Word Choice—Multitasking at Its Best! Guest Post by Beth Anderson

I love welcoming author Beth Anderson back to the GROG Blog because she offers a wealth of information, now welcoming her 6th picture book biography into the world, FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, illustrated by Caroline Hamel, published by Kids Can Press. Congratulations, Beth!

When I chanced upon the word PHANTASMAGORICAL, I knew I’d struck gold! And it fit the story of Franz Gsellmann’s World Machine perfectly with its meaning, composite nature, and whimsical feel!

Word choice is always an essential piece of writing, but with picture books it can make or break a manuscript. English is said to have the largest lexicon of any language in the world. Where other languages might combine words to express specific ideas, English tends toward individual words with nuanced meanings—connotations. 

connotation [from dictionary.com]

1.     a. the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning…

2.     something suggested or implied by a word or thing, rather than being explicitly named or described

With FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, I struggled to find a way to showcase the nebulous concept of an inner drive or urge. How could I express that for kids? “Voice” with the idea of hearing voices wasn’t right. “Urge” wasn’t either. When I tried “itch,” it worked as “a secondary meaning”…but a boy with a relentless itch had an “implied” meaning that made it a no-go! I eventually settled on “whisper” for its quiet summoning, using the word in a special way. 

Word choice can be tricky! But paying attention to connotations allows words to multitask, adds rich vocabulary, and cuts word count. Basically, think about ideas incorporated in words. For example, a word can be cut in both “crowded together” and “the crowd gathered” since crowd contains the concepts of together and gathering.

First and foremost, word choice is key to Show Don’t Tell.  An online thesaurus sits at the ready on my favorites bar, offering options to get my vision on the page. Still, I can spend hours finding the right words as I revise a paragraph. A great word choice can often eliminate an illustration note. Consider the implied differences: rode vs. pedaled, talk vs. gossip, laughed vs. snickered vs. giggled. Alternatives to the usual add richness and meaning. What follows are some of the ways word choices impacted FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE.  

Attitude, mood, and tone. Referring to the machine from the public’s point of view as a contraption conveys attitude, and when it has grown—behemoth. Lollygagging and dillydallying, instead of wasting time, serve the whimsical tone of the story. 

Sensory and Imagery Words. Word choices that enhance visuals and share sounds and smells bring the story world to life, helping kids immerse themselves in the experience of the characters. Flutter, click, scratch, jiggled, rumble, roar, whir, vibrated….  

Action. Vivid verbs keep the reader’s mind actively moving along with the characters. He zoomed up its elevator, glided down the escalator and marveled at the colorful lights. 

Pairs or Repetition. An interesting pair of words can offer contrast or connections. In FRANZ’s story, I used the idea of making the ordinary extraordinary in several spots to establish another layer to the story. A distinctive word can help the reader notice a repeated phrase at beginning and end to tighten an idea that loops back.  …eyes twinkled with wonder…

Made up words.  Sometimes, there just isn’t the right word to express an idea strongly and succinctly. In LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT, I created what I needed with the pair “late-for-church” and “late-for-equality.” In FRANZ, I didn’t realize I’d pushed the limits until the copy editor came back with a few words that weren’t in the official dictionary of the publishing house. I think zinged was accepted without a problem, but not scrumpled, as in …Franz pondered and paced, sketched and scrumpled, fussed and fretted” required a conversation. To me, it was the perfect word for sound and meaning, a combo of scrunched and crumpled, yet different than either. I found it in another dictionary and declared my love for scrumpled. Sometimes a word choice is worth defending. An unusual word can be fun, interesting, or bring special attention to a spot that deserves pondering.

