Tag Archives: writing

guest post at Parent Grapevine

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Hi, friends! Happy Monday! I’ll be back tomorrow with this week’s year of Wooden post, but for today I wanted to let you know about a guest post I wrote for the terrific blog Parent Grapevine:

Help Your Child Become a Better Writer: 3 Easy, Fun Prompts to Try!

I’ve been a writing teacher for the past eight years, working with a range of ages: kindergarten through senior citizens. I’ve led writing workshops for public schools, private schools, home-schooling groups, community centers, and more! I also taught undergraduate writing courses at Purdue University for three years.

When I talk to parents and teachers, two questions come up again and again:
1. How can we make writing FUN for kids and teenagers?
2. How can we help our kids become better writers?

The answers to these two questions are tied together: like anything, people become better writers with practice. The best way to help your child become a better writer is to encourage him or her to write, write, write! Well, how do you do that? By making writing a fun activity.

Head on over to Parent Grapevine to read the rest of my post, including three popular writing prompts I use often in my work with young writers.

Hope you’re having a marvelous Monday!

goals for the week of 3/16

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Hi everyone! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far! I’m heading out to drop off my friend Michelle at the airport {I’m going to miss her a LOT while she’s gone the next three weeks for a work training! boo!} and then I’m heading out for lunch with this lovely lady and our men to try a new-to-me burger place called The Counter. Apparently they give you a clipboard and you get to select from all different choices of meat, cheeses, and toppings to build your own perfect burger. Here’s predicting there will be guacamole involved in my order. {And, knowing me, there will probably be guac on my face as well.}

But before I take off … it’s goals time!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 15 pages {perhaps 15 was a bit too ambitious, but I did write a solid 10 pages, so I’m still counting it a win!}
– submit three pieces to journals
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three, hooray!}
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends
– take Arianna out for a coffee date

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 12 pages
– submit essay to Chicken Soup for the Soul
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading through three lit journals from my AWP stash
– connect with three friends
– have a wonderful visit with my dad and Greg!!

Aaaaand, bringing back the meal planning… here are some recipes I’m drooling over this week:
– black bean quinoa enchilada bake & spinach artichoke quinoa bake via Two Peas & Their Pod
– paleo peppermint doughnuts w/coconut frosting via Davida @The Healthy Maven
– strawberry chocolate-chip cookie bars via Sarah @The Pajama Chef
– pretty much all of these things rounded up by Robyn @the real-life rd

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What recipes are you drooling over lately?

goals for the week of 3/9

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I have one question for all of you: where did the weekend go??? Hard to believe it’s already Monday. I hope you have great things in store for the week! On my agenda: a fellows meeting in San Jose, a reading to celebrate the launch of the latest issue of Arroyo Literary Review, some church events, and hopefully lots & lots of writing! I came back from the AWP conference last week feeling super inspired and bursting with writing ideas, and I’m trying to harness as much energy and time as possible to get words down on paper.

Speaking of which, it’s time for goals!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– send AWP thank-you notes
– go to two yoga classes
– read & comment on story for fellows workshop next week
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 15 pages
– submit three pieces to journals
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends
– take Arianna out for a coffee date

Before I wrap this up, I want to give a birthday shout-out to my wonderful friend Erica. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEETS! ❤ I love you more than our sixth-grade selves loved Johnny Depp & Britney Spears.

baby photobomb

The infamous photo-bombing baby shot from Ghiradelli Square!

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this week?
  • What were your highlights of this past weekend?

goals for the week of 3/2

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Hi, friends! I’m back from my trip to Seattle! Such a whirlwind, jam-packed, inspiring, informative, amazing time. Lots of late nights + early mornings because I didn’t want to miss a thing. It felt so good to collapse into my own bed last night — I slept like a rock! Woke up late this morning and have spent the day nourishing my body with green smoothies + green tea, unpacking my suitcase, doing laundry, and trying to staunch the craziness that is my overflowing email inbox.

But … backtrack to last week. Janet and I enjoyed a gorgeous sunny day exploring San Francisco! I love walking down by the water. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I actually live in this postcard-perfect place.

20140223_114400 20140223_114410

We met up for dinner with some of Janet’s grad-school friends who happen to live in SF now — small world! They were so friendly, fun and welcoming. On Monday, Janet came with me to San Jose because I was speaking to an undergraduate creative writing class. The students were thoughtful and attentive and asked lots of questions. They made my miss my former students at Purdue. I love teaching! That night Janet and I met up for vegan cuisine with an old friend from USC who now lives in San Jose, and it was wonderful to catch up. And on Tuesday we got together with Allyn, Michelle and Dana! I love when friends visit and get to meet other friends, when it feels like the different facets of your life are briefly able to coalesce.

