A Novel in 30 Days?

National Novel Writing Month officially began November 1st. If you've ever wanted to write a novel, here's a unique opportunity to do so. The only catch is, 50,000 words must be written by November 30th.

It's mostly for fun (or torture, depending on your perspective), but every year folks embrace the tradition with wild abandon. I think I'll pass, but if you want to give it a shot, click here for all of the details.

If you'd like some helpful pointers in your quest, check out literary agent Rachelle Gardner's blog.  

Happy writing!

Chicken Soup Writing Opportunities

The latest Chicken Soup title, Count Your Blessings will be available in bookstores this week. It's perfect for the season, and would make a great Christmas gift, as well.

Do you have a story to tell, or a poem that you'd like to share? Here are the latest story call-outs from Chicken Soup's website:

You can submit your story by going to the link at the bottom of this page. Thanks!

Christmas and Holidays - Ho Ho Ho
We love the holidays! They are a magical time of the year; a time of family, friends and traditions. They can bring special joy and unexpected blessings into our lives. Please share your Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa stories with us... stories that will touch the souls and warm the hearts of our readers. The deadline date for story submissions is January 15, 2010.

Dieting and Fitness
Eat less - exercise more! We have all heard these simple words but, in reality, dieting and staying fit require a lot of work. Tell us about your commitment to health and fitness. What changes did you make in your eating habits? What kind of an exercise program did you follow that made the difference? Were you still able to treat yourself to that occasional delicious piece of chocolate cake and stay in shape? The true stories in this book will inspire you, make you laugh, touch your heart, and let you know that you can do it! The deadline date for story submissions is January 31, 2010.  - Deadline Extended 

Endurance Sports (run,cycle,swim)
Whether you are a triathlete, a duathlete, or you just love to swim, run, or cycle, we want to hear about your sports, your races, and how endurance sports fit into your life, whether you are an amateur, a student athlete, or a pro. The deadline date for story submissions is November 30, 2009.  - Deadline Extended .

Grandmothers
Everyone has a great story about the unconditional love between grandmothers and their grandchildren. We are looking for wonderful stories celebrating grandmothers and grandchildren, written by grandmothers about being a grandmother, and by grandchildren about their grandmothers. Stories about stepgrandmothers and honorary grandmothers are welcomed also. We are not looking for stories from children so please save those for a future book. The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery
Grieving is a difficult process that those who have lost a loved one must go through in order to get to the recovery phase. This important collection of stories will be like a support group that will offer comfort and understanding and show you that, no matter how devastating your loss is, you are not alone. You can get through the process and, with time, you will regain your strength and move forward with your life. The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery for Cat Owners
We all know that we will probably outlive our cats, but that doesn't change our grief when we lose them. This book will help cat owners deal with their loss. We would also like stories about aging cats and getting a new cat after losing a previous cat. Please submit stories about the whole cycle of pet loss -- the aging of your cat, the loss, and the recovery (i.e. new kitten). The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery for Dog Owners
We all know that we will probably outlive our dogs, but that doesn't change our grief when we lose them. This book will help dog owners deal with their loss. We would also like stories about aging dogs and getting a new dog after losing a previous dog. Please submit stories about the whole cycle of pet loss -- the aging of your dog, the loss, and the recovery (i.e. new puppy). The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Mothers and Daughters
Mothers and daughters… they are, at the same time, very similar and also completely unique. Mothers show daughters who they will become. Daughters live out mothers’ dreams. Through birth, childhood, teen years, adulthood, grandchildren, aging, and every step in between, this relationship can be the best, the hardest, and the sweetest. The deadline date for story submissions is December 31, 2009.

If you've got a story to tell, that would fit in one of these categories, go for it. Chicken Soup pays $200 per story, and you can have multiple stories in one title. Payment for poems is generally $100. Check out the guidelines at: www.chickensoup.com.

Submit your story here.

Good luck, and let me hear your success stories!

The Writer's Journal

Outside my window... the sky unfolds like a gray umbrella.

I am thinking... that the cool temperatures over the weekend have disappeared all too soon.

I am thankful for... a comfortable home, and people in it who love me unconditionally.

In my office... there is blessed silence.

I am working on... getting focused. I’ve been retired from the workplace since February of 2008 and seem to still be wandering aimlessly on so many levels.

I am reading... Changing Course, an anthology on menopause, midlife, and moving forward, compiled by Yitta Halberstam.

Around the house... I’ve finally put away summer. Glimpses of fall awaken promises of brisk mornings and nippy nights, of bulky sweaters and mugs of steaming chocolate.

A few plans for the rest of the week… lunch with friends tomorrow, birthday celebration with wombie and family on Wednesday, visiting parents before the week is over.

Here is a picture I wanted to share... autumn's garden.

Writing Opportunity - Bethany House

Using Similes and Metaphors

Similes and metaphors are figures of speech. They are what writers use to “paint” scenes. Think of them as brushes in the writer’s hand. They create the picture or the image that writers wish for readers to see in their minds.

What is a simile?

Similes compare and contrast images using words such as like, as, similar to, or resembled.

Two examples:

–        The children charged through the room, like a herd of buffalo.

–        Everywhere I turned, sadness followed me, like a stray dog.

Remember this about similes:

¨      Keep similes consistent with the image. For example, The children charged through the room, like a host of butterflies, wouldn’t work. Elephants charge.  Bulls charge. Butterflies don’t charge. They flutter, they flit, they fly, but they don’t charge. Likewise, you wouldn’t say, The children floated across the stage, like a herd of buffalo. Buffalo don’t float. They charge, they rumble, they roar, they stampede, but they don’t float. Butterflies float. Feathers float.

¨      You should also strive to keep similes in harmony with the intended mood. In the second example, if your simile was a new puppy, instead of a stray dog, you can see how that would not be consistent with “sadness.” New puppies may follow you, but they leap and bound and they don’t, in any way, conjure up “sadness.” As you can see, aligning your similes with your image is imperative. Another example. Let’s say you’re writing about a much-needed weekend getaway at the beach. You wouldn’t want to say something like: White sand stretched before me, like a hospital corridor. The image isn’t true to the mood you’re trying to convey. You don’t want the reader to visualize a sterile hospital corridor, when you’re trying to create an image and a mood of rest and relaxation. It disrupts the scene. But what you might say is something like: Sandy beaches stretched before me, like an endless strip of white linen. This image gives the reader an airy and light feeling, precisely the desired effect.

What is a metaphor?

Metaphors substitute one object for another.

Two examples:

–        The runaway car was a wild beast, roaring through the fields, taking down everything in its path.

–        The for-sale sign stood in the yard—a monument to a marriage that had died.

Metaphors must have two parts to be complete. The runaway car was a wild beast. The for-sale sign was a monument. Effective metaphors convey images perhaps not considered before. These are fun to play around with, but as with similes, make sure they are true to the image you wish to invoke. 

Now you try it….

Look at the following and try to create more than one figure of speech for each. I’ve added my own ideas in red:

The wind at your window on a cold and stormy night.

A cold March wind rattled the window, like a burglar trying to break in.

The ringing of the telephone, early in the morning.

I awoke to the sound of the phone ringing, ringing, ringing, like a persistent suitor who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The motion of an animal.

In one split second, the cat cleared the curtain rod and peered down on the mere humans below, like a queen and her servants.

Your feelings at the “worst time of your life.”

Despair surrounded me, like a heavy blanket.

A new plant in fresh dark soil.

In the palm of winter's icy hand, surrounded by barrenness, a sprig of green rose up, straight as an arrow.