Cheryl L. Butler's Second Book Published This Spring

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

Cheryl L. Butler Publishes Her Second Book

By Kate Phillips

          After Cheryl L. Butler’s years of writing as a columnist and then publishing her first book, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage, she was offered the position of writing the Macmillan Publishing’s Mighty Mommy column and hosting the franchise podcast which is available on Amazon Echo, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Google Home, PodChaser, PodBean, and TuneIn. Podcast airs every Monday. Visit www.quickanddirtytips.com/mighty-mommy.

          She co-founded this blog, has written for national publications as well as penning her second book Mom Ops: Observations, Laughs, and Solutions for a Happier Family Life that will be published in early spring.

          Here she tells us all about her life and future plans:

KP: How long have you been a writer?

CB: I’ve been writing and keeping journals since I learned to write! It all started with my innocent lists of what I wanted to accomplish at the ripe old age of seven. (Barbie and Ken kept me quite busy!) Once I was in high school, I became consumed with journaling and writing short stories and never looked back.

My career path led me to working in a very progressive dental practice for nearly 20 years so my writing was placed on the backburner. It wasn’t until I became a stay-at-home mom with my eight children that I pursued my love of writing. After the birth of my seventh child, I had an essay published in a newspaper—a humorous reflection of what it was like to be raising a large family.

I received countless positive comments about that piece, decided it was time once again to fuel my passion for writing, and applied for a job with two local magazines. That was over 15 years ago, and I’ve been writing professionally ever since.

KP: What is your favorite part of writing a column about family Life?

CB: When I began writing, I wrote articles of interest pertaining to the many wonderful facets of community life. I’ve always loved writing these types of pieces because it gave me the opportunity to meet and interview so many interesting folks that make such a positive difference.  

Soon after, I was asked if I’d like to begin writing a monthly family column about the many facets of parenting and family life. Excited, I agreed without hesitation because to me this was like hitting the writer’s jackpot. Not only would I have another chance to write, I would now be able to ponder my favorite subject—my family in a never-ending variety of ways. Without their knowing it, they became fodder for column after column (I say this lovingly, of course!) and the best part was I now had a permanent way to capture all these moments in a published format.

Sharing a monthly column about the people most dear to me in the world—my kids—is a very personal thing. I’ve written about my favorite moments, funniest and most embarrassing accounts (yes, I’ve forgot my own daughter at her First Communion as we proceeded to her celebratory brunch in Newport without her! Sigh.), heartbreaking times, and I’ve even shared a rant or two that I felt was worthy of a read. But my absolute favorite columns have been about the mundane and ordinary happenings that are part of any parent’s journey (meal prep, laundry, bored kids, carpools, homework battles, and more laundry—because those are the moments that families can relate to the most—the parenting moments that define us and quite truthfully that I will treasure for many years after my nest is empty.

KP: What else do you write?

CB: I’ve been a freelance writer for a handful of other magazines over the past 15 years including publications such as Family Fun, Good Housekeeping, and Real Simple.

I’ve also been published in several Chicken Soup for the Soul books as well as other parenting anthology series. In 2009 my first book was published, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage—a whimsical look at pregnancy and childbirth. While it wasn’t a NYT bestseller, it was a fantastic first-time experience which ultimately opened several new doors for me.

At one of my book signings, it just so happened a producer from Macmillan Publishing in NYC was in attendance—a total fluke. We met briefly and exchanged pleasantries. At the time, I didn’t realize she worked in publishing.

A couple of years later, she contacted me about a job opening. MacMillan has a website and podcast network known as Quick and Dirty Tips (QDT)  with experts in a handful of fields—finances, nutrition and exercise, science, psychology, organization and productivity to name a few.

QDT was originally founded by Mignon Fogarty, the popular NYT bestselling author and host known as Grammar Girl. One of their first hosts on the QDT network was a parenting expert known as Mighty Mommy. They were looking for someone to replace the original Mighty Mommy and the Macmillan contact that came to my book signing thought of me.

