From Kate’s Writing Crate…
Cheryl and I meet on a regular
basis to share what we are writing, books and articles that inspire us, and
plans/dreams for the future.
At our meeting last week, I
brought a list of topics and publications we could submit pieces to along with
a raw cookie dough hack—replace the egg in any chocolate chip cookie recipe with
an egg-sized amount of vanilla OR butterscotch pudding from a pudding cup. You
cannot bake this dough, but no chance of salmonella while eating the raw dough.
Delicious! (No eggs in the house, but I did have a pudding cup and so this hack was
born.)
Cheryl shared she wants to go on a
writers’ retreat. She’s dreaming of an uninterrupted week or two in a cabin to
work on both of her books: a novel and a nonfiction manuscript. No one can
blame her as she is the mother of eight and uninterrupted time is rare.
After a long lunch and exciting discussion,
we each went back to our regular working lives with family obligations,
errands, and waiting for repairmen, etc.
A few days later, I was out with
another friend and we decided to shop in Barnes & Noble. I took the time to
peruse several sections and selected four books. I also wanted some writing
magazines, but I didn’t want to hold my friend up so I just grabbed my favorites
and got in the checkout line.
Later when I arrived home, I
pulled out the magazines. In a sign of “it’s meant to be,” Poets & Writers’ cover story was all about writers’ retreats. I
immediately emailed the websites of the closest ones to Cheryl. Don’t know if
she will get there this year or next, but planning is half the
fun.
In the next three weeks, I am
submitting two pieces to two of the magazines from my list. If they are
published, I will let you know.
In the meantime, keep writing and submitting
your work, too. Look into writing retreats near you. In the summer, some
colleges offer MFA programs as well.
Stay inspired. Keep working on your writing
careers in any way you can.
