Second Words

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Apple Store, Learning new skill, Mac Genius

Today Toni and I sat at a table in the Apple store, and various Mac Geniuses tutored us in how to set up the blog. For several hours we’d receive a pointer, run with it, hit a speed bump, sink into that uh-oh-we’ll-never-get-this funk, and then plow ahead again after another quick tip from a passing Genius. It’s a perfect example of what every good teacher does: figure out what the student knows and then teach her the very next thing they need. For sure there were tons of things the Geniuses could have taught us, but there was only That One Exact Skill that we needed next.

First Words

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Art Plotnik, Jane Yolen, Lary Bloom, Ted Kooser

Today we’re starting our blog. For years we’ve met as a group, sipped great coffee, nibbled tasty treats, talked through the life dramas, and read our writing to each other. Frequently we’ve had a silent partner in all this: Ted Kooser, Jane Yolen, Lary Bloom, Art Plotnik. We’ve read their books about writing and let their wise words inspire us. This blog is going to be another silent partner we think, but right now getting going with it is a bit like trying to get clear, cool water from the faucet. We need to run the water for a while to swish out whatever’s been lodging along the old pipes. Sometimes those pipes clank and the water sputters. Sometimes we curse and talk about whether or not the plumbing’s ever going to be right. And then it happens. Luscious, clean, boy-is-this-well-good-or-what water. That’s the way it will be with our fussing with a writing blog. Just keep the tap on we’ve decided. It’ll come.

Hello world!

Tags

BIC, butt in chair, editing, family, friendship, how writing groups work, Magic, memoir, poems, random thoughts, stories, welcome

It’s us….Mary, Patty, Ronnie and Toni.  Welcome to our blog – it’s about how a writing group works, the writing and re-rewriting, a little Magic,  telling one story at a time, writing with intent, ruthless editing, friendship and family, and  the occasional random thoughts that distract us from the old BIC ( Butt in Chair) that gets the words on the page. And we plan to write lots of them….come read some, come back often.