Writer's Corner: Noah Lukeman

It's Thursday Discovering Sarah readers! April showers bring May flowers, and if the the past few days is any indication, Ann Arbor should look like the Garden of Eden by next month.

Yesterday was exciting for me, because I attended my first writer's group meeting! It was a lot of fun to listen to other authors present their work. There is so much I can learn from other talented writers and I am so happy to have the opportunity to perfect my craft with people who are just as committed to perfecting their craft as I am.

In 2009, when I began writing my first novel, I read a book called “The First Five Pages” written by Noah Lukeman, which gave me a lot of insight on what editors are looking for when reading submissions. He said that editors are most likely not going to read a whole manuscript if the first five pages aren't strong. In actuality, it doesn't even take that long to know whether or not someone is a strong writer.

He is 100% correct about that! I once exchanged chapters with a man who claimed to be a writer, and I could tell from the title of the piece that it was going to be horrid. I couldn't get past the first few words let alone the first five pages! It was like watching the beginning of a season of American Idol when most of the people are completely tone deaf, yet convinced that their singing abilities are on point.

Mr. Lukeman points out several things that writers do which would make an editor reject them without reading much of their work. I find his insight into the publishing industry extremely helpful when writing my own novel, and also while listening to the writing of other members in the group.

My advice for the day? If you are serious about writing and would like to one day begin submitting your work to agents and publishers, “The First Five Pages” by Noah Lukeman is a must-read for you.

That's it for today's Writer's Corner. Hope you all have a great Thursday, I will be hard at work on my novel, which I've been seriously neglecting lately. I will have the opportunity to read one of my own pieces at the next group meeting, so I will let you all know how that goes. Hopefully, they won't chew me up and spit me out! Oh, the horror!

Other books by Noah Lukeman:

• The First Five Pages
• A Dash of Style
• The Plot Thickens
• How to Write a Great Query Letter
• How to Land (and keep) a Literary Agent
• Ask a Literary Agent (year one)

The House of the Rising Son

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday! It was sunny and beautiful here in Ann Arbor, and I spent the day writing (of course).

Today is Poetry Monday, and (with yesterday being the Holiday and all) I thought it appropriate to write an Easter poem. Easter is a holiday that really brings back childhood memories for me. I remember searching for Easter baskets and going to church (back when we actually went to church as a family). I remember being dressed up, wearing big Easter hats, and running around our church, playing with the other children.

As I sat down to write this poem I instantly fell back into my 5 year old mindset. As a result, this piece has a voice that I think is hilarious. It was really fun to write, and I hope you enjoy it!

Easter Stories

By: Sarah Lenore

I wore the dress with frills and lace

Shirley's curls flopped in my face

We went to church to get some grace

I think Jesus lives in that place

I've never seen him, but he's there

He shines up all the shoes I wear

And makes the ribbons for my hair

He's there when people show they care

We sing some hymns, and I sing loud

Cuz when you sing, you must sing proud

Don't hide your feelings in a crowd

God wants his praise with heads unbowed

After church we hunt some eggs

Can't run too fast, got tiny legs

I look inside the flower beds

Cuz that's where bunnies lay their eggs

At dinner time we sit and eat

I see a plate with lots of meat

My mom cooked it with lots of heat

We sure got lots and lots to eat!

It's time for baths and time for bed

There's lots of yawns stuck in my head

Mom looks through all the books I've read

But tells stories bout God instead

She tells about Him and His son

And how Jesus became the one

Who saved my mom and everyone

From sins that couldn't be undone

It wasn't us who did the sins

But we would have to make amends

Cuz through them we all came to live

We're stuck in this predicament

First He died and then He rose

This was the life that He had chose

To show us how we should behold

God's mighty works from on his throne

So every year on Easter Day

We go to church, we sit, we pray

We thank God for the son he gave

To rise up from his sinless grave

Spotlight on Homelessness: Dave's Story

“For anybody to do something extraordinary, I think you have to experience a deep personal loss. The kind of loss that sets a fire inside you. Passion is the combination of love and anger.” -Dave

Hello again Discovering Sarah readers! As I mentioned earlier, today I am posting two blogs entries. Spotlight on Homelessness is my second entry for the day.

My reason for focusing on homelessness in my blog is to give a face to the word homeless. According to a 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, as many as 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness in a given year; the word homeless being defined as the lack of a permanent, safe and affordable night-time residence. Approximately 1 in 50 of those Americans are children.

What better way to bring a face to homelessness than by introducing people to individuals I have encountered through my personal experience with this issue. One of those individuals graciously offered to let me interview him for my blog. He is a 42 year old man named David who does not want to be defined by the word homeless.

David considers himself a displaced worker. He had enjoyed a successful career in real estate before the housing bubble popped, spewing disaster all over real estate agents, homeowners, loan companies, and pretty much anyone that had anything to do with home ownership at the time.

