A Matter of Choices: In Defense of Self-Publishing, Part II

The term “self-publishing” means different things to different people. Because it’s a negative word in some circles, many try to redefine the term to make it sound more positive. For example, my own POD publisher, Infinity, prefers “Author-initiated Publishing.” Here are a few definitions from Wikipedia (http:/www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-published). You’ll note that some of these definitions overlap; it’s a matter of semantics.

True Self-publishing

“True self-publishing means authors undertake the entire cost of publication themselves and handle all marketing, distribution, storage, etc. All rights remain with the author, the completed books are the writer’s property, and the writer gets all the proceeds of sales. Self-publishing can be more cost-effective than vanity or subsidy publishing and can result in a much higher-quality product because authors can put every aspect of the process out to bid rather than accepting a preset package of services.”

Comment: I suppose this is the way to go for true entrepreneurs, but it’s not for me. It essentially involves forming your own “publishing company” (does that fool many into thinking your book is traditionally published?) and understanding all the procedures involved, including seeking bids. It also generally involves ordering huge numbers of copies to get a good per-unit price, and if the book does not sell, it seems to me that the losses could be huge. And where would one store all those unsold books? I’m sure this works for some, but frankly, I’m too old and comfortable to “go for broke” this way. Besides, I lack business sense.

Vanity Publishers

This is a pejorative term rarely used these days. It used to be the only alternative to traditional publishing, with appeals to the writer’s vanity and desire to become a published author. Vanity publishers make most of their money from fees rather than sales. The author pays all the costs and bears all the risk. This is a method best known for producing basements full of poor-quality unsold books. There may be a touch of vanity in all self-published authors, but this is a term to avoid.

Subsidy Publishers

These publishers claim to be more selective, but they take payment from the author to print and bind a book. They may contribute a portion of the cost, as well as services such as editing, distribution, warehousing, and some limited degree of marketing—or they may not. They generally retain all or most rights to the book, and authors have little control of production aspects such as cover design. If the book sells, the author receives royalties, but if it doesn’t, it soon disappears from the market. It no longer belongs to the author, so he/she can’t try to sell it elsewhere. Vantage Press claims in its recent ads to be the “largest subsidy publisher in the field.”


POD (Print-on-Demand) Publishers

The computer age has created small-batch printing at reasonable cost. No longer does an author need to order and store vast quantities of books, although a few still do. Once “in the system,” one or more copies can be printed and delivered to the buyer very quickly. A majority of such publishers use Lightning Source for printing and Ingram for distribution, but a few, like Infinity, do it all in-house. Infinity generally keeps a stock of about ten copies, and prints and ships more as needed. Such books often used to be low-quality and easily identifiable, but that’s no longer true. Infinity books look beautiful. POD publishing has come a long way.

POD publishers differ in their offerings. Most allow authors to retain the rights to their work; a few don’t. Most offer various packages of services such as cover design, proofreading, content and/or copy-editing, and indexing, but like most traditional publishers these days, they do little marketing or publicity unless you’re a known author. Most offer ISBN numbers and availability at their own web sites and others such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. POD books are unlikely to be stocked by book stores, but most can be ordered there. POD publishing costs vary widely according to company and the number of services you order. Books are usually published within a few weeks, not the years required by some traditional publishers.

A subdivision of POD publishing is on-line publishing. Some standard POD publishers allow uploading of books via computer, but companies like Lulu.com and InstantPublisher.com accept uploads and can deliver printed proof copies in a few days. For the ultimate do-it-yourselfer who is really impatient, this may be the way to go. I used Lulu for both my family tribute to my late mother, Remembering Violet (for family only) and for Elder Expectations, which has an ISBN number and is listed with my other books on Amazon.com and elsewhere. For Remembering Violet, I designed the cover myself; for Elder Expectations, I used one of the Lulu stock designs, with a few color changes of my own. Both look beautiful. I was happy with Lulu; there is a good help line that brings live on-line answers if you need them, and everything is spelled out. This seems the least expensive way to go for very small quantities of books needed quickly and not intended for sale, or books with especially low sales potential. In fact, for the computer-literate beginning author on a tight budget, I highly recommend Lulu.

With any of these publishing methods, marketing is up to you. There are many books available on the subject, including John Kremer’s vast 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. Good marketing takes time and effort; I admit I’ve not done much of it, but it can be done.

Don’t let this vast number of publishing choices deter you. If you have something to say, either to the world or just to your family, go for it. For me, at least, most of the satisfaction is in the writing. Strive for success on your own terms, whatever they are.

Here are some of the more popular POD publishers, most found in ads in the latest issue of Writer’s Digest: Most offer free publishing guides.

Trafford (http://www.trafford.com/)
Author House (http://www.authorhouse.com/)
Bookstand Publishing (http://www.bookshelfpublishing.com/)
Outskirts Press (http://www.outskirtspress.com/)
iUniverse (http://www.iuniverse.com/)
Infinity (http://www.infinitypublishing.com/)

Here is my basic advice: ask yourself the following questions, and then check out the various publishing companies.

1. Who is your intended audience? Family and friends? The general public? A certain group?
2. What services will you need? Copy editing? Content editing? Cover design? Formatting aid? Word processing assistance? Others?
3. How many copies do you want or need?
4. Do you want an ISBN number for online searchability and listing on Amazon.com and other web sites?
5. Are you in a hurry for your book?
6. How much time and money are you willing and able to spend?

Ask other self-published authors about their experiences. Check ads and web sites. And most important of all, always read the fine print!

Please feel free to share your own self-publishing experiences, good or bad. Email me (my email address appears in my complete profile here) to be a guest blogger.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo: Remembering Violet with self-designed cover, published by Lulu.com. Not for general public sale, but contact me if interested.

Amazon Rankings: What Do They Mean?

If you have books or anything else listed on Amazon.com, and have a profile page on their site, it's easy to discover at a glance how your products are selling--or it it? Sales rankings appear on individual product pages for books, too. However, the short answer to my title question is, "I don't know."

I'm quite aware that my writings are not best sellers, nor did I ever expect them to be. I also know that some book marketing gurus advise a technique that involves sending emails to hundreds or even thousands of people, offering them some premium if they will all order your book from Amazon on the same day. That's the secret of a top ranking--at least for one day. I've never tried that, nor am I likely to do so, but I sometimes check my rankings just for fun.

I'm used to finding rankings in the million-plus category (that means that millions of books are selling better than mine), and that's not a surprise. Occasionally, though, I find a surprising result. My book Seniorwriting occasionally hits a rank of around fifty among continuing education books, but I don't know the total number in that Amazon category. Anyway, it usually sinks to below 100 soon enough.

The most surprising ranking so far has been for my Amazon Short, "Marie's Story." Amazon Shorts are those short works, fiction and non-fiction, that can be downloaded for $0.49. The program has not been accepting new works for months now, but when they were, toward the end of 2007, I decided to submit two stories, "Marie's Story" and "Volunteer," just to see if they would be accepted. I'm not really a short story (fiction) writer, but I try it occasionally. To my surprise, both were accepted, and they appeared on the site early this year.

Now to the recent surprise: last night, I discovered that "Marie's Story" ranked 7 out of 155 in the Literature and Fiction/ Women's Fiction category, and 28 out of 1,952 in the Literature and Fiction category as a whole. I'm sure it won't remain there long, but the ranking leaves me with questions. Does this mean that suddenly one person downloaded the story, or that it was suddenly recognized by many? Since I make only a nickel or a dime on each download, I won't get rich either way. But my question still remains: what do these rankings really mean, and do they matter?