Specifics are golden. Choosing very specific words helps characterization, setting, and makes the story pop. In Franz’s story, it’s impossible for text and art to share the nearly 2000 parts he used to create the machine, so I included specific pieces of the machine throughout to give the reader a sense of the range, immensity, and uniqueness of his endeavor. Hula-Hoops! Horseshoes! A hair dryer!  In a repeated line, I popped different specifics into the series of three, changing “pulleys, wheels, and lights” to “motors, wires, and gears.” When I wrote, I used word slips with names of parts so I could rearrange them to play with shapes, functions, sounds, and more. Though the specific words of the phrase changed in that repeated line, the rhythm of the sentence stayed the same. Which brings us to sound….because a word brings more than meaning to the page. 

Sounds of Words. There’s so much to play with regarding the sounds of words. I love figurative language like alliteration, consonance, assonance, and onomatopoeia. The rise, fall, and flow of sounds and syllables are vital to a read-aloud. “trinkets and treasures” has alliteration, but also two 2-syllable words. I admit to getting carried away with the sound effects and lost some beauties in cuts for pacing. (Apparently there’s a fine line between enough and excessive, so be careful of overdoing.) Attention to sounds also helps eliminate potential tongue-twisters that arise when reading aloud. 

Choosing the perfect word can cut word count, create mood, show contrast and connections, affect pacing and flow, transform a scene, and make a title sing. It can take many revisions, but when I finally chance upon that perfect word and it settles onto the page, I can feel it—down deep inside. Sigh.

Thank you so much, Beth, for this excellent post about word choice! Now I need to go see to my manuscripts...

Beth Anderson, a former basement tinkerer and educator, has always marveled at the power of books. With curiosity and a love for words, she writes untold tales, hoping to inspire kids to laugh, ponder, and question. She’s the award-winning author of REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT, TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE, “SMELLY” KELLY AND HIS SUPER SENSES, LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT!, and AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET. Beth has more historical picture books on the way, including CLOAKED IN COURAGE: UNCOVERING DEBORAH SAMPSON, PATRIOT SOLDIER, now available for pre-order; and THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE: BIAS, TRUTH, AND A MIGHTY MOOSE in fall 2023. 

Follow Beth! https://bethandersonwriter.com  
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INTERVIEW w/ Sophia Gholz & BUG ON A RUG PB by Eileen Meyer

 

Hi! Thanks for having me. I’m a big fan of GROG Blog and am so excited to be here sharing my new book.

 

1. Tell us a little bit about your newest picture book, BUG ON A RUG . . .

 

Bug on the Rug shares the story of a rug-loving Pug and a rug-stealing Bug. When these two encounter one another, a hilarious battle erupts with surprise twists and turns, until a third friend joins the fray and ultimately helps everyone find common ground. In general, this is a funny rhyming book that’s packed with action. But at its core, this is a story of friendship, empathy, compromise, and forgiveness.

 

2. How was this book different from your previous releases?

Bug on the Rug is different from my previous books in a few ways. First, this marks my fiction debut. Hooray!

 

Many years ago, when I began writing, I only wrote fiction. Fiction was what I envisioned I’d always write. It just so happened that my first three published books were nonfiction (with a few more in the works now). But I’ve found I approach both fiction and nonfiction the same way: by falling in love with a story first. The nonfiction books I’ve written weren’t subjects I sought out just for the sake of writing nonfiction. They were stories that I found fascinating and couldn’t stop thinking about. So, my draw to each of my books, whether a true story or not, has come from that same obsession and desire to tell those stories.

 

But Bug on the Rug is different in more ways than one…it also marks my rhyming debut! Poetry isn’t new to me. I love various forms of poetry, verse, and playing with sounds. But despite studying and exploring poetry, for many years I was terrified to truly pursue a full rhyming text because I doubted my skill. Rhyme can be so tricky! I’m truly in awe of the master poets out there. But when I began writing Bug on the Rug, the story wrote itself in rhyme. There really was no other option for me once I began drafting it. So, I had to be brave. I decided to run with it and here we are.

