Hi. I'm Jenna McGuiggan.
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Friday
Oct012010

Creative (grunt) Work

in my neighborhood

The blog has been a bit light on content lately, I know. I'm sorry about that. As you can probably tell, I've been pouring a lot of effort into my upcoming online writing course. I'm also working on my critical thesis for grad school. Every day I hope to fit in some creative writing too, but so far that's been sparse. I'm in that stage of projects when you're working overtime, but it feels more like running in place or on some sort of big, looped treadmill. I swear I passed that tree already. And that rock looks suspiciously familiar.

I talked to a friend recently and she commented on how "exciting" my life is with all of these projects and the travel I've been doing. I am grateful for all of these things in my life. And it's really good to have friends remind me of all I've done and am doing. I routinely feel like I'm not doing enough, that I could be doing things better, that I'm somehow falling behind. I feel like this even when I've spent all day doing-doing-doing. Crazy, right? (There's that same tree and rock again....)

But as I told my friend, most of the time I'm not traveling or doing the fabulous parts of projects. Most days it's just me and my cats in my suburban house. A lot of the work for these creative projects is grunt work, slogging through the details. There are moments of inspiration and joy, but a lot of time I'm toiling away on things that aren't at all glamorous. My everyday life is quiet and rather boring. Sometimes I like this, because the quiet and solitude allows me time to do the nitty-gritty work of these projects I love. But I think it's also the reason I spend so much time online and why I travel so often: I'm out looking for signs of life, for other rocks and other trees.

My husband has the next week off from work, but I'll still be running laps to meet my project deadlines. But at least one day next week I'm going to go out and find a new tree to look at, just as a way to rest my eyes, legs, and mind.

p.s. I should also say that I'm not complaining about the project deadlines and all the work that goes into meeting them. I spent years and years not following my creative dreams. Now that I am, I feel extraordinarily fortunate to spend my time working on things I care about and believe in. I would rather slog through the details of these things than go back to slogging through a job I dislike. I love these rocks and trees. I really do.

Tuesday
Sep282010

Alchemy: The backstory

In this video I share a bit of the backstory and details of Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing. Remember, register by this Thursday (September 30) to save $30.

Below are a few of the points I cover in the video.

  • Alchemy is the process of transforming something common into something special. In this case, the something common is words, and the something special is your story.
  • Although the word alchemy is traditionally used to refer to the practice of trying to change base metals into gold, we will not be doing any metallurgy or chemistry in this version of Alchemy. :)
  • I think of writing as a form of alchemy in which we combine the muse with writing techniques to create works of art.
  • During the course, I'll share writing techniques that have helped to improve my writing, but I'll never tell you what you have to do or cannot do. You'll be encouraged to take the techniques and make them your own.
  • Just as a painter can expand her vision and skills by knowing how the tools of her trade work, writers need to know what tools and techniques are available to them.
  • The course runs for six weeks (October 11 - November 21). Participants will have access to the materials and private website through mid-January.
  • Some fabulous guests are going to join us.
  • I hope to see you in the class!
Wednesday
Sep222010

Dealing with Feedback (In The Word Cellar)

Frog Creek Lodge, WA

One of the best things about getting feedback on my writing during grad school? Advisors who disagree with each other. Seriously.

**  **  **

One essay, two opinions:

I love how the essay turns here and you start using the pronoun "you," almost as if you're guiding the reader through the landscape and giving them directions. I like the intimate feel of this.

*

I don't think the essay works as well here when you begin to address the reader as "you" and give them directions such as "If you walk here...." The tone changes and doesn't match the rest of the piece. You start to sound like a travel guide.

**  **  **

These next comments refer to two different essays, but they highlight the two advisors' differing world views:

You're too hard on yourself in this portrayal. Don't hold yourself to such high standards!

*

You could probe more deeply into your own mistakes and shortcomings.

**  **  **

See? Isn't that fun? (I should note that the above statements are paraphrasings, not direct quotes.)

**  **  **

Each month, I send about 30 pages of writing to my grad school faculty advisor, who reads it and then offers feedback and suggestions on what's working and what could be working better. I'm in my third semester of this process, long enough to have had several different faculty members read some of the same pieces as I edit them. (I work with a new advisor each semester.) I respect all of these professors as writers, teachers, and scholars. These are smart, well-read, and wicked-good writers.

But I don't always agree with what they tell me. One of the best parts is that they don't always agree with each other. I love it when this happens, because it frees me to figure out what I think. Of course, I'm free to figure that out at any time, but receiving conflicting feedback is a great catalyst for this.

But what happens when multiple people say that something isn't working in a story? It's another invitation to figure out what I think. I step back and take a fresh look at the writing in question. I may decide that it's just the way I want it, feedback be damned! Or I may realize I need to tweak it to make it work better for readers. Or I may decide I need to rewrite or delete it completely.

