Daily Archives: November 20, 2015

An Evening with Author Paul Stutzman

This entry was posted in Adult Services on by

“Life almost never turns out the way we planned. Instead, everything depends on how we react to the twists and turns and surprises of the trail and the country road. I am now on a path I never imagined, and I hope the books I write along the way help you find peace on your own journey home.”

Join Author Paul Stutzman as he discusses his new book, Stuck in the Weeds

Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 PM

“Imprisoned in my kayak, I leaned back and wondered if this choice I had made was perhaps the most foolish, ill-advised choice of my entire life.”

Paul Stutzman was stuck in the weeds. Literally stuck, in the thick weeds of a Mississippi River swamp. All of us at one time or another are “stuck.” We may find ourselves at a place In our jobs, our marriages, our parenting, or our faith when there seem to be no answers and no clear path ahead. What does a follower of Jesus do then? Stutzman gives an honest account of events and questions in his own life that left him feeling just as stuck as the thick, impenetrable swamp weeds that confounded his Mississippi River journey. In a pilgrimage to find answers and clarity on personal and faith issues, he hikes a famous trail in Spain and ponders how choosing to be a disciple of Christ affects the choices we all make in our pilgrimages. His reflections will challenge the discipleship of every follower of Jesus. Call the Library at 330.343.6123 to register for this free program. Copies of Stuck in the Weeds will be available for purchase for $15.00.

Stuck-in-the-Weeds-large

 

The Zoar Story: A Morning with Author David Meyers

This entry was posted in Adult Services on by

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the history of Zoar? Join us on Saturday, December 12 at 10:00 AM in the library’s Community Room as David Meyers presents on his book, A Glance of Heaven: The Design and Operation of the Separatist Society of Zoar. Call the library at 330-343-6123 to register for this free program.  All welcome!

Na-No What Now?

This entry was posted in DPL Blog on by

There’s only 10 left in November! That means there’s only 10 days left in NaNoWriMo!

NaNoWriMo? What’s that? How do you say it?

It’s National Novel Writing Month, the month when writers everywhere try to write a whole 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I’ll save you the math: that’s about 1,667 words a day, for 30 days. For a normal typist (40 words per minute), that’s about 42 minutes of straight typing per day. I’m a fast typist (60 words a minute), but writing 1,667 words takes me about an hour.  Either way, that’s a lot of typing.

And it’s pronounced “Nan – Oh – Wry – Mo”

As the organization says on their website, “Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.”

And it’s certainly one way to do it, though it’s no easy task.

Every year, I try to do NaNoWriMo. First, I’m excited. What will I write this year? Sci-fi? Fantasy? A cheesy vampire novel? I do some planning and get a basic outline going for the story. Then November starts, and I start typing. And typing. And typing. Then I miss a day, get the flu, get busy making paper wreaths for a craft show… Life happens. And suddenly there are ten days left in November, and I’m short about 25,000 words.

Oh, well. There’s always next year.

Two years ago, I did get to 50,000 words. Here are a few tips I picked up for overcoming writer’s block and keeping the momentum going:

  1. Write something every day
  2. Stop writing in the middle of a scene – this forces you to get back into writing to finish it the next time you sit down
  3. Keep a general list of upcoming scenes so you know where you want to go next
  4. Don’t worry – this is a first draft.
  5. Seriously, it’s a first draft. Just write. Worry later.

NaNoWriMo may be ending, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait a whole year to write your novel. Make December your WriMo. Or make 2016 your WriYear. Make your own goal, set your own deadline, and write the book you’ve always wanted to.

Happy Writing!

Liz

Teen Librarian

PS: Link to my very favorite random writing tool: Write or Die by Dr. Wicked. Check it out.