More Kind Words about "Reinventing Myself"

Another blogging friend, Barbara J. Kirby Davis of The Serenity Room, has reviewed my first book, Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor. Here's an excerpt:

"I've just finished reading Reinventing Myself, Memoirs of a Retired Professor by Marlys Marshall Styne and LOVED IT!!! Her book was a pleasant surprise--filled with honest accounts of a life well-lived.

"This strong, talented lady writes about her struggles and joys, her trips all over the world and life as a resident of Chicago. What an exciting life she has lived! I am usually reading four or five books (all in various stages of completion), but when I began reading this one, I couldn't put it down until it was finished."

It's wonderful to learn that someone has read my book and loved it! Now if only the rest of the world would discover it. Thanks, Barbara.

Check out Barbara's blog at http://www.theserenityroom.blogspot.com.

Prejudices, Choices, and Opportunities: In Defense of Self-publishing, Part I

I am quite aware that my use of self- and print-on-demand publishing for all of my books makes them suspect. In my former academic mileau, authors got no respect unless their books were published and promoted by big-name publishing companies. There seemed to be a belief that published authors received huge cash advances and made tons of money. I suspect that those attitudes are still fairly common.

For some famous authors and celebrities (think Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Barbara Walters, etc.) all that is true. But for the lesser-known, the picture is quite different. I've heard and read sad tales of multi-year, sometimes multi-decade struggles to find agents and/or publishers. I applaud eventual success, but it doesn't seem to happen very often. More often, the struggling author just relegates his or her manuscript(s) to a file cabinet or trash bin and gives up.

You may say that failure to find an agent or publisher means that the writer and/or the book is no good. That's certainly true of some, but I've read and reviewed enough virtually unknown books to realize that some self-published books are wonderful. It's mostly about money. Agents and publishers may love a book, but if it lacks commercial potential, they won't touch it.

As a true believer in the non-monetary rewards of writing (not that I'd mind selling a few more books), I welcome the opportunities brought by computers and the expanding self-publishing industry. Today, anyone with computer skills or the means to hire someone who has them can produce and publish a book quickly and inexpensively. The choices are many, and the costs vary widely.

I'll present more details later, but in the meantime, try to rethink your prejudices about self-publishing. For the record, I never tried to find an agent or a publisher for my books. I am a practical and realistic person. To quote fellow Chicago-area author Helen Gallagher in her book Release Your Writing, “Attract a publisher if you can, but if not, don’t wait your life away . . . Self-publishing is not settling for second best. It’s the right choice if your book won’t likely capture the attention of a large publisher and you don’t want to spend years waiting to see your book in print.”

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo: Cover design and publishing by Infinity

Cubs Win: A Rictameter

Cubs Win

Ball game:
Cubs and Astros,
Lovely day at Wrigley.
At home, I watch TV at ease,
See, hear the young enjoying life. Alas,
No ballpark days for me this year,
Yet I can still enjoy
While Cubs win the
Ball game!

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Gracious Words of Praise for One of My Books!

I received a day-brightening email from my blogging friend Lydia, of Writerquake (http://www.writerquake.blogspot.com/), today. I was elated that she had read Reinventing Myself and taken the time to write me about it. There's a message here: When you are impressed by a book, especially one by an unknown writer, contact the writer and let him or her know! Everyone appreciates recognition.

I assure you that Lydia is not a relative, nor have I ever met her in person, so I believe in her sincerity. Here is what she wrote:

"Dear Marlys,

"I finished Reinventing Myself in the early morning hours last Thursday. What an enjoyable book! It makes me sad that you say it hasn’t been widely read because people are missing out on reading an exciting travel adventure, a real love story, a condensed but highly interesting autobiography, the wisdom of a professor, a frank discussion of aging – especially concerning a woman alone – and a frank but vulnerable glance from a breast cancer survivor. They are missing out on picturesque descriptions of condos and classrooms, a neighborhood bar and long thoughtful walks, quirky cats and the value of poetry and writing, tours on every continent, and the expectations for a final residence, where, any careful reader would assume, a framed needlepoint picture of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage will make it home.

"Can you tell that I was touched by your dear book? I hope so. I’ve written about it to my blogging friend, Francessa, who is a teacher in Vienna and with whom I regularly email. She is intrigued and mentioned that she thinks she will buy Reinventing Myself. (She’s in my blogroll under Francessa’s Thinking) She now refers to “when you visit me…” in her messages, and, honestly, I would have in the past completely pooh-poohed the idea. However, where I’ve only visited Mexico and Canada outside of the U.S., and travel simply is not in the budget right now, I read her words with a different feeling after having read your book! I think to myself: it is possible, not impossible. Who knows? I must thank you for my newfound optimism in this regard.

"I’m so glad you decided to write your memoirs.

"Kind wishes.

Lydia"

In Praise of the Rictameter

In Praise of the Rictameter

This form,
Rictameter.
Is it crazy to write

Such poems, to count out two, four, six,

Eight, ten syllables, back again, no rhyme?

But try it! Experiment, say

Many things, few words; great

Thoughts or small fit

This form.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Another Review of Elder Expectations!

Thanks to Pat of Pat's Place for a fine review of my little book of poems, Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters. You may read it at http://atpatsplace.blogspot.com/2008/07/interesting-book.html.

Pat ends the review with a rictameter of her own:

"Thanks, Marlys, for encouraging me to self-publish a book of my own stories, and also for the gift of your rictameter poetry! Here is my own poem:

"Thank you,
Marlys, for the
gift of your poetry
that you have shared with us via
your lovely rictameters in your book,
Elder Expectations, and your
blog, where I first saw them,
then tried my own.
Thank you!

"They are tricky, but they are fun to work with!"

A "Who, Me?" Moment and a Challenge

When I encountered an email message bright and early this morning with the subject line "Invitation to Speak," I at first thought I'd strayed into my spam folder with its odd collection of financial offers from Nigerian noblemen, etc. Then I recognized the name of the sender, and my curiousity was aroused.

It seems that the Illinois Woman's Press Association, an organization of which I am a member, wants me to speak at its Fall Kickoff Breakfast on the topic "Blogging: The Magic and the Mystery." Actually, I'm to be part of a two-person panel with a moderator. My initial reaction was "Who, Me?" I'm hardly known as a speaker on any topic; I don't think I've made a speech since my Wright College commencement address in 1996. As I recall, speech was the only college course in which I earned a C. My recent years of relative elderly isolation aren't likely to have improved my speaking ability. The IWPA speakers are usually big-name female reporters from the Chicago media, publishers, or journalism professors, not obscure elderbloggers.

My second reaction was, "I can't do that." However, it only took me a few minutes to decide to accept the challenge. After all, I believe in the magic of blogging, and I realize that the whole idea is still a mystery to many, including many in my own generation. Here is my chance to spread the word. I have about two months to overcome my shyness and decide what I'll say. I'll try to remain positive and look upon this as an opportunity. Opportunities are rare for those of us past 70, and I'm flattered. After all, the title of my other blog is "Never too Late!"