Getting feedback on your work can be intimidating, nerve wracking, and downright maddening. But if you can take everything with a grain of salt (and maybe a shot of tequila with a squeeze of lime), you have the opportunity to see how readers respond to your work, which can be valuable.

Say you're in a workshop with fellow writers. If nobody in the room understands that your main character was a ghost, and you wanted readers to understand that your main character was a ghost, well, it's time to rethink how you present Ghosty.

If half the room gets Ghosty and half doesn't, then it's time to consider who you want to listen to. (You can set your own criteria for this. I like to side with whichever group has the better writers. Or whichever group has the most cool people in it. Either way.)

Receiving feedback on your work takes some getting used to. I recommend seeking out people who respect you and whom you respect. It's good if they're also kind. Even if I don't like the feedback someone gives me, I try to step back and see if there's any truth or merit in what they said. If there is, I take what I need from it and apply it to my work. If there isn't, I try to let go of it gracefully.

But here's the most important part: In the end you have to trust yourself and stay true to your vision. Some people will get it, and some won't. And that's just fine. So I say be open to feedback, but let your own voice be the one that guides you.

Want more writing tips? Join me in October and November for Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing, an online course for creative souls. Register by Sept. 30 to save $30!

In The Word Cellar runs on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Read other posts in the series here.

Tuesday
Sep212010

Special Alchemy Sale!

Special deal: Register by September 30 and save $30!

I'm having so much fun building the guest list for Alchemy and packing the course with the juicy bits of inspiration and practical techniques that have had a magical effect on my writing. I can't wait to share all of this with you next month and help you create your own magic.

I've heard from some of you that you're eager to take the course but that your finances are not quite so eager. I understand. So I'm offering a discount on the registration price through the end of the month. Register by September 30 and save $30!

This discount applies to all three registration options, which means you can snag a really sweet deal through the end of the month. Check it out:

  • Option 1 ($119): You get the 6-week course and the private online community, plus access to everything for 8 weeks after the course ends for just $119. (Starting October 1 this option will be $149.)
  • Option 2 ($169): Get the course, the community, the extended access, AND one private editing or coaching session with me for just $169. (This saves you $30 off the course plus 17% off my normal one-on-one fees!) (Starting October 1 this option will be $199.)
  • Option 3 ($199): Get the course, the online community, the extended access, AND TWO private editing or coaching sessions with me for just $199. (This saves you $30 off the course plus 33% off my normal one-on-one fees!) (Starting October 1 this option will be $229.)

I've created Alchemy for creative souls like you who want to learn to tell their stories so people will read -- and feel -- them. I believe that writing is an art form. And like all art forms, it's a combination of practicality and magic. That's why I designed the course to include both practical, usable techniques and nuggets of inspiration and encouragement.

If you want to learn new writing skills, be inspired, and be part of a supportive writing community, please sign-up today and save $30.

(And to say thank you to you early birds who have already registered, I'll be contacting you about giving you the same discount!)

Get more details here or contact me with questions.

Monday
Sep202010

The Alchemy Guest List (you're invited, too!)

Putting together the Alchemy writing course feels a bit like planning a party and then holding my breath to see who on the guest list will come. I'm thrilled to announce four of the featured guests who have RSVP'd "yes." Check them out. I can't wait to share their stories and wisdom with you, because, remember, you are totally invited. I'm keeping a spot open just for you. Will you join us in October and November?

Brené Brown, PhD: professor and vulnerability researcher at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work; expert on the topics of shame and guilt; author of the books The Gifts of Imperfection and I Thought It Was Just Me, the DVD "The Hustle for Worthiness," and the curriculum "Connections." Brené will work with us to overcome the shame that can get in the way during the writing and editing processes. We'll learn about replacing fear with joy!

Liz Lamoreux: author of Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media; yoga teacher, editor, artist, workshop teacher, and creator of the Be Present retreats. Liz will help us to get in touch with our senses and to tap into the worlds inside and outside of ourselves, so we can begin to translate all of this richness into words on the page.

Kyran Pittman: author of Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life; contributing editor for Good Housekeeping magazine; a native of Newfoundland now living in the American south. Kyran will share her tips on finding the stories in our everyday lives.

Meredith Winn: a writer who finds herself having a love affair with photography; regular contributor to Shutter Sisters; Meredith's writing has appeared in Literary Mama, Midwifery Today, HipMama, Motherverse, Mamazine, and the forthcoming anthology Mother Birth (vol. 1 & 2). With Meredith we'll explore finding our artistic voices and tapping into the multifaceted, authentic parts of ourselves that help us to create.

Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing is an online course for creative souls. Join us October 11 - November 21 for a magical combination of practical writing techniques and nuggets of inspiration to help you deepen and widen your writing. (Registration closes October 5.)