Monday, April 23, 2018

About Poetry

About Poetry


BLOG SESSION
April 23rd, 2018


Welcome Poets and Poetry Lovers!

Today's Session will be about our favorite subject matter for all Writers who have been following along here on the Blog with our Sessions this month.  In addition to taking Journal notes about our writing projects and current Novels that we are working on in Camp NaNoWriMo, we are going to dive into another area that many of the Writers here are focused on, and that is something near and dear to those who have the "gift" of a Poet's Pen.  When it comes to writing many of you zone in on the genre of poetry.

About Poetry:  Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.

I'd like to mention that many of us here started writing poetry at a young age because we learned about the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, William Wordsworth, Oscar Wilde, and many others who captured our interest with their fascinating poetics.

Young Poet 

As a child, your mind absorbs literary works with a sense of wonder at play.  Visual images come to mind and help the young writer to see exactly what the poet is trying to relay with his or her poetic words.

It is very easy for children to learn to write poetry because they have been indoctrinated with Nursery Rhymes from an infant. 

Everyone of us can identify with the Nursery Rhymes, "Row, row, row your boat...." and "Mary had a little lamb..." and "A Tisket, A Tasket"... and "Baa Baa Black Sheep"..., and the famous "ABC Song".  Nursery Rhymes are in our memory banks.

We must also keep in mind that Music is a rhythmatic vessel awaiting poetic words to be applied ~ also known as Lyrics.

As you grab your Journal today to take notes on our Session . . .

Journal Notes

Please take a moment to think about some of your favorite Lyrics.  If you simply read the lyrics without the music, does a poem appear?  Do you hear the music playing in your head as you read the words to the song?  Do the words (lyrics) inspire you to write poetry?

On the other hand, when you read poetry, does a rhythm form and begin to take motion like wings on a butterfly?  Do you hear the sound of the poem?  Does the beat of the poem become louder or softer as you read?  When reading poetry, does your spirit tap in and meet the poet on the paper and in the air?  Does your spirit "feel" the poet's meaning?  Can you grab a hold of the emotions that are within the poetic words?

What exactly does poetry do for you as far as inspiration and motivation when it comes to the literary world?  Does poetry touch your soul?

Do you consider yourself a Poet?

The Young Poet
(Thinks, feels, expresses)  

Thought-provoking poetry is always inspiring.  Take a Read...


Dream Deferred - Poem by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode? 

Sunday, April 22, 2018

What does being a Writer mean to you?

What does being a Writer mean to you?

BLOG SESSION
April 22nd, 2018


Welcome back Writers!  Today's Blog Session is just for you specifically.

Grab your Journal, because what we will talk about today will be something that you will need for the writing that you will be doing in the years ahead ~ mainly because that is who you are -- a Writer.

Journal Notes


As you take a moment to think about what it is that you truly want to write about, you will no doubt come up with a subject matter that is close to your heart.  Whatever that subject matter is, please take a moment to write it down in your Journal.  You may have several areas of interest that are close to your heart -- if so, please write all of those areas down in your Journal.

The subject matters that you cherish connect with certain genres.  If you already know what those genres are, also write them down in your Journal.  If you are unsure about the genres that tie into your area of writing interest, take the time to do your research on Literary Genres.  Here is a good place for you to start when it comes to research on Genres...

LITERARY GENRES LINK:

You'll find many other places online where you can learn more about all of the Literary Genres.  Don't forget to list the links in your Journal that you use to do your research.  You'll do doubt refer back to those links from time to time.

Doing your Research

Doing your research will help you to answer the question that this Session is about:  What does being a Writer mean to you?

Being a Writer branches off into many different areas.  You may be interested in writing Novels.  There are a host of genres that cover Novels.  Be sure to research the genre(s) that you are interested in.

You may be interested in becoming a Script Writer.  If so, Script Writing is an area that calls for specific research on the proper format to use for writing Scripts.

Another area that many writers are interested in is Memoirs.  You could be a Writer who has had a dream to write a Memoir.  A Memoir is a historical account or Biography written from personal knowledge or special sources.