 

Last, but not least, Bug on the Rug is full of giggles. Humor is another one of those things that I’ve always written. But for those who are familiar with my previous books, this will be the first funny story you’ve seen from me. That said, it won’t be the last! A History of Toilet Paper (And Other Potty Tools) hits shelves this August and is another humorous tale. I’ve got a few more books in the works that haven’t been announced yet—both humorous and quiet. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to write both the raucous funny books and the quieter heartfelt stories.

 

3. Which character in BUG ON A RUG is your favorite and why?

Oh my. This is a hard question to answer! Can I just say all of them? They are each such fun characters and illustrator extraordinaire, Susan Batori, has done such a phenomenal job of making them unique and quirky. But I guess if I really had to pick one...maybe Slug? Slug is more of a peacemaker and I love that about him. J

 

4. For what age group would you recommend your book?  

I’d say 3-7 is a great age range for Bug on the Rug. The play with phonics in this story also makes a nice tool for early and emergent readers. The humor and rhyme here are also great for story times. I recently presented this book to K-4^th grade at an elementary school visit and each one of those age ranges had a blast reading the story, trying to guess what would happen next and acting out some of the characters. So, I think anyone who likes a humorous adventure can have a good time with this book.

 

For those interested, I have free classroom guides, crafts and activity pages that accompany Bug on the Rug and can be downloaded from my website here:

https://www.sophiagholz.com/teacher-guide

  

5. Tell us something we don’t know about you, Sophia . . . 

People may not know that I have severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I was diagnosed as a very young teen and it’s something that I’ve had to learn to navigate my whole life. It’s also something that I’m slowly learning to talk about more openly. When I was first diagnosed waaaay back in the day, OCD wasn’t something that was widely discussed. I thought I was broken or crazy. Trying to overcome that inner voice telling me to keep my struggles secret has been a challenge. But I know how easy it is to flip through social media and assume life is perfect for someone else, and I think it’s important, for mental wellbeing, for others to see that they aren’t alone. At least, I know that’s been important for me. 

 

Thank YOU for sharing from your heart today, Sophia—we are cheering you on and wishing you and BUG ON A RUG great success! If you want to know a little more about Sophia, here you go: 

Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, business major, and magic seeker. She enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and strong family background in ecology. Since 2017, Sophia has helped oversee the Henry L. Gholz SEEDS National Field Trip Endowment for The Ecological Society of America, funding field experiences for students from diverse backgrounds. Previously, Sophia worked as an advertising copywriter and made a career working with visual artists in New York City. Sophia’s books have received numerous awards and accolades. When she’s not writing from her home base in Florida, you can find Sophia reading, visiting schools or exploring the great outdoors. For more, find Sophia online with the links below:

 

Web: www.SophiaGholz.com

Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok: @SophiaGholz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQwIwDuBuZrGNVqTCcIKlg

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sophiagholzauthor

Time to Pivot - by Kathy Halsey

 I forgot I signed up to interview Becky Gehrisch on her adorable debut picture book ESCAPE TO PLAY and her very successful foray into self-publishing. But Becky was sick; I discovered a friend at a weekend graduation party contracted COVID. Oops! 

What to do? Make a new plan. Today I pivoted. Becky and I will talk about successful self-publishing July 13, 2022. You have plenty of time to anticipate our discussion and Becky’s tips.  I’ve pivoted lots these last few months. I’ve discovered being able to “pivot” is a useful tool for the writers and illustrators.   

 

Case in point, when I searched Pixabay for an image for “pivot” a few male basketball players showed up and arrow images, too. (I wanted a female b-ball player, btw.) 

 

So, I had to pivot and figure out how to use this image. I was making something out of what I had. This image looks like a wave or many iterations of how to end up at the same place. What do you see?

Maybe it’s time to change our game plan, adapt, or improve our practice.  It’s June! We’re almost halfway through 2022. If you’re like me, the last few months have gone so fast, I need to think about my shiny 2022 goals and find if they still serve me. If not, I’ll lean into change and redirect myself. (synonyms for pivot!)

Using myself as a case study. Here WAS my 2022 plan.

