THE WRITER’S WHIMSY: SOMETHING NEW IN THIS OLD YEAR

Season’s greetings! And welcome. Year-end may seem like an odd time to begin an online journal, but it makes sense to me as I contemplate the closing of 2012 and the opening of 2013. Let me explain:

A few years ago I had the good fortune to work with Phyllis Root as I was completing my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Hamline University. The year was drawing to a close. As part of my final assignment, Phyllis asked me to send something new, a work-in-progress that she and I would not work on together. It sounded a little scary. In her wisdom, though, Phyllis wanted to launch me into the post-MFA world with more than a shiny diploma and a body of polished work. She wanted me to have something undone that I had started while a student, but that I would need to continue working on as a graduate. I sent a collection of poems. About fishing. The draft was rough. Phyllis made suggestions about ways that I might keep working on my manuscript on my own. I did work on it. Over time I received good feedback through critique groups, fine-tuned, began to submit, and eventually sold that fishing poetry. It will release in March as a novel in verse called GONE FISHING.

While I am thrilled about the arrival of 2013, I have to admit to the comfort in the familiarity of 2012. This has been a year of planning and organizing, anticipation and exploration, trial and error, marketing and social media, meeting and connecting or reconnecting with wonderful people, and writing, of course. In this year leading up to becoming a published author, I feel much as I did just before graduation: I have my bearings. I have learned so much and tried so many new things that I would have never anticipated doing as 2012 began. Biggest learning: The business side of publishing. Most surprising new thing: I’m on Twitter, for goodness sake! (And I like it.) And so, while I’m still surrounded by the comfort and familiarity of 2012, I am placing one more virtual stake in the ground and beginning an online journal. It’s a work-in-progress amidst my other manuscripts that are in various stages of completion. I’m calling my journal “The Writer’s Whimsy.” I hope to cover a range of topics including my experiences with bringing a book into the world, my creative process, thoughts on poetry and story craft, and anything else that suits my fancy. From time to time I hope to bring something new to the creativity conversation, or add to the conversations that are already brewing. It’s a little scary – beginning almost always is; but it’s a little less scary starting something new with the reassurance of something familiar to help bridge the way. And for that lesson, I have Phyllis to thank.

And now I would like to direct you to Poetry Friday 

This week it's being hosted at Carol's Corner. Enjoy!

12/28/2012