IWSG November 2013

Quote of the Day:  Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable. Brenda Ueland, quote found in the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Piano Bench Confessions

The first Wednesday of each month, I participate in The Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Go to his blog for more connections to insecure writers. We fill the airwaves on days like this! 

I am working through Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way with my sister and a couple other creatives who need a boost of confidence to get things moving. Chapter Two discusses the "crazy makers" the people who sabotage our creative success. Some are surprisingly close to us. Some are paid instructors and seemingly well-meaning teachers. Some creep up in unexpected places and cause all sorts of damage. These are our villains. Julia says we need to be very wary of these people. They are the blamers, the hurtful criticizers. They are, in reality, more stuck and frustrated than we are and are lashing out as we try to move forward and live a more authentic and creative life. Pay attention to this. If you are feeling beat up by someone's comments, shut them out. Make a list of the crazy-makers in your life and limit your time with them. Some relationships might even need to end. You  need to decide and empower yourself.

Then, to combat those negative voices, surround yourself with your champions. Make a list of those folks, the ones who say, "Of course, you can. I believe in you. I love you and your creative spirit," and then they show you just how much. 

So, what does all this have to do with a picture of a piano bench? Well, I am a pianist and a piano teacher. I had some serious wounds related to my playing and creative spirit. Without my champions, I would not have recovered. I also use that bench to process the world and sort things out. I don't know how I'd manage without it. And, it has been the source of inspiration for my next play Grace Notes: Piano Bench Confessions. Self-doubt rose up in me last week (I was a bit ahead of schedule for the IWSG), so I talked it out with my sister (a grand champion) and my friend who is also a publicist and promoter of words, and I messaged and connected with a few more supporters. They helped me realize that I had been exposed to many of my villains recently and that some of those interactions triggered old wounds and insecurities. Then, they said those magic words, "I believe in you. Get busy we're waiting for the next play," or whatever it is you're working on.

Go. Create. Inspire!
You are a unique and creative individual and the world is waiting for your masterpieces!

Journaling Prompt:  Who are your champions?

IWSG May 2013

Quote of the Day:  Whatever you do, do it with all your heart. This was the message on our Yogi tea bag this week.

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is over and now it's May 1, the first Wednesday of the month, and time for another post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, started and supported by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Whew! It was a blogging marathon, and I loved it!

It feels more natural to be writing my reflections on the challenge post right now, but I'll hold back. That will come on Friday. These two, Millie and Willie Cottonpoly, were there for me this whole month!

Millie and Willie Cottonpoly, gearing up for further adventures.

 

When you're feeling insecure as a writer, or artist, or in life in any way, what you need to do is build up your support team. Surround yourself with people who say, "I believe in you."  Create puppets, if you want, to give you the visual stimulation. Invite other people into the creativity.

 

Play off each other's creativity.

Play off each other's ideas.

Play off each other's dialogue.

Play off the Page!

 

Hey, that's a great name for a blog.

 

I had moments of insecurity through the challenge, but the puppets kept me going. When I felt a little silly about bringing them out, I quickly learned that they helped me make a connection with the people around me. Heck, even the famous poet Naomi Shihab Nye held the puppets for a photo and giggled along with me!

 

My insecurity is, How can I keep up the momentum from the blogging from A to Z Challenge and create more plays that people will want to be in, watch, and produce?

 

I'll keep Millie and Willie, and those wonderful supportive people, close at hand!

 

Go. Create. Inspire!

 

Journaling Prompt:  When have you felt that a "silly" action on your part was the best way to break the ice and make connections?

 

Insecure as a Playwright

Quote of the Day:  I am profoundly uncertain about how to write.  I know what I love or what I like, because it's a direct, passionate response.  But when I write I'm very uncertain whether it's good enough.  That is, of course, the writer's agony. - Susan Sontag

I have joined the Insecure Writer's Support Group started by the super Ninja writer, Alex J. Cavanaugh.  (Click the badge on the right to learn more and read about other writers and their insecurities.)  It started in September, but it was during my birthday week, and I was feeling less insecure at the time, due to all the celebrating, so I'm starting today.  I searched my photos for something to depict the insecurities I feel.

It's not a great shot. I was taking a walk in the neighborhood and brought my camera because we are at peak fall colors.  A car drove by, kicking up dust and creating a haze.  The gravel road, the haze, the dust in my eyes, the thickness in the air as I take a breath - that's what my insecurities feel like.  I'm not sure if I'm even on the right path.

I went to the children's writers conference in Grand Forks, but thought maybe I don't really belong there because I haven't had any books for kids or teens published.  I've been working on a play that is for adults, although I do have an 18-year-old girl in it.

