Since I began the "artist's week" with my friend, Jasmine, I have become more interested, not only in writing my book, but in other forms of writing as well. And I am now fired up about writing poetry, short stories, etc. This is happening in a more fevered way right now because I have been reading stories from Chicken Soup for The Writer's Soul. Many of these stories are magical; some help you see that virtually all writers start in the basement, working up the ladder to the attic (no pun intended); some show the miraculous ways a writer finds her/his path or publishes that first story or book or makes the right connection at the right time. The stories can be funny, informative, poignant, surprising and always, always motivating to the writing warrior within. Each one, in it's own major or subtle way, has lifted me.

I have had this book, Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul, for a very long time and have picked at it, but mostly left it on the shelf and from what it looks like, soaked half of it in coffee (or something because, really, I don't drink coffee - never have). I am also reading another book on writing called Thunder & Lightening by Natalie Goldberg. The only thing is that she starts out saying how sad a writer's life is...that writer's aren't happy people. That was a bit of a downer. She didn't know how she could teach students about writing because of this. Then she showed, through an incident she experienced, that when she was depressed and couldn't get through it, how writing was the only thing that allowed her to dislodge herself from the muck and move forward.

Thinking about books on writing, I want to say that I was blessed to have my mother-in-law, at the time, send me three books on writing, all of which I loved and recommend highly to other writers. These are not ABC books on writing, but stories by writers about themselves and their writing and are fun and moving to read. The titles are as follows:

1. On Writing (A Memoir of the Craft) by Stephen King

2. Bird by Bird (Some Instructions on Writing and Life) by Anne Lamott

3. Writing Down the Bones (Freeing the Writer Within) by Natalie Goldberg

I highly suggest you read these if you haven't already. I have them in front of me and am going to re-read them. They are awesome!!

Okay, so my plan is to purchase a current Copy of The Writer's Market and the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market and work on some short stories, poetry and perhaps articles for publication. So wish me luck.

One other resource that was recommended to me and my daughter by Laurie Halse Anderson, a wonderful author we had the chance to see in person, is The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). This is obviously a resource for those interested in writing and/or illustrating Children's books, including picture books, middle readers & young adult/teen books. I haven't used it much yet, but Anderson said that if your are writing for children then join SCBWI. She said this organization really helped her writing career. Their website is: http://www.scbwi.org/.

Okay, I'll be back. XO