Author Archives: first person productions
Book Review “Farm City” or–Living vicariously through memoir
I’m reading Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer. I am sure there are plenty of people reading this book in preparation for building their own raised beds on a vacant nearby lot, ordering their own box of mixed … Continue reading
A tip on keeping your writing active
The following is from a lesson for a Story Circle Network class I taught titled “Summer Fun and Games for Writers.” When I ask you to describe a character, you will be tempted to write using forms of the verb … Continue reading
How To Carve An Angel
Claire Vorster, who blogs at http://www.clairesteaparty.com, sent me the following guest post after reading my post, #@!! writing prompts. You’ll find a source of good writing prompts at her blog. Read on for one example… “I saw the angel in the marble … Continue reading
Racial Tension, Indianapolis 1968
By Sarah White This memory is only a snapshot, a minute of film with the details gone fuzzy but the composition and the action intact. I’m struggling to figure out what it means, why it seems important to write it … Continue reading
Another contest: Story Circle Network
I’m a member of–and occasionally teach for–Story Circle Network, a community for women with stories to tell. I just got word that the Susan Wittig Albert LifeWriting Competition is open for 2011. Deadline is June 30 for up to 1200 … Continue reading
Have Your Life Story Published with Glamour’s Contest
News flash–$5000 goes to the winner of Glamour Magazine’s “My Real-Life Story” essay contest. Essays of 2500 to 3500 words are due by August 15. Find out more here…. A notice about the contest on About.com says, “A panel of … Continue reading
Book review: A Week at the Airport
By happy coincidence, I had Alain de Botton’s A Week at the Airport on my reading stand at the same time April Manning posted on her blog a fantastic musing on how she loves the airport. I love airports too. My ears … Continue reading
“Five Stages of Memoir”
Reading the New York Time’s Book Review from Sunday, March 20, I came across this sentence written by Susan Cheever, the opening line of her review of John Darnton’s Almost a Family. “We are all familiar with the five stages … Continue reading
Maria from the Sewing Room
by Linda Lenzke This narrative poem is a departure from the memoir-based prose you typically publish. I’m discovering that my recent poetry is taking on a a more prose-like narrative style. It was written in response to a prompt from my … Continue reading
The Mother Trip
By Sarah White The spring I was 10 – 1967 – my mother went to England for two weeks. Before she left she attempted to train me to take over her job as mother. Instead she made me a feminist. At that … Continue reading
True Stories Well Told 