Like many others affected by the housing collapse, David lost his job, his car, his home, and found himself squatting in abandoned buildings with other Bohemian types (as he calls them) whom he'd met on the beaches of Miami. He didn't feel comfortable living in shelters, not sure whether he could trust the individuals he would find there.

In January of 2010, he decided to return to his home state of Michigan and attend school for Entrepreneurship. He'd had a burning idea for a virtual real estate business, and hoped a background in entrepreneurship would help him turn what was a just an idea into a reality. He soon realized that he wasn't gaining the kind of knowledge in school that he'd hoped would help him with his business plans, so he deserted his college plan and decided to strike out on his own.

It's never easy going against the grain and trying to create a business, especially when all you have in your bank account is $16. It's like Oprah says though, “Do what you love and the money will follow”. She would know, right? 

So, that's what Dave is doing; following his dreams and doing what he loves. He's got no money, no car, and has been relying on the shelter system for nine months. One thing he does have, though, is an idea that he believes is going to mean everything for his future. He drives a Yellow Cab to to help save toward his goal of reaching permanent housing. His immediate plan to obtain housing is to purchase a distressed home and reside in it while he makes home improvements.

On his days off from driving cabs, Dave is working on his real estate business, and searching for a partner to form an LLC with. In the not so distant future, he would like to see himself residing in San Francisco at the helm of a booming business that is ready to take on luxury properties. His real dream, however, is to work in the entertainment industry.

Dave developed a screenplay based on his experiences squatting in Florida entitled “Squatter’s Paradise”. It's a story about a guy who makes a few bad decisions and loses everything, but eventually gains it all back. He says it is a story of persistence, having a belief in your talents and abilities, and never giving up.

Although Dave has lost a lot, he feels a greater passion inside himself than ever before. Like the character in his screenplay, he is determined to never give up on his dreams. Who knows? Maybe one day I will be blogging about an Academy Award winning movie called “Squatter's Paradise”. As long as that fire keeps burning inside him, anything is possible.

Writer's Corner: Writer's Block?

Writer's Corner:

It's not writer's block, it's emotional avoidance of the topic at hand.

Happy Hump Day!!!!! I hope everyone is having a lovely work week! If not, then it's halfway over, so try not to fret. It will soon be Friday! Yay!

The weather is not so ideal in Michigan right now. Last week I was tasting summer and now I'm just tasting the corned beef sandwich that I am so siked to be eating right now. Zingerman's feeds me, and I really love them for that, cuz their food is the bomb!

Umm...yummy!

Once again, due to my lack of internet access, I was unable to post a blog entry yesterday. Happily, that means I will be posting two entries today! Yay!

So, it's writer's corner day on Discovering Sarah, and I would like to discuss a little issue I am having with writing one of my novels. The Rhesus Monkey Experience is a difficult novel to at times, because it involves subject matter that is emotionally difficult for me tackle. My initial instinct is not to think about it. Push it to the back of my mind. Just avoid the issue altogether. That is how I have made it through the majority of the past year without completely losing my marbles.

I wrote nine chapters in less than a month before coming to a necessary part in the story that I was not emotionally ready to deal with. Most people would probably consider this writer's block, but it doesn't really feel like that to me. Isn't writer's block that thing where you stare at a blank page for hours, unable to figure out what comes next in the plot. Typing and untyping every line, because nothing seems right? Yeah, that doesn't happen to me often. I am somehow able to spew words onto the digital page for hours at a time.

My problem feels completely different. I already know how the story goes. I've lived through it. I'm still living through the aftermath of the experience. It's just that it took months for me the get to a place where I could even think about it, let alone write about it. Anyone who knows me at all should know that I would have to be severely emotionally traumatized to get to the point where I can't talk about what is bothering me. Most of the time, you can't shut me up! My mouth flows like the Niagara, venting every uncomfortable or exciting feeling to the point that my friends need a poncho just to stand within ten feet of my emotional rain storm.

No, it's not writer's block, it's this thing I like to call writer's emotional avoidance of the topic at hand. Unfortunately, the thing about avoiding topics that are absolutely necessary to finishing a novel is that you will never finish your novel!

I am definitely committed to finishing my novel, so I've made a writing schedule. I've set aside a few days a week to work on that project. Even if I complete one sentence, that's progress. I am also aware that it may take therapy (Oy!) for me to be ready to tackle this issue, and I also realize that this particular novel covers events in my life that are still happening now. I don't even know how the darn thing is going to end yet! That's kinda weird really.

So, I'm writing and waiting, waiting and writing. In the meantime, I am diving into other projects that are not as traumatic, but just as exciting. I began a series of novels in 2009, which I think will be epic! I am writing my blog, I am writing poems, I have a couple short stories in the works, I am writing as much as possible and feeling stronger and happier every day. My writing is part of the therapeutic process.