Six years later, I’ve been enjoying my position as QDT’s Mighty Mommy where I write a weekly column and record a podcast that is related to all things family/parenting. I’m surrounded by top-notch professionals in the industry and still have to pinch myself to believe I am living my dream—writing for a living!

KP: Please tell us more about being Mighty Mommy?

CB: As the host of the Mighty Mommy podcast, I choose topics ranging from pregnancy and newborns to toilet training and tantrums right through to teen drama and sending your kids off to college. As any parent knows, the topics for raising a family are endless and plentiful so I never worry about running out of fresh ideas.

At present, the Mighty Mommy archive has over 500 podcasts, 300 of which are mine. As part of my role I am introduced to many NYT bestselling authors who I’m privileged to interview as guests on my show. Most recently popular author and organizing guru, Julie Morgenstern, was my guest, and we discussed strategies for keeping it real when it comes to running a smooth household. She was fantastic!

All of the QDT podcasts, including Mighty Mommy, can be found as written content on our website for easy reference.

I work remotely but do travel to NYC to stay connected to our QDT team. (Navigating Penn Station, alone, is something I’m quite proud of!) I’m also in contact with hundreds of sponsors who help to promote our shows. I’m so lucky to be able to sample and try a wide variety of family-related products that I can recommend to listeners.

The Mighty Mommy podcast airs every Monday. Visit www.quickanddirtytips.com/mighty-mommy  to listen and visit the Mighty Mommy archive.

All QDT shows are available on the following podcast platforms: Amazon Echo, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Google Home, PodChaser, PodBean, and TuneIn.

KP: What is your favorite part about being Mighty Mommy?

CB: My favorite part of being the Mighty Mommy host is that I’m exposed to a whole new world of sharing parenting information. Working for one of the world’s largest publishers offers many exciting avenues that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I have a myriad of professional editors and producers, family experts, and advertisers at my disposal who help me deliver the best content possible.

I also get to interact with my listeners on a weekly basis as they write in with questions and comments. Communicating and being able to share tips with other parents is definitely another reason I love being the Mighty Mommy.

KP: You are also an author with a second book to be published soon. Please tell us all about it.

CB: As I mentioned earlier, my first book, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage was published 10 years ago. I had all intentions of diving in to write more books, but life and raising eight kids pushed those plans to the back burner.

I now have several projects happening at once, and one of those is my second book which will be published in early spring. Mom Ops: Observations, Laughs, and Solutions for a Happier Family Life will be a collection of my favorite parenting essays along with new material, indexed by subject matter for quick reference. So if you’re having a bad parenting day and just trying to survive, you can quickly turn to the appropriate section for a solution and a bit of comic relief. You can look at it as a humorous guide book to help you through nearly any part of your parenting journey.

KP: What inspires you to write all these columns, podcasts, and books?

CB: My inspiration is quite simply my family. For those who may not know, I struggled with infertility for five years before we adopted our beautiful first daughter at birth. One of my favorite phrases is ‘Be careful what you ask for’ because one year to the day that we adopted our sweet daughter, I delivered our first son, and then went on to have six more babies!

I was pregnant for a decade, and the fact that I survived the summer I had four kids under the age of three was a small miracle. When you enjoy a stick of gum for breakfast and learn to sleep in the bathroom shower for 15 minutes just to catch a few winks you realize you have two choices: Laugh or cry. Crying takes way too much effort so I chose to go with the flow and did so with my pen and journal close by my side so I wouldn’t forget a thing (especially my own name).

I’ve experienced infertility, adoption, childbirth, raising kids with developmental delays, popular and athletic kids, introverted and nerdy kids, college and non-college bound kids, a stay-at-home mom and an outside the home career mom, divorce, dating at age 50, and recently became a new grandmother.

I’ve always been a people person so I don’t mind putting myself out there and sharing and inspiring my life experiences, especially if it might help just one other parent.

KP: Are the solutions and tips you give all tried and true for your family?

