The Write Focus

The “Maundy” of Maundy Thursday is such an odd word. It comes down to us from the Middle Ages, entering English in the old French form of mandé, which leads back to Latin and mandatum, meaning command, order. The mandatum comes from Jesus’ words to his disciples. In this episode, we explore Christ’s new commandment to his disciples at the Last Supper. We also have a bit on the Tenebrae service tha...

Holy Wednesday is often called Spy Wednesday. Spy Wednesday sounds like a cool name with more going on than simply Holy Wednesday. Holy Wednesday is given the name Spy to remind us of the horrible conspiracy that began on this day: Judas Iscariot and the high priests negotiated a deal in which Judas would betray Christ Jesus, who would then be brought before the Sanhedrin Court, an assembly of rab...

In this episode for Holy Tuesday, The Write Focus looks at the More we need to do for God. I think most of us live a minimalist lifestyle with God. He’s in a neat little corner, tucked away, with a bit of brightness, brought out only when we need him. There He is, over there. See Him?  He’s for Sunday. No. No, no, no. He’s for every day. For writers, Refresh 3 offers a way to sink into Flow while...

On Holy Monday, many churches observe the anointing of Christ with oil at Bethany. The scourging of the money-lenders from the churches may also have occurred on this date. Most modern paintings and captions on old artwork say “cleansing” rather than “scourging”, which requires anger. Christ became angry at the people who turned the church into a money-making scheme. People could not reach God unl...

Changing churches will change your life, especially if you are Wanting More. I grew up in one of those stripped-down Protestant churches that barely, barely noticed the church year. We had Easter—which was usually a competition to see who brought the most family members. (Yes, I know. I thought that promotion inappropriate, too.)  I wanted More. Join The Write Focus throughout the 15 days of the E...

The fourth candle for the last Advent Sunday stands for Love. What Christ has done for us, what He is doing, and what He will do—all reveal His love for us. The greatest gift in the world? That is giving what is most dear. Sacrificing what we want to provide what others need. The dearest thing in the world? Our own lives. What would cause us to sacrifice ourselves for others? Great love. So, we as...

Look around. Even with the sun radiantly bright, our world is dark. Humans can argue about raising a family, budgeting for expenses, politics, politicians, climate change, whether the change is cyclical or anthropogenic, diet, exercise, sleep deprivation, big Pharma, vaccines, green spaces, carbon footprints, and more and more and more and more. That list barely grazes the debatable differences we...

As the first week is Hope, the second week is preparing the way for Christ. That knowledge—of what Christ has done, is doing, and will do—gives us PEACE, for we know that He directs our lives. Many people become caught up in the questions: Who and What? Why and How? Christ is a mystery that we can’t answer. Should we try to understand Him? Yes, but the factual details only reveal bits and pieces....

More: Advent, Chrismons, & Writing ~ 1st Week Welcome to More and a celebration of the Advent season. The denomination of my formative Christian years didn’t celebrate the church year. We had Easter and Christmas, but those two Sundays were the only ones devoted to special events of the church: Sunrise Service and Gift-Giving for the Poor. All the other Sundays were a ceaseless progression of...

Well, this has never happened. Changes disrupt ~ but do bring progress. Listen to learn while The Write Focus is on hiatus.

Nancy Brewka-Clark is our guest poet for this episode of The Write Focus. With clever one-liners, Nancy shares how poetry affects writing and life. Her collection Beautiful Corpus published just as Covid struck, and the intended splash of a new publication became lost in the lock-down world and had lost all shiny newness when society re-opened its doors. Yet Nancy continued, for—as with any true w...

Returning to The Write Focus podcast, this time to talk poetry and fiction, is Canadian writer donalee Moulton. We talk free verse vs. pure verse, twilight creativity, the benefits of poetry to our writing and to our souls, and many more topics. We also consider the dilemma facing many writers. It’s the question Am I spreading myself too thin by pursuing many different types of writing, or does pu...

Welcome Back to Fall into Poetry with a Poet, from The Write Focus. Our poet for this episode is crime fiction writer Janet Innis. While we suffer through storms and glitches, we do still manage to have a great conversation about poetry, fiction, and writing in general. Poet before she began writing crime, Janet Innes has always told stories, writing narrative poetry as well as flash fiction, shor...

