New Favorite Pens

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

(This is an unpaid recommendation. I just like these pens for writing.)

          A friend recommended Uni-Ball click gel pens to me at a magazine meeting. She had one so I tried it and loved it. First, it is extremely lightweight—great if you like to write by hand for any extended time like filling a notebook a month. Second, the nibs come in various sizes so I can write boldly when I’m being creative and more precisely when editing or writing lists, notes, and checks. Third, the ink dries very quickly so few smudges. And fourth, it also comes in a super ink so prevents check fraud as it can’t be washed off.

I like strong bold lines when I write creatively. I like blue ink (although also comes in black, red, and purple).

Due to its light weight, I’m not getting a painful writer’s callous on my middle finger any longer. Hooray!

Another Uni-Ball pen I like is the bold AIR which writes at any angle. It comes in blue, black, and red. I use the blue ones to write in my books—marginalia and underlining. Again, light weight. Again, ink dries quickly. Reminds me of a precise eyeliner. Doesn’t bleed through to the next page in books so far. (However, it does in my notebooks so I don’t use them there.) It’s perfect for making notes for future book recommendations.

All of that makes my writing life easier.

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.

Be Fearless! Become a Professional and Successful Writer

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          My professional life has gotten very busy. I’m editing and indexing a book for publication in early spring as well as working on a book I’m co-authoring with Cheryl L. Butler, co-founder of this blog. Add to that a few other freelance projects, this blog, and my day job of editing and writing for two publications and I’m very busy indeed.

          There are so many opportunities for writers these days as an employee, a freelancer and, best of all, as your own boss!

          Whatever your dreams, be fearless!

You have to be able to write on demand to meet deadlines. Have great ideas for articles and follow through with interviews and/or finish the book you are always talking about and get it published.

Write. Rewrite. Polish. Publish. If you are a writer, those are the job requirements to make a living doing what you love.

          Practical ways to achieve your dreams:

I recommend reading:

 Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower is essential for every writer. Inspiring. Motivating. Supportive. Fantastic! (Please see my reviews of this book on this blog.)

          Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer’s Life by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Read it for the sheer beauty of his written words as well as his remarkable thoughts—a fabulous beacon for anyone on a writer’s path.

          The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield will keep writer’s block away. Whenever I’m not inspired to write, I flip it open and read a page or two then I’m raring to write again without fail. I most love his encouraging and inspiring essay “The Artist’s Life” on page 165—which I think should have been the first in his book because it’s essential for writer’s to know and believe in it.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg will get you thinking and writing. Follow her routine of filling a spiral notebook every month. I’ve been doing this for well over a decade. I have no fear of the blank page because I face it every day in this low-key way.

          I recommend writing:

          Fill a spiral notebook a month as recommended by Natalie Goldberg in her book recommended above. Upside—no fear of blank pages. It's a private way to improve your writing and capture ideas fearlessly.

Start a blog on any topic of interest so you write regularly—never missing a deadline. Gain an audience. Get feedback. Improve your writing fearlessly.

          Take a writing class. I did and besides learning more about the writing craft, I met the new owner of a local magazine there. This led to an internship, then a staff writing position, then Assistant Editor, then Editor, then Editor of two publications, then three, then four. Then all the freelance work I’ve done—and soon a published book—all because I was brave enough to go to one writing class and willing to work hard and fearlessly.

          Cheryl wrote her first book, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage, for one hour each Saturday (all the time she could spare while raising eight children) until completed. She was brave and did some public speaking events. In the audience one night was a woman from Macmillan Publishing. A while later when the current Mighty Mommy left, this woman remembered Cheryl and recommended her to become the company’s Mighty Mommy columnist and podcaster—all because Cheryl pursued her writing dream fearlessly!
.

Amazon has certainly opened up opportunities for authors. I have several friends working on books they plan to publish through Amazon. A friend of one of these friends has published both through a traditional publisher and Amazon, and she prefers Amazon as she has full control over the cover and content and receives more of the profits. Publish fearlessly.

Be fearless! That’s what it takes to be a professional and successful writer!

The Writer;s Crate has NOT ended!!!! Sorry for message.

From Kate's Writing Crate...


Sorry for the mistakenly printed post today. I usually move that post ahead several months just in case something happens to me so the blog doesn't become a ghost blog.

I will still be posting the first Monday of every month.

Thank you for your readership!

New Year, New Organizer

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I don’t live a one-organizer-fits-all life. Does anyone? Which is good as I receive five or six as Christmas gifts each year and I put most of them to good use.

          Friends and family members give me planners with covers of dogs, outdoor scenes, and creative words—all things I love.

          I have a pocket planner for my purse so I know at all times when any family member has a doctor, dentist, or hair appointment—not to mention vet appointments as well. It fits in any purse so it’s always on hand as I schedule follow up appointments or six-month checkups while at the doctor, dentist, or vet, but there’s not much daily space for everything else going on in life. I use initials for events or people I’m supposed to go to or meet, but often need more detailed entries so there is the social events planner for activities, parties, meetings, and gatherings of all sorts.

          This is a larger planner I keep in the kitchen. As invitations arrive in the mail, by email, or phone, I jot them down on a page with enough space to add details like what dish or wine to bring, I also copy over all the information from the pocket planner to make sure there are no conflicts. Then I record dates for any workmen or deliveries. All other family members’ various activities and parties are recorded here, too.

          While not a planner, the family calendar on the wall in the kitchen is the biggest reminder for everyone what is happening that day, week, or month. That has to be updated from my planner—and any additions made by others have to go into my planners.

          No room for errors or disaster strikes!

