Goal Matrix - writercize #AtoZChallenge 3.7

Please note: writercize (a portmanteau of write and exercise with a z for ... a twist? fun? street cred?) is participating in the A to Z Challenge through the month of April with alphabetical writing prompts. I'm skipping the stories behind the prompts so you can spend more time practicing and less time reading! Please participate, and enjoy!

writercize: It's list time! Last year, my G post addressed setting some long-term writing goals. This year, I'm going a bit more general with my goal setting. 

Inspired by a friend, I have been working on my 35 x 35 goal matrix - 35 things I would like to accomplish by my 35th birthday. Some are old, some are new ... some are borrowed and none are blue? I have a few to go, and am open to ideas if you want to throw a few my way!

The idea is to look ahead to your next birthday that is divisible by 5 and match the age with the same number of things you'd like to accomplish between now and then. (i.e. 25 x 25, 40 x 40 --- maybe after 50 you get to cut five off each time, so it becomes 60 x 40? Feel free to make the rules fit your!)

This is a mix of tiny accomplishments and really big goals. One friend of mine said that it was the perfect way to set goals because they were like a bucket list that you get to enjoy in the short-term and don't have to ... ummmm ... pass to greener pastures after.
 
I love reading your comments and especially your writercize results, so please, drop me a line to let me know if this worked for you! Better yet, share your attempt with the world in your comment! 

Click "read more" for writercizer's current 28 x 35 list. 

Author Bio - #AtoZChallenge 3.1

Please note: writercize (a portmanteau of write and exercise with a z for ... a twist? fun? street cred?) is participating in the A to Z Challenge through the month of April with alphabetical writing prompts. I'm skipping the stories behind the prompts so you can spend more time practicing and less time reading! Please participate, and enjoy!

writercize: Every writer or author needs a bio. An author may have multiple bios ranging in levels of personalization and professionalism for book covers, author websites, blogger profiles and query letters. Spend some time crafting your Author Bio today.

Need some great tips on what to include and what to edit? Read this how-to guide by Rachelle Gardner.

Personally, I would recommend something light-hearted for a blog, but drop the hobbies and the humor for anything else.

Click "read more" to see my (third person) author bio from my freelance website.

Take Action - writercize #192

This week our nation has succumbed to violence. A mall shooting followed up three days later by a school shooting, at opposite ends of the country, with the same chilling results. Fear of the everyday. Uncertainty over what may be just around the corner. Confusion about what drives individuals to that breaking point. And, perhaps most importantly, the realization that we can not control our environment or understand where danger comes from.

What did I do? Turn off the TV and the radio, for one. I fear one of two things will happen if I watch - I will crumble with sadness and blaze unwanted images into by eternal sub-conscience or I will have to create such a strong, impermeable shell in order not to crumble with sadness that I will lose a bit of my humanity. Neither seems terribly appealing.

What couldn't I do? Ignore it altogether. Turn away from Facebook. There is something slightly, subtly comforting in processing fear and disbelief with others via social media. It is not the same as an intimate conversation with a loved one or small group in person, which I also did, but in many ways it opens up the opportunity to more depth and reflection as people share inner thoughts uninterrupted. I don't believe it is false or unworthy to share such experiences via social media - I believe it has the power to be cathartic, particularly when one has established real connections with Facebook friends.

I read thoughts by others - some simple, some direct, some lengthy. There were those that prayed for families, those who sought understanding, those who wanted to discuss gun control, those who looked for solutions to a seemingly impossible problem, those who wanted their families to know how much they loved them, those who were trying to figure out how to broach the subject with children, those who just wanted to speak up and say,  "hey, I heard too. This means something." And I felt honored to be given access to my friends' minds.

Here is what I posted:

"Violence permeates our society once again. It feels so "normal" by now to be faced with such news, that I am honestly shocked to think that Columbine, the first wild gun rampage I can recall, was *only* 13 years ago. 

As much as I wish all this could be blamed on guns - that answer strikes me as too simple in a complex problem. (And I do believe in stringent gun laws, and I do believe guns serve 

no purpose beyond harnessing the ability to kill, but even with my convictions, I am not ready to blame them for what is happening.) 

I am really at a loss on how we can prevent this, as I don't believe threat of a prison sentence or punishment works either. I even wish I could blame it on the state of the economy and desperation some individuals feel in a hopeless situation, but I don't think that's it either. 