Welcome to the official start of autumn. We’re two episodes into our Fall into Poetry series—this is the third—with a focus this season on poets who also write fiction. Our primary question is How Writing Poetry Made our Guest a Better Fiction Writer, but I guarantee we will delve into a lot of other corners of writing as well. Today’s guest is Michael Cody, a songwriter-poet who has added fiction...

Welcome to our second episode for Fall into Poetry with a Poet. Our poet this time is Pam Ebel, and this makes her third appearance on the podcast. Pam is a pure writer, which in my opinion means she writes many different styles and she shares her knowledge freely with us, with other writers at local seminars, and with other writers at national conferences. This year she’s one of the keynote speak...

Welcome to our autumn series Fall into Poetry. Here where I live, it’s not quite Fall, but I’m desperate for it, and this series is one way I can feed that devouring desperation. This season, we have poets who also write fiction, and that informs the direction of our episodes. While we writers may weave multiple strands into these episodes, the tapestry created depicts creative writing at its best...

We have reached the last episode associated with the Summer Writing Challenge. Our Quick Tip covers the 3 Sets of 7 that we writers need for every story start—because you’re moving on to the next writing, right? Reiner Prochaska offers a fascinating view of writing challenges in discussing his two novels and scripts for stage. Reiner Prochaska is a playwright, a novelist, an actor, a director, a f...

A sidestep into screenwriting led Ryan Hines back to writing short stories, novels, and flash fiction. He talks challenges and the Writer as a Thief of Life. That’s the best Quick Tip any writer can offer. Ryan Michael Hines is a novelist, podcaster, and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, CA, who loves the Southland sun but misses the beauty and mystery of the Appalachian Mountains every day. A gr...

Santa Barbara screenwriter Todd Goodlett talks scripts, drafting and revising, conflict, and more in this week’s episode of our Summer Writing Challenge. Todd Goodlett is a screenwriter and a playwright. He is the recipient of the 2019 Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in Screenwriting. Todd is also the winner of the 2019 Final Draft Big Break TV Grand Prize. His plays have been developed and produced ac...

Thriller writer Jeffrey James Higgins turns our interview into a smooth journey without any hitches in today’s episode. Located in the DC area, he helps writers with his salon, located at Elaine’s Restaurant , the literary hub of Alexandria, VA. If you’re in that area, do check out the salon. Jeffrey James Higgins is a retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative...

Can you see Autumn yet? I’m yearning for it, my special time of the year. Autumn is the anniversary of this podcast, starting five years ago, and my publishing journey, 10 years ago. It’s always wonderful to me. I see no signs yet, but I’m definitely looking—even though it’s much too soon. We can be that way with our writing: rushing toward the end, especially when we juggle multiple projects—that...

Into August and the last month of the Summer Writing Challenge with Week 10. Our interviews will stretch two extra weeks of September. Delia Pitts gives us a wonderful interview with fantastic information to share. Born and raised in Chicago, Delia Pitts graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor’s degree in history. After working as a journalist, she earned a Ph. D. in African history from th...

We’ve reached the end of July, two-thirds of our Summer Writing Challenge. How are you doing on your summer goal? Share your progress in the Comments. In this week’s episode our talk is with cozy fantasy mystery writer Elle Hartford. Elle writes the award-winning Alchemical Tales series, a blend of cozy mystery and cozy fantasy. She has also published a spin-off series, Pomegranate Cafe Romance, a...

It’s Week 8 of the Summer Writing Challenge. Eight is symbolic of two disparate meanings: 1] almost to completion, when completion is symbolic 10, and 2] a step beyond perfection, as 7 is the perfect number. We’re not perfect. We’re not even a step before, let alone beyond. We do try. After a Quick Tip on the 2 Requirements for Every Story, we have our interview with writer Paula Messina. Closing,...

Welcome to our mid-July week for the Summer Writing Challenge. Our interview introduces Ron Katz, who brands his mysteries as The Sleuthing Silvers. We open with a Quick Tip on Antagonists and close with a Check-In. I’m burning ahead to my goal—which is always a good place to be. On to the episode! Ron Katz, a lifetime Baby Boomer, was a trial lawyer for over four decades. A Rhodes Scholar, in 201...