A few of my favorite (writing) things

A few of my favorite (writing) things

Is it just me, or does every writer have favorite writing things?

Whether pens, notebooks, a keyboard or special mouse, or even your favorite writing t-shirt, I (Nita) bet you too have a preference for certain accoutrements of the profession. Here, I share mine. Full disclosure: these are affiliate links which means, if you buy anything by clicking through, Write Now Columbus will earn a teensy, itsy bitsy commission.

Rollerball

My long-time teacher Natalie Goldberg extolls the benefits of a “fast-writing pen.” My favorite is this Pilot Precise V5 rollerball. I prefer purple.

I also keep this assortment of colors on hand to match my mood.

Spiral Notebook

Back in the day when I attended Natalie Goldberg workshops at Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, New Mexico, we sat in rows of chairs, sometimes 60 or more of us in one room with no tables. We wrote in our notebooks on our laps. I didn’t think much of it until I brought a floppy notebook to a workshop. The ones I had preferred were out of stock at the office supply store. I never made that mistake again. Nat uses “cheap notebooks” and I can too. But if I have my preference, I want something sturdy with rings that don’t bend when I look at them the wrong way.

Notebooks from Carolina Pad fit my fussy requirements and come in wide range of collections from inspiring sayings to fun designs my current favorite, “Forest Friends.”

No surprise. I also have a few in the “Puppy Paws” collection:

And, I keep a copy of this around to write in when I need inspiration and instruction! 😉

Wireless Mouse

Whether I’m in a library, coffeeshop, hotel, or the community room of a grocery store, I’m not great with the touchpad on my laptop. Wireless mouse to the rescue.

My original Logitech mouse had a place on the back where you put the USB receiver. That automatically turned the mouse on and off. I put off replacing it because I knew I would lose the (now much tinier) USB receiver if it wasn’t somehow attached to the mouse. Yes, I could leave it in the laptop. But at home, I use the mouse that’s hooked into a docking station with other devices and I need all (two) USB ports for other things. That tiny USB receiver would be lost in no time. But Ed recently found this Logitech mouse that has a tiny space inside to store the USB receiver so I won’t lose it.

Leather Mousepad

So many colors! Not for the vegans or vegetarians, of course. But I grew up on a farm and have not yet let go of my attachment to fine leather (or the occasional good steak).

Metal Mousepad

I haven’t purchased this metal one, but it looks cool and it too comes in several colors .

Webcam

Before the pandemic locked us in our homes and threw us onto zoom, we didn’t know we needed a webcam, but now we can’t live without them. I love the built-in speakers in this one and the easy way it tilts.

T-Shirt

I don’t yet own this shirt, but I should!

That’s a short list for now. Tell us your favorite (writing) things in the comments.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow: Bexley Couple Produces Pandemic Anthology

Tomorrow and Tomorrow: Bexley Couple Produces Pandemic Anthology

GUEST POST by TAMI KAMIN MEYER

Kristopher and Gretchen Armstrong, of Bexley, accomplished something during the COVID-19 quarantine that few others can say they did. The couple, married seven years and parents of a blended family of four children, decided to produce an anthology.

Because the quarantine slowed their lives to a trickle, when normally the family would have been incessantly busy with activities, the Armstrongs figured the time was right to create Tomorrow and Tomorrow. According to Kristopher, who lovingly refers to the anthology as the couple’s “pandemic baby,” he and Gretchen had discussed collaborating on a literary project upon retirement but seized the free time engendered by the shutdown to produce it now.

“We wanted to see if we could do it, especially during a pandemic,” says Kristopher. When the couple solicited contributions of stories, poems and art during 2020, they weren’t sure how many responses they would receive.

Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem. “We were amazed at the number of submissions we received,” says Gretchen. So many, in fact, the couple held lengthy discussions about which pieces would fill the pages of Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

While the anthology was going to be a one-time project, the enthusiastic welcome it has received persuaded the couple to continue with it. Not only is a second issue planned for later this year, the Armstrongs will publish two issues annually, in spring and fall.

Submissions for the second issue are being accepted through June 30, 2021. For further details, consult www.tomorrowandtomorrow.net.

Meanwhile, a book launching party to celebrate the launch of Tomorrow and Tomorrow is set for June 24, 2021 at Austen & Company, 1530 S. High Street, Columbus, from 7-9 pm. The evening will include readings by some of the contributors and a panel discussion on creativity in the current moment, as well as time to meet with writers and other creatives.


Note from Tami: I am proud to have contributed a haiku poem called ‘Raindrops,’ to Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I wrote it during a heavy rainstorm when I was a junior in high school for Boris, my crush. If you read it, you’ll understand why the context tells the story.


This essay first appeared in the June 2021 issue of Write Now Columbus. Subscribe here.