The only thing I can come up with is that the one way to prevent individuals from this insane violence is to somehow ensure every member of our society feels loved, valued and cared for, and that every person feels deeply connected to a (positive) community. I hope against all hope that human love, compassion, a healthy respect for one another, animals and the earth and real, offline face-to-face heart-to-heart connection could be the trigger to stop violence, and that empathy can be learned. 

And, when a person does not have empathy or frightens others with a lack of humanity or dark intent ... or when we see a person under attack or faced with bullying or extreme loss ... or when we see a child chastised and made to be afraid of the world or human connection - we can not turn our backs and try to ignore that situation away. We must be brave and speak up and make others aware of our concerns. We must at once reach out and take precautions to protect one another and our families and friends.

We need to bring back the culture of neighborhood community and caring that would have made this news so utterly shocking a generation or two ago, and we need to look our children and those lost in society in the eye and let them know that someone believes, and insists upon, the concept that they can be a power for good. Somehow."

It felt good to put it out there. 

Then I wanted to do a little something more. So I went to the White House website and began a We The People petition. If you haven't heard of it, it's like a direct link to the White House - provided you can find 25,000 people who agree with your cause within a month - and the first 150 without your petition appearing on the public website. No easy task, my writercizer friends! However, the payoff is great - if a petition receives 25,000 signatures, it will be taken under consideration by the administration and a response will be issued. That is pretty amazing. I welcome you to sign mine if you like - verbiage below - but regardless, I encourage you to look at something in your own community that needs a little exposure, and expose it.  

Here is my link to the We The People petition:

http://wh.gov/Ryzh

Take action through your words.

writercize: Choose an issue that you want to champion or bring attention to, and write about it. Put it on Facebook, write a blog post, send a letter to the editor, email your friends and family, start your own petition - just get it out into the world.

Please paste a link here, or leave your words as a comment below. I want to know what matters to you. My sample response below is taken directly from the We The People petition linked above. There is an 800 character limit.

writercizer sample response:

We petition the Obama Administration to:

Implement a national anti-violence PR campaign via multimedia, community meetings and school assemblies.

Through schools, community groups and multimedia, educate our community about gun safety and ways to minimize violence and isolation in our society with a nationwide PR campaign.

Roll out a la Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" to drugs, early 90s efforts to teach AIDS prevention, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and recent efforts by cigarette companies to emphasize the danger of smoking.

Educate through direct exposure to victims of violence, particularly gun violence and those with permanent scars, and share the stories of family members who lost loved ones to violence. Use powerful images and stories, and relate a message of community, caring, empathy and civic responsibility as a way to build up resistance to violence. Address dangerous effects of bullying and violent media.

Sell It! - writercize #188 #AtoZChallenge

Image courtesy morgueFile

What sells? How do we choose how to part with our money?

• Do you want to buy a pizza because it is a meal measuring 10 inches in diameter with a couple of toppings, or do you want to buy a pizza because it is a fun and creative way to put dinner on the table?
• Are you going to sign a contract with a wedding photographer because she shoots 500 photos in six hours and delivers them digitally, or because she gets the photo-journalism vibe you are going for and has a winning smile?
• Do you pick a cell phone based on the gigabytes of memory and address book capabilities or the hip techie feeling you get when you talk with the sales person and hold the phone in your hand?
• Is your purse a place to store your wallet and keys, or does the brand and design say something to the world about who you are?
• When picking high heels, do you go for the practical pumps or the lofty lifts?
• When it is time to buy an apple, do you head to the closest grocery store and pick up a Red Delicious, or do you seek out a Whole Foods or the farmers' market?

There are two major components to every purchase we make: the facts and the image.

You can't change the facts. A product is a certain shape, size, color, weight and it will remain that shape, size, color and weight. There may be 100 other products with that same shape, size, color and weight. So, how do we choose?

Price probably has something to do with it, as does convenience. If one store or brand is easier for you to access, you may be drawn in a particular direction.

But, there is no denying that people are willing to pay a premium on one of two similar products (shoes, purses, perfume, food) based on the perception of a brand's quality or image. 

Take that apple, for instance. Pretend that same apple, from the same farm, is organic at all three stores. (For arguments' sake.) Now, say nearest store sells that apple for $0.30, Whole Foods for $0.45 and the farmers' market for $0.40. What is it about that organic apple that will make a person choose one of the two more expensive options? 

