It is almost the end of January and I haven’t posted anything since December. That’s because my life has been in a state of upheaval for months. Well, that is ending. I’ve moved from North Idaho and settled back into my former (and now current) hometown in Northern California, in the Klamath National Forest. The Lord has blessed me greatly here during the last few months.
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Seven Steps for Developing an Effective Creative Process
Here are seven steps that will help creativity seekers along on the path to increased skill development and productivity.
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2018 Goodbye. 2019 Hello.
Every year is different. Every year changes life. Sometimes the changes are beyond what you expect. Goals and plans rarely work out. Resolutions are broken. Life takes on unexpected realities. We adjust.
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Zentangles, Folk Art, Rembrandt, and Me
My art is classified as folk art. One definition I found for folk art is – art done by people who are not trained as artists. I’m not sure all folk artists are untrained, but for me, that is, for the most part, true. I took a few art classes in high school and college, but since then, nothing. I spent most of my life taking care of my children and that precluded creating a lot of art.
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The Booktube Habit
To get some variety back into this blog, I’m going to start writing in all the categories – journal, fiction, art, the art of writing, book reviews, and lists/challenges. Today I’ll start by writing about what’s happening in my life, as of March 2018.
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Let the Words Flow
It is easy to be a writer – that’s what some people think. They say, “Oh, you’re lucky. All you have to do is write. And you make millions.”
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Self-Published Authors Develop Realistic Expectations
A lot has happened since I started writing novels fifteen years ago. Back then most writers considered New York publishers the only way to go, and the only way to be real authors. These days, writers are more realistic, myself included. A lot of us have become self-published authors, and are happy with that.
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Writing a Novel
I wrote this article in December 2004 for Happy Camp News. It is about how I got started writing novels.
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Songwriting Basics
A few basic songwriting issues and considerations, with emphasis on how songwriting is inspired, and how to connect to the listener’s heart.
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Plotting a Novel Through Character Development
A novel plot must have an intriguing beginning, a complex interior, and a satisfying finale, all this based on the inner development of a main character we can love and care deeply about — otherwise, why would anyone continue to read? [Read more…]
Online Writing Critique Groups – How to Start One
Every serious writer benefits from being in a writers’ critique group. It is not hard to create online writing critique groups. For me, they have been more effective for editing help, than groups that meet face-to-face.
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Gelli Printing – A Book Review and the Art Experience
I learned about Gelli printing while watching videos on YouTube, and had to try it. I bought an 8×10 Gelli Arts monoprinting plate, and a beginner’s book to tell me more about how to use it.
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