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

More on Recording Life Stories

Thanks to Linda Austin (http://moonbridgeblog.blogspot.com/) for reminding me of the obvious: instead of using outdated audio casettes, a more modern way of recording seniors' life stories would be to shoot videos. Ideally, this would be done by getting the subject to talk about his/her life, perhaps surrounded by family members. It would be great to both see and hear the storytellers.

Share Life Stories and Memories Without Writing?

Much as I hate to admit it, I realize that there are people out there who are not willing or able to write their life stories. In many cases, they're just afraid to try, but some have physical disabilities that make writing difficult or impossible. It's only fair to note that there is an alternative: just talk and record the stories of your life.

One company devoted to helping you do this has been around for a while, and I've had no experience with it or its products. However, you might want to check out American Storykeepers.

This is outdated technology (aren't cassette players rare these days?) but the idea of speaking your memories rather than writing them, and the possibility of helping friends or relatives do this, appeals to me. Any simple recording device will do.

I hope that the art of life writing never dies; everyone should leave his or her story. However, if you love to talk but hate to write, or can't, consider recording your experiences, your memories, and those stories you like to tell. Consider helping others do the same.

An update, 8/11/08: Apparently bowing to changes in technology, the American Storykeepers site has been discontinued. The basic idea, translated to video, is still a good one.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Finally: A Review of my poetry book, "Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters"!

I guess I'm impatient, but soon after my plea for reviewers (see below), I discovered a new review by Judith Helburn for Story Circle Book Reviews: http://www.storycirclebookreviews.org/reviews/expectations.shtml. It's good!

Of course I still want more reviews, but let me quote a few lines from Helburn's:

"Her [Styne's] message is that anyone can write 'to discover, heal, reinvent, share and enjoy,' and that the topics one writes about need not be full of drama, unusual or life-changing."

"It would be fun to use Elder Expectations in a writing group experimenting with poetry."

Thank you, Judith. And if you lead a writing group, consider Ms. Helburn's advice.

Please Review My Book!

How about writing a review of my latest book, Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters, and posting it on your blog and on Amazon.com? It seems that the world is not quite ready for poetry, especially rictameters, which few have heard of, by unknown elders.

This book can be read in a very short time; it's only 56 pages long. If any blogger out there is willing to write a review, I'll send you a review copy. You just provide your "snail mail" address. If the review is negative, just send it to me without posting it. I really would like your opinion.

I don't claim that this is great poetry, and I don't expect to make a fortune (it only sells for $9.95, and not much of that goes to the author). My purpose is to encourage my peers to try writing poems, whether rictameters or not.

Time's Tyranny: A Rictameter

Time's Tyranny

Time Flies:
An old cliche,
Yet oh, how true these days
When doing much or nothing or
Just thinking makes these elder days rush on.
In joy or boredom or despair,
We cling to our routines,
Still hurry as
Time flies.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Interesting Things from Other Blogs

1. Barbara Davis, of "The Serenity Room," has posted "Why Do I Blog?" If you've been considering blogging, you'll find some good reasons to do so here:

http://theserenityroom.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-do-i-blog.html

2. Sharon Lippincott, of "The Heart and Craft of Lifestory Writing," offers an interesting writing challenge for International Happiness Day (it was July 10). Give it a try.

http://heartandcraft.blogspot.com/2008/07/international-happiness-day.html

3. Check out and comment on a new blog by an 83-year-old who lives in Arizona. It's "Darlene's Hodgepodge."

http://darleneshodgepodge.blogspot.com/

Wayne's Latest Poem

Inspired by my latest eGenerations column, "Give Poetry a Chance: Write It, Read It" http://egenerations.com/article-1472-6-give-poetry-a-chance-write-it-read-it, Wayne contributed another poem in the comment section. Here it is (with slight editing). It's not really a rictameter, but so what? See how much fun poetry can be?

A Rhyming Rictameter about a Rictameter, by Wayne Winters

A Rictameter
Unlike a barometer
Tells the scientific operator
Where he is in life
And not where he is in space
And what his chances are
Of returning to earth
And again doing
A Rictameter.

Another Press Release: "Elder Expectations"

Just a week after the PRWEb release for Seniorwriting came out, there is now one for Elder Expectations as well. Why? This is my experiment in do-it-yourself press release writing. Since little books of poetry, especially senior poetry, don't have much sales potential, what do I have to lose? As usual, I'm having fun trying to write different things.

I'm relatively satisfied with my release, but I realize it could be better. I guess I'm following my own suggestion: just write. I'm glad I don't have to try to make a living at it, however. I'm hoping I'll be discovered eventually.

Here is the release. If anyone happens to read this book, please write a review on Amazon.com and your blog.

Power of Poems Defies Age Limits: An Experiment in Senior Poetry

Poetry provides an enjoyable path to creativity, self-knowledge, and self-expression for everyone, especially senior citizens. If these poems just make you ponder, wonder, think or dream, consider your own life or write a story, draw or paint the truth, learn who you are, these poems inspire great things. Discover the joys of rictameters, and of poetry in general, in Chicago writer Marlys Marshall Styne's new, small collection, Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters (ISBN 9781435717718, Lulu Publishing 2008).

Chicago (PRWEB) July 9, 2008 -- The new, short poems in Marlys Marshall Styne's Elder Expectation: My Life in Rictameters feature many realities and concerns of elder life. Seven sections include "On Aging," "Writing and Reading," "Months and Weeks," "Weather and the Seasons," "Duties and Routines," "Activities and Pastimes," and "Observations and Reflections." These poems may inspire you to try writing your own. The form can be addictive!

The rictameter is a relatively new poetic form, somewhat similar to haiku. It contains nine unrhymed lines, with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 syllables, and the first and last lines must be identical. Ms. Styne explains that as she wrote these poems, at first as a way to cope with the dreary month of March, 2008, they began to tell the story of her life as a seventy-five-year-old retiree and widow.

As she has in her earlier books, Styne promotes writing of all kinds for seniors who want or need to share their experience and wisdom. Writing can lead to self-discovery, healing, reinvention, and enjoyment, and Elder Expectations adds another option, poetry, with many inspiring examples. It provides a quick, easy read to return to again and again.

About the Author:

Marlys Marshall Styne, who earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, taught composition and literature at Wilbur Wright College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, for forty years before retiring in 1999. When her husband died shortly after her retirement, she lifted herself out of depression by rediscovering the power of writing. Her first book was Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor (Infinity Publishing 2006); her second was Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write (Infinity Publishing 2007). Both books received first place awards in their respective categories in the 2007 and 2008 Illinois Woman's Press Association Mate E. Palmer Communications Contests. Styne also writes two blogs, "Never Too Late!" and "Write Your Life!" and a column about writing for the eGenerations web site.

Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters (ISBN 9781435717718, Lulu Publishing 2008) can be purchased through Lulu.com and online book stores. Review copies are available from the author.

Contact Information: MARLYS MARSHALL STYNE
http://www.seniorwriter.blogspot.com/

Link to this PRWeb release:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1077614.htm

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

What Bothers You? Write About It

Without being tagged, I've discovered another meme, thanks to Grandad at http://www.headrambles.com/. It's the "Getting your Goat" meme.

