The Missing Question

If you have ever taken a nonfiction writing class, especially one in journalism, you'll be familiar with the five W's:  Who, What, Where, When, Why and, of course, good old How tacked onto the end.  There's even a Canadian news program called W5, a northern version of 60 Minutes.

Even fiction writers make use of the five W's:  Who is my character? What is the plot? Where is my story situated? When does this story take place? Why are my characters motivated to move through this story.  How do they resolve their crisis, fall in love, solve the murder?

But I think there's a W question missing.  Who Cares?

For the fiction writer this means making their characters human. We have to be able to empathise and relate to them. If we don't care what happens, why finish the story?  And of course motivation also helps us to care.  Why are our characters behaving as they do?  If their motivation is weak we risk the reader asking 'why are they doing this at all'?  Who cares?

I recently read a popular novel that was a virtual chase scene from beginning to end. It was quickly paced, the hero raced from one crisis to another from beginning to end.  But I kept being taken out the story because I couldn't understand his motivation. He was supposed to be a journalist on the track of a hot story, but why risk life and limb and the lives of his friends and family?  The story he was after, an interview with a washed up athlete, didn't justify all the dangerous shenanigans. We were never given enough information about the washed-up athlete to care.

When writing nonfiction, of course, the five W's are considered the holy grail.  If you are a reporter, you'd better get all those questions answered. The role of the editor is to ask, "Who cares?" Is this story interesting enough to deserve valuable column inches?

I try to keep this in mind as I research travel pieces, and web articles.  I was asked to write a piece not long ago about how to network successfully.  All the research I read covered the same ground: have a business card, go to seminars, attend meetings, ask questions, practise your small talk.  It all seemed rather obvious and I confess a bit boring.

I didn't get a handle on how I would write the piece until I asked myself, who cares?  Then it occurred to me that networking would be particularly difficult for natural introverts, and those who are shy.  This gave me the point of view I needed to write something slightly different and, I hope, more useful, than the standard article. Although I covered the basics, I slanted my ideas towards those who are shy, and made suggestions as to how they could overcome their natural tendencies to withdraw in social situations.

Since I've added Who Cares to my five W's list my writing has become a little tighter and more interesting, definitely a step in the right direction.

Allowing for Life's Interruptions

I've been busy researching and writing while a good friend does some proofreading and minor edits for me. Thank God for friends. I'm a whiz at proofing other people's work but my eyes begin to cross when I have to proofread my own.  This is one of the wonderful benefits of a writer's group, not just the feedback on your tone, your voice, etc., but the nitty gritty of proofreading and friendly comments about too many commas and sentences that go on and on, like this one.

It can be hard to stay on track with visitors, appointments, travel arrangements and the day-to-day chores that keep you away from the desk.  I've been trying for 2000 words a day, but yesterday 200 was all I managed.  Friends stopped by who are going to babysit the farm while we're away in Europe for a month. We had to walk them through the daily chores and then we sat and visited for two hours. I felt a little guilty, because I was thinking of what I wanted to write during the visit, and was secretly making notes on the pad by the phone so I wouldn't forget certain thoughts.

Today I thought I had a clear run for the afternoon, so I spent an hour in the morning with Portuguese lessons. Estou com fome. Estou com sede.  Meu cinta esta cor de rosa.  It turns out my Dad had a doctor's appointment I'd forgotten about, and after that we went out for lunch because I hadn't prepared anything.  We got home around 4:00. This would have been okay, but I had a glass of wine with lunch. I am not a big drinker and the wine combined with a large lunch made me sleepy.  A nap was a necessity.

Now it's after 9:00 and I'm finally reading my research and taking notes. Life does get in the way, for all of us. All we can do is regroup and get back to work. 

http://justwriteonline.typepad.com

 In spite of delays I feel in tune with the universe.  This weekend papers had an article saying that the world economy is slowly moving forward, but it will be a few years before we see the results in our investment accounts. Another piece reported on the recent election in Jordan, which was pro-government and boycotted by The Muslim Brotherhood.  A good sign for stability in the Middle East.  The Russian prime minister said that Syria's Bashar al-Assad is finished in Syria, it's just a matter of time.  

http://www.chandlernguyen.com/

So, perhaps I am in tune with the current state of affairs, moving forward, but slowly. I used to become anxious when I didn't meet my self-imposed deadlines, but I am learning to take a different approach. I still write 4 hours a day as a minimum but if the output isn't what I'd hoped for, at least I worked.  I am learning to embrace the tortoise and let the hare run past.

The Freedom to Work Anywhere

The freedom to work anywhere there is an Internet connection and a congenial spot to work in, that's what this blog is really all about.

