Golden Days

Tuesday Tips| Wednesday Writings| Inspirational Fridays| Suphero Sci-Fi Fantasy

[goldenquillpress]

Be Back Soon

Golden Quill Press will be taking a temporary break from our Golden Days posts to revamp our tips, writings and inspirational thoughts based on recent requests from our followers. During our absence if you have any requests, please feel free to leave them here and we will add them to our list of upcoming topics of consideration. Thank you again for your understanding and for following Golden Days. Watch for us to return soon!

[goldenquillpress]

Wednesday Writing

Planning to Write is like preparing to go on vacation, you wouldn’t just go… you would decide where to go, how to get there, what to pack and where you will stay, how long and what you will do when you get there.

If you can just apply this concept to your writing, you will find your story will begin to write itself.  

You need to begin by setting your place to write. Then decide what is your preferred writing vehicle; computer, tablet, recorder, or even pen and paper?

Whatever method you choose you need a place for notes to set up files, folders, and once you have those keep everything--chapter ideas and concepts, anything relating to your book.

Where you will write, should be a quiet place – put up a “do not disturb” sign, and be sure to tell friends and family you are away; unreachable during your writing time. Before you start turn off all devices.  

Once you have all that set up it is time to reserve your time on a writing calendar and decide what you want to accomplish during your writing session and how long that session will last.  Once you have all that done begin your vacation time.

As with any vacation- it is wonderful, but after a while you are ready to get back to the real world.  Once you get into the midst of it,  you are ready for that vacation again…the beauty for a writer is, you can have that again as soon as you get your writing calendar updated…fill in those writing appointments and if you are brave enough make a reservation for 6 months from that date to review where you are!  Good Writing!

If you have any questions on this topic please feel free to ask, please leave comment, please follow our Wednesday writing and re-blog, “like” refer friends and tell us what else we can post to help you.

[goldenquillpress]

Tuesday Tip

Do you love to take a Vacation?  

~Most people love to at least take that break and get away from work…whether they stay home or go somewhere new.  

~Writing is letting yourself take that vacation – you take your mind to that special place that only you can go; at least until your story is written, and then others can vacation with you!

[goldenquillpress]

About Golden Days

This blog was created to help writers who have either started or stopped a book or have  always thought about writing a book but never fully gone through with it. We hope this blog inspires writers with the help of our tips, (from an experienced writer, editor and publisher), writings and motivational words to bring writing to life for you!

Interact with us!

Ask questions!

Add comments!

Share with friends!

This is a no hate and no politics blog. 

[goldenquillpress]

Inspirational Friday

~“Writers who have a love of words, have a great respect for how to use them.”  F. Barish-Stern  

~“Everywhere I go I’m asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them. There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.” – Flannery O’Connor

[goldenquillpress]

Wednesday Writing

The Therapeutic Beauty of Writing

During this pandemic many people are finding they have excess time, but they are also stressed about our times.  In a recent podcast, Michelle Obama admitted that even for her, low bouts of depression can seep into her day; questions about where our world is going and what tomorrow will bring.  Not just Coronavirus but the state of our country…and the world.  These are difficult issues to deal with, but we must find a way to get from day to day and not let them overwhelm us.

Working with writers on mental health books over the years has taught me that Writing is a “therapeutic” tool.  It has incredible healing properties and all you have to do is sit down with: pad and pen, computer or tablet, recorder or any device you choose; any place any time and just write what we call, “Stream of consciousness.”  

That means just let your mind release whatever is going on…let it flow with whatever it is thinking…feeling…holding inside and whatever it is gnawing over that it doesn’t want to release!  

Then put the writing away for a day or two.  Don’t look at it…don’t read it…don’t even think about it!  Go on your way.  

After that time has passed, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and sit down and read it; out loud!  Listen to the words.  Realize they come from a place within you, but that you have allowed enough time and distance that you can look at them objectively; as if they were someone else’s words you are reading.  Yes, the feelings are still there; but you are better able to deal with them, because you have realized the emotions they swell inside you and have given them up to the paper.  

When you finish, you should feel better and can rip them up or store them for future use of some sort.  If however, when you hear the words they still upset you …put them away for a another day  and do the reading pattern again until you can finally accept that these words belong to the paper and can no longer dwell inside.    

During this time of Pandemic, and constantly evolving difficult issues in our world, each day brings more news that is harder to deal with, and what we need to do is deal with each day’s feelings and try not to let them accumulate.  So by doing this exercise you can deal with each days feeling and let them go …one by one.

You may still have upsetting feelings, but you have basically allowed yourself to stare at them on the paper, hear them and come to terms with them for yourself. That is the therapeutic beauty of writing!

