Enjoy Your Spring Writing “To-Do” List!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Writers, I hope that you’re as inspired by spring as I am! For April, I was honored to write the newsletter introduction for the acclaimed Women on Writing community. I’m reprinting it here below with a link to the complete edition at the end.

While we never had more than snow flurries where I live, it’s been a long winter—wet, gray, and cold. So last week when I brushed away the dead leaves from my hydrangeas, I was thrilled to see new shoots emerging from the roots.

And since we’ve had a warm spring so far, my strawberry plants and roses have also sprouted new leaves. Hallelujah! It made me wonder—what writing inspiration longs to spring up from my dormant imagination?

With my knees in the dirt, prepping flower, berry, and vegetable beds for another busy year of gardening, I couldn’t help observing even more parallels to writing. Just for you, I’ve compiled a special list of chores to stimulate your own writing “buds” for a productive literary “spring” of your own. But no worries, very little physical labor is required. These are fun chores.

Rake. Clear away the winter detritus and make way for sunshine! If your desk is covered by a blanket of odds and ends—old sticky notes, tattered magazine clippings and unopened junk mail—it’s time to rake them to the recycle bin. Or maybe the files on your laptop need a little organization—consolidation, deletion, or migration to a thumb drive. Whether it’s your physical or virtual space, leave plenty of room for fresh new files to sprout and grow.

Sow. Now the real fun begins! You’ve cleaned your literary “garden” and you’re ready to “sow” your own seeds of inspiration. Look out the window and observe the natural world. Or better yet, stroll outside. Take a few moments to describe the swelling leaf buds of the trees. Sniff the nascent flowers of fruit blossoms such as peach or plum. Observe the acrobatic feats of the squirrels. Record these impressions as you make them and be sure to note any themes that come to mind—such as rebirth, recovery, new beginnings. Ask yourself how these ideas might influence your own writing—the motivations of yourself (nonfiction) or your characters (fiction).

Fertilize. I look forward to many new blooms this year from my favorite roses, both old and new, such as “Summer Romance,’ “Scepter’d Isle,” and “The Poet’s Wife.” But unless I deliver a healthy dose of food, such as aged cow manure and alfalfa, they’ll be late to flower and they may never truly flourish. The same goes for writers. Are you as healthy as you can be? I’ll admit to indulging in some major comfort food during the winter doldrums, but now it’s time to fortify myself with healthier fare. More greens, less sugar, and more fiber. And in order to energize myself for writing, I need to get more rest. Take some time to set (or recommit to) habits that strengthen your mind and body.

Water. For the first time, I’m planting perennials such as chives, verbena, and armeria. These tender plants will require regular watering to establish firm roots and truly thrive. Humans, like plants, require the most basic element of all to exist—good ole H20. Are you properly hydrated? Last year, I didn’t drink enough water and the brisk winds and sun exposure dehydrated me, leading to a nasty eye infection and the inability to write for two weeks. I’m not letting that happen again! It should go without saying, but since I’m the worst offender, I’ll say it again. While writing, whether you’re thirsty or not, do yourself a favor and keep a tumbler of water nearby and sip frequently.

Nurture. This year I’ve planted more roses than I should, but as you can probably tell, I’m more than a little obsessed with them. Tending these notoriously difficult bushes, which are subject to a host of diseases in the South, will be challenging, but I remind myself that nothing of value comes easy. In terms of writing, I must keep the commitments I make to myself, whether it’s to finish that poem, start that essay, or meet the deadline to write that blog entry! In other words, keep the faith. Believe in yourself. Don’t let the demands of the external world interfere with your writing.

Share. Last year, I was blessed with so many strawberries that I frequently invited my friends over to pick all the fruit they wanted. Later, I divided the plants, potted them, and shared them with my fellow gardeners. Giving away the bounty of nature made me so happy. This act reminds me of the importance of submission. Nurture the world with your writing and send it out for others to savor. In a similar spirit, comment on the writing of others and encourage them in their work. Just like my strawberries, I promise that the rewards will only continue to multiply!

Repeat. Now that you’ve raked, sowed, fertilized, watered, nurtured and shared, it’s time to repeat all of the above! The first frost is months away, so make the most of the spring (and summer) to cultivate your own “literary” garden. I predict that you’ll enjoy “blooms” for not just months, but for many years to come.

For more writing advice, along with a “wheelbarrow” full of submission markets, check out the complete April 2024 WOW newsletter.