A few years ago I began to lose my hearing, apparently from a bad bout of German measles when I was a child. It seems these things don't always make the worst known until later in life.  I now have 20% hearing  on my left side and 40% on my right. With hearing aids I do just fine, but I cannot wear headphones, no ipods for me, no dictatyping, no telephone reception work with a headset, no telephone headset while working as a Help Desk Analyst.  I did find a job at a real estate office, I was supposed to be preparing the documents for purchase and sale, but they kept asking me to answer the phone, and I kept getting the names and numbers wrong, and I was fired.

 After that I determined I would try to find something I could do from home. The only thing I am comfortable with is research and writing.  So I established The Chocolate Gazette, and began to research chocolate, an amazing topic really, and if not quite my most favorite food in the world, it would definitely make my 'desert island' list.

I don't expect to make my fortune writing articles about chocolate, but it was a place to start and so far I'm enjoying it.  I haven't written in a long time and at first I found myself completely tongue-tied, and facing that blank page was a bit daunting.  But, word by word (bird by bird as Anne Lamont would say) I've oiled the rusty machinery and found  my voice.

Doing some freelance writing, editing and proofreading is next on the list.  I've signed up with Textbroker and Elance.  Just filling out one's profile and submitting writing samples that have not already been published somewhere is a bit of a work out.  The next stage is to actually bid on jobs or in the case of Textbroker, request work.  I'll let you know how it goes.

 I've given myself a year to 18 months to try to make some sort of a living from my website and writing.  So far it's all work and no income but the groundwork does take time.  I have watched my website visitors go from 0 to 5 per day, to 10 per day and now close to 100 per day.  I am learning about Search Engine Optimization and marketing.  Being an introvert, as most writers are, I am considering using an online service for marketing.  I'll let you know how that goes.

 If I can make a living at this my goal is to move to Portugal in the next few years.  It's warm, the people are friendly, it's 4500 miles closer to my brother and his family in Germany than I am now and I love Europe and would like travel around the Mediterranean.

 

 

Follow along, if you like, and I'll report regularly how things are going for me.  If it works for me it could work for you too. 

Time Out....For a Little Beading

Beading is such a zen thing to do.  A tiny plate of beads, a needle, some nylon thread and a strong light is all you need. 

I have an old black quilted jacket that's been around forever. It's just the thing for a windy spring day, the quilting keeps you warm but you don't feel bundled up.  I took it out of the closet a few weeks ago and noticed how tatty the cuffs had become. Too many years of resting them on the edges of tables, I suppose.

 
Hanging right next to the jacket was a black cotton shirt I never wear. I bought it at a secondhand shop because I liked the shape but when I put it on it just didn't sit right, it fell a little too long, making me seem wider at my widest point.  I put the shirt down on the bed to go to the thrift shop and realized it was a perfect match for the quilted jacket. In a trice I had cut the arms off the black shirt, made wide cuffs for the jacket and sewed them on by hand.

It looked a little odd since the new cuffs weren't quilted in the same diamond pattern as the jacket fabric.  I hung it back in the closet anyway, while I thought about what I'd do, maybe quilt over the new cuffs, or leave them plain, at least they didn't look frayed anymore.


An hour later in my studio I was sorting through some beads, looking for something in a dark green to work with a malachite necklace I have been putting together, when I  knocked a hank of beads off the wall. They were a lovely gunmetal grey and as I reached up to hang them back up I suddenly thought of the black jacket. What about some beading on the cuffs, in a pattern to compliment the quilting?

So, for the past two evenings I've been beading the cuffs.  The gunmetal gleams nicely against the black cotton.  I used some scotch tape to outline large diamond shapes and then basted the lines with bright yellow thread.  As I stitch in the beads I slowly pull out the basting thread a little at a time, so the diagonal lines don't wander too much.

It has been a nice break from online research and testing recipes for The Chocolate Gazette. Everyone needs a little down time now and then, this turned out to be perfect for me.

A Winter Fantasy

It's snowing again, great fluffy white flakes, soft as goose down.  Sitting by the fire with a hot apple cider I am almost drowsing in the warmth, my mind drifting to warm climates and exotic locations. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just transport ourselves somewhere romantic for an afternoon walk, or dinner with friends at a long table surrounded by white candles, on a wide paved terrace, with the heady smell of vanilla orchids or nicotania wafting towards us from the moonlit garden?

How about an evening at The Peacock Pavillions in Marakesh? 

It seems the owners have even produced a lovely book for us to peruse as we sit on the terrace with our cocktails and enjoy the late afternoon sun.

Perhaps you'd rather go for a walk along the cobbled streets of San Miguel d'Allende. 

After visiting the market to buy fresh fruit, bread and soft cheese, we could gather on this rooftop for a picnic.

Maybe what we need is a dip in the sea, or a dip in the pool over looking the sea.  The Riu Hotel on the Cape Verde Island off the coast of Africa has just the ambience we're looking for.  Imagine a few hours here, swimming, watching the waves roll in.  After a stroll on the beach we can settle here by the pool with tall glasses of fresh mango juice and a plate of spicy chicken canapes.

