Should Writing be a Punishment? No!

I subbed in a class recently in which one of the punishments was to write a certain sentence over and over...I don't remember how many times.

I really disagree with such a punishment. It makes writing an unpleasant thing, something to be avoided.

Surely there are other ways to discipline.

Lessons Learned from the Mouse

While subbing one day I discovered this wonderful book, Lessons Learned from the Mouse, written by Dennis Snow, who worked for many years at Disney World. He shares some of the secrets to what makes Disney World and Disneyland such magical and happy places. Have you ever seen any grouchy employees at these places? Nope. Here are some of the things that are emphasized to their employees--lessons that can be applied in any job:

1. Never let backstage come onstage.
2. There are no stupid questions--ask what's behind the question.
3. Little wows add up.
4. Have fun with your job--no matter how miserable you feel.
5. Don't be a customer service robot.
6. Pay attention to details.
7. Never ever say "That's not my job"--don't even think it.
8. Everyone has a customer--treat employees that way you would have customers be treated.
9. What ticks off customers?--then do something about it.
10. Take responsibility for your own career.

I really recommend this book. It offers some creative ways of enhancing your job.

http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Mouse-Applying-Secrets-Organization-ebook/dp/B008YHUC8G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422567169&sr=8-1&keywords=lessons+learned+from+the+mouse

Dreaming Up Ideas

The other morning, just before I awoke, I had a fun dream. As the dream's plot unfolded, I remember thinking (in my dream) that it would make a great story, that I would have to remember the plot. I proceeded to wake up so that I wouldn't forget the storyline.

As it turned out, once I was fully awake, the dream wasn't all that great but I did get some ideas for a book that I just may right.

Ideas come from many sources.

Thinking What No One Else Has Thought

Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.

~ Albert Einstein

Where Do Ideas Come?

Writers are sometimes asked, "Where do you get your ideas for your stories?" Ideas come from a pazillion places. If you pay attention during your day to day life, you'll meet up with dozens of them. Some come from snippets of conversation you overhear. Some come from encountering a total stranger in the checkout line. Ideas can come from life experiences, dreams, feelings, and things you read. They can even come from a statement you read on the back of the cereal box.

Keeping a little notebook handy to write down these fleeting ideas is a wise thing to do. If not written down, many a great idea vanishes into thin air within an astonishing short period of time.

Hooks and Leads

I subbed in a sixth grade class yesterday. The writing assignment was on argumentative introductions. The students were to pick a topic sentence and then to write six introductory sentences, one for each of six types:

1. Question
2. Anecdote
3. Strong statement
4. Statistic or fact
5. Unusual detail
I can't remember the sixth.

Some students struggled with coming up with a topic sentence; they would just write down a topic, like bullying, instead of a sentence like: Bullying is a major problem in schools today. Then to come up with different leads for that statement took some quite a long time.

I told them that as a newspaper and magazine journalist, hooks or leads are very important. They're perhaps that hardest part of the article to write, in many cases. If we want someone to read what we've written, however, we have to lure them in with an intriguing hook.

Two Secret Worlds Books Available

I'm delighted to announce that the first two of my Secret Worlds Books are now available on I Book Store, Amazon, Google Books and Kobo. They will soon be available on Nook. Junior readers, ages 8 to 11, will be delighted with Secret of Bombastic Bertha and the Bamboozles and Return of the Schmurthies. The fast-paced stories are packed with adventure, fun, humor and mystery.