As I was writing my first full-length play, Coffee Shop Confessions, I'd go to the Coco Moon where I imagined it would be performed.  As I walked through the door, I could picture the "real" theater people standing outside, banging on the windows, heckling me, saying "Who are you to write a play?" ha ha ha ha.  "You don't have any training or theater credentials." pfftt. They'd stick out their tongues and make rude gestures.  "You don't belong!" They'd shout.

So, I brought along a friend, at first, to help quiet the voices.  She actually laughed at them. That shut them right up.  I learned. I gained confidence. I heard her always encouraging voice saying, "Of course, you can."  Then, I shut off my inner critic. Snapped her mouth shut and zipped her lip.  I closed the shades on those hecklers, and got down to business.  You see, I had other voices in my head, the voices of my characters, and they wanted to get out. They had stories to tell, lives to share, and relationships to be formed.

And, now, it's done. I'm ready to cast the show and watch it come to life.  Right here, in my local coffee shop.

Here I am explaining my play to this young woman. She's not acting here, she was truly interested.  In fact, she inspired the character Micki.  Also, the photographer is Joey Halvorson who was doing a photo shoot for my article in Her Voice.  Joey's voice offered encouragement that day. She also used it to bring my character Lolly to life at a table reading of the script, and will be Lolly when it's finally performed.

Now, all I can hear in my head is I get by with a little help from my friends! Thanks, Beatles! (JeMA, Joey, Roxane, and all my friends who kept saying, "Of course, you can!")

Journaling Prompt:  Who are your cheerleaders? Who tells you that you can do it? Who quiets those insecure voices in your head?

No one said it would be Easy

Quote of the Day:  A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. — Thomas Mann

I'd like to debate that Thomas Mann quote.  Substitute the word that describes you and your art or skill.  Is it harder for you to create, or easier?  In some ways it's easier.  You have the desire.  You think of ways to describe things.  I often find myself reacting to a situation or person or event like a writer.  I start thinking of how I can describe it for other people so that they can experience it through my work.  Then, the "it's harder" part comes in.  I agonize over just the write words and phrasings.

It's like getting yourself all geared up for that big climb, like Eric on the ropes course up there.  My boys had a preview of their camp experience by going to Camp Shamineau with their class this spring.  It gave them the spark of desire.  They tasted success and thrilled at the adventure.  But, it was still a little scary stretching themselves a little further, sleeping away from home, trying new things, meeting new people.

Last night, it stormed - loud and long.  I was awake for a while.  Then, I felt restless and couldn't fall back to sleep.  All that crash, bang, boom must have been loud in those cabins.  I wondered if it woke the boys. Who might have freaked out, and if the counselors got any sleep.

Yesterday, was one of those idyllic summer days, temps in the low 80s, low humidity, slight breeze, lots of sunshine. I sat on my deck in the afternoon and read a book. (Hey, the little guys are gone, I enjoyed the quiet time. I can clean house later.). I thought, what a great day to be a camper.  Last night, during the storm, I thought, it's a bit more challenging to be a camper right now.

Such is our artistic life.  Sometimes the words come easy.  We can see the description in our heads, or just know the right color and texture combination in our art.  Musicians hit the combination of notes that sends shivers through your body.  Then, there are times when you erase what you've written, paint over the first layer on the canvas, or try new combinations of notes.  When it's your thing, you want it to be just right, and that's when you know it's work, but you love it.  It's a hard climb, but it's worth it.

I'm trying to find the best time to have my play performed with the cast who loves it the most.  I want it to be perfect.  Maybe I need to let go of "Perfect" (the unattainable), and let the creative forces take over.  I met two lovely and talented young women this week - at the coffee shop, of course. They get my play and want to be in it.  I am so encouraged by that - people willing to take a risk with me, a new playwright, and my original play. 

Okay, Creative Spirit, take it away.  I'm geared up and ready for the climb and glad I have supportive friends holding the ropes.

Go. Create. Inspire! (and be sure to wear your protective gear)

Journaling Prompt:  What's the next project for you?  Where do you want to go with your artist's life?

K is for Kathy King

Letter of the Day:  K

Today is K Day.  I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine who has kick-started me into the wonderful world of play-writing.

Kathy and I at the She Speaks event in Grand Forks, ND.

K-Day!

I didn't know there was a K-day, but I am delighted to celebrate -- especially since my name is Kathy Coudle-King -- I've got 2 Ks. It's fortunate I don't have 3.


I've always liked having my name begin with a "K"; they're fun to write. Sometimes I'm in the mood to make a little loop and other times I just do sticks. P is another fun letter. But thanks to email, now I always think someone is sticking their tongue out when I see it typed. p .


Never-the-less, I will continue to write p's since I am a playwright. I wrote my first play as a sophomore in h.s. It went well, and the next year I wrote another and this was selected for a performance at the high school. People actually laughed at the words I wrote! What a great feeling! Sometimes I make a joke and people laugh, but you never know if they're really laughing at the joke or to be nice. But when you write something and the words are coming out of someone else's mouth, a character, say, then you know it's really funny. Or the actor is. Hmm.


