"Contests"

Writing is about turning great ideas into manuscripts. These can take the shape of a wonderful story, a narrative poem, or an essay. There are so many options for writers today to actually make the most of their talent.
A fantastic way to become creative and learn how to write under deadline is to enter contests. You ask me, why would I want to write competitively? I'll tell you why. Quite simply it's the art of being imaginative when writer's block strikes or when the idea you are formulating isn't coming together the way you'd like it to. By forcing yourself to write for a contest entry you are challenging yourself to write like you've never done before. Not only is there a chance that you'll actually win the competition, but that you'll have another quality piece to submit elsewhere.
I guess since I started writing when I was young, and I entered writing contests on a whim it may be easier or a little bit more comfortable for me to actually do this. Look at it like a job, it's something that you need to do to become successful. A writer must write, and make time when there is no time to write. You'll learn to make midnight dashes to the all night post office where you are anxiously racing against the clock to get the exact postmark. Trust me on this.
Last year when I made a mad rush to the post office for one contest, many more opportunities arose for me when I took it upon myself to do this last minute poetry entry.
That entry garned me a guaranteed spot as a featured poet with 37 poems displayed for all to see for over a month, plus, I had a poem published in the program book, and a week later in a popular area newspaper. I met other artists and writers from this competition, and have developed some new friendships and business relationships. You can't beat that!
Three days ago I found out that the contest where I was a featured poet has changed sponsors and moved up the initial jurying by two months which means I really have to rush with putting together a mini portfolio for this contest this upcoming month. It will certainly be a challenge for me to get this done ahead of time. It just adds to the work that I already have to do this month and into April!
This writer is plodding on.....

"My cat Beau"

Once upon a time there was a cat named "Beau". She enjoyed three households before joining mine, her fourth. As a playful senior cat she still had the spunk of a kitten and would enjoy games of hide and seek, or better yet her version of cat and mouse. Of course, I was the mouse....
It's amazing that she had a fan club outside of her little abode. Everyone who met her thought she was beautiful. Her shimmering black fur, and small dabs of white on her paws made her so cute. She was meant to be photographed and written about. I truly wish that I had taken the time to photograph her when she was prancing about, claiming ownership to everything that was mine, and also what wasn't. Even though the photos are only in my mind, I can picture her as if she was still here, tapping the keyboard as I touched the enter key to record my miscellaneous thoughts.
A few days before she passed away, a good friend suggested that I write a book about Beau, or a poetry book. "I love reading your poetry", Philip Datillo said, who has his own book, "Buffy My Love" available at many bookstores. These pets enriched our lives in a way that only true pet lovers can understand. As I enter many contests I always wonder what words will actually flow and make an impact. Sometimes writing about a topic that is forced allows me to explore whether or not I want to stick to that particular topic.
I thought about writing a winter or snow poem for a competition, and immediately my focus was on "Beau".
I'll share a few lines of the introduction of this poem as a reminder that I have a lot more to say about Beau.


Cascading drifts cross my path as I trudge through the snow fall full of luscious snow flakes sticking to my face,
Dazzling designs that I want to study, evaporate ever so quickly,
I thought back to Beau's last day, when the hint of a perfect snow fall
was only days away, a taste of what was yet to come, and what she would never
again see;
A blanket of whiteness that would engage her snow white paws for even a minute.
As she was a curious big cat she'd jump into the powdery drift, for a second, and then would dart right back into her cozy home, and curl up effortlessly at my feet.
Now there's no more pitter patter of those soft paws to touch the snow as I thought back to her last day..
On that cold December afternoon, I wanted fur ball kitty to feel the cool winter breeze as it blew some quaint snow flakes in her direction;
little white spots upon a majestic black fur, as she swatted them away.
Perking up at the white stuff, remembering the smell of the outdoors, sniffing the air, her one last stance at the fun she had before.
Is she coming home to me, or is she going to leave and go to another place?........

I am writing as much as I can while the memories are still fresh in my mind. I'll revise the entire poem so that it is ready for submission to a poetry publication soon.
When I feel that the draft is complete I'll post the entire piece in this blog entry or another one.
Happy writing!

NAWW Blogspot

I am happy to have posted my first Blog entry on NAWW's site. I hope to inspire other writers and also to share information with them regarding my writing endeavors.
It's important that as writers we support one another and learn from each other as well. All women writers truly have a voice, and one that needs to be heard here, and everywhere.
I believe that having a Blog posting can enhance the creative process as well as teach others to use this opportunity to write about topics that are close to one's heart.
I urge you to take a few moments this evening and jot down some tips on a topic that you are interested in writing about. Use this time to freely write about the topic, and when you are finished, put it aside for twenty-four hours. Then, reread your entry, and either continue on with another free writing exercise, or write some more about your topic. Sometimes an outline will help you organize your freewriting. Try one and see what happens. Happy writing!

A Writer's Profile

There's nothing more exciting than having a nice profile on your writing accomplishments published in the newspaper for thousands of people to see and read about. I was fortunate to have this happen a few days ago, on Sunday March 20, 2005.
As a published writer/poet/photographer, I am always looking for more opportunities to write and teach to others. In my profile the journalist asked many pertinent questions regarding writing, and why it is so important to me to teach poetry.
She asked me point blank "Is Poetry a dying Art?" I answered "No, it's not a dying art even though most people aren't aware of it. It's a matter of being exposed to the arts and poetry, and to actually reading it,"I said.
"I feel that poetry needs to be explored by everybody not just by a person who thinks he or she can write poetry. Poetry teaches human values."C.Martin
My husband had a direct bearing on the success of this article as well. He took a wonderful photograph of myself and my cat Beau who passed away in December. Her furry life touched me deeply and inspired me to craft a book of poetry about her life.
I know that this will be a great gift to all animal lovers and that it will inspire many more writers and poets to put pen to paper and craft a magical piece.

"The Muse Visits Once Again"

The muse is visiting often lately. I am happy to say that I've crafted Haiku everyday and I continue to challenge myself to write as much as possible. It's interesting to work in different genres as it enables me to grow professionally. Today, I received a lot of positive feedback for the feature story I had published in the Detroit Free Press. I enjoy my success but I know that there's so much more to accomplish and that publishing on a blog can be immensely helpful as well.
As I work with other writers I try to convince them that the muse does not have to limit them in their ability to craft new works in areas that are unfamiliar as well. Some of my writing clients have many goals in the areas of publication, and I feel that this type of venue may be helpful as well.