Lisa Alpine - Newsletter





	Journey Into Writing Newsletter October 2005 Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at the blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead. - Gene Fowler In my last newsletter I asked readers to write me about their writing progress. I know how difficult it is to keep the writing flowing no matter how dry the ink well seems in the moment or how challenging it is to write without an external deadline. Dr. Stephan Kraus, who was in my first Book Birthing workshop several years ago, and went on to self-publish his book, impresses me with his determination to succeed. His note has some good advice for future authors: I just got an email from my contact at the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The guy I work with there has a multi-book contract with Harper Collins, and he is interested in co-authoring a book with me. Yay! This is another lesson I’ve been learning – in addition to building the platform before writing the book, I’m trying to partner with people who already have a big platform and/or contacts at publishers. You may read his newsletter and blog at: www.RealScienceOfSuccess.com And Mary Hansen sent an encouraging note for people writing about their military experiences: It gives me inspiration to work on my writing. I found out one exciting thing about my writing project for my military experience. It doesn't matter how good or bad it is, the Library of Congress will accept it for their historical project for Veterans. So because there are so few women from my era, my work is good for a few centuries at least.... to be referenced long after my death. They will accept everything I write on the subject. * Please keep me posted with your epiphanies, successes and writing leads which I can pass on to my readership. CLASSES: I will be teaching private individual writing classes and coaching sessions from Friday, October 14 through Friday, October 21 in the Bay Area. The cost is $75 an hour. Feel free to contact me about what these special sessions may achieve in your quest to weave words into stories. If you like to mix words with travel then consider my Travel Writing Workshop taught in San Francisco at the Writing Salon on Saturday, October 22 from 10 AM – 4 PM. The cost is $95. You can find out more about my writing classes and private editing and coaching services at www.lisaalpine.com AWARDS: The Wild Writing Women, my writing group and literary salon impresarios, have been awarded the 2005 Lowell Thomas Gold Prize by the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) for their website, wildwritingwomen.com, and online magazine. The Society of American Travel Writers represents more than 1300 professional journalists, photographers, and media relations professionals in North America. The SATW judges also enjoyed the Taking Flight issue of Wild Writing Women Magazine, commenting, "What makes Taking Flight particularly refreshing is its exploration of travel as a vehicle for empowerment and personal growth." To read our award winning ezine, go to www.wildwritingwomen.com EVENTS: The Wild Writing Women Literary Salon is held each first Wednesday of the month at San Francisco's Monticello Inn. These evenings have become mini-seminars with experienced authors offering great insights on the craft of writing. Our salon is free, open to the public and no reservations or RSVPs are required. So join us, and prepare to be inspired! Our speaker this Wednesday, October 5 art 5:30 PM is Elaine Lee** who will speak on writing guidebooks. Elaine is the author/editor of Go Girl: The Black Woman's Book of Travel and Adventure. Her cyberhome is http://www.ugogurl.com. * This expo is an excellent source of travel destination material: The upcoming Adventures in Travel Expo, November 12-13, is the world’s largest travel and adventure show – will hit the San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center in November, gathering hundreds of destinations, resorts, tour operators and outfitters from across the globe. From walking tours in China to river tubing in Panama, from golfing in Ireland to fly fishing in Belize – ATE will offer everything needed to help attendees plan their dream vacations. For more information, visit www.adventureexpo.com or call (203) 878-2577 ext. 100. * That is all for now. I hope that your life is full and that you share that fullness with others. Don’t forget to send me a note about your writing projects and events. JOURNEY INTO WRITING September 05 Newsletter How are you this season of changing colors and moods? Have you been wrestling words onto the page or have they been layering themselves on like smooth flowing oil paints textured with your emotions and linguistic skills? What are you writing about? Email me. I would really like to know! CLASSES: I will be teaching private individual writing classes and coaching sessions from Friday, October 14 through Friday, October 21 in the Bay Area. The cost is $75 an hour. Feel free to contact me about what these special sessions may achieve in your quest to weave words into stories. If you like to mix words with travel then consider my Travel Writing Workshop taught in San Francisco at the Writing Salon on Saturday, October 22 from 10 AM - 4 PM. The cost is $95. Here is a testimonial from a woman who took my recent workshop: I just wanted to say thank you so much for the wonderful travel writing workshop. The information you provided was very useful--I felt like I really got a sense of how to approach travel writing from a business perspective (which is something that I was really unfamiliar with before) and I really felt inspired by the whole workshop. I think the best advice you gave was to keep on writing and keep on working on improving your writing. I am the type of person who has a lot of good ideas for travel writing, but I rarely finish my stories. However, since the workshop I have been working on setting deadlines for myself and just setting aside time every day for the purpose of writing. -Kareasa W. You can find out more about my writing classes and private editing and coaching services at www.lisaalpine.com EVENTS: I will be including event announcements and resource information for writers in future newsletters. Please pass on details regarding your book readings and other information you would like to share with our writing community. Here is a writer's event for one of my favorite nonprofits in the world: The Global Fund for Women. Diane Lebow, a fine writer and student of both dance and writing, will be one of the readers at: Joining Our Voices: An Evening of Author Readings to Benefit the Global Fund for Women. DATE: Thurs. Sept. 22 TIME: 6:30-8:30 PM LOCATION: 1st Unitarian Universalist Center of SF, 1187 Franklin St. (at Geary).ADMISSION: $15 minimum donation, by cash or check at door. All proceeds go to the Global Fund for Women. RSVPs (greatly appreciated) or questions to event host Nancy Frank at NCoopFrank@aol.com or 415 377 3045. (You can learn more about the Global Fund for Women's work at www.globalfundforwomen.org.) * Another author event which promotes a past student's work is the book tour for Leslie Keehn's novel, Crack Dwellers. At each event, Leslie will discuss how the story evolved and how the themes in the book are playing out in today's headlines. September 30, 2005 ~ 7:00 p.m. Sisterspirit Bookstore 938 The Alameda San Jose, California 95126 http://www.sisterspirit.org October 20, 2005 ~ 7:00 p.m. Bluestockings Books 172 Allen Street New York, New York 10002 http://www.bluestockings.com November 3, 2005 ~ 6:30 p.m. Bay Books 1029 Orange Avenue Coronado, California 92118 http://www.baybookscoronado.com To learn more about Crack Dwellers, visit: http://www.lesliekeehn.com * Li Miao Lovett, yet another talented writer and dancer in the Bay Area, offers us a resource link: Very few foreign works find their way to American readers, while works in English are the dominant books in translation. Words Without Borders is an online resource that promotes the diversity of voices from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas - authors writing in their native language. The website features translated excerpts of their stories and poems, and a free e-newsletter you can sign up for. You can check out the website: www.wordswithoutborders.org - any suggestions for the content are appreciated as well. * I do believe that dancing (my other creative passion) and writing make a lovely duet in the creative firing of the inspirational juices. Here is a passage from John Lee's book, "Writing from the Body":"People who are breathing their own lives not only encouraged us to take deep breaths, but showed us how to do it. They invited the air with their whole bodies... In our search for mentors, we must bear in mind that we need the support of people who LIVE in their bodies, who aren't just visitors in their own skins" That is all for now. I hope that your life is full and that you share that fullness with others. Don't forget to send me a note about your writing projects and events. Past editions of Journey Into Writing can be found here.**

To register for workshops, inquire about private writing & authoring sessions, article assignments & reprints, and other info: Contact Lisa Alpine at writing@lisaalpine.com or call 541 941-4759 home • workshops & events calendar • writing services article archives • bio • book orders • newsletter