1. Be my own book wife - turn off news earlier, read poetry, revise or write in the AM.

2. Keep building on my way to “chunk” big goals into seasons. This past season was the season of exploration and trying new writing techniques.

3. Continue with submission goals of 100 submissions in 2022 via, beginning with 5 queries a month.

4. Keep my schedule light to feel creative: do yoga, walk, and don't take on extra responsibilities.

Where Did I Loose Direction? 

I’ve drifted out of #1, #3, and #4. But instead of chastising myself, I’ll be honest about what I know to be true! 

1. The daily news makes me nauseous and raw. I am writing haikus to channel those feelings now. 

2. I stopped querying for a month to prepare for the ABLA Big Sur Cape Cod Writers’ Retreat. I took 4 mss for that weekend and have more actionable advice on the work I’m sending out from top-notch agents and editors. 

3. I’m back to walking with my husband and dog Scrappy Doo and going to volunteer at the church community garden.    

If you’re spinning your wheels or feel stuck in old routines, why not pivot? Give yourself permission to swim in a different direction this summer. How about creating a motto or inspirational phrase in Canva and using it as your desktop wallpaper? That’s what I’m doing as a reminder. Share your new course correction or motto in the comments.

Here's my new "seasons" mantra.

Little House of Hope (La Casita de Esperanza) A Sneak Preview and Interview with Author Terry Catasús Jennings~Julie Phend

 

 

 

Here’s a sneak preview of The Little House of Hope (La Casita de Esperanza) by Terry Catasús Jennings, illustrated by Raul Colón, scheduled for release by Holiday House on June 14, 2022, and interview with the author.

 

Julie’s Review:

 

This beautiful picture book for ages 4-8 tells the story of a family who immigrates from Cuba to the U.S., where they rent a modest house.

 

It was small. 

It smelled like old, wet socks.

It had rickety, tattered furniture

from a church basement…

 

But the family was together.

They were safe.

They were happy in la casita.

 

To make ends meet, the parents each work two jobs, and Esperanza and her brother Manolo work hard in school. On weekends, they fix up the house, scrubbing, painting, and making repairs. La casita becomes home, complete with the good smells of Mami’s cooking and decorated with the children’s art. Esperanza makes a collage of her name in Spanish and English. Esperanza=Hope, which is what they found in la casita.

As they learn of other families who need somewhere to live, they open their doors. By sharing their home, they help other newcomers achieve their dreams

 

Little House of Hope is a heartwarming story of hard-working immigrants who come to the U.S. full of hope and promise, and share what they have to help others. Terry Catasús Jennings’s text is spare and lyrical, while Raul Colón’s watercolor illustrations bring the family to life in vivid, expressive detail. This is a book that is at once charming and important.

Interview with Author Terry Catasús Jennings:

Terry Catasús Jennings

Julie: Welcome back to the Grog Blog, Terry! Today, we'll talk about The Little House of Hope. Like the family in the book, your family emigrated from Cuba in 1961 when you were twelve years old. How close is the book to your own experience?

 

 

Terry, center, in Cuba with extended family, 1959

Terry:  Oh goodness, so close! When my family (Mom, Dad, my brother Tony and I) came to the U.S., we could only bring fifty dollars and one small suitcase each. Can you imagine starting a new life like that with no one to help you? However, my uncle and his family had been in the U.S. for about a year, and they opened their home to us. They also took in my aunt’s brother and his wife and baby—they lived in the garage like one of the families in the book.

When our family was finally able to rent a house of our own, our furniture came from the church basement, and I decorated the walls with collages I made on colorful poster board. One house we rented did have a peculiar smell, like old wet socks. When we lived with my aunt and uncle, the good smells of my aunt’s cooking filled the house. BUT after we moved out and my mom cooked, it mostly smelled of burnt rice. Mami had never cooked before in her life! She lived with her grandmother until she got married, and then she had a maid. So I stretched things a bit there.

