Playtime for Writers!
What would happen if you allowed yourself to write without expectation of publication?
December 1, 2022
Dear Writers,
On Tuesday, I had a truly lovely glass of strawberry cider and some superb garlic rolls with my Eugene colleague—young adult novelist J.C. Geiger. We got to talking about what the brain scans of humans look like when they’re really in the zone and creating without any sense of self-editing, and I realized it had been a while since I allowed myself to write something with absolutely no expectation of publication.
And so, this morning, I gifted myself with an hour to research a photo that’s been tacked to my bulletin board for years with the intention of writing some sort of essay/poem/story about it. It’s a 1963 photo of my great-grandfather’s friend Buddy Hughes from their vaudeville days together—and Buddy’s got a Pomeranian balanced on one front paw…on his thumb.
Sure, I’ll have to work an extra hour tonight in the dark, cold parking lot outside my daughter’s dance studio and I likely won’t have time to watch an episode of The Umbrella Academy, but it’ll be totally worth it because that hour of research felt so creative and engaging and fun. (Who knew topless bars in the 1960s featured dog trainers?) I have no idea if what I write about Buddy and his dog will ever see print or screen, and that’s fine. Really.
What can you research or write this weekend just for fun?
What I’m Publishing
· My newest middle-grade novel Daisy Woodworm Changes the World has been getting superb reviews. I’d be so grateful if you’d purchase a copy for your favorite reader ages 8-14, or for your favorite teacher or librarian or Special Olympics coach and review it online and in social media.
· For The Writer Magazine, “Get Away to Write: 7 Writing Retreats Happening in 2023.” (Read quickly before they put up a paywall!) Yes please to the “Writers Who Run Retreat.”
· I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing this article “Low-Light Houseplants That Can Transform Your Office into a Green Retreat” because I got to lead with this quote by Erma Bombeck: “Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” True that, Erma.
Where I’m Teaching & Reading
· This Saturday from 2-4 PM, J.C. Geiger and I will be at Tsunami Books in Eugene. Come see us! We’ll answer all your questions about writing, running, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and why Jeff put out a playlist for his novel on cassette. Enjoy gingerbread rabbits from Daisy Woodworm Changes the World, consult the Cockroach Catcher for a writing prompt and take our quiz, “What Kind of Writer are You?”
· I’m reserving spots now for my eight-week online asynchronous class “Advanced Personal Essay Writing” which begins January 16th and takes a deep dive into how to incorporate expert interviews and research into longform personal essays. See the syllabus and important details here.
· There are still a few spots available for “Write, Revise, Submit: Short Memoir Weekend Intensive” at Wordcrafters in Eugene on January 28th-29th. I promise you’ll get so much out of this class, including, quite possibly, a lifelong community of writing friends!
A Few Cool Resources
· Brooke Warner was the editor of my first memoir while she was still at Seal Press. I enjoyed her article Author Platform: Here’s What All the Fuss Is About (thewritelife.com). Platform doesn’t have to be a dirty word or a chore. I mean, look at all the fun I’m having on my TikTok!
· I’m late to the Ologies science podcast party, but not as late as my dentist—whom I regaled with facts about how cats only meow to people, and how they prefer temperatures of 80 degrees—while we were waiting for the Novocain to work before The Big Filling.
· On NPR’s Short Wave, this episode about Bellevue Literary Magazine: Arts Week: The Literary Magazine Dissecting Health And Healing : Short Wave : NPR
· And thanks to my colleague and friend Mary DeMocker for suggesting I listen to “This is Your Brain on ‘Deep Reading.’ It’s Pretty Magnificent” on The Ezra Klein Show.
Conferences, Workshops, and Calls for Submissions
· Flash nonfiction equals playtime for writers! The esteemed literary magazine River Teeth is accepting 250-word submissions for its lovely “Beautiful Things” column. I challenged myself to write and submit a humorous piece about trying to catch a honeybee swarm last summer with hilariously disastrous results.
· I really love attending and teaching at the San Francisco Writers Conference, which takes place in February 2023 and features one of my favorite relationship writers, Joey Garcia. As always, you can find more writing conferences at ShawGuides.
· Two of my essay writing students just had short essays accepted for publication in HuffPost Personal. Take a look at the submission guidelines and see if you have something that might be a good fit.
That’s all for now! Feel free to share this newsletter these opportunities with everyone you know! And email me if something wonderful comes across your inbox. I’ll share it in the January newsletter.
Much gratitude,
Melissa