by Miko Johnston
We’re barely two months into the new year, but as I contemplate what we’ll write about in the future, and what will inspire us to keep at it, I’ve found some of my answers to those questions in our posts from the previous year.
Hannah wrote about overthinking. How many of us are guilty of getting obsessive about our writing? Characters, plots and background have to be thought out, but we also must keep it all in balance. That has become harder for me to achieve, partly because age has undermined my ability to multitask and partly because my priorities have shifted. I still enjoy writing and am committed to finishing at least two more books, but I’m reminded of Madeline’s piece on Writing Scared, and the idea of switching up the type of writing you do. I’ve done that in the past, so now I’m adding a new avocation – photography.
Years of writing has given me a sense of what works and what doesn’t, and while I still rely on critiques from fellow writers, I often can figure out problems in my manuscript on my own. Not so with my new hobby. I look at a photo and I may like it, but I don’t know why, exactly, nor can I be certain it’s any good. I’ve joined a photography club and have been invited to participate in their biannual exhibit. I’m going to need a lot of critique and advice before I select which pictures I want to use.
Linda’s piece on attending writers conferences reminded me that many more may be held this year as the risk from the recent pandemic fades from our memory, if not from our lives. Will these events be successful, or will the attendance habit, having been interrupted, be broken? Costs, from registration to travel to hotels and meals, will likely be higher than we remember. I can see where some will be very selective about which they’ll attend while others choose not to register for conferences at all.
Gayle’s piece on The Future of the Written Word really resonated with me. I’m often puzzled, even shocked, by how many words have been usurped and had their meanings altered, some with additions, some with subtractions. Regardless, these 2.0 definitions have led to divisions. A lack of clarification, or precision, makes the word’s meaning, well, meaningless. I suspect if any of the worst offenders of this phenomenon were reading this, they would have stopped at usurped (insert my sarcastic smirk here).
And speaking of the written word, Jill contributed a post on a similar, if lighter, topic – the subtle differences between American and British English. With three Brits in our WinR group and many others within our writing circle, it can be a challenge.
Rosemary’s Collecting Memories touched me. While clearing out closets and shelves in anticipation of a thorough spring cleaning, I’ve uncovered a trove of precious mementos – cards, notes and letters from family and friends, some going back to my birth. Programs from bar/bat mitzvas, funerals, and other events. Menus from private supper clubs, conference galas and corporate dinners at restaurants. Each find brought back wonderful memories of the people and places I’ve enjoyed over the years. That included a copy of the dedication that went into the L.A. Library’s copy of Rosemary’s book, “Hollywood Then and Now”, in memory of her beloved husband Rick. Her post reminded me that these keepsakes – all comprised of words – and the memories they invoke, are precious, something Maggie explained so eloquently in her post based on the “a reason, a season, or a lifetime” quote.
Jackie’s interviews with writers as well as all the fabulous guest posts she’d arranged added dimension to our blog, and her piece on naming characters had many solid tips I’ve come to rely on. And I’ll add a special shout-out for all the technical help she’s provided to us, especially a technical “muggle” like me.
There are many more posts from my co-WinRs that have and continue to inspire me. I can only hope I might have had the same effect on them, as well as our readers.
Miko Johnston, a founding member of The Writers in Residence, is the author of the historical fiction series, “A Petal in the Wind”, as well as a contributor to several anthologies including the about-t0-be-released “Whidbey Island: An Insider’s Guide”. Miko lives in Washington (the big one) with her rocket scientist husband. Contact her at mikojohnstonauthor@gmail.com
The Writers in Residence 
Miko, how astute you are! Who’d have thought to gather fellow Writers in Residence musings and apply them to your WIP. Actually, not musings but something much more profound as well as the sharing of some of our deepest thoughts on the writing condition. Inspiration, indeed. Thank you, Miko, for pointing out something so obvious. And this post post of yours today is a treasure, indeed.
jill
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Thanks, Jill. We get together here to share our musings, thoughts and experience with our readers. Our mission is to inform and encourage writers, and I believe that should – and does – include ourselves.
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If we’re not learning, we’re not living. I have gained lots of insights from our group on how to write and also how to overcome those roadblocks that keep getting in our way…like life in general. But those bumps along the way can make our writing more real. I want readers to walk away from a story and wonder: How much of that story was real? As I told someone who read my spy novels: The facts are true. I made up the rest. Write On!
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I agree, we must never stop learning or working around the roadblocks, whether in writing or in life. And I’ll be quoting your line about true facts when I present pages of my WIP that cover what I learned during my trip to Prague. Stay tuned.
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Miko, thanks for taking us back to some wonderful and thoughtful posts. We’ve truly created a treasure trove. I’ve started to go through our archives, starting with our inaugural post of November 2008 when Jackie Vick wrote about writing habits.
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Brilliant of you to mine the archives. I encourage all readers of this blog to do so. Some wonderful insight and guidance from current as well as former members of Writers in Residence.
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Thanks for reminding us of our past posts, Miko! I’ll have to go through them again one of these days, too. Or maybe I won’t have to, thanks to your enjoyable post! Ah, the memories.
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Great memories indeed, Linda. We’ve surpassed fifteen years of providing information and inspiration for writers, something I’m reminded of each time I delve into the archives.
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Miko, your words really do inspire, once again. I treasure the history that we bloggers here have shared over the years. It has been grounding and uplifting at the same time. Your post has showed the ‘rich tapestry’ of our shared experiences. A wonderful ray of sunshine on a gray, rainy day in Hollywood!
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Thanks, Rosemary. I’ve been inspired by the posts of my fellow WInRs for over a decade, and look forward to reading what they’ve contributed each week.
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As one of the editors of The Writers In Residence, I got to see many of these posts before they were originally posted. So in reading them then and your reminders now, Miko, I’ve enjoyed them THREE times. Thanks! We are an eclectic group, and I hope our readers (even if they remain silent) receive encouragement, instruction, and a little fun from our Wednesday posts.
And I have to add, YOUR posts always take us up to a higher skill level, and challenge our writing to be the best it can! Thanks.
(And thank you for this quick substitute post for another member. Love to you both.)
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Jackie, our stated purpose is “to entertain, inform and encourage” writers. We WInRs are writers as well, so I’m always pleased to see how our mission applies to us as well as others.
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Miko – wow … what an incredible post jam-packed with highlights, all of which resonated with me. It is thought-provoking and I have already read it three times. I love that you have taken up photography – I have a yearning to learn how to paint but I’m not sure how to fit it into my life. At age 100, my late friend Diana Swayne took up watercolours (and was good at it). She lived until she was 104 so there is hope for me yet. A very inspiring post. I echo Jackie too when she commented that YOUR posts really do take us to a higher skill level.
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Thank you for your flattering comments, Hannah. The writing quality from this group always challenges me to do my best. And do pursue painting, another wonderful way to keep creativity alive and thriving.
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