Category Archives: writing tips

Some Stories Need to be Told

Posted on July 23, 2019 by jayne bowers

Some stories need to be told. That’s what I learned in the writing group last week. No, that’s not quite true. I already knew the importance of telling stories, particularly those that might shed light on a subject, situation, behavior, … Continue reading →

Posted in personal choices, short stories, stories, story telling, Uncategorized, writing, writing groups, writing tips | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Blue Spiral Notebook

Posted on April 6, 2019 by jayne bowers

The writers I hang out with don’t write for money. Sure, they’d take it if offered, but that’s not their primary reason for putting pen to paper, fingers to keyboard. They do it because they must. They have a story … Continue reading →

Posted in families, journal writing, nonfiction, story telling, Uncategorized, writing, writing tips | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

But I Like Bailiwick

Posted on February 5, 2019 by jayne bowers

Before joining a writing group, I never read to actually study the craft. I read to understand, to learn, and to be enlightened and entertained. Not once did I consider whether an author used adverbs sparingly, overdid it with to … Continue reading →

Posted in Camden Writers, critique groups, Uncategorized, workshops, writing, writing conferences, writing groups, writing tips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

An October Sunday

Posted on November 3, 2018 by jayne bowers

Last weekend I attended the annual conference of the South Carolina Writers’ Association, and I’m still processing all the information I learned. This afternoon, I’m thinking of something Therese Fowler, keynote speaker and author of A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel … Continue reading →

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Little Moments

Posted on August 8, 2018 by jayne bowers

What have you been writing lately? Are you working on anything? Those are questions I hear frequently. I’m always writing something, even if it’s a gratitude list, some journal entries, a blog post, or a reply to a student’s discussion post. … Continue reading →

Posted in Camden Writers, critique groups, journal writing, nonfiction, story telling, Uncategorized, writing, writing projects, writing tips | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ivory Soap and Corn Flakes

Posted on May 30, 2018 by jayne bowers

  Being part of a writing group has helped me in ways too numerous to recount. My membership has also made me a little more hesitant to write, or rather to trust myself as a writer. For example, I’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in critique groups, family histories, lifestyle, memoir, Uncategorized, writing, writing groups, writing tips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dribbles, Drabbles, and Flashes

Posted on November 8, 2017 by jayne bowers

  I’ve wanted to write flash fiction since the first time I heard it mentioned. Problems were that (1) I’m not really a fiction writer and (2) no one could tell me exactly what flash fiction was. It was double … Continue reading →

Posted in books, flash fiction, stories, story telling, Uncategorized, writing, writing conferences, writing fiction, writing tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get the Moon Right

Posted on July 12, 2017 by jayne bowers

With the ocean’s roar in front of us and the chirping of cicadas behind us, my daughter and I sat in our beach chairs watching the strollers, shell collectors, and frolicking children. We noted an increased number of dogs on … Continue reading →

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Do This. Don’t Do That.

Posted on April 17, 2017 by jayne bowers

I’ve been a slacker in the blogging department lately, not because I don’t have anything to say but rather because I’ve been speaking my truth in other areas. Plus, although I always did my best (with what I knew at … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, Uncategorized, writing, writing critiques, writing groups, writing tips | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Emma’s Boost

Posted on March 1, 2017 by jayne bowers

In the years since retirement, I’ve read and listened to all sorts of advice about writing. Don’t use “it” so often. Show, don’t tell. Don’t be so thematically heavy-handed. Use said, not murmured or yelled. Make your dialogue realistic. Stay … Continue reading →

Posted in books, books on teaching, community college teaching, professions, self publishing, teaching profession, Uncategorized, writing projects, writing tips | Tagged , , | Leave a comment