Spring Cleaning for your Writing!

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In this issue…

My Latest Chapter (a personal update)
Writing Must-Haves
Read This
Try This
QOTM - Question of the Month

My latest chapter

Picture of a large tree with a broken limb and major ice accretion

Happy Spring (For Real This Time)

It’s finally feeling like spring around here, and not a moment too soon! The tulips and daffodils are in full bloom (finally), and the trilliums are just beginning to poke their heads through the dead leaves and winter debris. We have thousands on our property, so I can’t wait for them to flower and fill the forest with their beauty.

Signs of renewal are everywhere. Birdsong and sunshine brighten our morning walks, and the chipmunks have come out of hibernation and are already bugging me for peanuts. But the best surprise so far was finding a baby turtle on our front lawn. A teeny, tiny baby turtle! How it got there is still a mystery, but I’m so glad it stopped to say hello.

Trees and a street covered in ice after a storm

I suspect the little guy was making his way down to the river at the back of our property, but we have lots of predators in the area, so we scooped him up to keep him safe while we checked online with Turtle Guardians to find out the best course of action. What a fantastic website! I now know it is illegal to relocate a turtle-yay for new learning! In the end, we said our goodbyes, put him back on his track to the river, and wished him well.

Finally, we have two new adorable additions to the family. The Easter Bunny brought them for my sister-in-law, and I have to say, a pair of fluffball puppies is better than chocolate treats any day. Samantha and Tiffany are the sweetest, snuggliest puppies you could ever meet.

Writing Must-Haves

In continuation of last month’s Must-Haves theme, here’s another tip for new or hesitant writers. Of course, these Must-Haves work for any writer, but they are essential for new writers who are looking for a safe place to start. My goal with this newsletter is to make things super easy (and hopefully fun and interesting) so that you can feel good building your writer skills.

Must-Have #7

A Trusted Guide to help with Spring Cleaning

While January brings the obvious choice for starting anew, spring is my personal New Year, and it’s most pronounced in my writing. The changing seasons affect humans in so many ways (see “How Changes of Season Affect our Behaviour”), but the strengthening light and warmth of spring’s renaissance brings with it a welcomed 'spring fever’ that sparks creativity. It also brings a desire for spring cleaning, and while many people will focus on their homes, I tend to focus on my writing.

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

What does this have to do with having a trusted guide? If you’re like me, then the influx of light and warmth (after a lengthy hibernation) not only offers renewed energy, but it also brings with it a restlessness and over-excitement that, if not managed, can leave me scattered and woefully unproductive. I get a burst of new ideas, but as the saying goes, good ideas are a dime a dozen. It’s how you develop those ideas that counts.

A trusted guide (a person or resources) can help you clarify and organize your thoughts, as well as provide a framework for deciding which ideas warrant further development.

In past newsletters, I’ve referenced a few of my favourite human resources such as Joanna Penn, Jane Friedman, and Becca Syme, but I also rely on the following organizations to guide me to where I need to go:

The Women’s Fiction Writers Association - WFWA is a wonderful group of dedicated writers who guide and support other writers, no matter where you are on your writing journey. For a comparatively low yearly fee (currently $62.00 US), you get access to member support, free (or low-cost) webinars, opportunities for mentoring, small group critiques, and a whole bunch more. I’ve been a member for a few years now and love it. Whenever I’m stuck in my writing, it’s my go-to for support and understanding.
Their mission: “WFWA fosters community among writers and provides tools to help them achieve their goals.
The Women's Fiction Writers Association was founded in 2013 to support the international community of Women’s Fiction writers. We believe Women’s Fiction stories are transformative, and in fostering community connections and leveraging our shared expertise in the writing industry, we can all hone our craft. We uplift the voices of our writers and believe every member adds value and strength to our community.”
Jericho Writers is another website full of valuable and accessible writing courses for authors on every leg of their journey. Based in the UK, it’s a bit more expensive than WFWA (it’s a business, where WFWA is more like authors supporting authors), they offer different membership levels based on your needs. They also have several free webinars that I’ve found useful.
Their site states: “Jericho Writers has a creative writing course for every writer – whether you prefer expert-led tuition or a self-paced approach through our Premium Membership. Beyond our online courses, we offer everything your book needs, from editing and mentoring to agent one-to-ones, live events, and festivals. Wherever you are in your writing journey, we’re with you for every word.”

It’s time to shake off the winter writing slump and revel in the resurgence of light and warmth and allow your writing to open its petals to the sun.

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”
-from Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Read this…

This month's recommended read supports having a trusted guide to point you in the right direction. In terms of reading, Goodreads hits the spot. Just in time for spring, they’ve curated a solid reading list of “Readers’ 84 Most Anticipated Books of Spring.” Scan the list to see what readers want and what publishers are buying. As Stephen King says, “To be a good writer, you must read a lot.”

A note on how books are chosen from the Goodreads website: “As always, everything is sorted by genre and largely determined by you, the Goodreads regular. Books are selected by tracking early reviews and the titles that people are adding to their Want to Read shelves. All the books listed below are slated to be published in the U.S. between March and May.”

Try this…

This month’s writing prompt is…well…a list of spring writing prompts to get you in a writing mood and help rejuvenate your creativity after a long, snowy winter.

Reedsy, a platform that connects writers to a wealth of resources, including free courses and book formatting tools, has a list of weekly writing prompt contests for anyone who wants to enter (there’s a monetary prize for the winner), which might help direct some of your spring fever writing energy.

In keeping with our spring theme, Reedsy previously posted the “Best Spring Writing Prompts of 2023” in case you’re interested. Though submissions are closed, you can still read the winners pieces, which may spark additional ideas for your own writing.

Share your work with me—I'd love to feature a few in future newsletters!

QOTM

How does spring affect your writing? Are you filled with creative ideas or do you swap out writing for getting outside to enjoy the warmer days?

Reach out on Instagram, Threads or email to let me know.

Thanks for reading!

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Until next month, write on, Prose Partner, write on!