If you have any questions on this topic please feel free to ask, please leave comment, please follow our Wednesday writing and re-blog, “like” refer friends and tell us what else we can post to help you.

[goldenquillpress]

Inspirational Friday

“Teach children to allow themselves to open up; let their imaginations soar and write what they feel…unhampered….”  F. Barish-Stern

“There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.”— J.K. Rowling

[goldenquillpress]

Wednesday Writing

Recalling Why People Write

Years ago, I met a lot of people who were very disappointed writers.  The publishing field was changing and big publishers were emerging that no longer allowed submissions of un-agented writers work or accepted unsolicited work.

In some cases, smaller more targeted houses were emerging, but the number of submissions they took were so few that many writers didn’t have much of a chance.

Getting an agent was in many cases as hard as getting a publisher.  And many of the requirements of the publishers and agents were so stringent that in the long run the books did not get published.

Now as a disclaimer let me say – books did get published- newcomers did find agents and publishers, but let’s talk those who didn’t – the great majority.

So these unknown, unfound writers, put their work in drawers never to be seen again.

And then along came Amazon!  And now so many of these writers are published.  But let me interject two thoughts.  

We should always write because we have a burning desire to say something – to reach an audience – not to become rich – that’s not a bad idea, but it doesn’t happen to everyone who writes a book, and it really shouldn’t be the prime reason.  

And if you are going to write a book make sure it is your best; professionally edited, good cover, properly put together with correct manuscript preparation; something you will be proud of and that someone who pays money for will, not be unhappy that they did.

If you have any questions on this topic please feel free to ask, please leave comment, please follow our Wednesday Writings and re-blog, “like” refer friends and tell us what else we can post to help you.

[goldenquillpress]

Tuesday Tip

It Takes a “HOOK” to Grab Your Reader’s Attention

In fishing you need a hook to grab the fish, but in writing there are so many books out in the public, that if you don’t have a “hook,” the only way to hold that reader is if you are an author they want to read or if the topic is something of special interest.

So let’s eliminate both the latter.  A reader found your book – it sounds interesting. Ten pages later will they still be reading or will they put it down… it will depend on your “Hook!”  

Did you throw something into your writing that makes the reader have to keep going…a question… a point that needs to be resolved…a character that disappears….something that will not let the reader just abandon the story.  But with so many brilliant story plots it needs to be exciting and worth the readers time…so be sure your “hook” is spectacular….  Oh, one more really important point.  

Don’t forget to resolve the “hook!”  Readers get really annoyed when they’ve given you their time to read your words…and you leave them hanging.  Unless there is a sequel; be sure to wrap up all the loose ends!      

Leave any questions about “Hooks”  or add your comments.  Please “like” these tips, re-blog - Follow us and refer us to others.

[goldenquillpress]

25 posts!

[goldenquillpress]

Wednesday Writing

Why We Write? By F. Barish-Stern

Did you ever dream a dream and wake to wish you could hold on to it? Writing is that dream answered. When we write not only can we hold onto that dream, we can expand on it; we can take it to new heights, we can build new scenarios, we can stay locked in that dream as long as we wish; without having to wake…and lose the feeling.

When you write you can regain that feeling of incredibleness and take it wherever you want it to go…you are only limited by your imagination. Unlike dreams which we have no real control of and most of the time wake in the middle…and soon forget…writing is a never-ending experience that we can re-live over and over again…expand on; change…re-write and continue to embark on for as long as we wish.

If this dream is for a book or a story, you can write it from the depths of your sleepy sub-conscious.

But if this writing is only for you to read; what a magnificent journey to create your own dream, your own special place that you can visit again and again.

Writing has so many positive outcomes, this is only one reason to give it a try!

[goldenquillpress]

A Reason to Write

Writing is a therapeutic tool

It can take whatever is inside of us; gnawing at us, buried deep in our minds,  which sometimes we don’t even know is there, and pull it from our insides, off our shoulders and once it is down on the paper, it becomes part of the universe.There it can be looked at, examined; as if it belonged to someone else. We can be objective, but we can also be relieved that it is out in the open, no longer locked inside our guts. When we have deep issues just getting them down on paper is a step in the right (write) direction!

[goldenquillpress]

Tuesday Tips

When writing dialogue “he said,” or “she said” may be all you need to make your characters and scenes come alive. When you feel you want more colorful descriptive words, try some of these:

Added, agreed, answered, barked, bellowed, commanded, complained, declared, directed, demanded, explained, gasped, groaned, grumbled, hissed, hollered, injected, insisted….