Terry in Cuba with her Mami and Papi and brother Tony

Julie: In your Author’s Note, you say this book was born out of anger. Tell us about that.

 Terry: A realtor I knew told me he never rents to Hispanics because they live four families to a house and trash the property. It made me angry. He knew I was Cuban and had known me for years. Then I had a lightbulb moment: I was one of those people! We lived three families to a home, and we left it better than when we moved in. That was the kernel of Little House of Hope. I wrote the book very quickly. Neal Porter expressed interest within hours of my agent’s e-mail, and we had an offer two weeks later.

 

Julie: What do you love about this book?

Raúl Colón, Illustrator

Terry: How can you not love Raúl Colón’s illustrations? They are so evocative. When Neal Porter, our editor, told me Raúl was to illustrate The Little House of Hope, I was elated. I was already captivated with his work in Good-by Havana, Hello, New York. Raúl is from Puerto Rico and his wife is Cuban, like me. Raúl got Cubans right. One of the spreads in Little House shows the father after he has a good job. That man looks just like my papi. It made me cry.

 

I also love that I got to do the translation for La Casita de Esperanza. Neal allowed me to keep my Cubanisms, words like guagua, which we use for bus, when other Latin American countries use autobus. I had a fairy godmother, Eida DelRisco, who watched over me to make sure my grammar and usage were correct. We found that some phrases were more lyrical in Spanish, so we changed the English to match. When we got a review that praised the lyricism of my Spanish, I knew we’d nailed it. I couldn’t be happier about the way the whole project turned out.

 

Julie: Many of your books are based on your life experiences. As a writer, how do you mine your past for story ideas?

 

With friends, in costumes

Terry: As writers, our experiences always inform our stories. In the Definitely Dominguita series, I was the girl who was just as happy reading as doing anything else. I didn't need friends because I had my books. When I look at pictures from when I was young, so many show me in costumes because we loved to pretend. That became the basis for Dominguita.

The story of The Little House of Hope is largely true. I use events in my life in all my stories. I have experienced discrimination—stupid things, large and small, that made me feel like a second-class citizen. Those experiences hurt. For the longest time I wouldn't tell anyone I was Cuban. My English was good, my last name was Jennings. Nobody needed to know. I kept that up until I was 46 years old!

 

Having experienced discrimination, I want my books to show that people like me are not different. When I was younger, I used to tell my friends, "You know, there were big buildings, museums, and world-renowned restaurants in Cuba, too," because many kids thought I’d lived in a hut made of sticks with a thatched roof. When people view you through a lens that distorts the truth, it’s your responsibility to bring that truth out in your books.

U.S. Citizenship Day (Terry in green)

 

From anger, I hope this book brings understanding. It is dedicated with unwavering gratitude to the country that took us in, and to all immigrants who come to the United States in search of hope.

 

Julie: Thank you, Terry, for your insights. Best wishes for success with Little House of Hope. It’s a lovely book. 

 

 

 

Pauli Murray: MG Biography of a Little-Known Civil Rights Activist and Interview with Author Terry Catasús Jennings~Julie Phend

Who was Pauli Murray?

How many of you know the name Pauli Murray? Until I read Rosita Stevens-Holsey and Terry Catasús Jennings' MG biography, Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist, released this February, I had never heard of this incredible woman.  

Julie’s Review:

This book, written in verse for ages 10-14, tells the story of Pauli Murray, a activist for Civil Rights and Feminism before either movement was fully established. Born the child of mixed-race parents in Baltimore in 1910 but raised by an aunt in Durham, North Carolina, Pauli Murray never fit in.

 

Bright and perceptive, she “saw injustice and unfairness with uncommon clarity. And she didn’t accept it.” Instead, Pauli Murray tackled injustice with all the force of her determination. Despite poverty, she graduated from Hunter College, taught for the WPA Education Project, and wrote articles pointing out injustice. 

