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Patricia L. Atchison

YA Fiction & Non Fiction Author

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Giving Birth to New Ideas – What-If

April 28, 2020 By Patricia Atchison

An author is always flush with ideas, but it’s challenging to refine those ideas into something that will form a piece of work. I liken starting a story project as being similar to conception. I first must decide I want to start a new story or book from some idea floating in my mind, but sitting down and flushing the design out and giving a voice to it takes quite the effort. Many authors use a technique called, “What if.”

See if you can guess what books these statements might belong to:

What if a boy discovers he has magical powers and goes to Wizarding School?

What if a high school girl falls in love with a Vampire?

What if a woman touches a stone, and time travels to the 1700s?

What if,

There is a character who is called or motivated to do something? What obstacles does he have to overcome or challenge to accomplish his task? What is the resolution? Has he grown or changed in any way?

Where I’m at today, is scribbling down ‘what if’ statements for a YA audience. I want to see if something reaches out and tugs at my creative spirit. I’ve come up with one idea. Now that the moment of conception has arrived, I must nurture and allow this idea to grow into something that comes alive. Using creative practices, I’ll determine character profiles, plot, settings, and dialogue. Next, I’ll write my outline and synopsis, and give my idea a title. Finally, my story will take shape as I write each chapter and do multiple edits, which could take months, if not years (hopefully not), before the birthing of ‘what if’ becomes a tangible product.

What if a writer comes up with a great idea, and it becomes a bestseller?

Filed Under: About Writing Tagged With: What if story ideas, What-If

Sequestered – But Not Hiding

March 24, 2020 By Patricia Atchison

San Diego Wave, photo by Patricia L. Atchison I understand daily events in my life can’t be organized, planned, nor managed at this time.

Outside forces intervene, a storm over the water, where ripples become white-capped waves crashing against a rocky shore.

Unable to control this storm, I seek shelter and comfort within the confines of a loving home, watching it swirl around me.

Thankful I’m not out in the midst of it, I think of those who are.

They’ve no choice but to bounce about, facing one wave, then the next.

Never knowing when the biggest one will hit and overtake, tipping them out into the vast ocean, fighting for their lives, and the lives others.

I’m not confined, though sequestered, but not hiding.

Merely being, I’m unable to control and manage.

I am doing my part to stay out of the storm and waiting for it to pass over.

Once it dissipates, I can go outside again and bask in the sunshine.

Ready to organize, plan, and manage daily events, carrying on with life’s familiar once more.

(Author’s note: my voice on #Covid_19 and self-isolating.)

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: #Covid_19 poetry, Poem about COVID19

Can’t Make Up My Mind

February 20, 2020 By Patricia Atchison Leave a Comment

Confessions of a Multi-Genre Author

Many authors who stick with and write in one genre are successful. They create a following of readers who become engaged because of the expected story lines that are guaranteed by the author. My problem with writing is that there are so many genres to explore. I find it hard to fall in love and stick with one particular type.

When I’m sad, or in a highly emotional state, a poem bubbles up and out of me and scribbles its way across a blank sheet. On a typical day, writing poetry is like looking at the mountains on the horizon over a hundred away. Beautiful, yet unattainable without quite a journey.

When my daughter was growing up, I read many children’s books at night to her, which sparked my creativity, and a couple of story ideas made their way toward publication. I learned how to write a full length novel in the young adult genre, but I’ve never sent them to publishing houses, nor published them myself. Do I revisit them, and see if the characters within and their story still excite me enough to pursue publication?

Journals, writing in them, and creating them have always been a passion that has never left me. Years ago, I had an online journal store when the internet was just in its infancy. I should’ve kept it going, but other interests took over my time, and who the heck buys things online anyway (ha!). I still journal quite often, even if it’s in this format of blogging.

I find many stories are triggered by dreams, events, adventures, news articles, and life in general. Some I know work only as fictional short stories, which I write and send away as contest entries – you never know—other ideas I jot down for later follow-up. Most recently, my interest is leaning toward an adult contemporary fiction story with a romantic plot line. More to come on this idea!

I’ve created a smattering of readership fans through my different writing styles, and I am grateful for their interest in my work. Reflecting now, I believe some authors found their niche within a genre and perhaps are comfortable staying within it (not to mention the healthy royalty cheques!).

Although I’ve been writing for decades, I’ve also been learning as I go along. It’s been a journey, discovering the different highlights of the genres I’ve visited. I guess I haven’t found the perfect spot/genre to nestle into and call my own yet. I know it’s a work in progress.

I invite you to travel with me on this multi-genre writing journey of mine and together, we may find that ‘sweet’ spot, which calls to the reader inside of both us, and it’ll be amazing!

Filed Under: About Writing, Uncategorized Tagged With: multi genre author, writing for multi genres, writing projects

Journal Writing Prompts

February 10, 2020 By Patricia Atchison

Journal PromptsWhen the call to write comes, it may be challenging to find the right words to put on paper. There is a solution for that. Writing Prompts. I was lucky at Christmas as my daughter, who knows me well, knew I would enjoy a ‘writing prompt’ journal. Not only that, she supplied me a milk frother for lattes and a container of homemade chocolate-covered sponge toffee. I’m blessed!

When I sat down with the journal, a tea latte, and these delectable treats, it made for a moment of pure bliss and happiness. I love flipping through the book and finding a question that speaks to me in the moment.

So as not to trespass on any copyrights with the journal prompts book I received, here is a prompt from one of the exercises in my book, Today I Am… An Empowering Journal Back To Self.

A person’s values change over time. Values are the standards and behaviours that a person lives their life by and are different for everybody depending on how they’ve been raised, the beliefs they grew up with, or the attitudes they picked up along their life’s path.
Grab a cup of your favorite beverage – sorry I’ve no treats left to share and take a few minutes to journal the ideas that come to you from the following prompts. Enjoy!

How have your values changed over the years – from your teens and into adulthood?

If you’ve lost sight of who you once were, what changes could you make to your value system, to find the way back to the person you knew to be you?

These are substantial questions for sure, but if the prompt speaks to you, grab your favourite journal and see what response you write.

Filed Under: Editorial - My World Views, Uncategorized Tagged With: Journal Prompts, Journal Writing Prompts

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