The idea is to list two things that irritate you for a reason (and list the reasons) and two irrational annoyances that you can't quite explain. Why not try it yourself? Here is my list:

Things that Irritate me for a Reason:

1. Buildings with long flights of stairs and no elevators or escalators.

Anyone else with bad knees and/or other walking difficulties will appreciate this one. "Handicapped Access" is improving here in Chicago and in the US in general, but 'taint so in many foreign countries. I've probably missed a lot of interesting things by remaining on the first floor.

2. Forwarded e-mails, especially "jokes" and religious musings.

I usually don't think the jokes are funny, and while I respect everyone's religion or lack thereof, you can't convert me to anything.

Irrational Annoyances:

1. TV "teaser" ads.

These are the frequently repeated ads toting coming news bits or features. The idea is to get me so interested that I'll avoid switching channels, but I just get impatient. If it sounds interesting, I may not wait, and if it doesn't, I'm gone.

2. Cell Phones.

They're everywhere (but I don't even know where mine is). I know your life may revolve around or depend on your cell phone, but is it really necessary to walk down the street clutching it to your ear? And don't you know that driving while talking on a hand-held phone is illegal in Chicago, not to mention dangerous?

See the original at http://www.skillett.com/index.php/557/getting-your-goat-meme

A New Elder Poem

You read about Wayne here on June 25. Here is his latest poem, an almost-rictameter:

ELDERVERSITY, by Wayne Winters

ELDERVERSTIY
IS A WORD THAT
BEST DECRIBES ME AND
MY PHYSICAL CONDITION
AS I APPROACH MY EIGHTY-SECOND
AND RELINQUISH MORE CONTROL
OF LIFE'S DESIRES, WANTS,
AND WISHES.
ELDERVERSITY.

Wayne lives in Washington state and is a member of eGenerations (http://www.egenerations.com/). Thanks for sharing, Wayne.

More Senior Poems: A Book Review

I've recently added another relatively unknown book to my Amazon.com Listmania list "Poems for and by Seniors Citizens." It's Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man by Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. (Lulu, 2008).

While it wouldn't be classified as great literature, this book illustrates my point that seniors should consider expressing their lives and their thoughts in poetic form. This book provides an interesting tour through the author's mind.

In categories including "Rhyming Poems and Storoems (Story Poems)," "Two Limericks," "Acrostic Poems," and "Free Verse Poems," Gilleland writes on many subjects serious and humorous.

"Women Just Don't Get It!" ends with these lines: "Most women simply fail to understand how deep / a man's passion runs. They just don't get it at all. / If they had any inkling, then they wouldn't keep / saying, 'Why get so excited? It's only football.'"

Senior experiences are reflected: "I stand looking wistfully / back at them, my yesterdays . . . / knowing now my yesterdays outnumber my tomorrows." In "What War Is," Gilleland sees war as "Mankind's brutality unleashed," "Failure of reason," "An abomination for all mankind," although he admits that war is sometimes unavoidable.

The final poem, "Ghetto Dweller," is written in the voice of a young man who experienced typical ghetto life: gangs, drugs, prison. "I wasn't 'fraid of nothing or nobody. / And nobody talked down to me." The young man's fate was to be gunned down in the street at age twenty-two. "What you gonna do? / 'Aint no way to break the ghetto cycle. / Just 'aint no way." Gilleland's observations about life in this and most of his other poems ring true.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Just Released: Press Release for "Seniorwriting"

As you writers out there probably know, one way to market a book is to use a PRWeb Press Release (http://www.prweb.com/) . It's not free, but it's a good way to get the word out. You may write your own review, but I did not. As I did with Reinventing Myself, I ordered this one from http://www.readerviews.com/, which also reviewed the book.

I realize that my books will not be best sellers, but I hope they will be helpful--and interesting--to my fellow seniors.

Here is the press release. I like it.

Retirement is Perfect Time to Write and Reinvent Oneself

Writing brings clarification, joy, fond memories, and a new perspective on life. Learn these lessons and more in retirement--the perfect time to embark on an adventure by exploring the joy of writing. Begin the journey, with a few helpful hints from Marlys Marshall Styne's "Seniorwriting."

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) July 2, 2008 -- Have you always wanted to write a novel or memoir but kept putting it off because there just wasn't time? Retirement is the time to start. Don't let another day pass making up excuses. Grab the perfect starter's guide, Marlys Marshall Styne's "Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write" (ISBN 0741442965, Infinity Publishing 2007).

Many seniors do not plan for retirement. Others find it lacks the enjoyment they anticipated. When Styne lost her husband soon after she retired, she began writing to overcome the loneliness, depression, and self-doubt she faced. She soon found meaning in her life and that joy could be experienced again. Her discoveries from writing led to the publication of her first book "Reinventing Myself: Memoirs of a Retired Professor" and then her desire to help other seniors "reinvent" themselves, discover the joys and benefits of writing and pass their stories along to their families. "Seniorwriting" is the fruition of that desire.

"Seniorwriting" speaks in non-technical terms and provides guidelines to transform memories into written words, whether on paper or the computer. Rather than rules or formulas, it presents suggestions and choices to encourage confidence and creativity.The book is compact, user-friendly, and divided into three sections. Styne begins by answering the question, "Why Write?" with such reasons as discovery, healing, rejuvenation and enjoyment. She provides suggestions for getting started, and asks the reader questions to stimulate writing topics.
Ten examples are provided in the second section on how to recreate experiences and memories as written words. Journal assignments encourage observation, family stories, imagination, and recording of favorite memories. The third section helps aspiring writers transform their words from a rough draft to an organized, revised, edited and proofread final manuscript. The section includes detailed suggestions for publishing as well.

Styne wants readers to learn what she has learned--that writing provides new perspectives, clarification, and a sense of life's meaning. "Seniorwriting" is inspiring and beneficial to anyone who wants to write, but the senior will find it especially helpful for personal concerns and leaving behind a written memorial for future generations. As Styne reminds us on her website with a favorite George Eliot quote, "It is never too late to be who you might have been."

"Seniorwriting" won first place in the Nonfiction: Instructional category of the Illinois Woman's Press Association's Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest in 2008.

About the Author

Marlys Marshall Styne taught composition, British and American Literature for forty years and was department chair of English at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago before retiring in 1999. When she lost her husband shortly after she retired, Styne lifted herself out of depression by using writing to affirm the meaning of her life. Her first book "Reinventing Myself" made her realize the importance of writing for seniors, which in turn encouraged her to write her new book "Seniorwriting." She recently published a small book of poetry, "Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters" (Lulu 2008). Styne also writes two blogs, "Never too Late!" and "Write your Life!" and a column about writing for the eGenerations web site.

"Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write" (ISBN 0741442965, Infinity Publishing 2007) can be purchased through online bookstores. For more information, visit http://www.seniorwriter.blogspot.com/. Publicity contact: http://www.readerviews.com/. Review copies available upon request.
###

Contact Information :

IRENE WATSON, ReaderViews: 512.288.8555

Marlys Marshall Styne
http://www.seniorwriter.blogspot.com/

To read the release on line:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1064554.htm

To read a review:

http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewStyneSeniorWriting.html

More Good Writing News from eGenerations

I was elated to learn that one of my fellow columnists (there are four of us at eGenerations) is collaborating with another member to collaborate on writing a series of journal entries featuring senior characters. Their "Uncle Charlie" stories are a joy to read. Thanks, Ginny and Charles.

I've also noticed several members trying their hands at writing poetry. Since I love writing rictameters myself, I'm happy to see those poems (none of them, by the way, rictameters). My next column (not published yet) is on senior poetry, which I consider a great way to express interesting ideas in brief and fascinating ways.

