originally posted at Wonderings and Wanderings was supposed to also post here. I've posted a condensed version that focuses on the writing connection. I usually spend a good portion of my weekend in the kitchen making meals for the coming week. This weekend, however, none of my recipes turned out. I tried
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Blog postI know. I know. It's been too long since I've posted here. My only excuse is that this blog is dedicated to "all things writing." And, I've been blogging about life in general at my other blog: Wonderings and Wanderings. Even at that blog, I haven't posted all that often because this has been one insane year! But, the holidays are approaching and as busy as I am personally, I am even more
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Blog postSouthern Florida is getting ready for TS Issac. Since I've just emerged from an intense summer that has left me working hard to carve out writing time, the last thing I wanted to deal with was battening down and preparing for severe winds and rain at the least and a full-blown gale at worst. I haven't posted much since spring because I promised myself I'd devote this blog to writing. But, I did
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Blog postSorry, I haven't posted sooner. I know it's been a while. Too long in fact. But, I been so busy writing. Well, teaching and freelancing anyway. Those who know me know that I balance my time between teaching and writing, and between work with younger readers and adult learners. The adult learners are participants in writing workshops I offer locally (though I am taking a few of these workshops
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Blog postDiscipline is a big part of working as a professional writer. It's important to focus on the task at hand, but I may take a short break to play with new ideas if I hit a lag and need to get the creative juices flowing. After my deadline is met, however, I will have plenty of ideas waiting. How do I decide which to pursue next? I consider two things: exhilaration and marketing. With which of these
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Blog postWhen I was a 100 percent “newbie” writer, I actually worried that I’d only have one idea to write about. I was actually reluctant to send out my first MS for fear that I wouldn’t know what to work on next. This very thought is ludicrous to me now; once I became aware of all the potential ideas surrounding me, I quickly filled up an 18-inch index card file box! The same will happen for you. If
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Blog postEarlier this week I finally had a chance to catch up with a dear friend. We went for a walk on the beach and talked about writing. Since she has taken my writing classes in the past (that’s actually how I met her), she reminded me about something I tell my students at all levels: "make your clay and then worry about details later." What do I mean by this? A writer’s draft is the medium of our
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Blog postThese two exercises require you to use details from your journal and spring-board to a new idea. You'll blend the real and the imaginary to create a story.Exercise 1:Find a favorite magazine. Select an ad that inspires you. Find another ad or photo of a person.Write about that person in the setting or situation from the first ad. What happens? Is there a problem? How is it resolved?Exercise 2:1)
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Blog postOn Jan 24th, Congress will vote to pass internet censorship in the Senate, even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed. We need to kill the bill - PIPA in the Senate and SOPA in the House - to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity. Learn more at the SOPA Infographic and by visiting Stop American Censorship Writers depend on social media, social networking, an
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Blog postNew classes began this week for several venues in which I teach—college level writing skills, creative and nonfiction writing, and storytelling with my elementary students. No matter the age or level of the writer, before you can write, you need ideas. Ideas are all around us, but many new writers need to train themselves to recognize ideas. Yes, being open to ideas from our experiences
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