As frustrating as it is to feel my creative flow being blocked by such negative emotions, I feel like everything that is happening in my life right now is for a reason. I'm not in control of anything. You know how people in church tell you to just let go and rely on God? “God will provide,” they say before providing proof via scripture (Mathew 6:26). I never was able to jump on board with that line of thinking.

God is not going to pay my rent, I thought. Perhaps that's true, but I have to say that I've never spent a single night on the street. I've always had clothes to wear, and so much food to eat that I was worried more about going on a diet than where my next meal was coming from. Even when living in West Willow with no refrigerator, no stove, no friends, and no money, I never went hungry. Strangers were offering me food, money, and rides on a daily basis.

The events of the past year seemed to allow me to let go of control to a point where I was able to be lead more easily. I stopped trying to force things to happen the way I thought they should happen, or to do what other people wanted me to do. I gave up on everything, and in the process found a new direction. There is only one pair of footsteps in the sand, and I'm pretty sure they're not my own.

So I'm being patient, and I'm confident that things will work out for me exactly the way it's supposed to, and I won't even have to force it. Though, it will take work, along with blood, sweat, and tears I'm sure.

One thing I'm sure of? Life will provide an ending to my story. I'm just along for the ride.

Phone Games

Ooh it's Monday! Ooh, Ooh it's Monday! Wooooooooo!

Oh, sorry. Let me step out of cheerleader mode for just a minute...

OK I'm good. Today is Poetry Monday and I am at Zingerman's hard at work checking orders, corrugating glass, packing orders, and probably making a few mistakes that will be caught further down the line. Just kidding, I never make mistakes! =)

“If I owned Photoshop, I would totally put a halo around my head, but I have faith in my reader's ability to imagine the halo for their selves. Can you see it? Good, let's proceed.”

Anywayz, my entry for today is an original poem entitled “Phone Games”. This piece was inspired by a certain guy who was really into me when we saw each other in person, but did not seem to know how to operate the call function on his cellular device when we were apart. As most poems do, this one took on a life of its own and quickly became about more than just this one guy whose phone operating deficiencies almost gave me a heart attack.

I hope you enjoy it! I'd love to hear your comments, and please remember to become a follower of my blog! I am now up to nineteen followers and am well on my way to getting 90 followers by July 2^nd! If I reach this goal, I will be raffling off a gift certificate to one of my followers. So, please help me get as many as possible!

And now, for the poem of the day!

Phone Games

By: Sarah Lenore

I don't understand

Games that come from a man

When one day you're hot

Tryin to touch on my spot

And the next day you're cold

Like you're really not sold

On how you once felt

When you told me I smelled

Just like Heaven to you

Cuz that's how I do

Buy that scent from VS

Have guys tryin their best

To make me want them

But they'll never win

Cuz they came wit no swag

Carrying too many bags

Addicted to things

Or wearing a ring

If they wore it at all

You know how they ball

Gotta girl that's their bride

And a chick on the side

But the wifey, she knows

About all of his hoes

She's just hopin one day

He'll grow outta his phase

And in time he will be

Not just a daddy

But a really good man

Who gives her a hand

Through this journey of life

Filled with sadness and strife

And return to the day

When he did not play

Silly games on the phone

Cuz his love, it was shown

Through attention he paid

And the calls that he made

To the number ingrained

Inside of his brain

He called it so much

That it kinda stuck

He wanted to hear

From the one he held dear

She was close to his heart

Even when torn apart

From each other by time

She stayed on his mind

It went on this way

Until on that day

He made her his wife

The vow was for life

But for fifty percent

Vows don't make a dent

Cuz when he begins

Playing phone games again

She knows somethings up

Their marriage is corrupt

All because he

Lacked the courtesy

Of not playing games

Like so many lames

Who don't have the balls

To stop screening their calls

Meet The Brown

It's Thursday everyone, which is a fun day for me on Discovering Sarah, because I get to rant! Woohoo! Ranting is the bestest! It's like free therapy, which we all need on occasion (if you say you don't need therapy, you are probably the #1 person who needs therapy).

Anyway, the topic of the day is Chris Brown.

Mr. Brown, WTF is wrong with you?! Were you abused as a child? Did your daddy hit your mommy? Were you not breastfed as a baby? Are you a Taurus? Why are you so angry? I loved you so much when you first arrived on the scene, and (to be honest) I still do. It's kind of a guilty pleasure. You have ruined my ability to listen to your music with a clear conscience.

It is not OK to beat your girlfriend! Even if she is the aggressor. Just walk away, for the love of Pete! It is not OK to throw chairs through the windows of dressing rooms, cuz you were trying to release some frustration. Punch a pillow, write a song, go for a walk, get some booty...

...not that booty! Pirate's booty! Geez you guys have a dirty mind.