Write Now Columbus – December 2020

Write Now Columbus – December 2020

Dear Writers:

January 2021 will mark eighteen years for Write Now Columbus. Since the day Shannon Jackson Arnold generously offered me her email list when she moved from Ohio to Wisconsin, I have worked to create a comprehensive calendar of central Ohio events, and a resource for central Ohio readers and writers.

My husband and sister have helped, and I hired a researcher a few times, but for the most part, I’ve done this alone.

That’s about to change.

Welcome Tami!

Please welcome Tami Kamin Meyer who, as sweet coincidence would have it, happens to be a long-time Columbusite, a writer, and an attorney like me! Although, Tami still practices law and I don’t.

Tami, one of Shannon’s original subscribers, has cheered Write Now Columbus from the sidelines since its inception. Here’s her bio:

When Tami Kamin Meyer moved to Columbus from her native Cincinnati to attend Capital University Law School in 1986, she was not a fan of the capital city. Despite her initial reservations, Columbus has “grown on me like a vine,” she says.

The mother of two sons, one a sports journalist and the other studying journalism in college, Kamin Meyer has been a freelance writer, editor and content creator since 1981. Her byline has appeared in a myriad of publications, including Forbes, MarketWatch, Next Avenue, Cannabis & Tech Today, Your Teen, Ohio Magazine and Columbus Monthly.

Licensed in Ohio, the state’s federal court and the US Supreme Court, Kamin Meyer is a solo practitioner representing clients in personal bankruptcy, probate and family law matters.

She is Marketing/Communications Chair of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and is a member of the Columbus Bar Association’s Board of Editors.

I’m excited to welcome her as editor. I will remain as publisher. Stay tuned as we work out the details.

PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL LITERATURE

It being December and it being a pandemic, the calendar shows only eight events. Independent bookstores and local venues continue to struggle with no in-person activities and an abundance of competition for online happenings.

Please continue to support our central Ohio literary organizations. With a vaccine on the horizon, we hope one day soon for the return of in-person options. In the meantime, we need these organizations to stay afloat. They require our support to do so!

Thurber House recently made their situation public. It’s dire. Without help, it may close.

PLEASE DONATE NOW TO SAVE THURBER HOUSE.

Also, please support independent bookstores. We’ve created this WNC Bookshop to help.

Nita’s News

Ed’s health crisis earlier this year, combined with the pandemic and the divisive national climate, prompted me to take a hard look at how I could be most helpful to others. I’ve written more about that in my author newsletter, Nita’s News.

Sign up for Nita’s News, for wellness tips and all of my author updates.

NITA’S FACEBOOK GROUP

If my spin on emotional health and well-being interests you, please join my Facebook group, Mind, Mood, and Movement. I offer writing practice, mindfulness meditation, movement, and occasional challenges as wellness tools. Expect the random unicorn too, because, well, I love unicorns!

UPCOMING MEMOIR EVENT

Friday, December 18th at noon PT / 3pm ET – Brave Women: Revelatory Memoirs with Marlena Fiol and yours truly. In this discussion hosted by the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association, Marlena and I will explain what prompted us to overcome difficulties and why we chose to write about it. Register early as spots are limited.

REVIEWS – PLEASE and THANK YOU

Depression Hates a Moving Target and You Should Be Writing continue to receive positive reviews. If you enjoyed either book and haven’t had a chance to leave a positive review or rating on your favorite site, I’d love it if you would. If you already did, thank you!! I had no idea how important reviews were until my first book came out.

GIFTS FOR WRITERS

Instead of watching me reinvent the wheel, head over to Chuck Wendig’s “Gifts for Writers.” My favorite?

Give Them Some Oxygen: Seriously, we’re all trapped in our houses, buy a writer a plant.”

Don’t forget! Books make great gifts!

ASK ME ANYTHING

No. I’m not doing a Youtube Live—yet. But if I can help in some way, please reach out. Email is always the best way to reach me.

Take care and be well.

~ Nita


If you purchase anything from the affiliate links on this page or in this email, Write Now Columbus will receive a portion of the proceeds. This helps us keep the website up and the internet on.

“October is #NaNoPrepMo” Write Now Columbus – October 2020

 

Write Now Columbus – October 2020

Hi Writers:

With colleges back in session and groups and bookstores figuring out how to host online events, the central Ohio writing event scene is abundant. I posted 43 events on the calendar. Much of the world has headed to zoom. This makes competition for attendees greater than ever. I hope you’ll continue to “attend” central Ohio events.

I don’t usually post contests, but as a board member of the Women’s National Book Association of San Francisco, I’m honor bound to tell you about the . Submissions are open. I wrote a bit here about how contests are a sometimes overlooked path to publication.