Happy Poetry Month!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

In celebration of April being National Poetry Month, I’m republishing a recent column I wrote for Women on Writing, my favorite community of fellow writers.

With cherry blossoms, warmer weather and longer days, April brings so many reasons to celebrate. For me, the season has brought yet another new dog into my life. Along with Max, a Siberian Husky, and Finn, a beagle-terrier mix, we now have Tulsa Rose (Tulsi for short), a twelve-week-old corgi. With three dogs on my hands, I’m especially grateful that April is also the official month of poetry. Between the endless barking, nipping, and wiggling, I need all the sanity I can get.

Tulsi loves nothing better than sinking her
little baby teeth into poetry!

In a previous WOW column, I wrote about why writers of all genres should consider writing poetry. This time we’re going to discuss why you should read poetry. As I write this, I realize I’m probably preaching to the choir. However, as I’m sure that the poets among us would agree, the pleasures—and value—of reading poetry cannot be overstated.

Six Reasons to Read Poetry

1. Sound. Reading poetry magically slows down the frenetic pace of life and forces us to concentrate on the very building blocks of writing—words. In truth, poetry is about more than words. It’s about syllables and sound. There’s a reason childhood rhymes such as Mother Goose’s “Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock…” are so easy on the ears. As adults, we still appreciate rhyme. Who doesn’t relish every single syllable of Sylvia Plath’s famously manic villanelle: Mad Girl’s Love Song? But non-rhyming poetry has its own delights. Who can’t read Poem by William Carlos Williams and not imagine every single step of the cat walking over the jam closet and into the flower pot? Reading poetry is a great reminder of the importance of paying attention to every single syllable.

2. Capture a Moment. Most writers, whether they consider themselves traditional poets or not, possess a poet’s sensibilities. What I love so much about Williams’ poem is the way he preserved forever the elegant stride of his cat in an otherwise awkward situation. When I’m having difficulties on a scene in my own writing, I remind myself to break it down to a single moment, just as Williams did. For example, as my character frets about her new life after a divorce, if I want to convey despair, I will have her observe and reflect on the naked branches of her favorite maple tree in autumn. Conversely, if I want to express hope, I’ll have her ruminate about the nubile leaves of the same tree in spring.

3. Art of Compression. Reading poetry reminds us of the power of brevity. Yard Sale Chair by Robert Cooperman (Rattle #7) tumbles with delightful metaphors that easily transport the reader into a scene that is all-too-familiar but made fresh again. Reading it makes me work a little harder on my own word pictures. Matthew Sweeney’s Five Yellow Roses, another poem I recently discovered, reminds me that the world abounds with little stories. When stumped for new ideas, I simply stop and observe life around me, and as Sweeney did, re-imagine the possible story behind scenes such as a flower delivery.

4. Builds connections. Who doesn’t have the minute or two that it takes to read a poem? The efficiency and sheer accessibility of poetry crosses generations, economics, education levels and more. For example, you don’t have to be a Gen X’er like me to sway to the music at Adult Night at Skate World. (Rattle, February 11, 2023). This lovely poem by Christina Kallery so perfectly recreates the angst of lost love, old friendships and cheesy music of the roller rink that it resonates with readers of all ages. The writers among us can learn from her concise descriptions, clever enjambments, and that unforgettable last line.

5. Fosters empathy. Connections lead to the ultimate goal of any writing—to build understanding and compassion. I challenge you to read Flute in a Far Room by Ruth Moose (Your Daily Poem) without feeling your own twinge of loneliness along with our homesick narrator. And you don’t have to be a dog lover to be moved by the late Jane Kenyon’s After An Illness, Walking the Dog (Poetry Foundation). Reading Kenyon—who, like Moose, elevates the ordinary into the sublime—reminds us that the simplest acts in life are the universal ones.

Ta-da! And now, drum roll please, it’s time for the final reason that you should read poetry. But I’m sure you saw it coming.

6. Improves your writing. Reading poetry is not only fun, it inspires you to be a better writer. For all the reasons previously mentioned and then some. It provides a welcome break from our own work, thus enhancing mental health and happiness. In this sense, poetry is the ultimate “self-care” for writers.

I hope you’ve enjoyed some of the work I’ve shared in this post, and like Tulsi, will soon sink your teeth into your own favorites. As a starting place, take a look at The Ten Best Poems of All Time (compiled by Marie Seeba for The Strand). And if the month of April leads to you to write your own poems, even better.

Wishing you a glorious spring full of writing and inspiration!