Try writing some poetry yourself. The object is not great art, but, as with most of the writing I discuss here, self-expression--and enjoyment.

Check Out Today's Writing-Related Post on my Other Blog, "Never too Late!"

http://seniorwriter.blogspot.com/2008/06/blogs-rictameters-haikus-six-word.html

A Poll for Boomers and Seniors

Do you usually get your books from on-line stores like Amazon.com, from brick-and-mortar book stores, from other retail stores, or from the library?

Yesterday I posted a poll asking that question, but I've discovered that the poll format does not work. Please keep on adding your comments here. I'm still anxious to learn about where you get most of your books.

The results so far have been mixed, as I expected.

The Power of Senior Writing: Perhaps I've Made a Difference

As in most of my other writing, my main goal in my twice-a-month eGenerations column, now more than a year old, is to encourage boomers and senior citizens to write, to record their memories, experiences, and wisdom for their families. I often wonder if anyone is listening, but in at least one case, I think I've encouraged a senior to write.

I've never met Wayne in person. I met him through eGenerations, where he contributes to his journal and to the forums. Wayne lives far away. He is over 80, widowed, disabled, and confined to a wheelchair. A daughter is his caregiver.

That sounds depressing, doesn't it? I can tell from his posts that he does get depressed by his situation. He even said goodbye to his eGeneration friends some time ago, but he came back in relatively good spirits. Wayne hasn't had an easy life--losing his beloved wife was a major tragedy for him--but he somehow manages to maintain an ironic sense of humor.

In his eGenerations profile, Wayne lists his biggest challenge as living and his wildest dream as walking. I'm old enough to understand.

Here are some excerpts from several of Wayne's eGenerations journal entries and comments.

"Twenty-one offspring at ages from 60 years to minus 5 weeks. Most of my hand-me-downs will not be material, but will be my memoirs, just recently written and covering the events of a family from its start to my finish. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for what it is worth."

"Seniorwriter, I think I have started writing out of frustration and confusion. I am frustrated because I cannot do what I always did and I'm confused because I don't remember why. Writing of any kind seems to help put facts and figures in place, in order, while otherwise they are just bouncing around in my mostly dried out gourd of a head. In some of us, God forgot to include the zerk fitting and so we were never properly maintained."

(I had no idea what a "zerk fitting" is, so I looked it up. It seems that it's a fitting providing a way for grease to be forced into mechanical joints that need grease to prevent wear and make movement easy. Perhaps those of you who are mechanically inclined knew that. What an appropriate image Wayne has used for some of the problems of aging!)

In a longer journal entry, Wayne wrote:

"I just finished proofing and printing out my memoirs, and possibly just in time, as I seem to be losing more of my abilities daily. Darned Golden Years. Anyway, I ended up with 62 half-pages (5 1/2 x 8 1/2), including some pictures and genealogy charts and historical records. I managed to find a "Four Seasons Winery" binder which fits in real well with my four seasons of progress: The Early Years to 21, The Middle Years to 65, The Later Years to 75, and The Ending Years to--God only knows. Looks real professional too.

"Wish I had met Seniorwriter earlier and started writing earlier. So many memories and so little time. Our offspring and theirs deserve to know something of their ancestry for a variety of reasons, one reason being health. I was able to offer some medical/genealogical information to the doctor of a 3-year-old grand-niece which will help prevent her from going through a lifetime of genetic Crohn's disease.

"I would like to make this recommendation to the general membership of eGenerations: write it down in some, any form so that those coming after you will have some of your knowledge, your experiences to treasure, or in some cases to avoid. Memories are all we have to leave sometimes, and oh yes, we're all going to leave them here.

"I would like to thank all of you for the help you've given me and the encouragement to keep on writing."

Many thanks, Wayne, for heeding some of my suggestions and writing your memoirs. You've made me feel that there's an audience for an old, retired writing teacher. Perhaps I can still make a difference in a few lives.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

More Senior Poetry

See my other blog, "Never too Late!" for a review of Real Poetry for Seniors, by Ed L Dorsey.

Another Rictameter Project Completed? What's Next?

One of my few regular readers asked what's next? Well, as usual, I'm happy to have finished my alphabetical series of rictameters as planned, so I'll probably go on to other things.

Have you noticed how easy it is to ignore unpleasant or tedious tasks to do something you love? That's the story of my life. Now I have to get back to reality: getting my condo ready for sale, attacking the closet clutter, filing my "important" papers that form an untidy pile in my study.

My other blog, "Never too Late!" needs work too. Time to finish a couple of book reviews. Time to enjoy the summer weather.

I'm sure I'll keep writing something nearly every day. Try it. As usual, I urge everyone to write. If I have any readers who don't, now is a good time to start. How about buying and reviewing my books? And think about self-publishing your own. It's a great feeling to look at a book with your name on it, no matter whether it sells or not. It's all about self-expression and enjoyment.

Happy writing, and I'm sure there will be more rictameters later. I miss them already.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Styne photo of my computer desk

Rictameter of the Day: Zebra Stripes

Zebra Stripes

Zebra,

Posing among

The bushes, trees of South

Africa. Your stripes so vivid,

Yet you can hide from foes or humans when

You need to. Part of nature's plan,

Its pattern. Lucky that

I saw you there,

Zebra.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo by the author in Kruger Park

Rictameter of the Day: Yellow Contrasts

Yellow Contrasts

Yellow.

Color of the

Sun, so vivid, bright and

Promising. A lively color,

Hue of lemons, daffodils, some roses.

Why, then, does it mean cowardice,

Jaundice, weakness also?

Please just cheer, us,

Yellow.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: X for X-ray

X for X-ray

X-ray.

Well-known x word

With just two syllables.

Then we have Xerox (famous brand),

Xebec (graceful sailing ship), xenon (gas)

And xylem (plant tissue). Why so

Few x words, rare letter?

Glad we have you,

X-ray.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Weather Wonder

Weather Wonder

Weather.

Fierce storms, flooding,

Devastation, followed

By warm, sunny days, but there are

Clouds way off there somewhere to keep our minds

Upon the future, wondering

What's coming next. You keep

Us in suspense,

Weather.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Voting Rites

Voting Rites

Voting:

Privilege, right,

Responsibility

To choose. But tired of campaigns, it's

Sometimes hard to make that choice. I sometimes

Wonder if it really matters.

Still, we must keep trying,

Never give up

Voting.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Urban Life

Urban Life

Urban.

Yes, my life is

Urban. City living

Seems to suit me. Stores nearby, to

Eat, browse, be entertained: all awaiting

Attention, opportunities

To enjoy life, being

Active, living

Urban.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Thinking Hope

Thinking Hope

Thinking.

Good thoughts, bad thoughts,

Dreams of joy or fears that

Doom is near. We can't stop thinking,

Pondering the world around us, planning,

Acting on our thoughts to make our

Better dreams come true, to

Bring change through our

Thinking.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Sugar Sweetness

Sugar Sweetness

Sugar.

Grains of sweetness,

Joy or bane to health? No

Matter what the dangers we still

Love you, eat our cakes, our cookies, candy.

