A to Z is Coming!

1st Writes is going to do the 
A to Z Blogging Challenge again this year! Starting in April, our writers will post every day except Sunday.

Our topic: Attributes of God 


Are you participating in A to Z? Do you have a topic?

Words that Sing Poem Series - I Want Words

Art and photo by Dawn M. Hamsher, 2013

1st Writes did a study on "words that sing". It takes time and practice to find just the right word to get your point across.

 

For fun, we asked our writers to write a poem about words. I will share the poems this week. Here is the fourth one.

I Want Words

by Dawn M. Hamsher

Sometimes I want words that propel me through a story as I hang on to each breathless page,

Words that roll, barreling down a mountain, only to be swept out to sea, as I scream.

Other times, I want words that grow moss and lay in quiet woods, ones that hear their own heartbeats.

These words tumble dry on low in my mind and smell of fresh air and sleeping newborn babies.

When I’m feeling frisky, I want words that crunch under my toes and splat on the middle school ceiling,

Words that play hide and seek and Red Rover and break the rules, skateboarding down the halls.

When I love, the words should squeeze too tight and linger too long, leaving a lasting impression in the cement.

Those words need action that boils over, not watercolors, but permanent oil paints, splashing on canvas.

In anguish, I want words that break and falter, with fat tears that drop on raw sewage.

Those are words that beg for release, griping iron bars after receiving a life-long prison sentence.

No matter my mood, though, I want words, all of them, heaped up in my backyard.

Words to sort through, to savor, to discard. Words with buttery fatness and words that crack like eggshells.

Yes, I’ve decided. I want words. 

What About Me?

Photo Credit - Stockvault.net

Several people in our writer's group have started blogging. After the initial steps of setting up an account, deciding on a title and picking a design, the next step was to create a profile.

"What do I put in the 'About Me' section?" someone asked, which was followed by a murmured chorus of "good question" .

It's an excellent question but I didn't have an answer right away. After giving it some thought and doing a little research, I've compiled the following tips for writing 'About Me', in other words, writing your profile.

• Make it personal. Use a real picture and give some background information on who you are, but keep it simple. Go into more detail on the 'About Me' page. For instance, in the 'About Me' section of your sidebar, tell your readers you are a Christian, but save your testimony or journey for the 'About Me' page.
• Tell your readers what your blog is about. When I visit a blog for the first time I usually read the most recent post. If I enjoy it, I immediately read the 'About Me' section on the sidebar to find out if the blog's content is interesting or helpful to me and if it is, then I will follow that blog. Clearly stating what readers can expect when they visit your blog is key to gaining followers. 
• This is a completely optional tip - personally I like to be welcomed and invited to read a blog. It's like when I go into a store and the salesperson say hello, welcomes me in and invites me to look around. There's no pressure to buy anything, and I feel free to browse. I like to feel the same way when I visit a new blog. Like I said, this isn't a necessity for a good profile, but something to consider.
• Be creative. Try writing a poem for your profile like our friend Dawn or try a song parody or adapt the beginning of a television show like Jayne at The Novice Novelist. She uses the beginning of the old TV show 'The A Team' to introduce her blog. It's so clever and to me, memorable.
• Don't be afraid to revise, update or change your profile as your blogging experience increases. After reading a lot of other 'About Me' sections, you're bound to be inspired. 

Words that Sing Poem Series - Our Words

Art/photo by Dawn Hamsher, 2013

1st Writes did a study on "words that sing". It takes time and practice to find just the right word to get your point across.

 

For fun, we asked our writers to write a poem about words. I will share the poems this week. Here is the third one.

Our Words

We do not know just where or whom

Our heart-felt words might reach.

Our thoughts flow from our fingertips

To those we hope to teach.

A reader wrestles with our words--

They’re etched upon her mind.

God tiptoes by, inspires our prose,

Faith dawns and is refined.

As diamonds set in purest gold

Attract, intrigue, delight,

Words crafted by the love of God

Draw others to His Light.

©2013 Pamela D. Williams

Words that Sing Poem Series - Words of a Feather

Art and photo by Dawn M. Hamsher, 2013

1st Writes did a study on "words that sing". It takes time and practice to find just the right word to get your point across.

For fun, we asked our writers to write a poem about words. I will share the poems this week. Here is the second one.

Words of a Feather

by Joan Disbrow

Words of prey dive

sinking talons deep into the heart

tearing through softened tissue seeking

the tender part.

Words of compassion bring gifts

of healing that also sink deep

into wounds of ago

restoring the ripped,

bringing rest,

soft as breast feathers  lining a nest.

Words of rejoicing echo

the heartbeat.

Sharing the fullness of life

lived anew.

Words that sing to the author

of healing:

You heard me and sent me

the words.

Words that Sing Poem Series - Words that Bless

Art and photo by Dawn M. Hamsher, 2013

1st Writes did a study on "words that sing". It takes time and practice to find just the right word to get your point across.

 

For fun, we asked our writers to write a poem about words. I will share the poems this week. Here is the first one. 

 

WORDS THAT BLESS
by Sandy James

PROBLEM

How am I to speak words that edify and bless

If I have no skill for separating

Dull from audacious

Rude from tact

Surely there are rules on how to supply

Words that encourage

Rather than words that deny

Words that inspire, cheer, and hearten

A person in quest of his worth.

SOLUTION

Jesus is the Word

Planted in our hearts

Words of love and acceptance

Declaring we have value

Words spoken forth that bring harvests of gold

Yielding an abundance of God’s goodness

But beware the tares that grow up with the wheat

Words of bitterness and anger, envy, pride and greed

Those words produce a harvest as well

They’re words that destroy

They’re from the pit of hell !

So speak words of life, words of peace

Let words that discourage and criticize cease

Bless those who hurt you

Bless those who hate

Bless those who persecute you

And forgive all for Jesus’ sake.