Feeling a little more energetic? A visit to the Costa Rica Toucan Rescue Ranch is just the thing.  Imagine being able to visit with the rescued toucans and admire their amazing plumage up close? 

Hard to believe those beaks don't tip the birds right over.  Just now the folks at the ranch are caring for this gorgeous owl who was hit by a truck.

 Cuddly companions abound including baby sloths.  Is there anything sweeter?\

Cuddling with sloths reminds me how warm and drowsy I am.  It's time to retire to the sofa with a knitted afghan and dream on.

P.S.  Three new cookie recipes at the Chocolate Gazette.  My favourite cookie of the moment is the white chocolate cookie.

The Cold Moon of January: Tonight's Full Moon

It's the weekend again.  Time seems to be zipping by and I couldn't be happier, January is not my favourite month, but I have been putting the time indoors to good use. My house is sparkling clean. If you knew how messy I can be when I'm working and doing research you'd understand why this is worth mentioning.

The kitchen and bathroom are sparkling, the rooms are tidy, the laundry's done and even the beds are made, ready for a long winter' nap.  I'm thrilled.  This means I can spend some time this weekend just reading. No housewife guilt for me!

I finished my sterling silver wire bracelet and as a prototype I'm pleased with it.  I used clear glass beads that give just a hint of sparkle when the light hits them.  Now I've mastered the knitting technique (you need sturdy very sturdy metal needles for this job) I want to try doing one with fresh water pearls.  I haven't decided on a colour yet, but I am leaning towards something pale. White pearls just seem to say "bride" to me, and I'd like something a little more colourful.

Here's the prototype.

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I also finished four fabric brooches, added bits of old lace and sewed the brooch pins to them.  They were fun and easy and could be used to decorate gifts (an extra treat for the recipient).  I showed them to a friend and she gave me a basket of fabric yo-yos she had made and suggested I use some of them in brooches.  So now I'm trying to find suitable fabrics to go with them from my stash.

Here are the completed brooches so far.

Hardly fine art, or even fine haberdashery, but fun and colourful for a drab season.

I've added a few new recipes to The Chocolate Gazette, double chocolate muffins, double chocolate cookies, chocolate marble loaf cake and chocolate chip pancakes.The cookies were a big hit for teatime yesterday afternoon.

Tonight is the full moon, the Cold Moon of January (in the northern hemisphere). Some believe the moon goddess watches over us during these dark days of the year.  An offering of sandalwood incense and a white candle welcome her presence.

Cold as ice, the night you own,

Shine your light for all who roam

these darkest hours a path alone,

May you lead them safely home.

Look for the full moon after 11:30 Eastern Time.

Chocolate and a Warm Drink

This week I am researching a new article for The Chocolate Gazette about chocolate schools, courses and classes availabe in the English speaking world. I love the research part of my work, visiting websites, discovering new companies and the people who run them, with all their different points of view. I try not to get sidetracked but that isn't always easy.  I will see a link at the bottom of the page about a chocolate course tailored to vacationers in Mexico and the next thing I know I'm down the rabbit hole of chocolate tourism.

Apparently there is a chocolate theme park being developed in China. Hard to imagine, but true. Here's a shot of the famous terracotta soldiers, available in an edible version. Picture courtesy of Getty Images.

 

It's still very cold here, in fact much of North America is in the deep freeze this week.  Even the dogs, who are usually pretty excited to get out for a long walk, are happy to snooze by the fire.  In between research sessions I've been trying out various chocolate recipes for the website.  Today's winner was Orange Muffins with Chocolate Chips.  Research has shown that small amounts of semisweet or dark chocolate actually boosts your brain power for a few hours, so a chocolate chip muffin as a snack before an exam might actually be a good thing.

Any excuse for a bite of chocolate, right? Besides the oven helps warm the kitchen, always nice when it's -5C outside or worse.

In the evenings I'm still working on jewellery and have completed a new piece. I used an old metal mesh coin purse and grey fresh water pearls mixed with a gray/blue Austrian crystal.  The colours outside the window seemed reflected in the little bowl of pearls and as I started to string them together, the whole theme became grey and icy. When I set up my Etsy shop in the spring this will be for sale, with a few other pieces I'm working on.  For now, though, it's wrapped in a piece of felt and tucked away on the shelves of my studio.

And no matter what I'm doing, cold days call for hot drinks: mulled apple cider, hot chocolate, and lots of tea with honey.


I hope you have something interesting to keep you occupied during these miserable cold days of January.  Not a crafter? Don't care for writing?  Here are a few great books I finished in the last month. I recommend all of them for a light read.

1.    The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith
2.    Enchantment, Guy Kawasaki
3.    The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, Reif Larsen

Enjoy!