Writing Articles

If you’re not (yet) following me on your favorite social media channel, you won’t know that I’ve begun to post writing-related information and articles at 7pm every evening. Here’s a sample of recent posts:

“Getting in The Right Zone To Write” by Greta Solomon

New podcast! Word Matters | Merriam-Webster – NEPM Podcasts

The Anonymous Lawyer Behind @nyttypos

Artist Relief Organization Extends COVID-19 Grants to End of 2020

Writing Prompts

Each day at noon on my social media channels, I continue to post a writing prompt using the hashtag #tenminutesgo. Here are a few from last month:

A time when everything mattered . . .
A time when nothing mattered . . .
My big dream . . .
A time I stayed quiet . . .
This time I’m going tell the truth . . .

If you write fiction, write these from the point of view of one of your characters. Set that timer, “Ten minutes. Go!”

NaNoWriMo

Speaking of fiction, it’s October which makes it #NaNoPrepMo, time to prepare for National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo.) I’ve written about my love of NaNoWriMo on my blog. I’ll spare you a repeat. For those of you not aware, it’s a writing challenge that begins November 1st. Like most things, it will be virtual this year. So no write-ins at Colin’s Coffee. *sadface* But the challenge lives. We plan now. In November, we write like mad!

Intern

If you know of a college student looking for an internship, my intern graduated and I could use a new one! The lucky candidate can add “intern to award-winning author” to her LinkedIn profile. Reply to this email for details.

My Activities

This month has been lovely busy with many “featured ins” which you can find here, and several workshops.

I was also surprised and honored to be invited to join this panel on “” on The Writing Cooperative’s “This Week in Writing” podcast.

Thursday I’m giving a webinar at the Columbus Bar Association. It is open to anyone, but there is a fee. Lawyers are eligible for CLE. I’m always grateful for these opportunities.

Thank you!

I’ll close with some much-needed levity from this piece in McSweeney’s, “.”

Thank you for subscribing to Write Now Columbus. Please tell your friends!

Take care and please, for the future of us all, wear a mask!

~ Nita

Nita Sweeney
(c)Nita Sweeney, 2020, all rights reserved

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Write Now Columbus – September 2020

Write Now Columbus – September 2020

How’s everyone holding up?

Ed and I have reached the pandemic stage many people hit a few months back: Quarantine Crazy. For the most part, we’re self-isolating and wish we could safely do things we did without thought before.

Since he and I spent the first few months of the pandemic dealing with his health crisis, we experienced a lag. Only now do we feel the pandemic grief. The pandemic stress has just begun to catch us. Ed’s grieving in-person classes at Ohio State, volunteering at the Upper Arlington Senior Center’s Cafe UA, and attending face-to-face meetings.

I’m grieving writing in cafes.

I’ve written about my love of walking into a coffeehouse nearly anywhere in the country and sitting down to an empty table and a cup of coffee. Before the pandemic, I haunted Colin’s Coffee or Kingsdale Market District here in Upper Arlington where we live. The pandemic closed both to indoor seating.

I can still walk to Colin’s for a sleepy mudshot and a McRoy, and visit Market District for groceries and a quick chat with the staff. But the pandemic ended my days of spending five uninterrupted hours in either place. I try to adapt, but I’m exhausted and frustrated.

If, like me, you’re thinking, “Shouldn’t I be used to this by now?” check out Tara Haelle’s article “Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful.”  She offers explanations (grief/stress) and suggestions including “Expect less from yourself” which has been my mantra since Ed’s first hospitalization in February.

Haelle talks about “both-and” thinking. Life plods along. Despite the grief and stress, in many ways, it’s lovely. We grieve the losses while enjoying the wins.

Here are a few of my recent wins:

On Twitter, I’m a stone’s throw from 5,000 followers. If you Tweet, I’d love a follow and will follow back. Ditto for all the social channels.

The fabulous Ohioana Book Festival which went virtual for the first time in its fourteen year history, wrapped up August 30th. The replays will be on youtube soon. I hope you’ll check out our “Living Your Best Life” panel. Pia Fitzgerald, Conlee Ricketts, Diana Bosse, moderator Yolanda Tonette Sanders, and I had a blast. I closed my laptop so inspired by their stories.

Legendary blog goddess Nina Amir invited me to co-teach “Blogging for Authors” for the Women’s National Book Association of San Francisco on September 30th. Like pretty much everything else, it’s virtual.

My blog, Bum Glue, was selected as one of the Top 100 Blogs for Writers by feedspot.

And finally, due to COVID19, the Columbus Bar Association postponed my continuing legal education program originally scheduled for May to October 8th. It too has gone virtual.

Ohio State’s own Pulitzer Prize Finalist Lee Martin often cites Isak Dinesen. Dinesen said, “Write a little every day, without hope, without despair.” If only for our sanity, may we each keep our writing near the top of our list.

As always, I would love to hear what each of you are up to, how you’re thriving in place, and what keeps you going.

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