CB: Absolutely, yes! The book is jam packed with everything that worked (and was a disaster) for the many facets of child rearing. Some of the contents are quite commonsense approaches to keeping your kids’ toys organized rather than under your feet, and other strategies I discovered by pure luck—surviving many 10-week summer vacations without losing my mind completely.

I think there’s definitely something for everyone in Mom Ops including grandparents, aunts and uncles, babysitters, and, of course, parents.

KP: What do you love most about being a mom?

CB: There are so many things I love about being a mom, but if I had to pick one thing to hone in on it would be that I feel so privileged and blessed to be responsible for raising eight unique human beings who will each, hopefully, make a positive impact in their own special way on the world.

For instance, a couple of years ago my son and I were driving to a Boy Scout meeting. It was a frigid, dark winter’s night, and we were on a stretch of road that was practically deserted. Almost to the end of the road we witnessed a dog get hit by another car. It was devastating. My son immediately got out of the car to check on the dog. It was obvious the injuries were serious so my son held the dog and cradled him until he died. The driver who hit the dog found the owner and they eventually arrived on the scene. I’ll never forget how the dog’s family looked at my son and thanked him for not letting their dog die alone.  

Proud moments like that remind me that every sacrifice and hardship I’ve experienced as a mother for the past 25 years is why I love being called mom.

KP: Do you think pets are an important part of family life?

CB: In addition to the crazy love I have for my kids, I can’t imagine our family’s life without pets. We’ve had guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, rabbits and a lizard here and there, but the biggest love of our pet lives have been our dogs.

Pets offer unconditional love and so many life lessons. They teach responsibility and accountability and you’ll never find a more loyal greeting when you walk in the door every day then from your eager puppy who is just as excited to see me if I’ve been gone for five minutes or five days!

KP: What is your best advice for parents?

CB: If there is one single piece of advice I would give every new parent it would be to practice consistency in all areas of parenting. Deep down, all kids (even moody teens!) crave boundaries, regardless of individual temperament. When they have structure, routines, and rules in place it offers them a sense of security because they know what’s expected of them. Boundaries help your child thrive by teaching them responsibility, consequences, and respect for others as well as themselves.

KP: Your first grandchild was born in December. How has he inspired you?

CB: My grandson is only a few weeks old and I’m still in awe of this surreal and breathtaking experience. After 25 years of motherhood, I didn’t think I could feel the love that I have for my own eight kids for another human being. But after cutting my grandson’s umbilical cord and hearing him cry for the first time, I can honestly tell you that my heart grew right out of my chest.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I was so overwhelmed. Sure he was incredibly beautiful and adorable beyond words. And yes he is the newest branch of our family tree. Of course I loved listening to his newborn coos and holding him tight, smelling that newborn baby smell that is so intoxicating. But that wasn’t it. What really melted my heart and soul was watching my daughter’s eyes gaze upon her son and seeing her unconditional love as she soothed him in the first moments of his life. It took my breath away.

KP: What are your future plans?

CB: I often get asked what my future plans are mainly because I think people are curious to know what’s on my radar as the youngest of my eight kids prepare for high school graduation.

I’ve been in the trenches of motherhood for 25 years now, with my sixth child graduating from high school this year and two more will be graduated within the next five years. That said, I feel that in a sense, I have a brand-new life that will be starting, and I couldn’t be more terrified or excited all at the same time!

          Besides the love of my children, grandson and, of course, my writing career, I also have a love of adventure. I’m 50 and fearless and ready to take on new challenges such as public speaking (gulp!), writing a seaside romance series, and many more freelance writing gigs including a life-long dream of launching a magazine (stay tuned!). Now that I can navigate Penn Station I intend to be visiting the Big Apple on a regular basis and who knows, someday soon I may be rubbing elbows with Hoda on The Today Show.

Reads for Writers: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          How many of us say yes to every invitation and opportunity that scares us? Being writers—often introverts who need solitude to read, think, and work—I’m guessing very few of us. So who knows where the roads not taken would have led us?

