I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, following a routine mammogram. Two days later, I finished my first book. Great timing, huh? I’m sharing this because sometimes life sneaks up behind you and pounces. It doesn’t have to be an excuse to set aside your burning passion for publication. If you have the…
Comparisons
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”—Oscar Wilde Comparing your writing to others is a fast-track to a killer case of the blues. Don’t subject yourself to this downward spiral; it’s a waste of your precious time. Concentrating on sharpening your craft, educating yourself and building a platform are much better uses of your effort….
Member’s Play in Production
We’re so proud of KWA member Joyce Markley for making the front page of East Wichita News! Check out the April issue here. The newspaper’s story is about Joyce’s collaboration with Ken Gale to create the musical Save Me a Dance, inspired by the statue of a little girl seen in Wichita’s Maple Grove Cemetery….
Research: Play the Sleuth
I sat at my mother’s kitchen table, surrounded by loved ones. We spent the afternoon sharing memories from their childhood, about growing up in a small town in Missouri. The only thing that interrupted this enjoyable visit was when I had to turn over the tape. I was doing research on a story. Good and…
The Creative Process
There is an urban legend that the great German-born inventor, Albert Einstein, dreamed up his Special Theory of Relativity while riding his bicycle in circles, arms crossed, as he smoked his pipe. It was said that this was his favorite way to ponder a problem. While most regard Einstein as a scientific or mathematical…
Scene Conference 2012
Registration is open for our Scene Conference, March 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita! We kick things off Friday night with a rollicking PITCHAPALOOZA event with The Book Doctors, Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, and a panel of publishing experts including an agent and two publishers. You’ll have the chance to give a short…
Waging War
When Joshua led his troops before the walls of Jericho, they first prepared. The soldiers made ready for battle by girding their loins and shouldering weapons. Writers can arm themselves with their own weapons of war, as they face the battle of the page. From the humble mechanical pen to the latest computer application, wordsmiths…
Passing of Irma Wassall
Former KWA member and celebrated Wichita writer and artist Irma Wassall passed away Jan. 26, 2012. You can view her complete obituary at Kansas.com. A celebration of her life is set for Feb. 5 at Piccadilly (see obituary for details). Irma clearly had a tremendous influence on Wichita’s arts community. Do you have memories of…
Quiet, please. Writer @ Work
We’ve talked before about the voices in your head suddenly going silent. But what if they stay that way? You’re stuck. A deadline is looming ever closer and there’s nothing on the paper but lint. Writer’s block is a familiar, albeit dreaded term that every wordsmith knows. The holidays and all their hubbub are over….
The Secrets of Working Writers: Keyhole Conversations
Bonnie Myrick and Hazel Hart’s new vlog — that’s short for “video blog” — Keyhole Conversations puts a new twist on the author interview. You won’t meet the author exactly. This is a fun way to give voice and characterization to main characters as they talk about the book, and their authors, from the character’s…