Of Momentum and Hope

Posted on by Ashley Harris

It would be so easy to say that the life of a writer is made up of many ups and downs. Such as finishing a challenging piece of writing, seeing it rejected, possibly many times, before—if we’re lucky—having it accepted or winning a prize. But the truth is there are so many other little things in between.

Suppose, in the case of a good writing friend, you meet a huge deadline you set for yourself. Or maybe a famous writer that you just followed on Twitter follows you back! And then there’s the moment you finally settle on the perfect word for what you’re trying to say. “For your born writer,” says Catherine Drinker Bowen, “nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.”

Small victories are important but so are the small roadblocks. Suppose you can’t find a book that you just know is in your library, but you stumble on another one you know you need to read. Then there’s having an essay you worked on for months get rejected. It’s crushing at first, but if it compels you to work a little harder on a troublesome paragraph, that decline can turn into a boon.

All of these little steps –good, bad, or serendipitous—are part of the same thing: momentum. And this is the life force of a writer. Momentum is also the energy of being alive. It starts with the decision to get out of bed in the morning. To keep that date with your writing desk. To go on a walk with your husband to see the blooms on the quince tree. And then finding a bird’s nest lodged in the branches.

Momentum is much more than forward movement. It is hope. And this is something we can all use a little more of right now.

A Writer’s Guide to Managing COVID-19

Posted on by Ashley Harris

At Whale Tail, the dogwoods tremble with nascent blooms on the cusp of unfurling. For me, especially now, in the face of coronavirus news that has gone from sobering to frightening, these trees symbolize hope and faith. Even as the Black Plague devastated Europe in the 14th century, the “whipple-trees” (as dogwoods were known back then) continued to bloom, reminding us that there is a greater power at work in the world.

As we struggle to cope with what this pandemic means for our daily lives and future, it’s more important than ever that we writers dive deep into our souls and pull out insights that can help ourselves and others cope and heal.

1.  Keep writing! We are so fortunate that the nature of our work – which requires its own form of self-isolation – means we can do it without worrying about making others sick. In fact, you could argue that it is nothing less than our job as writers to do our very best to lift each other up. And we don’t need computers. A pen and paper are just fine.

2. Send your words out into the world. There are so many ways to do this. There are countless markets advertised through the N.C. Writer’s Network, Submittable and Freedom with Writing (three of my favorite sources) seeking your work right now. And they need your words more than ever. Even if you don’t formally submit, you can still update your blog, text a poem, or mail a letter to a friend, just as I did today.

3. Read, read, read. I’m currently reading (and re-reading!) my favorite essays from America’s Best Essays series and online essays posted through Memoir Monday). I’m also savoring poetry – Jane Kenyon, Mary Oliver and the lighter work of Billy Collins are currently helping me cope. Reading is sustenance, every bit as powerful as food and water.

4. Stay connected with each other. Being solitary by nature, we writers naturally limit social events, but this crisis makes our few gatherings all the more precious. I have a number of traditional workshops listed on my Events page that are on hold right now, out of necessity. But this doesn’t mean we can’t convene through phone, postal mail, email and other online connections such as social media. By the way, I’m investigating the possibility of offering online classes in the future. As a student, I’m a big fan of these classes myself, so it makes sense to explore this option.

5. Try this writing prompt. Having trouble finding something to write about? Choose the smallest thing in your life that brings you joy right now. Is it the ladybug you saw this morning climbing up the deck chair? Is it last summer’s Gerbera daisies that somehow survived the winter and are now emerging from the pot? Maybe it’s the sight of your dog sunning himself on the porch…. in short, write about whatever it is that makes you happy right now! You might have more blessings than you know. 🙂

Nudge the season with poetry!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

As spring makes a tentative showing — with heavy rains and early leaves on the plum tree — it’s a perfect time to celebrate by writing. And what better way to nudge the new season than with a little poetry!

Interested? If so, I hope you’ll join me for a special weekday workshop at The Joyful Jewel in charming downtown Pittsboro on March 15.

Jump Start Your Poetic Inspiration on Friday, March 15 from 9:30 – 12:30.
You can find inspiration for poetry everywhere— from reading newspapers and periodicals to mining your daily life and memory. We’ll improvise on sample poems written by other poets and participate in wildly creative exercises meant to spark your own imagination. Not only will you end up with three new poems of your own, you’ll leave with a never-ending inventory of ideas that can be used for not just poetry but short stories, essays, and more. We might even pen a poem in time for the annual Vision and Voice celebration the very next month!