          Shonda Rhimes knows the answer. After almost a decade of saying no, she chose yes as her word of the year in 2014. She said yes to every opportunity and invitation that scared her. As the creator, writer, and/or producer of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away with Murder, many, many opportunities and invitations that scared her came her way.

          In her book Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person, Rhimes shares her journeys behind the scenes and in the spotlight as she welcomed opportunities and faced her fears. The worst things she worried about never happened (passing out and fear snot among many others) while the best things she never considered happened (joy, new friends, playing more often, and losing over 100 pounds).

          Her words of hard won wisdom resonate:

Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral. Pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change. (page 78)

                   “The rule is: there are no rules.

Happiness comes from living as you need to, as you want to. As your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be.” (page 286)

Her feelings are real and relatable when faced with scary situations like appearing on Jimmy Kimmel’s show live:

“You can die from the hiccups. For real. I’m a fake doctor who writes fake medicine for TV. So I know stuff. And I’m telling you, we killed Meredith’s stepmother with hiccups and that could happen to me. I could laugh until I hiccup and hiccup and die.” (page 48)

 “…I am afraid I may accidentally Janet Jackson Boob Jimmy. Or pee on his sofa like an excited puppy. Or fall on my face before I even make it to the sofa. Or die. I don’t say anything about any of that.

Because I’m a lady, damn it.” (page 50)

Her experiences are varied: sometimes funny, and sometimes, as her young daughter Emerson says, mazing. Her take on motherhood and how it evolved during this year is also shared. If you want to know more, say yes and read this book.

Yes is a powerful word. Rhimes’ life was transformed inside and out simply by saying yes.

Reading this book might make you choose yes as your word of 2015.

Rhimes also writes about writing in this book. And about her TV shows. And the actors on them. Who her hero is and why. It’s a book worth saying yes to for so many reasons.

Redesigning My Writer's Crate

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

This past weekend was devoted to an entire fall housecleaning mission--one that started at sundown Friday evening and went well into the wee hours of Monday morn!  When one of these intense decluttering, deep cleaning fetishes strike it completely consumes me, and the only way for me to survive it is to simply get into the zone and just go with it.

Although I usually have a bit of help around the house throughout the week from my 6 children that still live at home, when I'm in the midst of a full-fledged cleaning rampage like this, they know it's best to steer clear and let me have at it without any interruptions.  And because they fear for what I might ask them to do (scrubbing the fireplace tiles is not high on anyone's list in this family!) it's usually never a problem to get the house to myself for a couple of days.

As I whirred about my seemingly endless list of tasks (happily so, I might add, because believe it or not, these deep cleanings are therapeutic for me) I stopped and took a good, hard look at my sacred space that we here at this blog refer to as our "Writing Crate".

Our mission on the homepage of The Writer's Crate blog states "Live a writer’s life. Take yourself seriously. Set up a Writer’s Crate—a nook, a corner, or a room dedicated to writing filled with items that inspire you—then sit there and write every day."   We launched our blog in September of 2012--two years later, I still enjoy reading our mission on a weekly basis because it reminds me of how important it is to feed my muse and write as often as possible especially when my busy life tries to get in the way of that.

Even when I don't have the amount of time I'd like to sneak away and spill my gazillion ideas onto paper, I usually have a few minutes (make that seconds) to sit quietly in my very own corner of the world, my writer's crate, and just daydream a little bit (usually about the novels I'm going to write as soon as the last dish is cleaned or the last load of laundry is folded and put away).

It's this special sanctuary that I find comfort, inspiration, passion, and usually direction where my writing life is concerned.  But like other rooms in my home, I tend to get bored if the layout, color scheme, and overall design remain the same for too long. So as I tore about doing all that cleaning and reorganizing last weekend, I realized that my writer's crate needed a bit of freshening up.

