To the few followers of this blog:
Because of its low readership, I have decided to semi-retire this blog in favor of my other, more popular one, "Never too Late!" I'll still come back when I'm inspired to write a rictameter or two, but don't expect much new content.
You can find my writing assignments and other material on writing here in the archives, and the site will remain live, at least in the near future. Your comments are still welcome.
You can also find my thoughts on writing in my eGenerations columns, now approximately monthly, at http://egenerations.com/write-articles
Meanwhile, if you want to know what I'm up to, read "Never too Late!" at http://www.seniorwriter.blogspot.com/.
Many thanks to Pat Murphy, an old friend and former neighbor (not the Pat from "Pat's Place") for today's guest rictameter. Pat is a fellow northerner who appreciates the season.
As winter slowly winds down, most of us reflect on its beauties and challenges as we eagerly wait for spring. Where you live undoubtedly makes a difference, but most of us have some winter thoughts to express.
How about writing a rictameter (or more than one) about winter? If you will submit them to my email address (there's a link in my complete profile here), I'll put them together for a mid-March collection. I'll consider other poetic forms as well. Let's celebrate the coming end of winter, share our winter disasters and/or our winter joys.
Thanks to Pat of "Pat's Place" for this idea! (http://atpatsplace.blogspot.com/)
"Saying you were a self-published author used to be like saying you were a self-taught brain surgeon." Lev Grossman, in "Books Unbound: The Forces of a New Century are Shaping a New Kind of Literature. It's Fast, Cheap and Out of Control," in the February 2 issue of Time, reminds us, and he gives some grudging respect to beleagured self-published authors. Some of their books have gone on to best-seller status.
I've written before about the agonies and perils of the traditional publishing process: the long and often futile search for agent and publisher, the shrinking advance, the slight chance of seeing a book actually published, the quick trip to the remainder bin if a book doesn't sell well.
The traditional publishing industry is suffering, but people are still reading. What's happening? "Old publishing is stately, quality-controlled and relatively expensive. New publishing is cheap, promiscuous and unconstrained by paper, money or institutional taste." Publishing as a whole is expanding in new forms.
According to Grossman, this is "neither good nor bad; it just is." Once, novels were considered vulgar and immoral, but "they shocked and seduced people into new ways of thinking." The very idea of self-publishing anything, fiction or non-fiction, still seems undignified or contemptible to many. Still, self-published books give everyone a chance at self-expression and are likely to seduce us into new ways of thinking. This is, indeed, a brave new literary world.
Copyright 2009 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Occasionally I consult my Amazon.com profile, looking for news on my book sales there. To say that they are disappointing is to understate the case. It's a good thing I don't depend on book sales for a living.
Anyway, this morning (at 6:25 a.m., to be exact), I discovered that my little $9.95 book Seniorwriting ranked #46 in the Books> Nonfiction> Education> Adult & Continuing Education category. I've never seen it higher than the 60's there, so I was elated. It's not the money; I make only a dollar or two on each sale. I think it's just that a book is like a child to its creator, no matter how minor or insignificant it may be to others.
I still hope that this little book will help some senior non-writers get started on their memoirs, and that anyone affected by the book will contact me. Never mind that one reviewer objected to the fact that it doesn't help the reader to write "serious novels." If I knew how to do that, I'd be a novelist myself. The rest of the reviews are very positive.
I'm finally moving into The Clare at Water Tower, after many problems and much angst. Check my other blog, "Never too late!" for part of the story and two pictures.
There probably won't be new posts here for a while, but later I hope to write about my efforts to get my fellow residents writing.
New Year Question
New Year:
I'll get to my serious wishes and resolutions eventually, but here are my only-in-my-dreams requests:
I'd like to win millions in the Illinois lottery. I've had a yearly computerized ticket for years, and my occasional winnings have usually been in the $9 range. Isn't it time for something bigger? Just asking.
I'd like my three books to become best sellers. If most of the senior citizens in the country would buy Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor, Seniorwriting, and Elder Expectations, my financial difficulties would end. Of course the chances of such a thing happening are slim and none. Actually, I wrote those books for fun, not profit, but some profits would be nice. Oh, well.
I'd like to take up long-distance walking again. My knee replacements are supposed to get me walking again, but it's taking a long time. Perhaps with patience, this wish will come true. Hope springs eternal!
How about sharing your new year's wishes, serious or fantastic?
To my friends and family:
I've often written about the importance of writing to heal: from keeping a pen and paper near the sick bed to writing down your concerns and complaints for your caregivers. My recent hospitalization and nursing home stay (a total of nearly six weeks) should have provided an excellent opportunity for me to practice what I've preached.