IDK, I'm not a psychiatrist, but I know there's gotta be better avenues to release a little steam than the ones you're going down.

Chris, you are a role model. You are a cute, young, black man in America. Can you at least try to set a good example for our youths? They need you. We need you.

OK, so this kid isn't exactly black, but do you know how hard it is to find a black child wrapped in the American flag? It's actually kind of disheartening.

I would love to live in a world where I could appreciate the gyrations of a man that is way too young for me without a heavy heart. You were Runnin It hard in the music industry before you started Poppin Rhianna in the face. That was horrible, but now you've both said Dueces to your relationship. You don't have to relive that experience Forever. When people are trying to Take You Down, just Crawl from Wall to Wall until you find a way to get back up. There are lots of Beautiful People who would love to be With You and get a little Kiss Kiss. You just need to Transform yourself and say “Yo, Excuse Me Miss”.

It'll happen for you. No Bullshit Chris. You're not Superhuman, but I'm sure if you learn to Say Goodbye to your anger, you will one day be able to smile at all your adoring fans and yell, “Look at Me Now!”

Writer's Corner: Inspiration

Happy Wednesday everyone! As you may have noticed, I have posted two blogs today. My lack of internet access at home prevented me from blogging yesterday, so please check out both articles today. As always, I would love to know what you think. 

Today's Writer's Corner is about inspiration, but before I get into that I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has followed my blog and visited my site. I have received over 1,000 hits and I am thrilled! Judging by the amount of traffic to my blog, I would say there are a lot of you out there who are reading, but are not yet following me. I beseech you all (I totally stole that word, beseech,  from The Tudors) to follow my blog and encourage your friends to follow as well.

Remember, I am trying to reach 90 followers in 90 days, and I will be raffling off a gift card to one of my Discovering Sarah followers if I reach this goal! So follow me, pretty please...

...with a cherry on top!

 Alright, that's enough begging. Now for the the good stuff. Please enjoy today's Writer's Corner article on inspiration.

Inspiration
By: Sarah Lenore

I can remember the very first time I wrote something that I thought was special. It was in seventh grade and Mrs. Katz was teaching English Composition. The topic: dramatic structure. The assignment: write a short story using Freytag's analysis; exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement.

I loved that word—denouement. It sounded so provocative; so French.

I sat down to write my story (which turned out to be 30 pages long) and completely amazed myself. I didn't know I could be so creative! I didn't know I was capable of writing something that seemed as thick as a real book when transferred from the computer screen to the printed page. I had created a masterpiece! I was up there with Michelangelo, Leonardo Davinci, Donatello, and that other Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle.

Of course, upon further analysis in later years, I realized that my masterpiece was actually 30 pages of never ending crappy dialogue spewed from the mouths of clueless teenagers. I wasn't even a teenager yet, and had no idea about anything at that age. Still, I have cherished my horribly written story for about 17 years now, and have revisited it several times. I completely rewrote it, keeping the core plot intact, and it resides in a file on my laptop to this day.

One day, (ideally after my first book is published) I will finish it, and my journey from seventh grade English class to published author will be complete.

After creating The Haven in seventh grade, I began to write poetry, which I found to be a wonderful emotional outlet for me. When I was feeling something that I just couldn't keep bottled up, I would write a poem about it.

Though I continued to write into adulthood, I never really thought of myself as a writer or poet. It was just something that I enjoyed on occasion. It wasn't until April of 2009, however, that I was bit with the writing bug and knew without a doubt that I wanted to be a writer.

Now, I know some of you will be yelling at your computer screens when I tell you this, but it was actually Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels that inspired me to pursue writing as a profession.

Sparkly vampires, shape shifting Native American guys with six packs, and a love that survives against all odds; what's not to like? I enjoyed the novels, to say the least, devouring them all in eight days. Though, it really wasn't the actual story that inspired me so much. It was Stephenie herself.

She had been a Mormon housewife with three children and a BA in English, but never thought of herself as a writer. After a memorable dream involving two star crossed lovers laying in a meadow, she decided to write a book. Six months later, she was the published author of a franchise that eventually made her one of the most notable authors of our day (right up there with J.K. Rowling). Not to mention, she made a fortune off of those books!

I was inspired, to say the least. Not just by her ability to make a ton of money, but by the fact that she'd managed to turn one little dream into something that has impacted millions of people around the world.

Instantly, I knew I wanted to do the same thing. Maybe not quite on the level of a Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling, but I wanted to make my mark on the world with my words.

At this point in my life, inspiration is all I have; like a tiny grain of sand that has the power to change everything. Maybe one day, some little girl will randomly come across my blog or read my book and be inspired to make her dreams a reality, against all odds. If J.K. Rowling can bring wizards to life with a flick of her wand, and Stephenie can make millions of teenaged girls and grown women fall in love with a fictional vampire, anything is possible.