Because I am working full-time now, my mind is even more busy than I ever thought possible, so I've really been focusing on simplifying as much in my life as I can.  With that theme in mind, I realized that my writer's crate had gotten a bit cluttered and wasn't as orderly or inspiring as it was when I first created it a couple of years ago so I decided it was definitely time to make some changes.

My First Writer's Crate

It didn't take much to redesign my precious, new writing haven.  I traded my writing armoir (my daughter scored it for her new mini art-studio) which was loaded with books, journals, sticky notes, quotes, and ongoing project lists to a smaller, simpler desk that I painted in a pale turquoise.  I keep a simple vase on it (because I love it, plain and simple) as well as a reading lamp and that's it!  I have enough room for my laptop or one of my journals and the two drawers hold my favorite pens and writing books.  

My Fresh, Simple Writer's Crate Makeover

Everything else has been placed back on my favorite bookshelves or in my little office that I use for bookkeeping and other household tasks. When I need something during a writing session, I make sure I have it available, but now that I've been writing in my new nook, I'm finding I have everything I need, just a clean and quiet space to let my thoughts flow without the dozens of distractions I used to have all around me.

It's only been a short period of time that I've been working from my revamped writer's crate, but the change in scenery and the set up of this new space has already shifted my attitude and production immensely. Not only did my entire house get a thorough cleaning and makeover, but my passion to write did as well, and once again I get excited to find those very important snippets of time to sneak off and do what I love most--get creative in my beloved and newly refreshed writer's crate.

Have you taken an inventory of your writing space lately?  If you could create the perfect writer's retreat, where in your home (or elsewhere) would it be?

Following The Write Dream

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

For today's post, I thought I'd share with you an essay that will soon be published in one of the magazines I contribute to regularly, The East Greenwich Monthly.  With the holidays in full swing and the New Year right around the corner, I'm going through a very "reflective" period in which I ponder all the goals I have, both personally and professionally.  This essay sums up how I have been maintaining the life as a writer! Something I never take for granted!

Five pizza boxes teeter at the end of our kitchen island—empty except for a few remaining crusts that didn’t get fed to the dogs.  Dishes tower in a neat stack in the nearby sink waiting for the lucky child who has kitchen duty in our house this week to load them in our already full dishwasher.  I hear muffled voices drifting towards me through the heating vents but other than that, it’s eerily quiet in our usually hectic household.

There’s no time to worry about a dirty kitchen or how my six school-aged children are fairing with their homework because the calendar says it’s the 11^th of the month and for me, that means my usual hobbies such as baskets of unfolded laundry, finger-smudged glass work, dusty hardwood floors, and the rest of my 5-page “to do” list is going to have to wait—it’s deadline time, and I’m a writer.

Most of the writers I know thrive during deadline probably because there’s nothing like that adrenaline rush you get as you push through the finish line with your latest piece of creativity that now envelopes the space that used to be a sterile blank page.  Think about it—whether your staring at a white page on your computer or looking at crisp, empty paper in your journal you have the incredible power to occupy that vacant space with whatever thoughts you choose.

Now I know this might not excite everyone the way it does me, (don’t forget, we writers spend hours in solitude) but even if you’re not making deadline as a writer, everyone still has the ability to create something from nothing whether it be as simple as your grocery list or the last chapter of your 600-page New York Times’ best-selling novel—you’re still the author.

Today, however, I’m not penning a list of groceries and housekeeping products that desperately need to be purchased, or uploading `my weekly post to this writing blog that I share with a kindred-spirit writer friend, Kate Phillips, no, today is deadline for one of my dream writing jobs—my parenting column with Macmillan Publishers in New York City—a full-time writing position that was practically handed to me on a silver platter all because I took chance on myself 12 years ago by submitting a personal essay.

Writing has always been my true love (beside, of course, my family, mystery novels, Disney (been there 18 times) and pressed grapes!), but I never pursued it seriously because whenever I admitted this was my career path of choice I was always cautioned to find something more practical that would provide me with money for the essentials like food, clothing and shelter. (I guess the vision of being a starving writer made too many folks in my circle a wee bit uncomfortable.)