Image. The consumer who wants to shop local and finds joy in communicating directly with the farm will choose the market. The consumer who wants to make a statement about being healthy and supporting a pesticide-free world will choose Whole Foods. The consumer who looks at price and convenience and doesn't care about anything besides getting that apple into his/her hands will go to the nearest store.

We make choices in our lives based on image all the time. A consumer with $25,000 to spend on a car will have several options with regards to mileage, auto body shape and safety features, but chances are they will only select one or two brands and approach those dealerships.

There are several banks vying for our checking and savings accounts, all with similar fees and account options, all FDIC insured to protect our money, but one will have the advertising or account manager that ultimately wins our trust. It's not a difference of .01% interest that makes us decide, it is a feeling, an image.

Advertisers are banking on consumers making decisions based on image, and they are ready and willing to sell it to you. Copywriters make a living writing about the image of products with the ultimate goal to boost a company's sales. They know it's all in the wording and presentation.

Classified ads are no different. Do you want to rent a home that is "small" or "cozy?" Buy a couch that is "stained" or "shows light wear and tear?" Do you want to buy a car that is "old" or "a classic?"

Today, use your words to sell a product. 

writercize: Look around you for a normal, mundane product, such as an envelope or pen. Now sell it!

Alternatively, pick a luxury item such as a necklace, car or perfume, something with a good deal of competition at a similar price point, and sell it!

Click "read more" for writercize sample response about a pencil.

PSA: Earth Day - writercize #185 #AtoZChallenge

My P post is the same theme as my entry for last year's A to Z Challenge - PSA: Earth Day. Same theme, same writercize, different background and writercize sample.

A PSA is a Public Service Announcement, which basically means an advertisement to raise awareness about the "greater good," greater good meaning anything of moral or social consequence that is deemed important enough to communicate to society for waived advertising fees generally imposed by the media.

PSAs can come in many forms, from radio announcements to TV commercials to magazine ads, and they can cover any number of topics. Drug awareness, drunk driving prevention, smoking prevention, speaking out against domestic violence, standing up to bullying, condom use to prevent STDs and teen pregnancy, pet care, breastfeeding.

Generally, a PSA reflects the government's priorities with respect to values. Occasionally, PSAs are part of legal decisions for companies. Cigarette companies are required by law to produce anti-smoking ads.

A good PSA is memorable and conveys a clear message.

"This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?" - (image: egg, egg on a frying pan) - anti-drugs

"Buckle up, dummies." - (image: crash test dummies getting in car crashes)

The Ad Council has several current examples of PSAs, as does the Best Ads Ever fan site (look to the latter for humorous takes).

courtesy morguefile.com

In honor of the 31st Earth Day, coming up on April 22, I invite you to pick any earthy topic (water conservation, energy conservation, alternative energy, litter, recycling, composting, urban farming, etc.) and drum up your very own PSA. 

writing exercise:  Pick a lesson of Earth Day and write a short, catchy Public Service Announcement (PSA) to educate the public.  

Please leave your PSA as a comment and be sure to leave your website address so that I can visit you too! I am excited to see what you come up with.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response.

Extra! Extra! - writercize #175 #AtoZChallenge

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Even as newspapers shrink and succumb to technology, alongside paperbacks and compact discs, there is a place for quality journalism.

A journalist has the responsibility to withold opinion and expose and convey truth in every story. Fact should be the basis for measuring a quality story.

While a columnist or an editorial writer can opine or suppose, a journalist should work diligently to expose all sides of a story and refrain from telling the reader which one is "right."

What makes a good story? Simple. Comprehensive, accurate reporting, and a solid structure.

I freelance for a local weekly in the South Bay of LA where I cover local government. While some think city council meetings are drab, I find their banter and their give and take and fascinating. To tell the story and convey the mood, I build the skeleton with my words and fill it in with quotes, the real muscle. By the end, if I have done my job, it should read more like an exhilarating tennis match than corporate minutes.

I also write occasionally for an online news source called Technorati. I do not conduct interviews, and very rarely include quotes. (Hey - it's not a paying gig!) It is more of an exercise in aggregating information from press releases and surveys and news sources. I always try to approach it from an angle that other journalists may not have taken, ask myself what would make the story particularly interesting amid 5000 others floating around the internet.