These are just a few.  Build your own list of words to use instead of SAID  

[goldenquillpress]

Inspirational Fridays

During these days we find ourselves out of school and work; social distancing from our friends and in many cases…very much alone. We have prepared these Inspirational Thoughts in the hope that they may help bring clarity to those times of solitude. 

WRITING

Writing is a wonderful solitary activity.  Whether you want to write a book, a story, journal, jot down poems or just thoughts, writing can reveal a lot about what is going on inside of us, but it can also open up a world of imagination and creativity.

MUSIC

Most of us listen to music as entertainment.  But very few of us listen to music as a way to get inside ourselves…to relax…to discover and grow in appreciation of new forms of music or to build a rapport between ourselves and the music.  Try and discover new forms of music: Classical, Jazz, Broadway or any style that is new.  Music feeds the brain, so go and eat it up.        

HOBBIES

Hobbies also are a matter of choice.  If you already have one, expand on it…ex: if you draw try to paint.  If you don’t have a hobby, look at the things you enjoy; do you enjoy looking at different coins? If so, start a coin collection!  If you don’t know what hobby you might like, get a book or look on-line.  There are so many hobbies, you are bound to find one that will be fun and interesting.

PHYSICAL WELLNESS

Most of all when being sheltered in place, we neglect our health…we sit at the computer or on the phone or other devices.  So let’s stand more…let’s stretch…dance to that new music, even  if its classical;  it is great to stretch and march too.  Lift weights or soup cans.  Practice yoga or just walk.  When you exercise your body produces chemicals that calm stress and help you feel more in control.  You can also do some meditation…just sit and relax. Clear your mind for a few minutes a day.  Look at nature and enjoy our beautiful world all this will benefit everything you do.

“It is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be a reason the more for us to do it.” Rainer Maria Rilke

Any questions or comments please feel free to let us know

[goldenquillpress]

Tell us your thoughts on this weeks Wednesday Writing!

Did it get you inspired?

Give you hope?

Let us know!!

[goldenquillpress]

Wednesday Writing

What is Rainbow City?

By Francine R. Cefola

The unseen voice hailed, “All future creators will now board the Rainbow Express monorail. As we begin to tower over the city, we hope you will take a moment to reflect upon this first phase of your training. All travelers’ minds should now be clear of all outside influence. We have found that the creative mind functions at its highest capacity when it is nurtured much like a child, open and innocent, anxious to experience all the wonders of the world without inhibition or prejudice. So here we will explore together all the aspects of your creativity.”

As we travel on the voice continues, “Please take note of the beauty surrounding Rainbow City. Spectacular coloring creates the heavens, while mixing with a backdrop of lazar lights that dance to the sounds of some of the most glorious music ever written.” As the monorail turns into a dark tunnel the voice explains, “This is the last corridor before we reach the gates of the city. It is called Inspiration Row. Here you are seeing the works of our mentors. These timeless creations are our inspiration. Someday your creations may grace our Inspiration Row.”

The voice was silent as we absorbed the magnificence of what we were experiencing and then, after what seemed like an eternity, the voice returned. “And now, out beloved Rainbow City! The city is divided by genre. Each color of the rainbow represents a different category. Red, orange, and yellow fill the air with the sounds and sights of music. Green and blue represent the beauty and grace of all types of art. Indigo and violet abound with the written and spoken word. In each color section you will find the works of the masters as well as samples of all who have passed through these doors. Study each as there is something to be learned from both. Computers, simulators, and instructors are available to assist you, but remember, you have everything you need inside you to create. WE do suggest that you experience each color of the rainbow even if it is not your chosen area. Your creativity can only be further enhanced by full exposure.”

As the monorail begins to slow the voice concludes, “Each of you has chosen to depart from convention and journey into our world of creativity. In this somewhat solitary existence, all windows open. Your only limitation is that which you place upon yourself. The monorail doors will now open. Please disembark and begin an unforgettable adventure.”

As we enter the Rainbow City, I hear a melodic phrase singing in my mind……

“DESIRE, DREAM, DEEM, DO!”

*ACOR’s Countywide Writer’s Competition First Place Awardee*

~“Rainbow City,” is a copywritten work and cannot be recreated, reproduced, copied,  or transmitted in any form, without the express written permission of the author, or the publisher, Golden Quill Press.~

[goldenquillpress]

Tuesday Tips

~Get organized, have an area to work with everything you will need easily accessible.

~Prepare a checklist, list items and information you will need.

~Outline your ideas, focus on a person, place or event in a specific decade. Begin your outline with the 5 W’s as a guide: Who, What, Where, When, Why also How.

~Choose a theme, what is the main focus of your story. Is it historical, romantic, serious, humorous…?

~Do your research, use as many resources as possible, libraries, media, internet. Don’t forget the interview process where applicable.