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Writing in the Garden – Revision
Writing in the Garden Angela F. Foster and Candace Simar The FARM GIRLS! Writing Class for All Genres “Revision: Dig Into the Edit” Cost $50 Friday, July 24, 2015 10:00 a.m. To 4:00 p.m. Brainerd-Baxter, MN Call Angela to Register 612-242-8911 Space is Limited This day of learning, writing and creativity is suitable for all genres. The class will be held Friday, July 24, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Class sessions will take place in the house, but participants are free to spend breaks and writing sessions in Bev’s beautiful garden....
read moreIt’s Angela’s turn on the Baton Blog Hop!
Angela’s Turn: The Baton Blog Hop. The baton was passed to me by author Cindy Zelman, author of What’s in a Butch’s Purse and Other Humorous Essays. The book includes seven short essays that can be read in less than an hour. Most of them have been published online, but now they are available as a collection. Hopefully, the writing will make you laugh. Cindy has found that both men and women, straight or gay, enjoy these pieces, because really, relationships are relationships. A dysfunctional romantic interlude always leads to disaster no...
read moreWriting Class in Brainerd, MN
January 11: MEMOIR I January 25: MEMOIR II Do you have a story to tell but need a nudge to get it on the page? Or are you ready to revise some of the work you have already written? In this class, we will study the elements of writing an engaging personal story — dialogue, setting, description and scene. Through a variety of fast moving writing exercises, we’ll dig deep to find the great stories. There will be time to share your work with fellow students and receive feedback on your work. Bring your ideas and your questions and let’s...
read moreThe Most Important Thing to Know About Your Character!
Stories need interesting characters and there is one thing you must know about your character before you put a word on the page: What does he/she want more than anything? If you know the answer to that question before you begin, the emotion behind the answer will drive your character (and your story) forward. Think about your favorite movie or book. Chances are you will see how the protagonist’s yearning moved the story forward from the beginning to the end. P. S. I’m booking work for February now. If you are interested in...
read moreWriting Retreat and Class in Sleepy Eye, MN
Fiction author, Candace Simar, and Literary Publicist and Marketing Consultant, Krista Soukup, will join me in Sleepy Eye at the W. W. Smith Bed & Breakfast during the weekend of October 18-20, 2013, to present “Writing at the B&B.” The retreat will begin on Friday evening (Oct. 18) with appetizers and a session on “Writing Great Beginnings for Your Prose.” Saturday morning, after breakfast in the formal dining room, we’ll be talking about “Writing Without Cliche” and later, “Killing the...
read moreThose Annoying Exclamation Points!
I just read a blog post by Rachelle Gardner that summed up my feelings about exclamation points. In most cases, they are unnecessary and annoying. Rachele recommends writers eliminate all of them and I feel the same way. Before sending your manuscript out for publication, find and eliminate those pesky exclamation points. In e-mails and personal correspondence, use them freely! Isn’t that good news?! Here’s Rachele’s post: http://www.rachellegardner.com/2013/07/those-annoying-exclamation-points/
read moreListen to Angela Read “Dirt”
KAXE radio out of Brainerd and Grand Rapids has published an audio recording of my poem “Dirt.” Click here to listen: Angela This poem is also published in the book I have co-written with my sister, Candace Simar, titled “Farm Girls.” Thanks for listening.
read moreWriting Images and Emotions
A few weeks ago my brother-in-law committed suicide. During the days since his death as I struggle to control my anguish and comfort my family, I find myself remembering images. My grief pulls pictures into my mind like a slide-show— my mother-in-law, her face crumpled as she cries, my great-niece peeking around the corner, searching for her Papa, the young neighbor boy at the funeral trying to keep his composure, holding back tears. Grief hits me like a driving rain each time I think about it, one breath away from sobbing. While others think...
read moreDetails, Details, Details!
Details create emotion —the physical setting, the physical sensations, the choice of words, the paragraph length and flow all contribute to the emotion displayed on the page. Short, choppy sentences tend to create tension (our breath is coming fast, as if we are running). Long, flowing paragraphs with an abundance of detail, slow the movement down and give the reader a rest. Here are some of the things you might consider adding to your work: Physical setting (riding in the car, watching the night flash by outside the grimy window). Use of the...
read moreConveying Character Emotions
Every writer has been admonished to show not tell. But how do we do that? Instead of telling the reader your character is uneasy, consider the body language. You might use a physical description such as shaking one’s head, crossing and uncrossing the arms or legs, shifting in one’s chair, or slipping hands into pockets. You might also give an internal sensation such as your character experiencing a slight chill or shiver, the hair lifting on her neck, or a quiver in the stomach. Just remember, in order to create a strong reader...
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