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Jeanne Malmgren's avatar

You got me with those bear hunters. They're all over my mountains right now, and this is a week I dread all year. It's soooo disturbing. In other news, I can't wait for the workshop on Saturday!

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Becki Clifton's avatar

I’m working on an essay about deer dog hunters who run the property behind mine. They’ll start Thanksgiving day & run the rest of the season. There has been a generational disdain for it over 50 years, yet it continues. It’s the only thing that ever makes me want to leave my place.

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Jeanne Malmgren's avatar

That's going to be a powerful essay, Becki. I can feel it already.

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Julia McSherry's avatar

yes a whole workshop on metaphors! figurative language also often easier said than done.

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Ray Zimmerman's avatar

Lovely essay. Thank you for reminding us to keep our writing alive. The bear hunt example is excellent.

On November 1, I participated in a mass book launch with six other poets. We did good promotional work and got a nice turnout. On November 2, I had a signing with five other poets (some overlap with those at the launch) and we did an impromptu reading to a smaller but enthusiastic crowd, I thought about attending the metaphor workshop, but could not have been fully present.

I wish the other Journey in Place writing community members such success. I know some of you are more successful. Working together is always a good idea. If seven writers hold a joint presentation and each persuades ten people to come, a seventy-person audience hears your work.

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Julia McSherry's avatar

Love this piece about making your work hormonal and a living, breathing thing, through letting the reader experience, not telling. Sometimes showing is easier said than done. Practice.

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Jenny Wright's avatar

A wonderful picture of yourself and your horse friend, Janisse. I looks like you've both been together for years. Thank you for this regarding showing. Approaching it from the aspect of a hormonal emotional reaction is a new way to think about it for me, and something I will definitely use. The example you provided illustrates show vs. telling well.

There are times in our lives that hijack our work, and I appreciate your honesty in noting that during the hurricane, you missed some days of writing. Completely understandable! Not to mention it makes me feel less guilty about days of no writing. That Raven carried on painting is commendable.

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Becki Clifton's avatar

I wrote in my journal almost every day after the storm until I went back to work on Day 6, then I was just too exhausted & consumed by all the stories I was told & things I observed as I drove around the county. Plus it would be 2 more weeks before we had electricity & I was assisting my elderly neighbor in the swamp to make sure she had everything she needed. By the time the power came back on day 18, the relief that washed over me, also knocked me down for another week. Overwhelmed with gratitude & allowing myself to rest turned me into a slug for a few days, but the words are beginning to flow again. Can’t wait to see you Saturday!

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Ray Zimmerman's avatar

We have all been slugs at one time or another.

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Mark Loyacano's avatar

Perfect! ‘Showing’ is what I’ve been struggling with all week. I’ll keep at it. That’s the only way I know of to improve (I should have started by working on this sentence).

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