Online journalism is short and to the point, and provides a good challenge to find ways to stand out. Fair warning to those who depend exclusively on online news sources for information: I have found that online stories can spread like wildfire without truth, so I would challenge any online journalist or reader to spend the extra time to verify the source before passing it along. 

If you want to try it, be prepared for minimal compensation, at least in the beginning, and try to make yourself stand out by acting as a voice of truth. Online journalists, unlike newspaper journalists, are often encouraged to voice an opinion, because it draws readership and therefore advertising dollars.

For magazines, news is rarely new, so a journalist needs to find various sources to present a brand new angle on a topic, perhaps drawing multiple concepts together. A magazine writer gets more words to play with, and depending on the topic may be able to insert opinion presented as thesis.

Whatever your preferred method of reading or writing the news, journalism is most certainly not dead, and anyone who knows how to write a concise story has the chance to report the news.

writercize: Set aside your creative writing chops, and tackle the nonfiction world. Write a brief news item about a current event.

This may be local news, celebrity news, pop culture, political, international, business, product, whatever interests you. Just be sure to present it in a straight-forward, non-biased way, and link back to your source if applicable.

Leave your news item as a comment and be sure to let me know the link to your blog so I can come visit you too!

Click "read more" to read an online news piece about the Benefits of Blogging Challenges (with a special interview with founder Arlee Bird) that was published on Technorati online news in February. 

---Note that I did opine in the article by encouraging people to participate in blogging challenges, which would not be a statement to make as a journalist in a newspaper.---

Hey Students and New Writers! Writing Advice - writercize #151

I recently received an e-mail from eCollegeFinder, an onine source to assist students in finding accredited online educational institutions. The e-mail asked for two seemingly simple pieces of information: a blog description and advice for student writers. Each had to be summarized in a mere two to four sentences. Most writers and bloggers could probably go on for days to answer such a question, so it was a task to narrow it down. Talk about precision!

I'd like to share my answer to the second question with all of you, and challenge you to share your best advice for student writers as well! I will be a bit more lenient on the limitation, and expand on mine in the sample response below.

writercize: What advice can you offer students aiming to improve their writing acumen? (I am adding: what advice can you offer beginning writers and bloggers?) 

No worries about the 2-4 sentences; you may expand to a couple of paragraphs or a max of 15 bullet points.

Read "click more" for writercizer sample response, including those extra goodies not included in the original email, and remember to stop in this weekend for the first ever #WeekendWritercize challenge!

I Hereby Resolve - writercize #149

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I am pleased to announce that I have finally settled on what I plan to do for this year and I choose to hereby make it public knowledge.  I posted my best and worst of 2011 list after the first of January, so I figure I had a little extra time to pick a resolution as well.

It may be to my benefit that I did not choose hastily as the hours in 2011 wound down. According to a poll shared on January 2 during the Rose Bowl parade, over one third of the people who responded had already broken their New Year's Resolution. That's quick! 

With my resolution, I'm aiming for a gradual adjustment rather than a quick turn-around.

Why post a resolution online? According to a Daily Record article posted a couple of years ago on the topic of New Year's resolutions, one of the top six strategies to stick to your resolution is to tell people about it. In case you were interested, here a summary of the entire list:

• Make sure the resolution is your own.
• Plan it out – break it down into smaller, achievable goals.
• Write it down and post it somewhere you will see everyday.
• Make it specific.
• Tell people about it.
• Forgive yourself – if you slip up, start the next day with a fresh resolve and move forward! 

So, I'm giving you the chance to write it down in public and tell the world!  And even if you are not prepared to forgive yourself if you slip up, I promise to forgive and support you regardless.

writercize:  Create or share your 2012 New Year's Resolution.  Begin with the words "I hereby resolve" and identify at least two strategies towards achieving your goal.  End with "I am human and will forgive myself and try again when I have difficulty staying on track."

Click "read more" to see my writercizer sample response and learn what I plan to do to improve myself this year.

Product Review - writercize #148

Now that the holidays are over and the decorations are slowly making their way back into their storage homes, I expect that everyone has had a chance to fully experience all the new gifts of the season. 

I was a very lucky, very spoiled girl this season by my husband and parents, and rounded out the year with a slew of new technology, including the iPad 2 and the Kindle Fire. Needless to say, I'm enjoying world wide access at the tips of my fingers. 

