Quote of the Day: We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community. Dorothy Day
Today is another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. You can also visit the founder Alex J. Cavanaugh for more info and links.
Question of the Month: What is your favorite writing craft book? Think of a book that every time you read it, you learn something or you are inspired to write or try the new technique. And why?
I read Stephen King’s On Writing a number of years ago, and I still remember some great writing tips and his comments on life as a writer. I’ll be rereading that one. My writing mentor Candace Simar recommended Sol Stein’s Stein on Writing, which I listened to on audio. I plan to purchase a hard copy so I can reread it, highlight passages, and do some of the exercises he presents. She also recommends Save the Cat, which is on my TBR list! I listened to The Steal Like an Artist trilogy by Austin Kleon. Kleon gives tips on the creative life, offers many quotes and words of inspiration, and most of all encouragement to live out your dream of creating and sharing your work. I need to put that one on constant replay!
Play off the Page Youth Theater Workshop, 2021, “Camp Superior.”
I’m in the midst of running Youth Theater Workshops in the Brainerd lakes area. Students entered, eager to create and connect. Our theme is adventures along the river. The elementary group created a darling play that we named “Camp Superior.” It warmed my heart to see them jump into creating together and including everyone. This week, the middle school students are using the same theme, with a little more edge and humor. Their play, “Madness on the Mississippi,” is a hoot. I can’t wait to share it with friends and family at the end of the week. I’m also recording the shows and putting them on my Youtube page.
Play off the Page Youth Theater Workshop 2021
Note my quote of the day (above), by Dorothy Day. She understood the power of community, how it connects us and heals us, the need to take care of each other and lift each other up. Theater is my lifeline. The dark days of the pandemic were lonely. I don’t want to go back to that. Please, do your part to knock this virus on its butt and keep schools, businesses, and theaters open.
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: What does your community offer to lift up and encourage one another?
The IWSG does this so well. Thank you, Alex, for starting the group and keeping it going!
Your theatre workshop looks great. Stephen King was the first read for me. Im reading Save the Cat at the moment.
Thank you. We’re having a blast making theater together. I’m ordering Save the Cat!
Definitely read Save the Cat.
Cool the kids are able to do the workshops and are enjoying them.
And thanks for ordering a notebook!
My pleasure. I can always use another notebook!
Aww, I love what you’re doing with the community program! That is awesome. I spent a summer teaching creative writing to kids several years ago and it was the best. I agree with you that community is so important and love that you are growing that!
My rec for writing craft is Elements of Style by Strunk and White. A classic for any type of writing, but more focused on nonfiction than fiction I suppose.
Keep up the awesome work! Glad to join your community!
Hello, Heidi. Thanks for being here, and the recommendations!
‘Save the Cat’ should be at the top of your TBR stack – you’ll appreciate it while you do kids’ summer theater because Blake Snyder was a screenwriter.
Another former screenwriter, Jeff Lyons, helped me with his Premise Line ploy – more than a logline (movie term) it helps you find your book’s theme before you lay down a batch of words.
Also Lisa Cron’s ‘Wired for Story’ – again from screenwriting tradition… note a trend here?!
Yes. You’re speaking my language. I’m adding to my list to purchase and study!
A number of people mentioned Stephen King’s book today. I read Save the Cat and liked it. But an author recently recommended Save the Cat Writes a Novel, which I find even more helpful.
Yes. That’s the one Candace recommended. I might need both of them!
I bet that’s so rewarding to work with those kids.
It really is. And, so wonderful to be together in one space, creating together.
Great to kids engaged in being creative. You’re doing good work.
Thanks for the recommendations here. There were a couple I didn’t know.
Great. Thanks, Nick!
Hi Mary! Believe it or not I’ve yet to read On Writing. Save the Cat has helped me write every story I’ve come up with. Thinking of storytelling via beats changed my perspective for the better. 🙂
I will be getting that one!
Good luck with your summer theatre, Mary! I miss doing theatre with my students. It was such fun. I hope you are enjoying IWSG Day. Take care!
Thanks, Fundy Blue!
I’m not a Stephen King fan, but I really did appreciate his book on the craft of writing. It was excellent. I love the picutures of the kids today. I could almost hear those creative pens and pencils on the page.
Thanks, C.! We’re having a blast!
Stephen King’s On Writing was probably the first book on the craft (Memoir of the Craft) I ever read. I started rereading it a few months ago and it kept me up until 2 in the morning.
That’s great. I’ll be rereading it soon!
Brainerd lakes area is vacation country for us or at least a weekend road trip. We are in the same state but an hour north of the Iowa border. It takes us a while to get up to the Brainerd lakes area.
Almost everyone in our family has been involved in various forms of theater at one time or another, mostly musicals. Our youngest has the most experience. She’s had the lead in a few musicals and a bunch of operas. It’s been tough for her through this pandemic stuff. She’s supposed to have been making a living at opera by now.
The next musical coming down the road at us is Bright Star which is a creation of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. The last I heard we’re still hunting for a banjo player.
Ah, a family like mine. My son is studying opera and musical theater and voice. He deferred his masters program a year. I hope all the theaters will be open soon, and can stay open!
Theatre! How fun! It is related to writing in that you slip into the role of characters. Become the character!
I’ve read so many writerly books but I don’t really remember all the titles! 😀
♥.•*¨Elizabeth Mueller¨*•.♥
Yes! Thanks for stopping by.
Some good answers here. I’ve read On Writing and Save The cat.
Did anyone from your area win at the Olympics this year?
Joe Kovacs, from my neck of the woods, won silver for Shot Put Throw.
Congratulations to Joe! Well, we had Suni Lee from St. Paul, MN win a few medals in gymnastics! That was fun!!!
That camp looks like so much fun! I hope you had a blast. What a great idea.
On Writing is my favourite too. <3