A New Writing Resolution

What a year. We NaNoWriMo'd, retreated, workshopped, grouped and wrote our way through another 365 days.

Did you meet your writing goals from last year?

If the answer is yes, take a minute to ask yourself a few questions.

• How did it feel to reach my goals?
• What was the biggest motivator?
• How can I do that more this year?

If the answer is no, take a minute to ask yourself a few more questions.

• Were my expectations realistic?
• What was the biggest obstacle?
• What can I do differently this year?

Even if you think you know the answers, take your time thinking about what really happened and write down your responses. That will help you to objectively address the challenges and opportunities for the next year.

As always, we applaud you for the advances you made and thank you for joining us on this writing journey.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

All Together (writing) Now

It is once again time to gather around the literary foliage and reflect on how together we were able to accomplish so much this year. I know as I speed through these final days of the year, I am inspired by the people who have held my hand during this journey. That is why I am dedicating this post to my support network.

When I reached out, you were there.

When one of us succeeded, all of us raised our voices in joy.

When it is time to take the next step, we will all take it together.

Thank you for being part of the circle.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

NaNoWriMo Up

How did your National Novel Writing go? 50,000? 30,000? Notes for next year? Whatever you did, you were a winner if you wrote more than you would have on your own? This global initiative is proof that together writers can push each other to be more productive.

NaNoWriMo has all the elements of a good writing community - measurable goals, an enthusiastic group of supporters cheering each other on, and T-shirts to mark the occasion. According to the official site, more than 28,000 people recorded 50,000+ words each for a total of 2.6 billion words. That is something to celebrate.

I was lucky enough to spend the evening last night with a class of 29 very diverse authors who spent five Monday nights together fueled by cookies, agent visits and a shared sense of purpose. For three hours straight the type, type, typing built until half a dozen announced they had made the 50,000 word goal. Others beat their own personal goals and all came away with a sense of having done something they had only considered in a vague way before.

If you participated, take a moment to congratulate yourself and take a deep breath. You can always go back and edit and fine tune later. The important thing is that you captured your dream.

If you missed this year, now is the time to start collecting folders of ideas about scenes, characters, plot twists and titles so you will be ready come 11.1.11. It will be here before you know it.

Many Thanks

It is time to give thanks to everyone who supports and inspires me every day. I am so lucky to have so many positive, creative people in my life.

Thank you for doing what you do every day to remind me that the world is full of joy and love at its juicy center. Yes, there is creative conflict at times, but that only helps to make the satisfying resolution sweeter at the end of the proverbial day.

When we all take a deep breath to gather at holiday tables, raise a glass of communal good cheer and reflect on the bounty before us, how can we do anything else, but weep in gratitude. Cheers to you and yours this holiday season and all year long.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

JT Long

Jennifer Sander

A Writer's World

If you don't believe one story can change the world, you haven't read Malayapinas' inspirational postings on the plight of women in the Philippines. This brave woman is speaking out about the oppression and discrimination in her country one story at a time.

Malayapinas (not her real name because reporters are in life-threatening danger in her country) wrote about the 2006 oil spill that wrought havoc on the Guimaras population, wiping out their food source and way of life. She profiled Evelyn, a mother of four who lived off the bounty of the ocean. This quote said it all: “I’ve learnt that poverty and the oil spill accident is not God given. Our need for food, medical care and livelihood are our basic rights. Our rights for rehabilitation and environmental justice must be demanded from the government. Indeed, through organized and collective action for structural change, we can end poverty,” said Evelyn.

After appearing in World Pulse, the magazine that features global issues through the eyes of women, her story was picked up by national newspapers and organizations have been formed that are forcing the polluters to pay for their degradation.

I had the pleasure of meeting Malayapinas and two other Voices of Our Future at a World Pulse Speaking Tour in San Francisco and left inspired by the power of words to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women.

I already volunteer as a Listener for this organization, reading these women's stories, encouraging them to share their insights and pitching in however I can with the publication. Now I want to shout about this worthy cause to everyone I know in the hopes that these brave women's voices will be amplified and their impact increased.

Yes, your stories can make a difference. Please take a moment to check out their great work, share your insight and help them reach their vision.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

JT Long

Jennifer Sander

Team NaNoWriMo

We talk a lot here about the additional power a MasterMind Writing Group can bring to your work. National Novel Writing Month (affectionately known as NaNoWriMo) multiplies that forward momentum by tens of thousands of people all focused on the same goal, pushing out a book in the month of November.

Think about it. What looks to the naked eye like a lone writer tapping away at a keyboard is actually one point of light in a national movement to celebrate literary abandon. This movement is supported by hundreds of web sites, Twitter # groups, local classes and events. Whether you are a young writer, script writer, veteran or first-time writer, resources are available to encourage and celebrate your efforts. If you ever needed an excuse to make your dreams come true, NaNoWriMo is it.

How are you celebrating this life-changing event? Share your progress and tips here and remember - you never write alone.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

My Writing Group Addiction Confession

I have a confession to make. I run a couple of writers' groups, attend a few others regularly and have had the pleasure of moderating some fascinating panel discussions in the last few months. I do it because I am passionate about supporting and educating writers so we can all grow. But I can't deny the boost my involvement gives me personally.

Every time I come away from one of these events I am inspired and, often, one step closer to a new opportunity.

This was definitely the case on Tuesday night. As chair of the Sacramento Press Club Seminars Committee, I had the pleasure of meeting Sacramento Bee Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjie Lundstrom. She was a joy - engaging, candid, authentic - and probably wouldn't approve of all the adjectives I am using to tell you how great she was. She would say, "Show me."

So instead, I will share a metaphor she used to explain the structure of an effective story. Imagine a necklace. The pearls are the details that shine in the readers eyes. The humble string is the organizational structure that runs through the story giving it shape. Without the string, it isn't a necklace. It's a pile of little white balls.

You can be assured that I will take the time from now on to consider my structure before piling a bunch of details on the page and hoping the reader doesn't trip on them looking for the closure.

In addition to getting to meet this superstar, I also met a number of other word jewelers who took time out of their busy schedules to attend. Once again, I left inspired.

I have to admit, writer group mania is not an addiction I am going to try to kick anytime soon.

Yours in Writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long