Tag: Valentines Day

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

WRTR, UR SPECIAL

lighter look at a writer's life

Ahhh, Valentine’s Day . . . the holiday of love.

Does it make you have warm feelings? Or queasy, sickening feelings?

The other day, I saw a Valentine candy display. I think it was actually before Christmas, because retail stores now jump the gun on every holiday. I’m expecting Fourth of July merchandise to appear any day now.

I spied what used to be one of my favorite treats as a child: conversation hearts. You know, the little heart-shaped mounds of sugar with sweet sayings like “Luv U,” “Be Mine,” and, more recently, “Text Me.”

That got me thinking, which is a dangerous thing: what if we had conversation hearts specifically geared toward writers? Considering the rejections, long hours of toiling alone over pieces, and tortuous rounds of editing, we writers could use a little love. Sweet candy bites with sayings pertaining to our craft might be the encouragement we need to keep going.

I decided to take the idea and run with it and came up with some possible sayings for these Writerly Hearts (see if you can figure out the abbreviations):

  1. UR A GOOD WRTR
  2. LUV UR BK IDEA
  3. U GET A CNTRCT
  4. LUV MY ADVNCE
  5. NO MOR EDITS
  6. U SOLD A BK
  7. CNTRCT W/O PRPSL
  8. UR OUT OF SLSH PILE
  9. MNUSCRPT ACCPTD
  10. HAPPY 2000 WRD DAY

I think these would sell out at coffee houses and bookstores. Who’s ready to invest with me? In the meantime, encourage the writer in your life, even if it is U!

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

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A Pinch of Poetry The Poet's Pen

How Do I Love You? Let Poetry Lead the Way by Darlo Gemeinhardt

February is the month that has the honor of hosting Valentine’s Day, also called Feast of Saint Valentine, an annual holiday celebrated on February 14th. Each year over a billion Valentine cards are purchased.

The oldest known valentine still in existence is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Love poems can be written in any form such as a sonnet, sestina, or free verse. They can be romantic, sweet, or heartfelt. Some of the most famous love poem include:

HOW I LOVE THEE by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 A RED RED ROSE by Robert Burns

 LOVE’S PHILOSOPHY by Percy Bysshe Shelley

 THE SONNETS by William Shakespeare.

For some real inspiration turn to the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 in The Message says,

          Love never gives up.

          Love cares more for others than for self.

          Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

          Love doesn’t strut,

          Doesn’t have a swelled head,

          Doesn’t force itself on others,

          Isn’t always “me first,”

          Doesn’t fly off the handle,

          Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

          Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

          Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

          Puts up with anything,

          Trusts God always,

          Always looks for the best,

          Never looks back,

          But keeps going to the end.

Take the time to look these and others up. Read them and be inspired. And this Valentine’s Day, instead of buying a card, why not try your hand at writing a love poem for that special person in your life.

Maybe you’ll write something profound like:

     Roses are Red
I’ll be blue
If I can’t spend
Valentine’s Day with you.

I think it needs a little work. But, you get the idea.

Darlo writes MG Novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. www.fromthedogpen.com

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Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

When the Love of Travel Takes On a New Meaning

Have Words Will Travel
Upon returning from a writer's conference earlier this year, Cathy found a 1963 Shasta Airflyte Camper sitting in her driveway. Since then, she has taken quite the fancy to travel writing. She hopes you'll join her on this adventurous journey!

There is no denying that February is the month of L-O-V-E so let’s do something a little different. Okay, a lot different.

“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” – Moslih Eddin Saadi

As writers, our senses snap to attention when visiting a new place. We see things with fresh eyes and catch the aroma of foods never explored, but if we’re not careful those same senses can become dulled by the routine of life. We drive home the same way every night, listen to the same genre of music, and munch on Chinese food every Friday night without a second thought. Our senses gradually become accustomed to our day-to-day doings—taking them for granted—and if we’re not careful, the same can hold true for the people in our lives.

If you’re wondering if I mistakenly submitted this post to A3 instead of Psychology Today, rest assured this is no mistake. After all, is there any destination more traveled, more wondrous, awe-inspiring, or rewarding than that of the heart?

It’s for this reason I encourage you to consider traveling to that wondrous place through what you do best, writing. Below you’ll find a few ideas to try this month, but being the creative person that you are, I’m sure you’re already way ahead of me. (I hope to hear from you in the comment section!)

  • Take small slips of paper and on each slip, write one thing you love about that person, a favorite memory that you both share, or a specific way that person has impacted your life. Fill a container (I love Mason jars!) with the slips; tie a tag explaining how the recipient is to remove and read one slip each day for the month of February, or whatever length of time you choose. (For bonus points: Sprinkle a layer of rose petals on the bottom of the jar. As they begin to dry, the slips of paper will become immersed with their scent.) Okay, maybe I should have submitted this to Good Housekeeping, but let’s continue.A3map216
  • You’re a travel writer. Draw a map that includes your relationship milestones. Be as colorful and creative as possible. To top it off, plan a mini-getaway to a restaurant or particular place where one of your milestones took place, if possible.
  • You are a trained observer. Plan to travel to a place you both love, whether it’s just for an afternoon or for an entire weekend. The theme? Love, of course! Go on an expedition to find all the things you love about that place. Engage those five senses. Take pictures, journal about your time together.

If you’ve lived on this planet for any length of time you know that the heart of another is sometimes the most difficult destination of all to reach, making the journey all the more valuable.

This month, and every month, enjoy the greatest adventure of all—love.

How about you? Are you willing to try one of the above ideas, or do you have a love-related writing idea to share? I’d love to hear from you!

 

Photo courtesy of The Knot, one of the best sites around when it comes to love and marriage.