Pauli Murray, 1944

Her activist heart sent her on a quest to change the Jim Crow laws that held back her race at every turn. She entered Howard University School of Law and graduated top of her class, ahead of all her male peers. A paper she wrote while at Howard became the basis for arguments in Brown vs Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision that finally toppled those laws, though Pauli never received credit for it.

 

Despite a prize for her exceptional scholarship, she was barred admission to Harvard because of her gender. So she tackled gender laws along with Jim Crow laws. She went on to get a master’s in law from Boalt Hall of Law in Berkeley, California, and a doctorate from Yale University. She was a participant in President Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women and a founding member of the National Organization of Women. (NOW)

 

Pauli Murray battled poverty, discrimination, racial and gender barriers. And she never gave up.

 

This moving and inspirational biography tackles difficult issues head-on, while creating a vivid portrait of an incredible woman. The free-verse form makes it easy to read and allows the authors to return again and again to the important themes of Pauli Murray’s life. 

 

Interview with Author Terry Catasús Jennings:

Terry Catasús Jennings

Julie: You’ve had a big year! You published the Definitely Dominguita series, Pauli Murray’s biography, and have a picture book, The Little House of Hope, coming out this month.

 

Terry: Julie, thank you so much for hosting me on the GROG Blog. I’ve been very fortunate. All these projects have been in the works for a while, and then their paths converged. 

 

 

 

 

Julie: I was surprised I had never heard of Pauli Murray, even though as a middle school teacher, I taught both the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements. How did you learn about Pauli and come to partner with her niece, Rosita Stevens-Holsey, to write this book? 

Rosita Stevens-Holsey

 

Terry: I discovered Pauli Murray during research for The Women’s Liberation Movement: 1960-1990. The more I learned, the more I felt her biography needed to be made available to young readers. While I could do justice to her story as a feminist, I could not do justice to her story as a Black person, so I wanted a partner. My research led me to the Pauli Murray Center, and through them, I tried, at first unsuccessfully, to find Dr. Murray’s family. Then I went to see a play about Pauli Murray at Howard University. There was a row of seats reserved for the family, so I introduced myself. When I said I was looking for someone to work with me, Rosita raised her hand. She’s a teacher!  And she was already working to promote her aunt’s legacy. What could be better than that? The partnership has been as productive as it has been delightful. 

 

 Julie: Why did you choose middle grade readers as your audience? 

 

Terry: I wrote the story, with Rosita’s help and concurrence, so it would be accessible and engaging to an audience beginning with fourth grade. To me, that’s when young readers can understand the damage and humiliation of the Jim Crow laws, the struggles of women in the workplace, and the rights given us by the Constitution. I hope that anyone above the age of ten can enjoy this book and garner new knowledge and understanding from it.

Pauli Murray, Lawyer

Julie: Why did you choose to write the book in free verse?

 

Terry: Pauli just seemed to flow in verse. There were earlier prose versions, including a picture book, but none of them seemed to have the heart that Pauli Murray demanded. At one point, I started writing verses, and then it flowed. At first, our agent wasn’t crazy about the verse version, but then Courtney Fahey from Little Bee Books became interested. She liked verse and fell in love with the project. I felt writing the biography in verse would honor Dr. Murray, who was herself a poet. Our aim was to tell her story in a respectful way that would be accessible to young readers. And for folks with a little more age and a little less time, verse provides a way to learn about a transformative individual in an easy manner.

 

Julie: What do you love about this book?

 

Terry: There are certain passages I love. The verse about Pauli’s mother knowing her life might last no longer than a whisper on a windy night. The imagery of Pauli being prickly and a thorn in the side of those in power. 

Pauli Murray, 1967

But what I most love about the book is what it teaches young readers about a person who was previously ignored. It shows how difficult it was to gain the rights we now take for granted. How some legislators did what was right, and others got around those forward steps and caused human rights in our country to regress. Pauli Murray believed in the Fourteenth Amendment—the one that guarantees all will be treated equally by the laws. Right now, laws are being passed that would not pass the Pauli Murray test. They do not conform with the Fourteenth Amendment. I love that this book comes at a time when it can remind all of us that our only weapon in the fight for human rights is the ballot box.