Poor nutrition, foe of teeth, but

Yet we can't ignore your

Lure, temptation,

Sugar.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

"R" Rictameter #2: Red Ball Musings

Artist Kurt Perschke's

Red ball on tour in Sydney, Australia

Red Ball Musings

Red ball.
Strange, giant work

Of art before my desk.

Fifteen feet in diameter,

It looms a mystery designed to stir

Imaginations of all, to

Make us wonder. Is it

Art? Perhaps so,

Red ball.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

For further explanation, go to my other blog, "Never too Late!" or
http://www.redballproject.com/.

Rictameter of the Day: Rainbow Promise

Rainbow Promise

Rainbow:

Bright and cheerful,

Rare sight in the sky to

Lead us to that pot of gold, not

Real, but nice to ponder, arc to hope and

Brighter days, to better weather,

Sunshine, joy. New promise,

Vivid, lovely

Rainbow.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Questions

Questions

Questions.

Yes, we all have

Questions, big and small and

Universal, easy or not

Possible to answer. We need questions,

Curiosity to find those

Elusive answers. We

Survive through our

Questions.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Parking, City Style

Parking, City Style

Parking:

Bane of city

Dwellers. Meters, lots, or

Garages, costly, hard to find,

Elusive spots of pavement far away

From where we're going. As we age,

Handicapped signs help, but

Do we need cars,

Parking?

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Orange Appreciation

Orange Appreciation

Orange.

Cheerful color,

Tasty fruit to eat while

Dreaming winter dreams of places

Where the trees are dotted with these orange

Orbs designed to bring us joy. Your

Fruit and color join to

Make us love you,

Orange.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Nothing to Do?

Nothing to Do?

Nothing.

Emptiness or

Chance to rest and think, to

Reflect, relax, dream, plan, or just

Be happy having free time luxury?

Escape life's rat race, slow down to

Enjoy those precious times,

Careless, doing

Nothing.

Copyright 20008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Morning, Retiree Style

Morning, Retiree Style

Morning.

Time to arise,

Drink coffee, start the day

With energy and courage, hope

For good news, ideas, plans for times of

Action, achievement, good friends to

Fill the day with plans to

Face another

Morning.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Laughter Joy

Laughter Joy

Laughter.

Unexpected

Tonic, joy, reviver.

We may disagree on what is

Humorous, but we must not give up our

Sense of wonder, never lose our

Natural urge to search for

Funny things, for

Laughter.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Kitchen Observations

Kitchen Observations

Kitchen.

Bright and shiny,

Gleaming stainless steel and

Granite. Cabinets with all the

Tools one needs to fashion glorious meals.

So why do I not cook such meals?

I'm just disinclined to

Cook in any

Kitchen.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

In Chicago? Come to the Fair

If you live in or near Chicago and are making plans for the weekend, think about attending the Printers Row Book Fair. I'll be there at the IWPA tent on Dearborn near Polk (booth BB). This will be my third year at the fair, and it's fun.

This is your chance to see and hear some famous authors, as well as to talk to us unknowns. I'll be featuring all three of my books, Reinventing Myself, Seniorwriting, and Elder Expectations.

Of course there are a lot of books to buy, including mine, but entrance to the fair is free, the crowds are friendly, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

For more information: http://www.chicagotribune.com/about/custom/events/printersrow/

Rictameter of the Day: Justice for All?

Justice for All?

Justice.

Well-known people

Facing juries, tried for

Fraud, pornography, or other

Crimes that lawyers say they've done, for breaking

Laws, disrupting lives. Expensive

Trials, good breaking news, but

Is it really

Justice?

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Instant Everything

Instant Everything

Instant.

Everything is

Instant. Replays, Coffee,

Messages that come to tell us

Not so much. Everything so quick, so brief.

No time to think, relax, ponder,

Savor or enjoy this

Complex world. Too

Instant?

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Happiness, Elder Style

Happiness, Elder Style

Happy?

Yes, I'm happy.

Young? No. Agile? No, my

Body doesn't work so well. It

Aches and creaks and tells me when it's time to

Rest, withdraw, to ponder, write, think

About the future. Hope

Can still keep me

Happy.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Growing Season

Growing Season

Growing.

Flowers, grass, and

Trees turn brilliant colors

Overnight as spring moves in to

Cheer the city, bring life, joy, hope, dreams that

Winter will stay far away as

Long days, warm nights being us

Spring renewal,

Growing.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Failure Fear

Failure Fear


Failure?

Things undone or

Unattempted, large or

Small dreams unfulfilled or left to

Be replaced by realistic goals that

Take the place of grander daydreams.

Does that mean we failed? No,

That's not really

Failure.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Eating Joy

Eating Joy


Eating.

Joy of life or

Challenge? All that time to

Buy and cook, perhaps, or find the

Perfect place to eat fast food or great meals

Cooked by others while we chat with

Friends or view the scene or

Muse alone while

Eating.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Daylight Renewal

Daylight Renewal

Daylight.

Creeping slowly

Over darkened buildings

Ready to awaken, face a

New day, new activities, new challenge,

New problems. Only a new day

Can bring new answers, hope.

Bright future looms,

Daylight.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Closet Clutter

Closet Clutter


Closet:

Neat and clean? No,

Dark abyss, hole where things

Unwanted go, forgotten 'til

It's moving day, that dreaded moment when

Our messy lives are opened up

To reveal past errors,

Hidden chamber,

Closet.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Rictameter of the Day: Book Fair

Book Fair, Printers' Row June 7-8


Book fair:

Fun for all, but

How I wish I were a

Famous, featured auth0r, one who

Brings large crowds to buy, admire, sing praises

For golden words of wisdom. Still,

I'm satisfied t0 sell

My few, enjoy,

Book fair.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

More Exercise for the Mind: A Rictameter About Awards

Suddenly, I had the urge to write another rictameter. Until I come up with another crazy idea, I think I'll return to the old one. This time, I think I'll try using the letters of the alphabet for inspiration. I more or less got the idea from http://www.goinglikesixty.com/, at least the alphabet part. As usual, I invite you to try the same thing in any form you choose, poetic or otherwise.

About Awards

Awards.

Major, minor,

Contests, honors, trophies,

Silly, serious, monetary,

Feel-good gestures, self-promotion, surprise:

No matter what the source of praise

We all love accolades,

Recognition,

Awards.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

The Power of Writing

"Hungry Minds: Tales from a Chelsea soup kitchen" is an article in the May 26, 2008, issue of The New Yorker by Ian Frazier. This is a fascinating story about "the largest soup kitchen" in New York City, at The Church of the Holy Apostles at Twenty-eighth Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan.

For fourteen springs, Frazier and others have conducted a weekly writers' workshop there after lunch. In those fourteen years, about four hundred soup kitchen guests have participated. Using optional topics such as "How I Came to New York," "The Other Me," and "My Best Mistake," workshop participants write for about forty-five minutes and then read their pieces aloud: standard writing workshop precedure in a non-standard setting. The groups held public readings each year for audiences of seventy-five to one hundred.

Frazier relates the substance of some memorable workshop writings, including one man's most important moment: his attempting suicide by jumping into the East River. A former backup dancer wrote a song about the soup kitchen.

This article is not only about the writers' workshop. It is also about the history of The Church of the Holy Apostles, its leaders, and its struggles to survive, as well as a history of a Manhattan neighborhood. While Frazier's article is well worth reading for those interested in any of those topics, the part that interested me most included this line:

"Somehow, writing even a few lines makes the person who does it more substantial and real." Their writing makes the soup kitchen guests memorable, and on a mild late May evening, when the church doors are open, "For a moment, the whole city seems to flow in with the air." What a marvelous way to express the power of diversity and compassion--and of writing.

