Tuesday, November 20, 2012

How to Love Writing School Papers

     I just finished writing a ten page research paper about the history of Olympic boycotts for one of my classes.

     The nice thing about being a writer is learning to enjoy all forms of writing, fiction or otherwise.

     All writing is language. It's words, the way they sound together, the pictures they paint, catching the attention of the reader and surprising them with every scroll of the eye to the end of a sentence.

     Ask yourself, how can I make this topic unfold like a story? Where is the drama? The climax? Whether your topic is the hosting of the Olympics by Nazi Germany or women pilots during World War II, history is all one big story.

     When you think about it, writing itself is nothing more than the description of sounds. Whether those sounds are singing the prasies of your favorite book or bemoaning an obscure tragedy from history, you can have fun with language, if you give it a try.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

How to Build Your Own House

Or, self publish.

I just got back from the Antioch college's Second Sunday Free Writer's Workshop, a place for writers to learn from and network with real writers in the area.

Tonya Kappes, self-published marketer extraordinaire (and best-seller), and David Braughler of Greyden Press publishing explained the various alternate routes to published, from self-publishing to POD to editors and marketing.

They both advised to do the jobs your comfortable with, and hire others to do the rest! Like building your own house, sometimes you need help from professionals to get the job done. On the other hand, there are more and more opportunities for writers to take control and make the book they envisioned.

Indie or traditional, the fun fact of the day came from Tonya Kappes, who explained that all new books by traditional publishers are released on Tuesdays.


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Inspiration in the Stones

 


While in China in 2012, my sisters and I visited the Old Summer Palace, the lesser known, less touristy, off-the-beaten path predecesor of the popular Summer Palace.



It lies in ruins.





 

Of all the places we visited in China, this was my favorite place. Our prescense there earned us many stares, as we were the only foriegners in a mostly Chinese crowd. While there, we saw only one other group of tourists.

Hauntingly beautiful, peaceful and undisturbed, this place will continue to inspire me for years to come. I especially enjoyed these black swans, which prompted me to write a short story about a woman at the Old Summer Palace.


 

Submission to Used Furniture Review

I just submitted my piece, "Near-Sighted," to Used Furniture Review.  They're an emerging online literary magazine looking to publish new and established writers. Check them out:

First Place Win

My entry in the Go Teen Writers 500-word freewrite won first place and an honorable mention!

Thank you to Stephanie Morrill for offering this opportunity to young writers.

For any fellow teen writers, out there, definitely check out the blog. Go Teen Writers is a blog by published authors that provides tips and advice on the craft of writing and the publishing industry.

Welcome

     My name is Ciara Hope, a writer and aspiring novelist. I am currently writing and submitting short stories and poetry to literary magazines, working my way toward publication.

     I am also currently working on my first novel, a young adult contemporary titled Caretta, Caretta.

     My work has appeared in A Clean, Well-lighted Place and has won multiple awards, including:

     1st place in the Sinclair Community College Short Story Contest.
    
     Graham Greene Award from the Athanatos Christian Fiction Writing Contest
     
     1st place in the Go Teen Writers 500-word freewrite

     Thank you for your interest in my work.

     Sincerely,

     Ciara Hope