 

Julie: Thanks so much, Terry, for sharing your passion for this subject and for introducing us to this amazing woman!

 

*Watch for next week’s Grog blog post with a sneak preview of Little House of Hope and Part 2 of my interview with Terry.

6 Views on Why We Need Nature

by Sue Heavenrich

Whenever I get stuck in my writing, I head outside. I tuck my camera in my pocket and tell myself that I’m just going out for a breath of fresh air. I might walk down my road, noticing how low the sun is in the sky, or the way snowflakes rest on dried rosehips.

I might wander around the yard, discovering brilliant green moss gardens. Or I’ll pull on my garden boots and head to the garden – which sometimes turns into a three-hour minivacation as I discover bees and flies, watch birds, notice buds opening. I’ve been known to turn a quick one-mile walk into an hour exploration.

photo by Sue Heavenrich

My excuse: being outside, in nature, is Good For Me. And there’s research to back it up. Time spent in nature – whether it’s a hiking trail or a patch of green in your backyard – can perk up your brain, decrease stress, make you happier, and increase your creativity. 

Add in some exercise, and you’ve got a winning recipe for breaking through tiny creative blocks. Not only is walking good for your health, it stimulates creativity and improves one’s mood. According to a study at Stanford, people’s creative output increased 60 percent while walking.

I know that when I come back inside, I feel more creative. So I asked a few friends whether they took nature breaks.

They are essential, says snail scientist and writer, Marla Coppolino. “If I've been struggling to figure out how to write or draw something, the "a-ha" moments come when I step outside and meander through my field and connect with the grasses, insects, and whatever else I meet. It re-awakens the parts of my mind that solve problems. Maybe part of this just comes from relaxing, but I think it's more of the connection I feel.”

Illustrator, Annie Zygarowicz spends time watching clouds with her husband. “When we’re driving, we’ll pull over to observe and photograph the cloud formations, their color, density and texture.” Cloud photos and memories inspire their painting and poetry.  

When author Kathy Halsey feels stuck, she heads out to a garden. “Being surrounded by growing things, the sounds of birds and the wind  make feel hopeful and refreshed. My head clears. I feel relaxed, less stressed, and able to sit and work again.” Spending quiet time outdoors has renewed her interest in writing haiku, and she shares her Saturday haiku on twitter using the hashtag #HaikuSaturday. In turn, writing haiku has made her more observant of nature. 

photo by Leslie Colin Tribble

Christy Mihaly sometimes takes her manuscript for a walk. “Usually I walk with my dog through the woods. Sometimes I focus on a particular story problem. Other times, I'm just taking a break and letting my mind wander. Either way, every time, it gets my brain out of whatever rut it’s in, and gives me a fresh start when I return to work. Often the universe sends me new lines for a poem as I walk.”

One such walk resulted in a picture book. Strolling by a hayfield and watching the balers operate, Chris mused, “Storing summer in a bale…” Those thoughts grew into HEY, HEY, HAY! (A Tale of Bales and the Machines That Make them)

Photographer and nature writer Leslie Colin Tribble finds that being outside is the best therapy for feeding the creative part of her life. “The act of movement while being outdoors sparks my mind into focus and clarity. Putting one foot in front of the other clears my thoughts and gives me greater vision about a project - allowing my mind to wander into the story I’m writing. Nature photography sharpens my perception, and I love stumbling across the perfect vignette of rock, lichen, wildflowers and soil that I can capture with my lens. Focusing on the small things in the immense landscape where I live reminds me that the tiniest detail is important in creative efforts.”

Later, when she looks back on her photos, she feels the sense of place all over again – bringing back physical and emotional details she can incorporate in a story.

So this week, head outside and see what you can discover. And if you are looking for some weekly nature breaks, check out my Wednesday posts at Archimedes Notebook.