Tag Archives: Pamela Mytroen
Anxiety and Writing by Pamela Mytroen
Do you ever feel too unsettled to write? Is this just an excuse or is anxiety a silent enemy? Last year I couldn’t wait to begin teaching English to my immigrant students. I was expected to write my own curriculum, my own tests, and to be evaluated on them by both the students and the… Read more »
Keeping it All Together by Pamela Mytroen
Our grandson hopped up and down and pointed when he opened a game on Christmas morning. “Hungry Hippos,” apparently, is the most exciting thing next to hockey. However, we soon discovered marbles rolling everywhere around the living room, including under the couch, and a new game, “frustration,” began. We needed a plan to keep all… Read more »
The Big Idea by Pamela Mytroen
If you think writing essays aren’t important, ask the thousands of immigrants who have studied, worked, and filled out paperwork. They have all been required to write an essay on their journey to permanent residency or citizenship in Canada. Why? Because the government wants them to be able to raise literate children, to be able… Read more »
The Not-So-Boring Essay by Pamela Mytroen
Boring. Be honest. That’s what springs to mind when I say, “essay”. But what if an essay gets you a raise at work? Or time off work to thaw out in Mexico when it’s minus thirty here? Is an essay boring then? Because that’s what an essay is: the ability to persuade and get what you… Read more »
Hiring Professionals by Pamela Mytroen
Hiring Professionals I always have two or three novels on the go beside my bed. So, with that perspective, I will offer my thoughts on why novelists should hire professionals. The Book Cover If I love a book cover, I’ll check out the author and then the book blurb, in that order. If I don’t… Read more »
Choosing a Writing Method by Pamela Mytroen
What writing method do you use for short stories or novels? There are many. There’s the Skeleton Method that Angela Hunt uses (and taught us at our Fall Conference). Or there’s the Chapter Method where the story is first summarized in one or two sentences and then each chapter is summarized on index cards. The… Read more »
Some of the Best Books and Blogs on Writing by Pamela Mytroen
Some of the Best Books and Blogs on Writing It’s easy to get overwhelmed with blogs on writing. I finally had to narrow my focus. The two blogs I stick with are The Write Practice and Novel Rocket. The Write Practice was founded in 2011 by Joe Bunting with the purpose of helping writers practice…. Read more »
Behind Those Walls: A Story Lesson from HGTV by Pamela Mytroen
Ever notice how even the most mundane reality show, such as renovating a kitchen, includes drama? It’s never as simple as knocking down a wall and installing new cabinets. Never! Tension ratchets up when asbestos – gasp – is found in the ceiling, or nob and tube wiring is discovered in the walls. Disaster! And… Read more »
Five Ways to Stay Motivated in the Summer by Pamela Mytroen
Summer brings a new set of scents, sounds, and sights, and yet with all the travelling, friends visiting, and extra responsibilities such as painting that fence or gardening, it is difficult to squeeze writing into the mix. Here are five ways I have discovered that help me stay on track in the summer: 1. Take… Read more »