That, in fact, was my favorite part of going to the AWP conference … it was a reunion of writers! I got to see friends from my undergrad days at USC, my grad school days at Purdue, and a conference I went to in Key West last year. Each night the final item on the conference agenda was a dance party, and it was such a unique brand of happiness of be able to spend a couple hours dancing my little heart out, surrounded by people I love who have inspired me at all different points of my writing journey. The hardest part was saying goodbye on Sunday! Even writing this, my eyes are misting a little bit. But as Dr. Seuss would say, “Don’t cry because it’s over — smile because it happened.” It’s a blessing and a privilege to miss people because it means I have so many amazing people in my life to miss!

The conference was so busy with lectures, seminars and events that I didn’t have too much time to explore the city, but I did make it to Seattle’s famous market — and the original Starbucks across the street! Yummm, soy chai.

seattle market

My friend Tera had a book-signing for the launch of her beautiful collection of poetry, Reading the Ground. I am bursting with pride for her!

tera booksigning

me and tera

I’ll be posting more conference recap and nuts-and-bolts writing thoughts on my other blog over these next couple weeks. Now it’s time for a goals recap!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– have an amazing time with Janet! go into the city, see a movie, take her to my favorite spots around town, and talk our faces off
– write 5 pages
– prepare for my new tutoring client
– go to one yoga class {sign of a super-busy week: I couldn’t make it to my Tuesday yoga class before I left for Seattle!}
– read fifty pages of The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– have a blast at the AWP conference! {and I guess be sorta productive and learn something too}

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– send AWP thank-you notes
– go to two yoga classes
– read & comment on story for fellows workshop next week
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?
  • What was the last trip you took?

goals for the week of 2/2

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Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I hope you have fun plans for today. I’m off to church soon, but before I go … it’s goals time! 🙂

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three!}
– complete two chapters of copyediting project {It was a great copyediting week… I made it through four chapters!}
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox {read five of these stories + got into two excellent short story collections, Orientation by Daniel Orozco and Power Ballads by Will Boast}
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes
– mail Valentines
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– start final fellowship application, due Feb. 28
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox and Orientation by Daniel Orozco
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

goals for the week of 1/19

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Happy Sunday! My weekend has been filled with good things: family time, yoga, meditation, fuji apple chicken salad + acai iced tea at Panera, a phone date with Erica, lots of reading, and a moving sermon at church this morning about social justice. Last night I saw the new movie “Her” with two friends, and on Friday I saw “Saving Mr. Banks” with my aunt. I’d highly recommend both movies!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– go to two yoga classes
– take Charley in to dealership to be serviced
– complete three chapters of copyediting project {only did two!}
– finish reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander in time for book discussion group at church
– connect with two friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– go to two yoga classes
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox
– connect with two friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

goals for the week of 1/12

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It’s that time again…

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– donate purged clothes, books and magazines
– complete first five chapters of copyediting project
– finish rereading The Architect of Flowers by William Lychack
– get together with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– go to two yoga classes
– take Charley in to dealership to be serviced
– complete three chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander in time for book discussion group at church
– connect with two friends

Now I’d love to hear from you!

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What are you up to on this lovely Sunday?

goals for the week {a day late!}

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Hiiiiii friends! Wow, can you believe that tomorrow is already Christmas Eve? Time is flowing by crazy-fast! This past week has I think been one of the busiest weeks of my entire life. One of those weeks where every day feels packed-to-the-brim with important, meaningful stuff.

I’ve been able to meet up with a number of dear friends for coffee dates and dinner dates and hiking dates … special time to talk-talk-talk and catch up with people I love and don’t get to see nearly enough. The fam and I watched some of our favorite holiday movies: Serendipity, Love Actually, and It’s a Wonderful Life. {<– my all-time favorite movie EVER.} I was honored to teach writing workshops at three separate schools {one elementary school, one middle school, and my alma mater high school} in addition to my Winter Writing Camp on Saturday. Nothing inspires me quite like being in a room full of young writers writing!

In addition to all of this, we celebrated my brother’s birthday yesterday {happy 24 Gregburn! I love you!} and threw an absolutely lovely and fun bridal shower for my cousin Julie. Plus the typical holiday cookie-baking, card-writing, present-wrapping, etc! Here are some photos from my week:

family with gramps

The girls with Gramps before Julie’s bridal shower.

cupcakes

I made two dozen cupcakes for Julie’s shower … a dozen chocolate with peanut butter frosting, and a dozen red velvet with cream cheese frosting!

loving murray

Murray lovin’!

brothers

Brothers!