To register: Seats are limited so I encourage you to reserve your space today. To register, call The Joyful Jewel, 833-2775, 10:30am-5:30pm Monday through Saturday or Sunday 12pm-4pm. Cost: $50.

AM poster Jumpstart Your Poetic InspirationAbout me: I draw my inspiration from the ancient Uwharries of Randolph County, where I wake to the arpeggio of the pileated woodpecker. When I’m not musing on a metaphor, I’m either brewing raspberry jam or poking around an abandoned cemetery. My poetry and prose have recently appeared in Ginger Collect, Okay Donkey, Pinesong, Gyroscope Review, and Naugatuck River Review. New poems are forthcoming in Turnpike, The Phoenix and The Red Clay Review. My work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and I’m a two-time recipient of the Doris Betts Fiction Prize.

March on to Great Flash Fiction….

Posted on by Ashley Harris

ashley-reading.jpg
Read along with me and march into 60 vignettes filled with memorable characters and unexpected plots that fill an emotional landscape.

A North Carolina spring can be capricious. Whether it’s a late frost or an unseasonable surge of hot weather, she likes practical jokes. But even when it’s good, it seems spring is all too brief.

So why not prolong the season by celebrating flash fiction? After all, this emerging literary form is as joyous as a North Carolina spring. It’s short, it’s refreshing, and it’s simply irresistible…..so let’s “march” on to some great flash fiction….

As a reminder, on Friday, March 2, just in time for the Read Across America campaign, Anchala Studios, headed by Anne Anthony and Cathleen O’Connor, will be launching The Collection: Flash Fiction for Flash Memory!  I’ve been honored to be invited to read, along with other featured contributors, at the launch event on March 2 at the Orange County Library in Hillsborough. It will run from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Not only can you buy a copy of the book here, you can also enjoy refreshments and fellowship! Food + friends + a great book = smiles all around. For more details on this event and others, check out the recently updated website.

Now that you’re inspired, why not “march” ahead and write your own flash fiction? You can get a jump start by observing all that’s going on around you. What trees are starting to bud? Are your jonquils popping up? What memories does spring provoke for you? The best stories are a blend of fact and fiction. As Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter, the authors of What If? (one of my favorite writing books) say: “It’s not just what you know, however, it’s how you see it, shape it, and enhance it with your imagination.”

 

 

Poem #10 – Waiting for the Wood Thrush

Posted on by Ashley Harris

We made it to Day 10 – whew! Only twenty more days to go. But I have to say that I’m thoroughly enjoying this poetry challenge. As I mentioned to a friend, it’s a little like documenting your daily life through a diary of poetry.

In keeping with yesterday’s poem about the delights of spring, today we’ll anticipate the arrival of the wood thrush, a rather woodthrushnondescript bird in terms of appearance, but with a song as ethereal as the nightingale. Have you heard it?

Want to read my poem? Scroll down the list for Day #10 to read “Waiting for the Wood Thrush.”

If you love poetry, I hope you’ll consider supporting a poet this month.  Please do read my work (and those of the other poets) if you can, and consider supporting me with a small donation. Supportive comments on this blog are also very welcome because they inspire me to keep going!

Many, many thanks to all of you have contributed to the cause so far — either through a monetary donation or moral support, which are equally valuable.

Please know that your contributions are going to a great cause. Tupelo Press is a prestigious non-profit press, and for 17 years their mission has been to publish new voices. They are giving my work some exposure, and bringing me into a community of over 350 alumni helping each other publish our work.

Poem #9 – Wild blackberries, friend or foe?

Posted on by Ashley Harris

blackberrySpringtime along Whale Tail Road in southwestern Randolph County brings abundant joys but I’m on the fence when it comes to the plethora of wild blackberries. They have more “volunteers” than any other plant and seem to pop up in the most unlikely places–even in the gravel!

So today’s poem addresses the mixed blessing of wild blackberries. Want to read it? Scroll down in the alphabetical list for Day #9 to read “Pulling up the Wild Blackberry Bushes.”

If you love poetry, I hope you’ll consider supporting a poet this month.  Please do read my work (and those of the other poets) if you can, and consider supporting me with a small donation. Supportive comments on this blog are also very welcome because they inspire me to keep going!

Many, many thanks to all of you have contributed to the cause so far — either through a monetary donation or moral support, which are equally valuable.

Please know that your contributions are going to a great cause. Tupelo Press is a prestigious non-profit press, and for 17 years their mission has been to publish new voices. They are giving my work some exposure, and bringing me into a community of over 350 alumni helping each other publish our work.