I am also really enjoying a third piece of technology, a gift from my Mom, one that I would not expect to elicit such joy - a vacuum cleaner. Not just any vacuum cleaner, the Mercedes Benz of vacuum cleaners. After years of frustration over a complete lack of suction in my previous upright model purchased at Target, I am thrilled to watch the floor lighten before my eyes and hear the sweet sound of granules of sand from my daughters' preschool get sucked right up out of the carpet fibers. I went to a vacuum cleaner store that sells and services vacuums, and was able to try a couple of models before settling on the beauty you see to your right.

I love it so much, that I have decided to spotlight it in today's writercize, a simple task which allows you to share your product "expertise" with the world, put your voice into the world wide web, work on lingo for marketing or critiques and have the satisfaction of instant online publication.

writercize: Accolades or a scathing review, pick one of your gifts from Christmas or Hannukah and review it online.  

(Hint: Amazon is an easy site to submit a review since they seem to have almost every item known to mankind, but if you can't find the product there, google it and follow one of the links to purchase the product. You'll almost always be able to review a product on a site that sells it.)

Click "read more" for the writercizer sample review about the Miele Titan.

Shop Small Saturday - writercize "Review Local" flashback

In honor of Small Business Saturday, I wanted to flashback to one of my first writercizes on the site.  In the post, I touched on some personal reflections on what the economy has done to small, local businesses and then encouraged writers to post a positive local business review on Yelp or a similar site.

Check it out here: Review Local writercize.  For more information about Small Business Saturday, click here:  Shop Local, Shop Small This Saturday.

I'd love to see your reviews.  Leave a link in your comments to share information about your favorite local business.

Thanksgiving Thank You (new holiday tradition) - writercize #134

I've rarely met a person who doesn't appreciate being thanked.  Scratch that, I don't think I've ever met a person who doesn't like to be thanked sometime.  Particularly if the thank you is heartfelt, sincere and specific.

This Thanksgiving, as you go around the table and take turns giving thanks for your blessings or join hands in prayer, why not add a new holiday tradition?  In addition to giving thanks for material goods or life events, give thanks to another person seated at the table.

There are several ways you could do this: 

• If there is an elderly matriarch or patriarch, everyone could thank that one person for something special.  
• Each person could thank whomever they want when it's their turn to talk.  
• You could throw each dinner guest's name in a hat and draw names.  
• Each guest could thank every other guest for one small thing.  

(The method you choose may be directly correlated to how hungry you are!  Just be sure to additionally thank the host and hostess at some point in the day!)

To prepare and get you in the mood, today's writercize focuses on thanking someone.

writercize:  Write a short thank you to put in a card or a speech to let a friend or family member know you appreciate them.  Be specific.  Go beyond "thanks for being you" and "thanks for xyz gift" to tell them about a specific aspect of their character or personality that you love.

Be sure to share your thanks and thoughts as a comment here, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to Americans and all those residing in the USA.  Safe travels if you are heading out of town!

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response to my daughters.

Falling Back in Time - writercize #126

This week (most of) the United States fell backwards an hour with the switch back to standard time.  For those who have trouble remembering when to turn the clocks forward and when to turn them back, the beauty of an English language that offers homonyms and nouns that double as verbs has made a simple sentence to remember:  "Spring forward, Fall back."

Gain an hour in the fall, lose an hour in the spring.  If you're single.  Or have older children.  If you have young kids, you will be completely unable to gain or lose that hour as kids seem to believe their stomachs and sunlight more than a digital clock.  Darn.

A couple tidbits about time changes that you may not have known:

• Residents in Arizona and Hawaii are fortunate enough not to have to worry about changing their clocks twice a year, although they also don't get the joy of adding an hour to a fall weekend ... a joy I'd gladly pass up to keep the sun setting later in the evening year round.  In my ideal world, the sun would never, ever dare to set before 7:00 p.m.  (Noteworthy: While Hawaiians and Arizonans don't have to consider time change, their relatives living in other states, however, must remember that the time difference is variable which could be sort of a nasty chore.)
• We do not change our clocks at the same time as Europe.  We're two weeks earlier in the spring and a week later in the fall.  (They are last Sundays in March and October; we're second Sunday in March and first in November.)  That means we get three weeks extra time admiring a later sunset.  This I am happy about.
• Prior to 2007, we changed at the same time as Europe in the fall and a week later in the spring.  The President has the power to change when the time changes, and George W. Bush did just that.  I guess I have something to thank you for G-Dub.  Though I'd prefer if you just abolished ugly, dark Standard Time altogether and threw us into permanent Daylight Saving Time.  (We were first Sunday in April and last in October.  Europe was still the same.)
• The fire department wants you to check your smoke alarm batteries when the time changes.  Did you do it?  Go now.
• In the southern hemisphere, the clock changes opposite of the northern hemisphere to match the seasons "down below."  Which means there is a wide variable in time differences across time zones between hemispheres.  Families straddling zones and hemispheres may need an advanced mathematical degree to figure it out!  (Or a iPhone ... those things seem to know it all.)