It didn't quite work out that way. For one thing, I did not have easy computer access. I did, however, have a pen and a notebook. So why didn't I write much? Yes, I had a roommate and nearly continuous TV. However, there are other reasons, too. For me, writing is a reality of my life, and I seemed eager to escape from reality. I drifted into the routine of the institution, not thinking much about my "real" life. Writing was something I planned to do after I got home.
Did I write anything while I was in the nursing home? Yes, I wrote down a few notes for future writing, and then I wrote three rictameters. For me, an experienced user of this odd poetic form, this was tha perfect way to express myself. My three rictameters were "Kindness," "Patience," and "Painful." All three appear in my two blogs, this one and "Never too Late!"
So what is the message here? Poetry can be brief, direct, and meaningful (see "A Good Review Brings Cheer," below). When illness or injury makes one reluctant to write, a short poem can express a lot. As I look back, I notice that my three rehab rictameters tell the story of my experience better than more extensive writing might have.
If the thought of writing at length, especially in difficult times, is depressing, try writing simple poems: rhymed, unrhymed, free verse, or whatever. I found my magic in the rictameter, but there are many other possibilities. The idea of most poetry is to say a lot in a few words, and that's what I did. I seem to have redefined my understanding of writing to heal.
Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
I am always elated to find experrt references to the power of writing. I just discovered another that I would like to share:
In the November/December 2008 issue of AARP magazine, Dan Buettner's article "Find Purpose, Live Longer" discusses ways to get, or stay, connected with life at any age. "Finding that 'something more' in your life can mean a big health boost." Suggestions include "Keep Working," "Find your Flow," "Explore Religion," and "Volunteer," but of most interest to me was "Take Stock of Yourself." How? One important way is to keep a journal.
According to Gregory A. Plotnikoff, M.D. of Abbott Northwestern's Institute for Health and Healing in Minneapolis, writing in a journal can be a big help, especially after a major life change. "When a spouse dies, you retire, or your kids leave home, you interrupt your personal story. If you can figure out how this episode fits into the plot of your life, you'll be one step closer to seeing its purpose--and yours." Plotnikoff suggests writing at least thirty minutes per day. Write about crucial events in your life and how they made you feel. "Discovering purpose is like uncovering patterns. If you understand the first chapters of your life, you're in a better position to write the next chapters. We all need to be part of a bigger story."
Thanks, Mr. Buettner and Dr. Plotnikoff, for another reminder of the importance and power of personal writing. I've tried it, and it works.
Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
This interview was posted by Paul Lam of The Elders Tribune back in 2007. Since The Elders Tribune site no longer exists, I have decided to post the interview here. It may be of interest to seniors just discovering my book Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write or to teachers considering using it for a continuing education class or workshop. Besides, it provides a good reminder of the main purpose of this blog: to encourage writing.
1. Why a book encouraging seniors to write about their lives?
I believe that everyone has a story, or many stories, to tell, and that seniors need to make sure that their experiences and the lessons they have learned are preserved for their families. As an example, my father was a very quiet man who rarely talked, let alone wrote, and I really never got to know him. However, my brother recently shared a story that our father told him about the difficulties of driving an older Model-T Ford on unimproved roads from our home in southern Wisconsin to St. Olaf College in Minnesota in the late 1920's. Of course my brother remembered few details, and I never heard the story. How I wish our father had written about his life! Our mother did write her life story at age 86, and we are very grateful for that. She died this year at age 95, and we feel that we know her quite well. Also, seniors are likely to have some spare time, and the positive, therapeutic effects of writing, even in a private journal, have been well-documented. We need to write to discover, to heal, to reinvent, and to share.
2. How does your book differ from other writing guides for seniors?
There are many such guides on the market, and I have not seen them all. However, I favor a more creative approach than I’ve found in other guides I’ve seen or read about. Some of them seem to present extremely structured approaches. For example, one advertises “a structured template containing over 250 step-by-step life story questions (with ample space to write in answers).” I would find 250 questions intimidating, like a school workbook to fill in with mindless answers, but perhaps that’s just me. In one online-course I examined, the first assignment was to label the pages of a lined notebook, one for each year from birth to the present. Since I was over 70 at the time, that seemed like a daunting task, and it reminded me that there are many years, even periods in my life, that I do not remember at all. These approaches probably work for some, but I favor a more relaxed approach that involves brainstorming and free writing and organizing it all later. I offer guidance and examples, but no rigid rules.