My New Book is Now Available!

Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters (Lulu, 2008), which got its start right here on this blog, is now available from the publisher. It's a little book, just 56 pages, and it sells for $9.95.

I've had a lot of fun writing my rictameters; if you haven't tried writing poetry yet, why not? Anyway, this is a quick read. I'd appreciate any reviews anyone cares to write.

This book won't appear on Amazon.com or other web sites for some time (it will show up eventually), but for now, it's available from Lulu. There's a link in the sidebar to the left.

Update 6/18/08:

Elder Expectations is now available at Amazon.com as well.

Good News on the Writing Front!

Yesterday I attended the Illinois Woman's Press Association's annual awards luncheon at the Union League Club in Chicago. Again I was pleased to receive two first-place awards, this time for my second book, Seniorwriting: A Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write and for one of my eGenerations columns, "Sharing your Experiences, Memories, and Stories."

I also received a second place award and an honorable mention, respectively, for two of my "Never too Late!" blog posts: a book review, "Retirement Planning: Looking Beyond the Money" and my post, "On Laundry and 'Going Green.'"

Here are the judges' comments on the first-place winners:

On Seniorwriting: "A very fine step by step guide for any senior who has a story to tell and who wants to write it down. Practical, interesting, engaging."

On "Sharing you Experiences, Memories, and Stories": "This is a terrific guide to self-publishing that sets out to answer the question 'What should I do with my writing? How can I preserve and share it?' In a crisply organized, smoothly written column, Styne takes her readers on a quick tour of publishing options ranging from blogging and participating in online communities, to personal printing and distribution of written pieces, to Web sites that manufacture books on order and a company that makes an audio kit for recording one's life story. Filled with good advice, this highly readable column offers writers a variety of ways to publish their writing."

The judges had good things to say about my other winners, too. About the book review, they said, "This review of the book "Your Retirement, Your Way," by Alan Bernstein and John Trauth (McGraw-Hill, 2007) raises a number of important issues that should be considered by people planning to reitre. It's not only about whether one has saved enough money, says Styne, noting the book's subtitle: 'Why it takes more than money to live your dream.' Savings and financial issues aside, Styne reflects on chapters about the importance of setting new life goals and planning the next phase of one's life, 'Preparing Psychologically for Change,' and 'Determining How You Want to be Remembered.' The soon-to-be-retired reader will find a number of helpful ideas on how to make the transition smoother and more rewarding."

On the blog post "On Laundry and 'Going Green'": "Mulling the inconveniences of being green, the author considers the suggestion to hang laundry outside to dry in order to save the energy used by clothes driers. In her humorous, unsentimental voice, this Chicago retiree draws a line in the sand. 'Those who grew up on farms (as I did) or in small towns,' she says, 'often remember sweet-smelling, right-off-the-clothesline garments fondly, but not me. To me, hanging clothes out on the line was a chore, just another of my mother's tedious responsibilities.'"

Thank you, judges, for your kind comments. Now the first-place winners go on to the National Federation of Press Women's national contest. I doubt that I'll win at that level (I did win one first there for my blog, "Never too Late!" last year and a third for my book Reinventing Myself).

These may strike some among you as minor awards, but to me they represent welcome recognition of my writing in 2007. I've never expected to become a famous, best-selling author, but I delight in these small triumphs. They support my basic belief that seniors should follow their passions, whatever they are. Mine is writing.

To read my winning entries:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Marlys%20Marshall%20Styne

http://egenerations.com/article-201-6-sharing-your-experiences-memories-and-stories

http://seniorwriter.blogspot.com/2007/12/retirement-planning-looking-beyond.html

http://seniorwriter.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-laundry-and-going-green.html

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Photo by Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas: Seniorwriter at the luncheon, with fellow Chicago Cultural Center volunteer Joyce Dunn (left).

A Few Thoughts About Travel Writing

Every time I take a trip, and I've taken many of them, someone asks me to report on it or write about it. I've never been sure how to respond. I plan to study the art of travel writing more sometime, but as of now, I don't do much of it.

Travel writers seem to lead interesting lives: they sometimes enjoy free trips in exchange for articles designed to encourage others to visit certain places. That's fine, but for me, travel is about experiencing and enjoying--and as I grow older, sometimes about enduring physical hardship.

I have enjoyed many travel books and articles, especially those with fabulous photos of exotic places. However, I have never aspired to write such a book or article. My only real travel writing experience involved my husband's and my motorcycle journey in the former Soviet Union in 1990. I wrote about it for a Wright College publication, and I reprinted it in my first book, Reinventing Myself. At the time, motorcycle touring in Russia was unusual, and I kept good notes during the trip.

Today, when it seems that almost everyone travels everywhere, I have come to realize that there's little I can add to the fine travel writing that appears regularly. I have resolved to blog a bit about my trips in an impressionistic way. For my recent South Africa trip, for example, I have already posted a few pictures of the impressive animals in their natural habitat. Soon, I intend to write a bit about South Africa as a country today, and then I'll discuss the problems of elder travel. I'll share a few more photographs as well.

If any of this interests you, see my other blog, "Never too Late!" (There are various links here.) Meanwhile, what are your thoughts on travel and travel writing?

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo by the author

I'm Back!

Hello again. I returned from my trip to South Africa (and Swaziland) late yesterday, and I need a recovery period. One of the things I'm thinking about is how and what to write about my trip, which was wonderful but physically taxing.

As a preview, one of my favorite features of the trip was an open-vehicle safari through Kruger National Park (followed by another on a tour bus, but it wasn't quite the same). I was actually able to see all of Africa's "Big Five" animals: Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Cape Buffalo, and Rhinoceros. Of course you can see all or most of the above in any zoo, but somehow it isn't quite the same. In Kruger, the animals have all the rights and the right of way. It's as close as I'll ever get to their natural habitat.

Since I use an instant digital camera, I'm not confident of having good photos of all of the big five, but you'll see a few photos here anyway, as soon as I can sort them out.

Check out my other blog, "Never too Late!" in a few days. I'll have a lot to say there about the difficulties of travel for elders who aren't very agile. Still, I'm glad I went!

On Travel and Writing

There won't be any posts here for a while. I'm traveling to South Africa for nearly three weeks. While I'd like to send regular reports of my trip, alas, it's just too much trouble for me to carry a laptop computer and figure out the connection problems.

I plan to keep an old-fashioned pen-and-notebook journal, so I'll share the trip--with photos, I hope--after I get back in May. Meanwhile, keep writing!

A Book Based on Grocery Lists?

Hillary Carlip's a la Cart: The Secret Lives of Grocery Shoppers, according to Chicago Tribune reporter Patrick T. Reardon (April 8, 2008), is a "gloriously idiosyncratic project that taps into the deeply human pastime of daydreaming about the lives of others."

Carlip gathered 26 grocery lists (for example, "Coors, Oreos" written on the back of a matchbook cover), imagined what each writer was like, and then dressed up in that role for a photograph at a supermarket. She later wrote back stories about the shoppers and their shopping trips.