Want to know more, including which countries don't make the switch at all, and who the first person credited with suggesting daylight saving time is?  Read more about it at Time and Date.

So how does this fit into a writercize?  Remember my fall back, spring forward thing?  You have to create a shortcut to remember the change on your own!  It can refer to the time change in general (like the season and direction above) or get specific about the weekend ... or it can somehow address the difference between states/countries/hemispheres in how they participate ... or the fact that you gain an hour by falling back and lose an hour by springing forward - a concept that seems to keep a lot of minds I know running in circles.  Good luck!  And please share!

writercize:  Create a simple phrase that can be used as a way to remember those pesky time change rules.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response, and please leave your phrase as a comment or link below!  I prefer my second take, but am not one hundred percent on either yet!

Explaining the Birds and the Bees - writercize #124

A couple of weeks ago, I was enjoying a pleasant day at the California Science Center with my family, taking a break for lunch, when one of my four year old twins asked me, "Mamma, where did you buy me?"

A tad surprised by the question, since they are around pregnant women fairly often and know that babies reside in their mothers for several months prior to birth, I answered, "I didn't buy you; I made you."

"Oh, you made me?"

"Yes."

"But, *how* did you make me?"

"Let's talk more about it at home."

We were sitting right next to a table where there was a mom with her two year old and newborn, and I wasn't sure how appreciative she'd be of me sharing life's lessons that close by.

I have a feeling my daughter had imagined I had purchased tiny versions of each of them to insert into my belly and carry around for a few months before popping them right back out.

Naturally, when I got home I searched for ways to tell a preschooler that would be honest, direct, not overly informative in a manner that might potentially scare her, and open to questions.  I ordered a book that has yet to arrive (Mommy Laid an Egg by Babette Cole), and then sat both of the girls down a day or two later to ask if they still wanted to know the answer to their question.  

I told them that they were getting to be big kids, so they could learn about babies, but it's up to mommies and daddies to teach their kids, so they should keep the lesson off the preschool playground.  (See an approximation of what I told them under "read more" after the writercize directions.)  Of course they wanted to know.  One drifted away after a couple of seconds while the other listened intently and repeated key words.  After I was done talking, I asked if she had any questions, and she said "yes."

"Ok, what is it?"

"Did I wear a dress and shoes when I was born or was I naked in your belly?"

"You were naked."

"But then after I was born you put diapers and a dress on me?"

"Yes."

"Ok, good."  

That was it (for now) - she ran off to play with her sister.

writercize:  Pick a complicated subject for a preschooler (divorce, pregnancy, death) and break it down to an appropriate level for the audience.

I realize "appropriate" is a subjective word here.  Just share what works for you!  My example may seem too informative for some, but it falls within my personal goals in teaching them body awareness from the start.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response about the birds and the bees, and the night you were conceived ...

On the Campaign Trail - writercize #119

Although Americans won't elect (or re-elect as the case may be) their next President for over a year, campaign season is already well under way with stubborn congressmen and women, political gaffes, the Republican debates, the vilification of opposing candidates and supporters by religion, economic status and education, the drama of speculation, and, every once in a while, an actual idea or plan on how to heal the hurting economy.

However, I think that at this point, most of the candidates are hoping and praying for one thing.  They hope that you don't listen to a word of their plans, and don't challenge them when being evasive.  The candidates know that they have to appeal to the extremes in the primaries and scale back to the centrists in the "real" election next fall, so they don't want to be cornered too forcefully into any one position.  Instead, they are looking for that magical plug, the right brand combined with the right slogan, to give their constituents hope, a feeling of relativity ... and ultimately sway their vote.

writercize:  Write a political slogan for a presidential campaign.  Think simple and direct.  Also, think relevant to our economic and social times.  

