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Posts by Carly Sandifer

Aug 6

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How filmmaker David Lynch boosts creativity through meditation

The creative process requires clarity and energy, says award-winning director David Lynch. He advocates meditation as a way of achieving a higher consciousness that leads to a deeper awareness and heightened sense of creativity.

In this 8-minute clip from a speech called “Consciousness, Creativity and the Brain,” Lynch speaks about the impact of meditation on his life and how it can help filmmakers and other artists boost their creativity.

Aug 2

One writer’s secret weapon

In my quest to improve my writing craft, I’m always saving great writing articles and pieces of advice. Like photographs we take and throw in shoeboxes until that day we’ll put them in an album, these articles and snippets of writing advice float around in boxes and folders. No more.

I’m going to follow author Chris Orcutt’s advice. Orcutt saves articles and handwritten notes from books he’s read and posts them in blank composition notebooks. They serve as a customized writer’s resource. He calls them his secret writing weapon. Read more

Jul 31

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How to write in your sleep

A few days ago, I had a flash of insight about a story I wanted to write. I quickly wrote out a draft and after making some changes, I looked at it and decided I was missing some of the deeper meaning.

I’m going to rely on my subconscious self to delve into the deeper meaning. I have a strategy to do this. If you’re also looking for ways to build out a piece of your writing, you may want to try it.

Here’s how:
1. Print a poem, short story, or a few pages of a manuscript you’re working on and read it right before you go to sleep. If you have any outstanding questions about its direction, write them in the margins of your page and think about them as you drift off to sleep. As you sleep, your story will be simmering in your subconscious. Read more

Jul 27

Agents and editors speak: What you should know about submitting your work, part 2

If you’re looking for an agent or editor, you’ll want to show your work in the best possible way. In my last post, I offered four tips for approaching agents and editors. Here are four more.

Note your unique skills and expertise. If have an expertise in an area that pertains to your book, say so. It might give you an edge because you’ll have a connection or built-in audience who will be interested in your book. Read more

Jul 25

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Agents and editors speak: What you should know about submitting your manuscript, part 1

You have written a draft, revised, edited, revised some more. Now you’re finally ready to query an editor or agent. Do you want to improve your chances?

Here is what you should know based on feedback from editors and agents at the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association Conference July 19-22.

Follow the instructions on their websites. You would be surprised at how many people don’t follow the submission guidelines, some going as far as using odd colors and funky typefaces. Do you want to stand out? Submit polished writing and format and send your manuscript according to their instructions. Read more

Jul 23

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Carol Despeaux wins first place in Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association literary contest

OneWildWord writer Carol Despeaux was awarded first place Saturday in the memoir/nonfiction category at the 2012 Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association literary contest award ceremony.

About 550 writers attended the 2012 Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association conference held July 19 to 22 in Seattle.

Despeaux entered an excerpt from her memoir, “Runner Between Worlds.”

Judges received nearly 1000 entries in 12 categories.

Here is the full list of winners: Read more

Jul 19

Tap into your imagination with this one technique

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible”— Jonathan Swift, author

In the movie, “The Magic of Belle Isle,” a single mother and her three children befriend their neighbor, a curmudgeonly wheelchair-bound writer, Monte Wildhorn.

When one of the daughters, 9-year-old Finnegan O’Neil, finds out Wildhorn (played by Morgan Freeman) is a writer, she hires him to give her lessons in finding her imagination. Read more

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