I listened to all the well-meaning naysayers and instead pursued a career caring for people’s teeth, a job I truly enjoyed for nearly two decades but in my heart, it was never my passion. (Oh, but it did instill flossing into my nightly regimen, something I will never take for granted.)

My lucky break into my writing career came 13 years ago when I was 7 months pregnant with my 7 seventh child and we bravely took our growing family on a summer vacation to Disney World.  (Remember, I’ve been 18 times!)  The commotion we caused everywhere we went was something I never expected.  From the airport to The Magic Kingdom, by the end of the week, I was so tired of answering curious on-lookers questions about whether or not the kids were all ours or did we have a blended family, I turned my frustration into an essay that was published by The Providence Journal, titled “Yes, We Have Seven Kids and are Proud of it”.  

And so it began!  The essay was very well received by both proponents of large families and those who wished we would be a bit more conscious of the carbon footprint our deluxe family would be leaving on the planet.  (Trust me, with 8 kids, we have mastered living green.)

The positive feedback I received from that one essay was just the push I needed to pursue my passion, and it was then that I promised myself I would search for an opportunity that would allow me to continue my love of writing all while raising my brood.

Excitedly, I began exploring avenues in which to get published and then the perfect job presented itself in this very publication.  The East Greenwich Monthly and North Kingstown View magazines were looking for writers, and although I was hesitant because I still didn’t feel like a real writer, I bravely applied anyway. Within a month I had my first assignment and thirteen years later I’ve been happily writing articles each month in addition to my column, The Family Zone, for our wonderful readers in both communities—a job I am privileged and thrilled to be doing.

The time has gone by so quickly and we’ve since added one more addition to the family, our final chapter—daughter Annie who was born eight years ago.  As the mother of eight, you can’t imagine how many times I look at my kids in complete awe (or harried disbelief) and give thanks as well as pray for continued sanity as the oldest two are now off to college, the next two leave next year so one by one, tuition by tuition—my heart is racing—breathe, Cheryl, breathe!

During the course of being a regular contributor with the magazines, I’ve branched out and written for national magazines, local newspapers and magazines, on-line publications, am the adviser of the Pier Middle School’s newspaper, The Mariners’ Catch, and wrote and published my first book, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage, in 2010.  I’ve also been published in several issues of the popular anthology series—Chicken Soup for the Soul and have been a guest on Reading With Robin, Channel 10 News and Fox’s The Rhode Show.

Most recently, synchronicity has played an important part in landing me my full-time writing gig with MacMillan Publishers in New York City as their Mighty Mommy for the past two years.  This opportunity came to be when I unexpectedly received an e-mail from a producer at Macmillan who happened to attend a book signing of mine a couple years before.  She didn’t know me personally but remembered I was a writer and mom of a lot of kids (yep-8 kids does count as a lot, doesn’t it?) and invited me to apply for the Mighty Mommy position that had just opened.  After interviewing with their editorial team, I was hired and have since been writing a parenting column that reflects on the various twists of parenthood along with a weekly podcast which is available on iTunes.  Because you have all been like family to me, loyal readers of The Writer's Crate, I invite you to visit www.quickanddirtytips.com/mighty-mommy to share in this journey.  

I’m so grateful I took a chance on myself by contacting The East Greenwich Monthly and North Kingstown View thirteen years ago which in turn became the inspiring springboard to my writing career.  Even more so, I’m so thankful I finally followed the ‘write’ dream so now I will never have to live with the regret of “what if”—something far too many of us do in order to avoid potential failure, the most important lesson this writer hopes she can share with all of you as you meet life’s important deadlines of your own.

What was it that finally inspired you to take a leap as a writer?