          Then I need a work planner. As an editor, deadline dates are etched in stone each week or month. I need to assign articles to contributing writers by a certain day. I need them submitted to me by a certain day. I need to edit them by a certain day, then submit them to the Production Department by a certain date. (I mark all work deadline dates with red stars in the social events planner to avoid conflicts so all information is available in one place.)

          For a monthly publication, this gets tricky. For example, I make assignments for the January issue by November 25. This gives writers three weeks to set up interviews, complete interviews, and write their articles. They turn them in to me on December 15, I have until December 18 to edit them and send to the Production Department.

          The Production Department sends me first proofs about two days later. I have one day to make corrections and return them. Final proofs are sent back a day or two later. Generally, I have half a day to make final corrections—and then I start planning the February issue in December.

          This can get confusing—I’m planning Christmas before Halloween every year!—so I write it all down in a big work planner with plenty of space for detailed notes.

I’m also a contributing writer. Article assignments have many dates: a day to schedule an interview, a day for the interview, and a due date for the article. These go in my work planner as well.

My deadline dates for my freelance work also are recorded in my work planner, but I need space for detailed notes so I have a creative planner as well. This one gives me plenty of space to schedule/track the time I spend each day on my own book, screenplay, and freelance assignments as a writer and editor. There are a myriad of dates I need to remember while editing a client’s book. Writing them in a planner is the only way I can stay on track.

A pocket planner, a social events planner, a work planner, and a creative planner should cover all the bases, but I have one more—an inspirational planner.

I pick this one out for myself since it needs to inspire me even as I write my inspirations in it. I like ones that ask questions—sort of writing prompts in case I’m not inspired—but mostly it’s a place to think about future issues and record ideas for the magazines as well as essays, articles, plots for books, short stories, and screenplays. I like to look back to know when I had an idea and then when I completed it.

My life is full and fully documented. It’s the only way I can make sure everything gets done!

2018 Gift Ideas for Writers

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          (I forgot to post this list earlier. Sorry about that.)

These are unpaid recommendations—just things I love!

          Two stocking stuffer ideas:

                   Key chain that says “I disappear into books. What’s your superpower?”

Pack of four or five Field Notes notebooks in a variety of colors. Small and slim, they fit perfectly into a pocket so you can always jot down ideas.

         

For inspiration: Framed quotes by favorite authors or by The Writing         Manifesto.org.

For organization: A Question a Day Planner by Eccolo. The planners are lovely and useful plus the questions are great writing prompts.

Big gift: I just discovered desk chairs with retractable foot rests. During three-day-marathon magazine deadlines, I would love to put my feet up after hours of work and take a cat nap. In one of these chairs, I could. Hoping Santa brings me one!

Happy writing in 2019!

Share the Gift of Written Words with Kids

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

                                 

There are many wonderful and classic books to read to children this time of year. My best memories are of my mom or dad or grandma or grandpa reading their favorite books to my siblings and me. We only saw our grandparents a few times a year so spending time sitting on their laps or huddled together on a couch or bed listening to adventures was fun and exciting. These days parents and grandparents can also read to kids via the Internet.

For the youngest audience, there is Harold at the North Pole by Crockett Johnson. Harold, who always has his trusty purple crayon in his hand, goes on yet another wonder-filled adventure—this time to see Santa and find a Christmas tree. I loved that Harold could create whatever he needed or wanted using his imagination and his crayon. If only crayons worked like that outside of books!

For the three to eight set, The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by J. P. Miller is always a big hit with its scratch and sniff pages. When you think of Christmas as a child or an adult, it’s often the scent of pine and baking cookies that first comes to mind so this book with its six scent pages will create a strong memory for the children you read it to as they experience Christmas along with lead character Little Bear as he and his family prepare for the holiday by baking, getting a tree then decorating it, and receiving a stocking. I can still remember scratching and sniffing those pages as the book was passed around. It made the anticipation of Christmas morning even keener.

There is nothing like the original English adventure novel One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith—not the Disney version—for children about five to ten or eleven. At 199 pages with detailed black and white illustrations, you are whisked away to London and then the English countryside where Pongo and Missis (as Perdita is a different character) in search of their puppies are helped and sheltered by an array of doggy characters including a spaniel in a country manor who shares a delightful tea time with them when they most need comfort. (Serving tea or hot chocolate and buttered toast or Christmas cookies during the reading of chapter 9 is highly recommended.) At a chapter a night you can keep the kids and grandkids on the edge of their seats for 18 nights. Chapter 17 takes place on Christmas Eve in a serene and holy setting followed by the last chapter that continues at the peak of the adventure on Christmas Eve into a happy Christmas Day then into the New Year. As we were a family who had dogs and cats, this adventure appealed to everyone as cats play important roles in the story filled with puppies. We also felt good that the Baddun brothers got their comeuppance—thanks to the Colonel who then promotes himself to Brigadier-General—as well as Cruella and her husband—thanks to their own cat and most every Dalmatian. (Please note that Dalmatians are high-energy dogs so not the best pet for many families although a dog and/or a cat makes a home even homier in my opinion.)

My grandmother loved The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney and illustrated by William Sharp—perfect for kids about six to twelve. Mrs. Pepper is a widow raising her five children in a setting about a hundred years ago. The three brothers and two sisters are a close-knit bunch helping their mother as best they can while still having fun. Life is not always easy and Christmas gifts are difficult to come by and yet the family celebrates all the blessings they do have including their new friend, Jasper, and his German shepherd, Prince, who save the youngest, three-year-old Phronsie, when she goes missing. While there are good times and bad, the family has a happy ending. I believe my grandmother loved this book as more important things than gifts are highlighted in this story. I loved the characters wishing I had an older brother like Ben or Jasper, a sister like Polly, and especially a dog like Prince. (When I grew up, I got a German shepherd just like Prince—my own happy ending!)

Make your holidays more memorable—read to the kids!