Don't worry, though the task may feel monumental, give it a try and don't be afraid of a little change and evolution as you reflect on your choice. 

To inspired you, some proven examples - Obama: Yes, We Can!  Interestingly, GW Bush ran on "Yes, America Can!" just four years earlier.  Clinton: It's the Economy, Stupid.  For more examples, dating back further than any of my blog readers, or known persons still walking on this earth, all the way to 1840, visit Presidential Campaign Slogans.  It seems the most successful leave out the candidate's name (Perot failed: Ross for Boss) and focus more on the voters than the candidate (Dole failed: The Better Man for a Better America.

Click "read more" for a few writercizer sample responses.  Not quite ready to commit to any of them as shower epiphany worthy, but the flow has begun.  Find the star next to my current fave.

Leave your own Presidential campaign slogan pitch, or two, or three as a comment!

Dedication - writercize #110

One fabulous blogger and as of yet unpublished author I know, Nutschell A. Windsor (whom I've mentioned before on writercize), gave the following advice to writers at a workshop several months ago - when you're stuck and don't know where the story needs to go, or how to sit through your manuscript and edit it yet again, visualize something that will happen when you get published.  That visualization will help you push through to make publishing a reality, whether it is picturing your book jacket, a great review, your author photo or making space in a bookstore for your spine.

I love the optimism and drive behind it, so I wanted to take the time today to help you with a little visualization technique - picture the dedication page.  Whether you are a seasoned writer or an unpublished author, think of a book that you'd like to publish one day and figure out who you would acknowledge.

writercize:  Picture your book on the shelf.  Pull it down, feel the weight of it, see your name in print as the auther.  Now open it up, past the title page, to the dedication.  What does it say?

Click "read more" to see writercizer sample response for a children's book.

Sing a Sweet Lullaby - writercize #107

My younger daughter (by a mere 11 minutes compared to her twin sister) woke up this morning with a fever of 102.  Since they are generally quite healthy, have never been on antibiotics ... and have had a total of three combined doctor's visits outside of their well-visit (swine flu and two broken collarbones - another story for another day) I was a bit of a mess and a worry-wart.  Luckily, my husband reminded me to be calm so she wouldn't be afraid.  

So, in the interest of staying and conveying calm, I'm in the lullaby mood today.

writercize:  Write a lullaby.  Pick a familiar tune or make up your own.

Click "read more" for the writercizer sample response, and leave your answer as a comment!

Tantalizing the Taste Buds - writercize #97

First things first, a very happy one year BLOGAVERSARY to Tara over at Tara Tyler Talks, a writer with a great sense of humor and about the most loyal follower a blogger could ever ask for.  If you haven't read her stuff, head right over and say hello.  You'll laugh, you'll chuckle, you just might learn something new, and you'll be glad you checked it out.

In honor of her yearlong accomplishment blogging away, Tara has decided to host a blogfest party, full of delicious food and recipes for all to share and salivate over.  So, I decided to join in the fun.

writercize:  In honor of the food fest over at Tara's place, share your favorite appetizer or drink recipe.  Here's the kicker though, the writercize twist - it must be in your own words.

Click "read more" for a delicious adults-only frozen beverage dreamed up by the writercizer.  Kiddos and the under 21 crowd - I'll throw in a yummy spread so you can try something too.  ;)

Psyche Up Your City - writercize #96

Hey writercizers -  I'm back from vaca and ready to write, write, write!  And read!  Thanks for sticking around through the summer despite diminished posts.  Hope you all had fabulous visits and vacations, some good reading material and a lot of relaxation.

I've been visiting my hometown of Portland, Oregon, and while I was there I noticed a lot of local advertising directed straight at Portlanders.  It was simple, direct, and read like a bumper sticker.  A local brewery says, "Pints Up Portland!"  A forestry non-profit writes, "Plant It Portland!"  And of course cars can be found all over town sporting the omnipresent "Keep Portland Wierd."

These direct advertising slogans work because it feels like it someone is speaking directly to you and your city's vibe.  Plus, the alliteration is memorable and fun!  Today you'll tap into your city to send a message to its residents.

writercize:  Choose a cause and write a "bumper sticker" slogan for your city.  

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response on energy conservation in LA and literacy in Redondo Beach.