  

Fun Places For Writers to Get Their Ideas

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

My best essay and column ideas have always come to me when I wasn’t even trying to write.  For this very reason, I always have a handy pad of paper and pen close by, including in the car, the bathroom, my nightstand, definitely my pocketbook, in the kitchen, and finally the laundry room.  As any writer will tell you, when a brilliant idea strikes you can’t rely on memory to get it on to paper no matter how focused and detail oriented you are, especially if you have 8 busy kids and two feisty dogs like I do.  I am reaching for one of my pad and pens on a very regular basis so I can add any spark of an idea down immediately before it’s forgotten.

Last week I was waiting for my son at baseball practice and witnessed another mother (who I do not know) shaving her arms in the car while she waited for her son.  After I finished laughing I grabbed my notebook that I keep in the glove compartment and wrote fast and furiously for several minutes because it sparked an idea for the novel I’m writing.  You just never know when inspiration will strike—so be ready!

Here are a few more places and ideas I go to help kick start my writing:

Headlines. Reading the news, whether in newspapers, your favorite online news source or on television can give a writer many ideas—particularly mystery writers. News stories about mysterious disappearances, crimes and murders can easily inspire a mystery writer to get a story going.

Writing prompts. Writing prompts are popular as a means to get creative juices flowing. There are hundreds of websites that provide writing prompts including Writer’s Digest. Writing prompts can be challenging too, particularly if they are one or two word prompts.

Other people’s stories.  It’s actually amazing to me how often my friends and family offer me a story idea because they know I am a writer.  Anecdotes told by friends can be inspiring, as well as listening to their interesting stories from their childhood, or a harrying experience they’ve had or someone in their family had. Listen when friends tell stories from their lives, you may find some buried treasure that you weren’t expecting.

Wal-Mart and other Errand Stops. With 8 kids, I spend lots of time grocery shopping, running errands, attending sporting events and meetings and everything else in between that we parents do to keep their families going strong.  I have found more ideas than I will ever be able use in one lifetime in places that involve my kids or running errands—and I’m never bored in the process!

Do you have a special method for coming up with ideas to write about? Feel free to share them in the comments section.

The Writer's Retreat

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

Doctor's, lawyers, nurses, teachers, accountants and even clergy all take an oath, in one form or another, and pledge to deliver their professional services according to the best of their ability as well as adhere to their coveted professional guidelines that come along with their licenses and degrees.

Writers also take an oath, although it's mainly an agreement they sign up with themselves and of course, their editors, and one of the most important components that every writer must meet is the all-encompassing deadline!

If you write for any publication on a regular basis, you as a writer realize that making deadline, on time, is a no brainer.  It's expected, it's professional, it's many times non-negotiable and most of all it helps keep a writer accountable and on track.

My life as a writer often takes a big back seat to my role as the busy mother of eight.  Despite my best efforts and intentions, unless I have a deadline set in stone, I don't get nearly as much writing accomplished as I desire.  I think that's just called "life"!  On the other hand, I have very big dreams and goals for my writing life, so I'm truly learning that although my family is my biggest joy and priority there is absolutely no reason that my passion for writing should have to be treated as an afterthought if a deadline is not included.

I think I may have just received an answer to some of my self-inflicted writing turmoils--making the time to fulfill my muse.  How you ask?  My birthday is right around the corner, and my Writer's Crate blogging partner, Kate, gifted me with some amazing writing gifts, one being a gift set called, The Writer's Retreat Kit, A Guide for Creative Exploration & Personal Expression  by Judy Reeves.

Would you believe I read and devoured the entire book and kit while waiting at the registry of motor vehicles this past week?  I made so many notes about how I could escape into a writing retreat of my dreams (escaping to a mountain cabin near a lake for an entire month) or how I could take advantage of 1/2 hour in my very own home.  I left that miserable place called the DMV feeling inspired and able to achieve any writing goal possible rather than feeling frustrated that I had just given 2 plus hours of my valuable time sitting amongst folks who were miserable because they too were stuck waiting and waiting and waiting.

Have you ever attended a writer's retreat with a group or simply by yourself?  What moves you to write if you aren't up against a deadline?