And now … on to my goals!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals for the week of 12/15:
– write 10 pages of new material {yeah, this didn’t even come close to happening this week…}
– take cookies & cards to the nursing home {doing this tomorrow!}
– exercise at least twice
– finish reading The Tea Rose {less than 100 pages left}
– order holiday cards
– teach a fantastic Winter Writing Camp
– throw a wonderful bridal shower for my cousin Julie
– connect with two friends

And here are my goals for this week:
– soak up time with my family and friends!
– journal/reflect on this past year
– set my goals for 2014, wooooohoooo!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the week 51 year of kindness challenge!

This post is linked up with Menu-Plan Monday.
MPM-Winter

goals + meal-plan for the week of 11/10

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Happy Sunday, friends! Hope your weekend has been lovely!

I’m so excited for this upcoming week … today we’re celebrating my Grandpap’s birthday, on Wednesday I’m getting together with my friend Dana, and on Thursday I’m headed home to Ventura for a long weekend! The USC Homecoming Football Game is on Saturday and I’m tailgating with my brother and then meeting up with my dear friend Ben who is coming all the way from NYC for the game!

me and ben

Ben and I met at freshman orientation, when we were the last two people left in the test-taking room for the Spanish placement exam. {I knew my slow test-taking skills would one day pay off, haha} We’ve been friends ever since. I haven’t seen him in over a year and I cannot wait to give him the biggest hug and catch up in between cheering on our football team. 🙂

I’m also bursting with excitement to seeing my parents and my Gramps and of course Mr. Murdog! And Erica and I are planning to have one of our epic Simone’s chai latte dates — one of my favorite things on the planet. It should be a busy and wonderful week!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 25 pages of new material {with my cold I didn’t quite get this many pages done … but I did still write every day, so that’s something!}
– submit second Ph.D. application
– exercise at least three times
– finish reading Stay Up With Me
– connect with two friends

Here are my goals for the week of 11/10:
– write 15 pages of new material
– send out my novel chapters for Dec. fellows workshop
– submit fellowship application
– exercise at least twice
– finish reading Happier Endings: a meditation on life and death
– connect with two friends

And here are some recipes I’m hoping to try out this week:
– sweet korean bbq beef via Chew Out Loud
– skinny southwest chicken dip via The Pajama Chef
– pumpkin toffee chocolate chip muffins via Two Peas & Their Pod
– pumpkin spice steel-cut oats via Wellness Today

This post is linked up to Menu-Plan Monday!
MPM-Winter

Questions for the morning:

  • What are your goals and meal plans for the week?
  • What are you looking forward to this week?

goals + meal plan for the week of 10/27

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Happy Sunday, friends! How has your weekend been? I have been soaking up so much wonderful girl-time with Celine. We went to the pumpkin patch, carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds {easy + delicious recipe coming soon!}, curled up on the couch and watched a movie in our PJs, and just talk-talk-talked. I hadn’t seen her in more than two years, so we had a lot of catching up to do! Ahhh, I love this girl SO. DANG. MUCH.

me and celine

celine pumpkin patch

carved pumpkins

It was also a boatload of fun to see our friend Jessica shine onstage as Ulla in The Producers! She did so fantastic and we were super proud of her. Here’s a shot we snapped with the beautiful starlet after the show:

jess's show

All in all, a wonderful weekend that went by way too fast! I can’t believe we are into the last week of October. Highlights of this upcoming week for me include dinner out with my aunt and cousin, a meeting with the other Steinbeck fellows, my mama’s birthday on October 30th, and of course Halloween!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from last week:
– write 20 pages of new material {15 pages … close!}
– respond to story for workshop
– submit one fellowship application
– submit Ph.D. application
– exercise at least three times
– mail Halloween cards

Here are my goals for the week of 10/27:
– write 20 pages of new material
– submit Ph.D. application
– exercise at least three times
– phone dates with two friends

And here are some recipes I’m hoping to try out this week:
– pumpkin, chocolate & brie grilled cheese sandwich via Two Peas & Their Pod
– cranberry whole wheat muffins via The Lean Green Bean
– jamaican jerk tempeh via The Real-Life RD
– hashbrown-crusted quiche via AndreaDecker.com
– mediterranean feta dip via The Pajama Chef

Questions of the evening:

  • What was your highlight of the weekend?
  • What are your goals and/or meal plans for the week?