Ah, Spring

Spring, and spring break. I just submitted my grades for winter quarter and in a few minutes I will stand up from my desk and walk out of this office. I have to come back tomorrow and Wednesday to get my spring quarter classes ready (why did I choose new books — again?), but tonight my husband is taking me out to dinner. And I’m in a mood to celebrate. bruceAfter a conversation at my fabulous book party on Saturday (thank you, Carolynne) I’ve been thinking about how being a writer is not unlike being married. You can’t say “Oh, I want to be a writer,” and get there by not writing, any more than you can say, “I’d love to have a good marriage,” but then never invest any time or energy into the project. Do I always feel like writing — I mean my “real,” important, goal-oriented writing? No. (Scribbling, always. It’s strange.) Do I always feel like being married? No. But I would in fact like to have a good marriage. Don’t imagine that I’m advocating sticking around for abuse. Okay, I’m not going any deeper into this well. Dinner calls.

One of my creative writing students used this quote from Bob Marley in his Big, True Story: “If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy. If she’s easy, she won’t be amazing. If she’s worth it, you won’t give up. If you give up, you’re not worthy…Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.”

This strikes me as both woefully cynical, and weirdly true. So, happy spring. Even if it looks a little weedy right now, what you nurture will grow.

 I hope you got the grade you worked for. Imagine a winky face here. buttercups

Change which Life?

me at twoA friend let me know that my line in the last post, “I want to change my life” didn’t hit exactly the right note. I am getting up every morning, after all, and writing! To be more precise, the video about Oliver Jeffers made me want to stick a chalkboard up in my potting shed, a place to scrawl ideas.

It’s fair to say, that I already have my version of a chalkboard. Into my journal every morning I scrawl an action plan. A few items from today: meeting at Carolynne’s — 9:30; email Polly B. about a possible class visit; email Cara about future readings; call Mom’s doctor. Oh, and write 15 minutes on the manuscript (yes, I did earn my gold star today).

Things like Clean fish tank and Water plants find their way onto that list in my journal, too.

I could do a better job of doing it like Oliver Jeffers does it if I wrote a list of CREATIVE stuff I want to accomplish each day. Write one new character sketch. Read 10 pages out loud.

There are a lot of really great things going on in my life right now. That part, I wouldn’t change. Be thankful.

Butcher, Baker, Picture Book Maker

Omigosh, I loved this video so much. I’ll have to share it with my classes, too — all about writer/illustrator Oliver Jeffers and  the creative life.

It makes me want to change my life.

I have to credit Aerogramme Studio again.

oliver jeffers

How to Avoid the Passive Voice

I found this on the Aerogramme Studio site. To test a sentence to see whether or not it is cast in passive voice, try adding “by zombies.” If it can be added, then you know it’s passive.

The sentence was written on the whiteboard … by zombies.

The post was added that evening … by zombies.

Not that some passive constructions aren’t okay, but still–  

…to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men … by zombies …

You get the idea. ZombiePic25