The idea apparently came from Hillary Carlip's teenage discovery of a discarded list in a supermarket cart. Since then, she's collected some 2,000 to 3,000 lists.

This idea fascinates me, at least the writing part. Carlip is also an actor and performance artist, which led to the photos and assumed personas. I have not read this book, but reading about it reinforced my beliefs that we reveal a lot about ourselves through our writing, and that almost anything can be a worthy topic.

What would my list reveal about me? That I'm no cook, am concerned about my weight, live alone, and am not poor, since I waste a lot of money on prepared foods: cooked, sliced chicken breast; packaged salad greens; lo-cal frozen dinners; sugar-free Jello.

I like idiosyncratic writing projects (see my coming rictameter collection). However, perhaps those of you especially concerned about your privacy need to shred your grocery lists along with your credit card statements.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

My Life in Rictameters

Just in case anyone is interested in my rictameters, I will be publishing a collection of them in a month or two. The title will be Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters. It will contain 39 poems in 56 pages. This is obviously not a money-making proposition, but it is fun! Stay tuned.

Any interested agents or publishers or potential reviewers out there? I doubt it, but I'm always open to suggestions. Hope springs eternal.

Finally! Someone Reviewed my Short Stories

I've never claimed to be a fiction
writer, but I've experimented anyway; two of my stories were accepted by Amazon Shorts. Like my other works, they have not been best sellers, and I learned long ago that writing would not pay in monetary terms. Still, I was pleased to notice that each of my stories, "Marie's Story" and "Volunteer," has received a four-star review from a reader. Update: each has received a five-star review as well! Update 2: "Marie's Story" has now received a second 5-star review!

Check out the reviews. If you have a credit card and an extra 49 cents, download a story, read it, and write a review yourself. It won't make me rich, but I'll appreciate it. Tell me what you think. Be honest. And you can read the current reviews without buying.

Click on one of the Amazon icons on this page, or on this link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-1435355-6091001?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Marlys%20Marshall%20Styne

One Word Answers: Another Bloggers' Writing Challenge

Here's another of those little challenges that's been passing around in the blogosphere. I credit The Joy of Six (http://joyofsix.typepad.com/) for it, but from there the links go backward. I'm not sure who originated it, but here it is. You have to write your own answers. Please note: I've changed it from one word to one word or phrase. Do it either way.

You're Feeling: Worried.

To Your Left: TurboTax installation disk.

On Your Mind: See above.

Last Meal Included: South Beach four cheese pizza.

You Sometimes Find it Hard To: Get started.

The Weather: Beautiful.

Something You Have a Collection of: Small Travel souvenirs.

A Smell that Cheers You Up: Chocolate.

A Smell that Can Ruin Your Mood: Smoke.

How Long Since You Last Shaved: N/A.

The Current State of Your Hair: Limp.

The Largest Item On Your Desk/Workspace Right Now (besides computer): CD Rack.

Your Skill with Chopsticks: None.

Which Section You Head to First In the Bookstore: New.

After That?: Chicago Authors.

Something You're Craving: Chocolate.

Your General Thoughts On the Presidential Race: Depressing.

How Many Times You've Been Hospitalized this Year: None.

A Favorite Place to Go for Quiet Time: My recliner.

You've Always Secretly Thought You'd Be a Good: Newspaper columnist.

Something that Freaks You Out a Little: Crowds.

Something You've Eaten Too Much of Lately: Chocolate.

You Have Never: Driven a SUV.

Never Want To: Lose my mind.

Spring Reflections: Observe and Write

I've written before about my long walks that often terminate at the McDonalds at Chicago Avenue and State Street in the Gold Coast area of Chicago, just off Michigan Avenue and very near my future home, The Clare at Water Tower. Between bad knees and bad weather, I haven't been able to take one of those walks for some time, but today, a sunny Saturday, I finally did so.

The crowd at this location today seemed to be a bit lower in collective social and economic status than the usual weekday crowd. During the work week, the homeless and the less fortunate mix with affluent business people, but on weekends, most business people drink their coffee and dine elsewhere, often near their homes in the suburbs.

Why, in a neighborhood of exotic dining spots, do I choose McDonalds as a desitination? Well, I don't eat there; I go only to drink a small black coffee and to rest. My long walk requires athletic shoes and comfortable exercise clothing, so I don't look presentable enough for the average Gold Coast restaurant. I like the anonymity of looking a bit shabby (or perhaps I'm basically a slob). And as a writer, I like the usual variety of interesting people to observe, all ages, all races. Here's what I saw today.

First of all, I noticed several morbidly obese people. I am a bit heavy, but seeing these people (most of them with full trays, not cups of black coffee) reminds me of the folly of overeating. I feel compassion for most people with weight problems, since I am one of them, but I need that reminder. I was also reminded of how easy it usually is for me to avoid or ignore the less fortunate members of Chicago's society. At this particular McDonalds, they are in full view.

Today, one older, shabbily dressed, obviously demented man was talking to himself in a loud voice. I couldn't quite understand what he was saying, but every sentence seemed to contain the profane GD words, and worse. Finally, a plain-clothes Chicago policeman asked him politely to quiet down, and for the most part, he did. I wondered about the man's problems. Is he alone in the world? I admire the social service workers who try so hard to help. I have no such talents.

Remaining aloof as usual, I finished my coffee and walked to the nearest bus stop, where I used my senior free fare card. Soon, I hope to be able to walk both ways, but I'm not ready yet. I could have paid full fare, but . . . Anyway, the walk brought a combination of hope and despair. Perhaps I sound like a snob, but it's not my intention to put down those less fortunate than I. I do have to admit, however, that they make me feel lucky, as well as slightly uncomfortable.

Be an observer of people. Have a cup of coffee at a place slightly ouside your usual realm or your comfort zone. You may get some good story ideas. Perhaps that's the search that keeps me going back to McDonalds at Chicago and State.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne

Evaluating My March Challenge

What have I learned from my crazy March poem-a-day challenge? Several things. Most of all, writing regularly gave me a routine and a goal in a dreary month when I was rather short of both.

The most surprising thing I learned was that these short rictameters allowed me to say a lot. I've always been a person of few words. In fact, one reviewer of my books noted that both, especially Seniorwriting, are short, and he saw that as a positive factor. I've never been long-winded, either in person or in writing.

Brief though they are, my poems manage to tell a story, the story of my present life and routine and how I feel about it. There's nothing remarkable there. However, writing about one's life can bring self-realization. "Write your Life!" has never had a large number of readers, yet the managing editor of Chicagoland's Senior News (basically an advertising paper) discovered "Elder Expectations" and asked permission to reprint it in her April publication. The same poem also was reprinted in the Chicago Cultural Center's Volunteer Newsletter, again with my permission. Neither publication will bring me fame or fortune, but I like to see my work--and my name--in print. Egotistical? Perhaps.

No, I'm not claiming to be a poet. I'll never be a be a best-selling author in any literary genre. My point is the same as it's always been: Write for yourself, your family, and/or your friends. You'll be surprised by what you accomplish and what you discover and whom you reach.

Before I go on to other things (soon, a trip to South Africa), here is my concluding rictameter. It probably won't be my last.

My Rictameters

Great art?

No, not these poems

Of mine, and yet if they

Just make you ponder, wonder, think

Or dream, consider your own life or write

A story, draw or paint the truth,

Learn who or what you are,

These poems inspire

Great art.

Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne