Make Me Think Monday Archives - Page 21 of 34

14 11, 2016

Creating a gratitude list – 4 suggestions

By judythemorgan|2016-11-11T10:04:53-06:00November 14th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Gratitude, I’m sad to say, is not part of most people’s natural disposition.

I understand. It’s hard to be thankful when all around us is hurt and pain and disappointment.

Gratitude doesn’t make sense, but it’s a discipline needed to remind ourselves of the many reasons we have to be grateful, which in turn will push off negativity.

Being grateful is a choice. If you’ve lived most of your life NOT focusing on gratitude, it’s not so simple to change that perspective.

Developing an attitude of gratitude can take time and effort. One way to begin that change is to write a daily gratitude list.

It’s hard at first, especially on those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days, but over time a daily gratitude list can give you an attitude adjustment.

Where to start? How to start? What to put on your list? Here are some suggestions:

Grab a pencil or pen, some paper, and write out a list of things you’re thankful for. The kinesthetic experience of actually writing is valuable for two reasons:

The physical act imprints a feeling of gratitude at the cellular level.
Writing by hand is a slow process and provides more time for contemplation.

Chose a realistic number of things to list. Begin with two or three at first and work your way up to whatever number makes you feel comfortable.

Identify things around you to put on your list. Chose simple things like you woke up. Your house. The sunrise/sunset. There is so much to be thankful for, if we only have eyes to see.

Fake it, if necessary, until the habit is established. You may not actually feel grateful for anything at first, pretend. Before long you’ll discover gratitude is all around. Next, you’ll learn gratitude grows the more you use it.

If writing a gratitude list isn’t for you, try grateful beads. That’s what I use.

Grateful beads are a string of the ten beads that serve as a guide to being thankful. Three beads for three people who touch your life. Six beads for six things, events, and occurrences and the final bead to remind you to give thanks to your creator.

And in case you were wondering, this is my grateful bead list for today:

Like-minded friends and encouragers: Jody and Millie

My husband, who is my biggest fan and strongest supporter

Good health

Living in the forest where I can enjoy nature

Being able to share stories with readers

Readers who write to tell me how much they enjoy my stories

Old church hymns

Last, and most important, Grace — God’s love that cannot be explained (only surrendered to)

Here’s my challenge for you: Whether you use a gratitude list or grateful beads, find some time today, wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, to be grateful.

What would be on your gratitude list? Share in the comments.

7 11, 2016

Thankfulness: the beginning of gratitude

By judythemorgan|2022-11-13T18:13:53-06:00November 7th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

Blogging about thankfulness and gratitude in November is cliché, but there’s no better time than the month when our whole nation pauses and gives thanks to focus our thoughts on thankfulness.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that in order to achieve contentment, we should “cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously.”

As we celebrate the coming holiday in America, most of us will have a thankful attitude on Thanksgiving Day. Too often, though, our attention wanes for the rest of the year. We should seek out things daily to be thankful for, i.e. give thanks continuously as Emerson suggests.

Here are two ways to focus an attitude of thankfulness beyond one Thursday in November.

Use social media

Surprised? In our plugged-in culture, it’s impossible to avoid social media no matter how hard you try so why not use your posts, pictures, videos, and tweets to cultivate thankfulness on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Heaven knows we get enough of wars, earthquakes, floods, fires, sick children, murdered spouses and, lately, politics.

It seems the more suffering and mayhem, the more mass media coverage. Yet research shows the opposite: good news spreads faster and farther than disasters and sob stories.

By sharing positive, uplifting posts, memes, and videos, you encourage attitudes of thankfulness in yourself and others.

Keep a gratitude list.

According to Henri Frederic Amiel, gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Writing down what you’re thankful for everyday reinforces positive thoughts and grateful feelings.

We’ll explore gratitude lists more next week. For now, can you think of ways you can foster thankfulness?

31 10, 2016

Fiction Interrupters – Is your writing interrupting your reader?

By judythemorgan|2016-10-01T14:06:23-05:00October 31st, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Our story worlds become tangible to us as writers. A video plays in our head as we write. We see the setting; we feel the emotions. Our characters become genuine people moving in an authentic world we’ve created.

While our story worlds are real to us, the reader enters a story world as a visitor exploring what we’ve created.

Interruptions can happen. The telephone rings, a text comes in, or the doorbell rings. Distractions we choose to ignore or respond to.

If a reader is truly engrossed, they will return to the story world just as we return to our writing.

Not so if the writing itself causes the distractions. Then readers turn from explorers into critics or worse yet, quit reading.

Beth Hill (The Editor’s Blog) says “Interruptions from inside the story world become a part of that world and influence our [readers’] reactions to it.” She offers a list of fiction interrupters that writers should avoid.

These are the interrupters that jar me as a reader.

Dialogue

Characters who speak like fictional characters rather than real people. Actors in old movies from the 40s and 50s used pseudo acting voices. Actors today don’t. Neither should our characters’ voices be false.
Unnecessary character dialogue, i.e. characters sharing already known information or dialogue used simply as fill

Plot

Contrived plot lines
Deus ex machina endings or endings that don’t follow the story lines
Leaving some story issues unresolved

Characterization

Characters who act in a ways not compatible with their established worldview or the story era
Lack of character motivation for unexpected actions
Too-stupid-to live characters who do senseless things or act in ways simply so the plot works out a certain way

Writing Craft

Failure to include setting references of time and place. Readers need to be grounded – who, what, when, where – at the beginning of chapters and scenes.
Bad grammar, incorrect facts, inconsistent spelling, poor punctuation, preaching or teaching
Lyrical or poetical writing that doesn’t match the story’s style, i.e. purple prose.
Poor sentence structure or confusing words

You can find Ms. Hill’s blog about reader interruptions here. Her list is longer than mine, but neither list contains everything that can distract a reader from a story.

What pulls you from a story when you’re reading?

24 10, 2016

21 Grammar Rules and Writing Mistakes

By judythemorgan|2016-10-01T14:36:48-05:00October 24th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday, writing, Writing Craft|2 Comments

Grammarcheck.net recently posted this infographic of 21 frequently ignored (or unknown) grammar rules and writing mistakes that everyone who writes should know.

How many do you know? How many do you ignore?

I’m with them on all but the serial comma and semicolon. I only use a serial comma for clarity in my writing. And, I think the semicolon is too formal for my voice. I only add it when my copy editor insists.

Source: www.grammarcheck.net

17 10, 2016

Who reads Romance?

By judythemorgan|2016-10-02T16:13:14-05:00October 17th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

I read a blog recently where certain elements of the blogger’s stories were listed with the question, Are you my reader? That got me to thinking about who reads romance.

According to Maya Rodale, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that romance readers are single women in possession of cats and in want of a man.”

I’m a long time romance reader and neither truth applies to me.

She adds, “Other “true” facts about the romance reader: They’re “nice people with bad taste in books”, uneducated, bored, stupid, “lack romance in their lives.” Or if we want to be really specific, they’re “middle aged women who are bored in their marriages and want to fantasize about hard, chiseled men.” Or maybe they’re “younger women who are using them as emotional porn.”

None of those characteristics apply to me either.

So who reads romance?

Romance Writers of America did a survey and created the graph below to identify romance novel readers. These demographics are a closer match to who I am as a romance reader.

If you’re a romance reader, do the stats fit you?

BTW, if you’re interested, you can read the rest of Ms. Rodale’s humorous post on romance reader myths and truths here.

3 10, 2016

Elmore Leonard’s Rules for Good Writing

By judythemorgan|2016-10-01T16:00:32-05:00October 3rd, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

SOURCE for image: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/20/living/elmore-leonard-author-interview/

Elmore Leonard (1925-2013) began writing Westerns in the 1950s. From those, he went on to specialized in crime novels and suspense thrillers.

Because of his trademark rhythm and pace, many of his short stories became films. You might recognize Get Shorty (1995, John Travolta and Gene Hackman); Jackie Brown (1997, Pam Grier,) and Out of Sight (1999, George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez).

He also wrote scripts for television.

That’s how I became acquainted with the writer’s work through U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens, star of the television series Justified.Trigger-happy Marshal Raylan exemplifies the author’s use of the Western theme inside crime fiction.

The character first appeared in Leonard’s novel PRONTO (1993), again in RIDING THE RAP (1995), and RAYLAN (2012). He resurfaced as the main character of the short story “Fire in the Hole” (2012) which screenwriters used as the basis for the television series.

If you’ve watched the series, you’ll remember Raylan’s Stetson Open Road. It’s said that Leonard was particularly keen that the producers of the TV show get Raylan’s hat right, an indication of the hat’s importance in Raylan’s characterization.

Btw, Leonard won the 2010 Peabody Award for Justified.

As a writer, Leonard was skilled at gritty, realistic dialogue and a master of the tight scene. He gave the reader immediate access to a character’s thoughts, what we call deep POV today.

The thing that impresses me most about Mr. Leonard is, unlike most genre writers, he is taken seriously by the literary crowd.

In his 2007 book, he offered 10 tricks for good writing:

Never open a book with weather.
Avoid prologues.
Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he admonished gravely.
Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

He then summed those ten rules into one:

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Personally, I like his summation best. What about you?

26 09, 2016

They Steal Our Hearts and then …

By judythemorgan|2016-09-19T09:33:45-05:00September 26th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

We lose them.

If you’ve owned a dog, you know what I mean. You invest time, energy, money, and love. They fill your heart to overflowing, yours day with laughter. Then one day your beloved pet journeys over the Rainbow Bridge.

From the moment you pick up that fluffy little ball of fur, your head recognizes a dog’s life span just isn’t the same as yours. Yet, for some reason your hearts refuse to acknowledge what your head knows and when the time comes your heart cracks into a bazillion pieces.

I know. Mine did when we lost our beloved Toby this summer.

Toby was our fourth Old English sheepdog. Obadiah, Micah, and Rhinestone met him on the bridge. So did Lucky, Azariah, Bernie, and Scuttles, our little mixed breed babies.

Toby left behind two very, very sad and lonely humans, and his four-legged pal, Buster.

Even though losing is pet is part of owning a pet, the goodbyes never get easy. The separation is hard no matter how many times you go through it.

We coped in different ways with each loss. This time we have a memorial stone (from a friend who loved Toby as much as we did) to place in Toby’s favorite spot on the front porch.

Our grieve is the same as when we lose a human loved one or friend. Time will heal the sadness we hear, we know. That doesn’t stop the tears.

We move on one day at a time. Some days are better than others.

On those not so good days, we focus on the fun times: the long walks, the snuggles, the tug-of-wars, all the comical things Old English are known for…

And, quietly hope that one day another Old English sheepdog puppy will appear to steal our heart, and we can start the journey all over again.

19 09, 2016

The Romance Genre Part 2

By judythemorgan|2016-09-15T22:20:51-05:00September 19th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

As defined in my last post on the romance genre, a romance novel centers on the developing relationship of two people, culminating with a happy ending. Length can vary from 25,000 (Novella) to 75,000+ words (Single Title).

The heat level divides romance novels into very specific classifications. Publisher guidelines provide specificity. My classifications for readers include:

Erotica is no holds barred with the caveat that the novel must have a compelling story.

Most mass-market romance stories fall under the General Market (Steamy) category. Readers expect several sex scenes. Descriptions within the sex scenes are toned down, euphemistic.

Sensual romance novels have kissing, heavy petting, making out, but explicit body parts are not mentioned, and the deed occurs behind closed doors or off the page. If you watch Lifetime movies, you know what I mean.

Sweet is sometimes classified as clean, i.e. no sex, no swearing and no religious/spiritual content. If you love The Countdown to Christmas Hallmark movies, you understand clean.

In Inspirational stories, characters are Christians when the story begins. Physical attraction centers on character, not lust. There is limited physical contact. (Occasional kissing allowed.) NO sex before marriage. No quoted scripture, sermons. Story may center on a spiritual lesson like forgiveness.

Evangelical stories follow inspirational guidelines with additional limits on sensuality. Publisher guidelines define specifics such as only one or two kisses, scenes should include quoted scriptures, prayers, and sermons, and the resolution of the relationship must include a profession of faith.

Romance novels also fall into recognized subgenres. These are what I consider major subgenres:

Romantic Suspense – the two main characters must are involved in something that threatens one or both of them. If the romance is removed from the plot, the suspense is gone and vice versa.
Paranormal – stories include vampires, werewolves, faeries, shape shifters, etc.
Fantasy – a romance story in a fantasy setting
Time-Travel – one or both of the main characters travel through time. The most famous is probably Outlander.
Science Fiction/Futuristic – To be classified as romance, the fantasy must center on the relationship.
Licensed Theme – Publishers sign licensing agreements with a professional sport or organization and writers’ books feature that sport or organization. Harlequin’s NASCAR series would be an example.
Medical – one of the main characters must be a medical professional and a medical situation must be resolved along with the relationship.
Regency – stories set in England between 1800 and 1820.
Medieval/Highlander – stories set between 900 to 1400 in England, Ireland, or Scotland.
Gothic – generally written in first person and the heroine is in peril (real or paranormal, genuine, or imagined)

There are other subgenres combinations — as many as a writer can imagine and mash together. Pam McCutcheon combines fantasy, science fiction and paranormal while Leanna Ellis blends Amish and vampires.

If you’re a romance reader, what would you add to my list?

12 09, 2016

September 11, 2001 and December 7, 1941: Days of Infamy

By judythemorgan|2016-09-11T20:35:27-05:00September 12th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, “a date which will live in infamy.”

December 7 and the words of his Infamy Speech have become synonymous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Within an hour of that speech, Congress passed a Declaration of War thrusting the United States headlong into World War II.

Roosevelt’s words had a profound an impact on our nation. Recruiting stations were jammed with surges of volunteers. And, when World War II ended, the world was not the same.

Pearl Harbor was before my time. Thirty years after Pearl Harbor another event occurred giving us a new date I will always remember– September 11, 2001. Once again a day of infamy changed our world dramatically.

My heart rate still surges on the 9-11 anniversary as I recall waiting to know all our family members were safe . I have vivid memories of watching Katy Couric describe the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.

Those same memories return to bounce around in my head every 9-11. We’d had lunch in the Towers with family members only two months before. That made the terrorist attack more personal.

It’s been fifteen years now, but no matter how long it’s been from either date of infamy, one thing remains constant.

Nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania lost their lives on 9-11, 2001. World War II causalities numbered over 60 million.

Pausing on the anniversaries of both events allows us to honor those we’ve lost.

Never Forget.

8 08, 2016

You Write What? or What is a romance novel? Part 1

By judythemorgan|2016-08-06T12:21:32-05:00August 8th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

As we’ve relaxed on the front porch with house guests this summer, those two questions come up a lot.

To the what do I write question, I respond romantic fiction similar to authors Danielle Steele, Nicolas Sparks, and Barbara Delinsky. Unfortunately, some of our guests have never heard of those authors, a sad, sad thing because those authors write incredible stories. So do I. :)

Others have no idea what romantic fiction means.

I completely understand the genre confusion because so many different types of books are lumped under the umbrella labeled romance. Many of which lack the very specific expectations for characters and plot structure romance readers seek.

So what is a romance novel?

Every true romance novel contains two elements – a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. (www.rwa.org)

Romance novels can be contemporary, historical, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, or any number of other themes with settings and distinctions of plot that create specific subgenres. Whatever the plot, a romance novel always centers on the developing relationship of two people and ends with what romance writers call HEA, a happy ending.

Romance novel formats include

Novella

20,000 to 25,000 words
Themed collections also called anthologies

Category

40,000 to 65,000 words
Series (or “lines”) with a certain number published each month. Harlequin Romances available on a subscription basis are an example.

Single Title

75,000+ words
Labeled as mass-market or trade by publishers based upon the format—small vs. large size and price point.

The industry standard for the romance genre is for the reader to experience the story through both the hero’s and heroine’s viewpoints, in third person, past tense.

The typical romance reader looks for only one viewpoint per scene in a story. However, there are romance authors like Nora Roberts who have challenge this standard successfully.

Lastly, the scope of the romance can be from sweet (no sex, no swearing) to extremely hot (no holds barred).

That fact always brings up another question: “You write like 50 Shades of Grey?” followed by a quick look and snicker at my husband. Whereupon, I quickly explain my stories are classified sweet romance.

More on romance classifications next week.

Considering the definitions above, do you read ROMANCE novels? If you have, tell us about one of your favorite novels.