3. What would you say is your personal goal for this book?
I would like my book to encourage and help senior non-writers develop the courage to write their stories for their families. I’m sure the structured methods work for many, but I think my approach is worth a try. I hope it proves useful, especially for individuals at home and in informal senior center writing classes. The book is small, inexpensive, and non-intimidating. I’m not expecting to gain personal fame or fortune from it. I would enjoy getting a few letters or emails recounting individual successes in writing life stories.
4. Between your books and blogs, the number of insights you produce is staggering. How do you do it?
Thanks for the compliment! Such insights as I share are generally based on my reading, my observations, and my experiences, and I shamelessly borrow ideas from others, properly attributed, of course. How do I find time? Unlike many seniors, I have no close family nearby and no regular paid job any more. Being a retired loner has a few advantages. I once wrote a blog post entitled “Living Large on Line,” and I guess that’s what I do. One piece of advice: always read a daily newspaper.
5. What do you love about writing the most?
I guess I enjoy the independent, solitary aspects of writing. I’ve never enjoyed interacting with groups of people very much, so writing is my way of communicating with the world. Of course I wrote my first book, Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor, to deal with retirement and loss and to get my life in order. I can write anywhere and everywhere, using a pen and a scrap of paper if no computer is available. I discovered that writing is my passion, and I advise all seniors to find theirs, whether it be writing or something else.
6. Is there a fundamental difference between writing personal history and fiction?
I think so. Some people seem to have a knack for writing fiction, but while I’ve written a few short stories, I seem to lack the imagination to write an entire novel. To me, writing personal history seems much easier, but I doubt that everyone would agree. Actually, I’d like to have the talent to write a novel, but it’s not going to happen.
7. Is there any difference between senior writers and younger writers?
I’m not sure. I suspect that seniors may lack confidence in their writing ability, as opposed to having the exuberant “I can do anything!” attitude of youth, and yet few of my young college students embraced writing with enthusiasm. I fear that we English teachers equipped with our red pens discouraged too many in the past. I wouldn’t do that to seniors, although I might suggest some copy editing by a family member or friend (or even a professional editor) if it’s necessary. I really believe that most seniors write better than they think they do. Writing errors aren’t likely to matter to a loving family anyway.
8. What’s the biggest challenge for a senior starting to write his or her life story?
Assuming an alert mind, I believe that the biggest challenge might be simply the logistics of getting started. I advocate plunging in with a notebook and a pen or pencil, but computer users may have an advantage. More and more seniors are learning to use computers these days, although a few are afraid of these new-fangled machines, as my late mother was. Younger people grew up with computers, and a few of us oldsters learned to use them at our jobs, but for my mother’s generation and some people in my own, computers are scary. Anyway, a willingness to write is the main requirement, along with a pen or pencil and paper, or even a tape recorder. I see no insurmountable challenges.
9. Any suggestions to overcome reluctance?
Talk to people who have already written their life stories. Join a relaxed memoir writing group at a senior center or community college, or even on line. Jot down your story ideas. Read my new book, Seniorwriting, and record your writing ideas as you read.
10. Writing sounds like hard work. Is it really worth it?
Yes! Once a person gets started, especially by keeping an informal journal, the process gets easier and easier. Most seniors will become enthusiastic about their life stories, and so will their families. For me, there’s great satisfaction in seeing my work in print or on a computer screen, whether it’s a letter to the editor, a blog post, a short story, an article, or a book. I guess writing can be hard work, but to me, it’s just doing what comes naturally. One warning: if a person’s main goal is to make money by personal writing, it’s probably wasted effort. However, for self-satisfaction and for discovering, healing, reinventing, and sharing, writing can’t be beat!
Note: This book is available on line at buybooksontheweb.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. See links in the sidebar of this blog.
My new computer, a Hewlett Packard Pavillion Elite, was installed on Sunday. It has more features than I'm likely to need, but learning to use it is time-consuming fun. I wasn't eager to buy a new computer in these uncertain times, with knee surgery and a move coming up, but when my old computer died a rather timely death (it was old), I decided that I couldn't live without one. Yes, I have a laptop, but it's not very easy to use. I've owned various desktop computers since the 1980's, and they have been important parts of my life.
The subtitle of my book Seniorwriting includes writing to discover, to heal, to reinvent, and to share. I've done all of that, but it seems to be time to write about my current feelings of uncertainty as my rapidly-approaching knee replacement sugery, 76th birthday, and move to a senior community loom ahead. I need to write my way through all of it. This seems to be a good time to follow my own advice.
There may be fewer blog posts here for a while, but if you're interested, see today's post on my other blog, "Never too Late!" I'm sure I'll share parts of my healing journal both here and there.
My blog is worth $8,468.10.
How much is your blog worth?