I've written about 50 plays, lots of 10-minute ones and about 7 full-length, a couple of one-acts. I had a novel published in 2000, Wannabe, and I've written essays, but I love the script format. You simply think of a plot and invite your characters in to do the work. It's a little like being a spiritualists and channeling voices. Spooky, stuff, huh? Except none of my voices tell me to do anything violent. Some of them have shared what it's like to be dying of cancer, though (that was my play Trees), others told me about what it was like to release their babies for adoption (St. Bette's), and right now a woman is telling me about how she ended up bleeding to death on a bus. If there's a theme, it's that I enjoy telling the stories of those who don't always get a forum to share, and often these characters tend to be women.


I also enjoy bringing history to life and letting historical characters speak. I'm going to be working on a commissioned piece about the Triangle Factory Fire that happened a 100 years ago in New York City. I look forward to bringing together the voices of 3 women (a triangle, get it?) from disparate backgrounds; Frances Perkins, Clara Lemleke, and Anna Belmont Vanderbilt. Look for it Sept. 29th at the Empire Arts Theatre in downtown Grand Forks, ND. It's cleverly titled: Triangle.


So, eat some kippers, cook up some 'kraust, and pet a kitten -- it's K Day!


Kathy
stop by at www.dakotalit.com

Thanks, Kathy!  I look forward to seeing more of your plays.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  What historic people or events would like to see come to life on stage?  Do you hear voices in your head?

Playwright Night to Remember

Quote of the Day:  Playwrights work in collaboration.  Their words to the director to the actors to the audience, and many people in between. - This is a paraphrase from Kathy Coudle-King, playwright and director, and my own sentiments.  That's what I love about theatre.  You're part of a creative team.

Mary Aalgaard with Kathy Coudle-King

Here we are celebrating after the readings during the She Speaks event in Grand Forks, ND, March 5, 2011.  They had some technical difficulties with the Skype attempt with Australia and Canada.  Some of it worked out fine, and it was cool to say "We're waiting on Toronto," but other times we had nothing or fuzz.  We're not quite to The Jetson's stage on that.  Also, I had technical difficulties with my dad's video camera.  Didn't push the right button, so no video.  However, I did receive the DVD of our table reading from two weeks ago. Thanks, Matt!

Michael Harvey, Wendy Swerdlow Pedersen, Mary, Nancy Swerdlow

These are the actors who read the cutting of Coffee Shop Confessions.  Mike read Sam. Wendy read Jewell. Nancy read Lolly, and Tori Remer read Micki, the teen girl, but like a teen girl, slipped off before we got a photo.

They did a fantastic job.  I laughed.  I cried.  I held my breath.  I felt my heart beating harder when Jewell walked on with the cell phone in her hand in a heated discussion with her husband.  It was a reading, not a production, but they did some wonderful acting with their eyes, expression, voices, character, and props - the cell phones.  They did get up and move during the mixed up cell phone bit.  Oh, they were wonderful.  Thank you fine actors for bringing my characters to life!!

They were also gracious in welcoming me to their stage, The Firehall Theatre in Grand Forks, ND.  The actors thanked me for sharing the script with them at the same time I was thanking them for lending their voices and talents to my words.

My first authors' panel (not the most flattering picture, but, eh, what can you do?).

We had a "talk-back" discussion with playwrights, audience, actors and directors afterwards.  It was a positive, enlightening experience.  All the readings were great.  Each quite different and unique.  I enjoyed seeing and hearing what the other playwrights had done.

My best writer-mama-pal, Roxane Salonen, drove up from Fargo to celebrate with me!

My Grand Forks writer friend and fan, Janet Speath, came to watch the readings.  Thanks for your support, Janet!  It was Janet who got me connected to this event.

My sister Nancy and her husband KC at the Bethany Church Dumpling Dinner.  They came to the show, but I missed getting their photo at the Firehall, so snapped them up here.  They were great supporters and full of comments and tips to make the show even better.

A tray of what we Midwesterners call "bars."

A sweet ending to a practically perfect weekend.  I have a few details to work out with my script if I want to use music.  It's tricky.  I'll need do my research, get permission, or better yet, find a composer and do original music.  Any takers out there?

Journaling Prompt:  What are the ingredients to a wonder weekend in your world?

"She Speaks" in Grand Forks

Quote of the Day:  I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. - Oscar Wilde

Here I sit at the coffee shop in downtown Brainered, MN, observing life, listening in, and participating.  A 10 page scene of my play Coffee Shop Confessions will be performed this Saturday in Grand Forks, ND.  The Brainerd Dispatch ran the article.  I'm now officially a playwright.  Here's the blurb:

*************

Baxter woman has play reading in N.D.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Mary Aalgaard, a writer living in Baxter, is one of the six women playwrights whose work will be read Saturday at the Fire Hall Theatre in Grand Forks, N.D.