If a Memoir is an area in which you are interested in, please take time to read some of the Best Selling Memoirs such as:

1)  The Diary of Anne Frank (The Diary of a Young Girl)
2)  Barbara Bush:  A Memoir
3)  A Higher Loyalty:  Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey

Biographies and Autobiographies

The key way in which Biographies and Autobiographies differ is in their Author.  A Biography is written about a person by someone else, while an Autobiography is written about a person by that person.

It should be noted in your Journal that both Biographies and Autobiographies provide essential information about their subject.

Documentary

You may be interested in writing a Documentary.  A Documentary is a movie, television, or radio program that provides a factual record or report.

You may want to check out the following link if you are interested in writing a Documentary...



Searching your soul, and doing your research will help you to answer our question posed for today ~ What does being a Writer mean to you?

We'll see you in our next Blog Session Writer!
OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

About Poetry
Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

What is your current word count?

What is your current word count?

BLOG SESSION
April 11th, 2018


Good Morning Friends ~ This is another great Blog Session for all Writers, Authors, Poets, Creative Writers, Fiction Writers, Short Story Writers, Children's Book Writers, Film Writers, Scrip Writers, Journalists, Novelists, and all Friends working on writing projects this month in Camp NaNoWriMo.

If you were here for our last Blog Session then you were informed about how to find your word count in Microsoft Word (just in case you may have been wondering).

Now that many already know about word counters and how to find your wordcount on your writing programs, you will have an indication of just how close you are to the 50,000 word count (which constitutes the making of a Novel).

Today is April 11th.  By April 15th, you should be at the 25,000 word count mark.

So, just what is your word count at this point Writers, Novelists & Authors?

Don't worry if you are a little behind in your word count.  You can easily catch up!

See you back here for our next Blog Session. . .
OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

What does being a Writer mean to you?
Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

What about your word count?

What about your word count?


BLOG SESSION
April 10th, 2018


Welcome back Writers, Authors, Novelists, Memoirists, Poets, and all creative writers who are currently working on Writing Projects this month ~ For all new Followers and all Visitors, be sure to Bookmark this Blog by clicking on your bookmark or star symbol at the top of your pageview.  And be sure to sign up to "Follow by Email".  If you sign up over in the far right-hand column under my eyeball with your email address, be sure to also click the "Submit" button once you have entered your email address in full.  You will immediately receive each Blog Session as it is published.

Today's Session is about the word count of your novel and/or writing project for Camp NaNoWriMo this month.  For those of you who already have a word counter ~ great!  For those of you who are typing your Novel in Microsoft Word, you will find the word count by looking at the bottom of your document...

To View Your Word Count in Microsoft Word:
To see the word count in your document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.  Word can insert the word count into your document and update that information as often as you want.

Microsoft Word counts the number of words in a document while you type.  Word also counts pages, paragraphs, lines, and characters.  (2010, 2007)

See the word count as you type. . .

Anytime you want to know the total number of words in your document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window:
Shows the word count in the status bar of a document.
[As you can see from this example, this document is on page 3 of 6 and has a word count of 951 words.  You can see this information in the bottom status bar.]

Count the number of pages, characters, paragraphs, and lines:  To see the number of characters, lines, paragraphs, and other information, click the word count in the status bar to open the Word Count box.

Shows the word count, number of pages in a document.
To include non-body text in the word count, select the Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes check box at the bottom of the Word Count box.

Count the number of words in a part of a document:  To count the number of words in only part of your document, select the text you want to count, and then on the Review tab, click Word Count.

See the word count as you type

Anytime you want to know the total number of words in your Word document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.
Word count button
If you don't see the word count in the status bar, right-click the status bar, then and click Word Count.

Should you have any word count tips, apps to suggest or questions, please leave your tips, suggestions, comments, thoughts, and/questions in our "Comments Section" at the end of this Blog Session.
OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:


What is your current word count?
Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Monday, April 9, 2018

Creating your Book Cover


"Creating your Book Cover"

BLOG SESSION
April 9th, 2018


Good Evening Blog Readers, Writers, Authors, Followers & Visitors~  We're back for another great Session, and there are many Writers following along who are in the middle of writing their next great novel during the month of April 2018.  Many of our Readers are working on their Writing Project in Camp NaNoWriMo.  If you have already signed up to participate, then you are just beginning your first steps to a great Spring writing experience!