How Do You Do It? (Creating Instructions) - writercize #86

My kids are turning four next week, so I've got kids' party games and craft activities on the brain.  I am a list-maker and idea-organizer, almost obsessively, so before the birthday playtime commences, I will certainly have an outline of a few crafts and games for them to play.  Which got me thinking about instructions, and how people write them.

I have no doubt several of you have opened up an instruction manual for a game only to be scratching your head in the end, wondering what it is you supposedly just learned.  All too often, instructions are too wordy, too contradictory, or lacking in pertinent information.  If you're from a family that likes to play by the rules, at the very least to not be taken by surprise by an opponents cheating attempts, this can spell trouble on the family game night front.

I won't begin to tell you how many arguments my sister and I have had over Mexican Train dominoes.  The frustration is compounded by the fact that each set of rules we looked up online differed significantly.  Yes, it is wise to keep official game rules nearby in my family.  My husband has memorized the Hoyle's rules of a couple of card games just to be safe in case of future disputes.

All that is to say that rules (or instructions) matter.  And games (or crafts) matter, especially at a gathering when people want to be entertained.  It takes some of the entertainment pressure off of the host if it's a good game.  So, please share!

writing exercise:  Recount or invent a game or craft activity suitable for children.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response on homemade barrettes.

For the Love of Bookstores - writercize #84

Borders Bookstore announced today that they are calling off the auction and liquidating all remaining stores and assets.  The beginning of this year, Borders closed over one third of their stores after filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy, in an effort to restructure and revitalize the company.  That attempt fell short as today they announced that the 399 stores that are left will be closed for good by the end of September.  Nearly 11,000 employees will lose their jobs, and authors, publishers and booksellers are scrambling to know where to go next in the on-paper writing world.  The company has not yet released a press release on their website, but a letter from the CEO to his employees was reported by newspapers nationwide.

Even e-book sales could be affected by the chain's demise.  According to MSNBC, many e-book readers go to the bookstore to browse for titles that they then download.

Although I wouldn't personally name Borders as my all-time favorite bookstore (that prize goes to reseller Powell's Books in downtown Portland, OR, which I blogged about in World of Words back in March), I do visit Borders at least once a month and generally make some purchase.

I am guilty of browsing for ideas at Borders like those e-readers; I generally browse and then buy from a reseller.  I don't own an e-reader and I'm not quite ready to make that jump.  That said, I would say it's nearly impossible for me to walk out of Borders without at least buying a coffee, a magazine, a couple of paperbacks for my kids and maybe a bargain book or two for myself.  In other words, I'm not dropping the dollars on a brand-new hardcover or $16.00 paperback, which I'll save the cash and buy secondhand, but I am certainly paying something for my hours of lingering.

I get a lot more ideas of what I'd like to read from employee recommendations and pulling book after book off the shelf and opening to read a page or two smack dab in the middle to see if it's my style than I do from my amazon "suggested reads" or Oprah's book club.  I like to take the time to discover a hidden gem, a new talent, an unknown author, and feel privileged to read their words.  

I get a lot more relaxation by walking through the front doors of the book store and breathing in the new books mixed with coffee and muted conversation than I do turning on my computer screen, with its harsh light and electronic buzz.

I know that Barnes and Noble will still exist, at least for now.  I know that there are other local, independent bookstores that I can (and will) visit, but I will miss my hours meandering through Borders.  

I am also a little afraid that books will follow the way of produce, hand-picked and displayed until we are only exposed to the same limited spectrum of choices from season to season, store to store.  I don't want my books to rely on social media, online advertising and Costco and book club selections to make it.  It concerns me as a writer, as a reader, as a lover of ideas, and as a lover of literature.  Diversity is good.  Strength in numbers.  

I am not anti-online sales, nor am I anti-e-readers.  If I ever try to walk down the path to publishing, I hope to make it an experience that e-readers and old-fashioned readers alike can enjoy.  I love clicking "buy" and seeing a book arrive at my doorstep days later, with the lovely anticipation as I wait for it to arrive.  Rather, I am pro-brick and mortar having the space to survive, and indeed to thrive, in the middle of this digital age.  And as long as people need work more than computers do, I want to give their smiling faces an opportunity to get a retail job and make my day happier as I walk through that door.

So, how does this relate to writercize you ask?  Here you go:

writing exercise:  It's PR and marketing time!  Write a catchphrase that sums up why you think we should save the bookstores.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response.