The event “She Speaks — N.D.” is being jointly produced by the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre and the International Center for Women Playwrights.

Aalgaard has been writing short plays with children and skits for various events for years. “Coffee Shop Confessions” is her first full-length play that will be read Saturday. She was inspired to write it because she spends much of her time hanging out in coffee shops. Aalgaard plans to have the full play performed at the Coco Moon in Brainerd later this spring.

The staged-readings are in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Other writers whose work is included are Margaret Bail, Adonica Schultz Aune, Kathy Coudle-King, Charlotte Helgeson and Debbie Pfluhoeft-Hassett. Directors include Marie Strinden, Jared Fladeland, Carly Flaagan and Larissa Netterlund.
Tickets are $5 and go to the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, as well as the International Center for Women Playwrights.
*****************

Oh, yay, you'll need to tie a string to my foot because I'm soaring up in the clouds.  My best writer-mama-pal Roxane will be driving up from Fargo.  She's bringing the chocolate.  I have the wine.
Wine, chocolate, great friends, theatre, success = A VERY GREAT WEEKEND!

Go. Create. Inspire! And, have your own "up in the clouds" experience. 
(ooo, the view is quite remarkable from up here)

Journaling Prompt:  Describe an "up in the clouds" experience that you've had, or long to have.





















Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/o/oscarwilde120291.html#ixzz1FY0fkKMm

Playing in Puddles

Quote of the Day:  Sometimes you have to shut off the inner critic and just play! - Mary Aalgaard, playwright

When life gives you puddles, JUMP! The dad next door said, "You still need to be a kid some days."

We've had rain for about 10 days straight.  Hey, Mother Nature, you can turn off the faucet, now!  We're good with the precipitation.  The grass is green again; the flowers are blooming; the strawberries are ripe.

Yep, these are growing in my backyard.  I had to pick them in the rain, but it was worth getting a soggy shirt.  My hair was already a lost cause, frizzy, then flattened, then limp.  Ugh.  I'm getting a cut next Tuesday. Thank God! (or should I say, Thank Aubrey!)

I was working on my script this weekend, Coffee Shop Confessions, and the annoying inner critic started saying:  Oh, you're back to that old thing?  Hmm. Well, aren't you putting too many elements in that?  I mean, you'll confuse your audience with all these issues and songs and comparisons, and ha! do you really think you're funny? And, other stuff too dumb to repeat.  I had to turn off that inner critic and just JUMP off the page.  Turns out, I like what I wrote.  It moves the story forward, PLUS it's interesting and funny.  So, PTHWEOEW! to you inner critic.

When you turn off that inner critic (I had to put duct tape over the mouth of mine!), you find yourself in new and interesting territory.  It might even change your look.  See what it did for my twins.  Their friend came along when they got haircuts, so they took the dare and got buzz cuts!  Ah, that will feel great when the summer sun and breeze finally get a chance to come out and play.

Journaling Prompt:  Write about a time when you turned off the inner critic, took a giant leap, and let yourself play.

New Brew

Two Quotes for Today: What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? - Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch Painter)

If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored.  One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. Henry Miller (American Writer)

Art by JeMA hung here in February.

Some day soon,

Coffee Shop Confessions

at

The Coco Moon

by

Mary Aalgaard

will be performed.

I have not had the energy to work on my historical novel, War is Not for Girls.  I spent some time this weekend assessing my lack of creativity.  I had lunch with the above mentioned JeMA.  I told her that it's not that I don't like the story.  I do.  I love the characters.  They're alive in my head.  The setting is real, but I wasn't making any effort to work on it.

I started talking about an idea I've had for about a year to write a play set in a coffee shop.  I want to use all the great conversations I've had (and listened to at other tables) and bring them to life.

She said, "What is it you like about playwriting that's different from novels?"

I said, "The script is pliable.  You are part of a creative team.  It starts with my ideas, the characters and story that I create.  Then, the director interprets the script.  The actors bring the characters to life, and it's all presented to the audience who experiences the drama."

She held up two books, "Would you rather read this one, Writing the Breakout Novel, or this notebook (either symbol of you starting your script or writing a play)?"

I pointed to the notebook.

I started writing the play right there.  The next day I went to the coffee shop and wrote some more.  This morning, we were in the Coco Moon where her art had hung, and I talked to the owner who welcomed the idea of performing the play.  She gave me some ideas for the script.

Folks, I have new energy!  I can't wait to write more.

The novel is going back in the crockpot to stew for a while.  When the time is right, I'll open the lid again and add some spice.  For now, I've got something fresh brewing!  I'll introduce you to my characters later this week.

Ah, that hits the spot.

Journaling Prompt:  Describe a time when you abandoned one project because a new idea just couldn't wait.