Our topic today is designing your own Book Cover.

Sample Book Cover Design

Most Writers have been warned against making their own book covers because the Book Cover is way too crucial an element to self-publishing success to take lightly.

If you are interested in self-publishing your Novel, then you definitely do not want to have an ugly book cover sabotaging your diligent efforts or your success.  Of course, you'd like your book to be a Bestseller!

If you have already started the process of designing your own Book Cover, then please leave us your comments here on the Blog on how you went about creating your book cover.  We'd love to hear other creative ideas.

For all of the Authors & Writers here who are working on their Novel this Spring, you may have already discovered the many reasons why you'd like to try your hand at creating your own Book Cover despite the nay-sayers.  You may inherently be an Artist as well as an Author.  Designing a book cover comes naturally to the Artist.  Especially for those who are graphic designers.

Sample Book Cover
(Template)

You should play with cover ideas so that you can get a good feel for how you'd like your cover to look.

Some of you may want to hire a Book Cover Designer to complete the design of your book cover, and that is fine too.  However, you may still want to create a draft of how you'd like your book cover to look and then give the draft sample to the Designer as a springboard idea from the author for the Designer to work from.

If you want more control over your Book Cover, then of course, you'd like to create it yourself.  Below is a sample book cover design template, and you may find many other templates that you can work from by researching "Book Cover Design"...

Book Cover Design
(Template)

You may be working on a short story, an educational guide, a self-help short, or a poetry book that you do not want to invest a great deal of money, time, or effort looking for a book cover designer.  In that case, you should definitely create your own book cover.

This also holds true for those Writers here who are working on a Series, and you don't want to pay full price for each book cover design.

You can use Photoshop, Microsoft Word, or Publisher.  You can use Templates!

Be sure to leave your thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions and all comments in our "Comments Section" at the bottom of any of our Blog Sessions.

Have a great evening and happy novel writing ~ See you back here on the Blog tomorrow!
OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:


What about your word count?
Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved


Sunday, April 8, 2018

Good Evening Writer

Good Evening Writer

BLOG SESSION
April 8th, 2018


Good Evening Writers and all literary creatives who have decided to take the leap and participate in Camp NaNoWriMo during the month of April 2018.

If you are a Writer at heart, then you are always ready to write.  We have been discussing working on our Book Projects and the making of our new novels during our camp experience this month.

If you have not yet signed up to participate in campnanowrimo for the month of April 2018, it is not too late.  Just click on the link and sign up!

Sign up to participate in


Signing up for Spring Writer's Camp is the first step -- Camp NaNoWriMo is an offshoot of National Novel Writing Month, where Writers get online and create their new Novels in 30 days.  For Spring Camp, you are not limited in whatever it is you'd like to create during the month of April.  The idea is to simply sign up and create a writing project of your choice ~ and the best part:  You get to  meet other Writers & Authors (including Poets), you'll receive good advice and writing tips, you'll complete a writing project at the end of the month, and it is Free!

Getting into the swing of
writing your Novel!

Getting into the swing of typing up your Novel is fun, its inspiring, and it is well worth your time and effort.  My advice to everyone who is doing this for the first time is to just get on your computer or laptop and just start typing!

After you have filled out your Profile and other information for Camp NaNoWriMo, you can check out all of the other areas of the Camp Site.  Remember to check your mailbox inside Camp NaNo (which is located under the "CONVERSATION" tab).  You'll find good tips inside your mailbox, and interesting updates.

You can also invite a friend to join you at Camp NaNo, and you may also want your friend to be inside the same Cabin with you.

Choose your Cabin Mates
(Sign up to join others or create your own private Cabin)

For all Writers who have not yet created their book cover and are trying to figure out how to go about making one, you'll want to be here for our next Blog Session entitled "Creating your Book Cover".

Until our next Blog Session dear Writers, spend time online getting familiar with the  Camp NaNoWriMo site, and also take segments of time during your day to write your novel and/or  work on your Writing Project.

Remember, NaNoWriMo is also on Facebook as well as Twitter.

See you in our next Session Writer!
OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

"Creating your Book Cover"
Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved