Tag: Online Writing

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday: Church on Time

Mandy Webster
Nederlands: Kerk Molenstraat
Image via Wikipedia

For this week’s Poetry Friday, hosted by Writing the World for Kids, I am sharing another original poem. This is a rough draft I think could use some revisions, so I would love to hear any feedback you might have on how to make it better. I am especially having some problems with the rhythm in a couple of these lines. Please post your feedback in the comments below.

Church on Time

Red painted church marm in a
white Grand Prix
squeals around the corner and
glares at me. Continue reading “Poetry Friday: Church on Time” →

Random Writing Rants

What happened first: The fight, or the apple pie incident?

Mandy Webster
Nederlands: Het Short Story bushokje op transf...
Image via Wikipedia

Today I’m writing a story about something that happened to me about 13 years ago. I don’t know how you feel about the passing of time, but for me, 13 years is a LONG time ago. So, I can remember major details, but some of those minor details have me questioning my memory. In this particular story, there is a nasty fight and an unfortunate incident with an apple pie. But I can’t, for the life of me, remember which happened first. Dilemma, dilemma.

So, what do you do when you’re writing about something that actually happened but can’t remember such important details? And what if you can remember the details, but the story works better if you rearrange events? I’m not writing a memoir, simply using actually happenings as the basis for a short story I’ll pass off as fiction. All names will be changed to protect the identities of those involved, of course.  Continue reading “What happened first: The fight, or the apple pie incident?” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday: Tackling teenage pregnancy

Mandy Webster
MAHS Poetry Out Loud competition 5
Image by Nic's events via Flickr

For today’s Poetry Friday, sponsored this week by Wild Rose Reader, comes from real-life. I remember how “everyone” in my 8th grade class talked about the girl who had a baby over the summer, and I also remember wondering if I was the only person who didn’t judge her. I only wish I’d had the guts to speak up for her. Continue reading “Poetry Friday: Tackling teenage pregnancy” →

Random Writing Rants

Finding my niche

Mandy Webster
Cover of "Diamond Willow (Frances Foster ...
Cover of Diamond Willow (Frances Foster Books)

I’m one course and a thesis paper away from completing my masters degree in professional writing at Mount Mary College, and I’m feeling pressed to decide on a specific career course. So yeah, I’m a writer: but what kind of writer am I? I’ve written poetry, short stories, parts of novels, but for a long time I’ve struggled to find that one niche that I am really passionate about. Until I recently discovered YA.

Okay, so I’m sure I’ve read plenty of YA novels in the past. I’ve occasionally read some of my son’s books, and he’s getting into that age range. And, I’m quite sure I read tons of YA when I was a YA myself. But until recently, I haven’t really studied the genre.

While taking my poetry course this past fall, I read Crossing Stones,  a novel in verse by Helen Frost, and I just LOVED that book and form. I then read a few of her other books: The Braid, Diamond Willow, and her latest, Hidden. All great reads. I found a lot of inspiration in these books and began to wonder if I could write something similar myself. Continue reading “Finding my niche” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday: Like Waves

Mandy Webster
English: Natural Arches Roinn a Roidh. Taken f...
Image via Wikipedia

For today’s Poetry Friday, hosted this week by Dori Reads, I’m sharing an original poem, written by moi:

Like Waves

Like waves, we lap
upon the shore,
licking the
bare feet
of life. Continue reading “Poetry Friday: Like Waves” →

Random Writing Rants

Why not evening pages?

Mandy Webster
Writing

I started keeping a journal around the age of 12. I used to lay in bed at night and write in my journal almost every evening before I went to bed. I filled notebook, after notebook, after notebook. I kept up with this practice for almost 10 years until my (now ex-) husband decided to read my journal, wasn’t happy with something I wrote, and then proceeded to burn my journal and forbid me from writing anything anymore. Needless to say, it was not a happy marriage. Continue reading “Why not evening pages?” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday already?

Mandy Webster

Friday..

Wow, is it Friday already? I somehow lost an entire week in the shuffle of tieing up lose semester ends. For today’s Poetry Friday, sponsored by children’s author, Robyn Hood Black, I am sharing an original poem written by myself:

Hoard Horde

Sneaky spider in the night
softly spinning in moonlight.
Resting, dangling in the day,
watching, waiting for your prey. Continue reading “Poetry Friday already?” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday: The Cinquain

Mandy Webster
Cinquian and Cleve
Image by juliejordanscott via Flickr

In my poetry class this semester, we have discussed several different poetry forms, and I even attempted a few different forms myself. I’d like to to approach this week’s Poetry Friday with a discussion of the Cinquain form.

In researching this form, I found that there are a few different acceptable approaches to writing the Cinquain, each with its own benefits and challenges. For my poetry assignment, I researched the various types and wrote three different poems using Cinquain patterns found on the Teacher Webspace website. The following is an explanation of each individual Cinquain pattern, paired with an original poem by myself: Continue reading “Poetry Friday: The Cinquain” →

NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing

NaNoWriMo Wrap-up

Mandy Webster

As another National Novel Writing Month wraps up, and NaNoWriMo participants around the globe rush to validate their completed novels, it is time for me to admit the fact there will be no NaNoWriMo “win” in my near future. But while my current 11,654 words do not a novel make, I am not quite ready to concede defeat.

NaNoWriMo Day 3

Regardless of the fact that I will not have 50,000 words of a novel written within the next 2 days, I still view this year’s NaNoWriMo event as a success. In fact, I’m quite certain I got far more from the event this year than I have put into it.

For example, NaNoWriMo inspired me to get organized and create a complete novel outline, something I have never before managed to accomplish. So even though my novel is nowhere near complete, I have a solid outline to work with in the coming months. What I got out of NaNoWriMo this year is the knowledge that I do have what it takes to sit down and plan a full and complete novel, including a beginning, middle, and end. I also feel like I have worked out a process that I can use again and again for future novels. Continue reading “NaNoWriMo Wrap-up” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Pondering a lost sock on Poetry Friday

Mandy Webster
Baby socks 2

I’ll be out of the office this Poetry Friday, so I’m scheduling my weekly post a few days in advance. I’m keeping it short and sweet this week and am sharing an original poem:

Lost Sock

Here lies a sock some kid kicked off.
Imagine when she lost this sock –
In jogging stroller seat she rode,
bouncing feet while mommy strode. Continue reading “Pondering a lost sock on Poetry Friday” →