Writing Prompt: Profile Bloggers Steel, Young, Stafford, and Jordan

What is Write Nonfiction in November – a.k.a. NaNonFiWriMo?

As of today, nonfiction writers have 80 days to prepare for NaNonFiWriMo 2013 – – a month-long marathon of writing nonfiction in November (the nonfiction version of NaNoWriMo). Promotion is under way. Are you on board with us?

Create a Buzz for NaNonFiWriMo

I’m incredibly grateful that several of you have already started promoting NaNonFiWriMo 2013 by generating a buzz! This event has taken place each November since 2007. Nina Amir and I would love to get more people involved this year! We hope you will join us.

As promised, Nina Amir and I are awarding virtual tokens of appreciation for helping us create a buzz for NaNonFiWriMo 2013. Your name could be here, too. Just let us know what kind of buzz you’ve generated. Thanks!

Tokens of Appreciation Awarded to these Bloggers

Leaving comments on the WNFIN.com writing prompts:

• Val Hudgins – 1
• Melanie Martilla – 1

Linking WNFIN.com on your blog:

• Marc Nash – 1

Social Media shares:

• Marlene Cullen – 1
• Kiril Kundurazieff – 2

You and your blog or social media handle can be featured here, too. Want to help us generate some buzz for NaNonFiWriMo 2013? We’ll love you forever and you’ll soon get that feel-good fuzzy feeling of doing something awesome for fellow nonfiction writers.

Today’s Sub-Theme – Inspiration

Our fifth sub-theme in August’s “All About You” theme is inspiration. Inspiration is a topic that impacts us all and never gets old. Too many problems and stressors in our lives makes us yearn for inspirational stories to warm our hearts and make us feel better. Today’s featured bloggers do not disappoint!

Today, your job is to write basic profiles on the following inspirational bloggers: Maribel Steel, Beryl Ayn Young, Rachel Macy Stafford, and JoAnn J.A. Jordan.

Recap: List of Featured Bloggers

In this space, we will keep a running list of all the bloggers we are featuring in August.

August 2 – Women, God, and Faith: Kirra Antrobus, Maia Duerr, Rachel, Rachel Barenblatt, and Katie Orr.

August 5 – Food Bloggers: Michael Lee West, Tara Kuczykowski, and Robyn Stone.

August 7 – Braniacs: Melanie Martilla, Marc Nash, Val Hudgins, Claudette Young, and Meena Rose.

August 9 – Photojournalists: Darlisa Black, Veronica Roth, Alik Sumin, and Arnoldo Romero.

August 12 – Inspirational folks: inspirational bloggers: Maribel Steel, Beryl Ayn Young, Rachel Macy Stafford, and JoAnn J.A. Jordan.

Creative Idea Gal’s Thoughts

Inspiration, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. What I think is inspirational may not be to you. What you think is feel-good may not mean a thing to me. That is okay. Every single person is allowed to define inspiration within his own life. What’s most important is that you read through the blogs of today’s featured bloggers and see if you can walk away with a few good life lessons and apply them in your lives in new, unique ways.

Is there anything in their blogs that helps you? Surely, you will not be learning new information, but you will most likely be treated to original anecdotes and stories that reinforce special life lessons that help us all, irrespective of gender, location, or other differences.

Creative Idea Gal’s Softball Questions for Today’s Bloggers

My questions for today’s featured bloggers are a writing prompt for them, intended to spark creativity. I do not require today’s featured bloggers to answer my softball questions, but I strongly encourage it! (A few of you have done so already – thank you!) This is what I call a prompt within a prompt!

Maribel Steel

(1) What inspired you to write about your vision-impaired perspective?

(2) Has the loss of your sight at age 15 changed your perspective on life?

(3) Your writing is artistic and beautiful. Do you have plans to turn your blog posts from your Gateway to Blindness or Touching Landscapes blogs into nonfiction inspirational books?

(4) Your blog post “Kaleidoscope of Sound” is aromatic enchantment in an envelope ready for all to enjoy. How do sounds make you feel? Are you able to enjoy them all?

(5) How fascinating that you became a collector of Lladro ceramic figurines when you were eleven. Have you kept up your collection? Do your children collect, too? What do you do with your pieces besides display them in your home?

(6) You have invented many clever phrases on your blog. One I like a lot is “blind tradie toolkit.” How do you come up with original phrases? Do you ever repeat these phrases in your writing?

(7) Your genealogical roots in Spain blended in with your Australian homeland makes for an interesting blend of cultures. Would you consider writing a nonfiction book about your experiences and memories of culture?

(8) You define humor with a powerful definition that everyone should adhere to. You also come to the conclusion that blindness is an attitude. This stuff is too good to fester quietly on a blog with little fanfare. Would you consider turning these nuggets of wisdom into bookmarks, greeting cards, book covers, journal designs, or the like?

(9) What do you teach? Do you work full-time? How do you manage to write for two blogs, teach, and care for your family?

(10) Please tell us about your short story, His Emerald Eyes, and your publication in Fifty Plus News. Why did you choose this moment in your life to write about?

 

Beryl Ayn Young

(1) I’ve never heard of photography classes that nourish the mind, body, and soul. How did you develop this description of your business?

(2) How are you a natural healer? What type of healing do you do?

(3) When did you first experience self-discovery with your camera?

(4) The black-and-white image of you with a lit candle looking over an empty crib can be analyzed in so many ways. That image alone can inspire poetry and heartfelt stories. Have you ever considered sharing that image and creating a contest to inspire emotional reactions from others?

(5) You do a lot of guest blog posts for others. Which is your favorite place to do guest blog posts and why?

(6) How does your decision to quit your full-time day job impact your photography business?

(7) Your Momtographie digital magazine seems to be an e-book. Why not just call it an e-book? What is the distinguishing feature of calling this a magazine versus an e-book, which is more recognizable?

(8) What are Monday Musings? They appear to be wordless photo prompts, correct?

(9) Your anecdotes are all fabulous. Which comes first, the photography and life lessons you want to share or the anecdotes themselves?

(10) Your participation in the Declaration of You book and blog tour are interesting, but confusing. How does that relate to your participation in the World Domination Summit? How did you get involved in these two projects?

 

Rachel Macy Stafford

(1) How did you get your gig writing for the Huffington Post? How often do you write for them? How is your readership over there?

(2) You began your journey to be a hands-free mom by letting go of unimportant things and grasping onto what matters three years ago. In three years, you have collected many thoughts on this topic. What is the most important advice you can give to others who are having a hard time focusing on what matters the most?

(3) How do you deal with the skeptics who criticize your decision to be more laid back, savor every moment in life, and do things at a slower pace? Do you think those people just don’t understand your message?

(4) Your book based on your blog, Hands Free Mama, is scheduled to be published by Zondervan Publishing in January 2014. Can you describe your journey to publication? How did this come about?

(5) One of your stories appeared in the April 2013 edition of Reader’s Digest. How exciting! Can you describe how you got this honor? How did it all begin?

(6) You state that you have a million visitors to your site each month. How do you know these are unique visitors?

(7) How do your girls feel about the Hands Free revolution? Do they participate in any way? Do they read the e-mails that are addressed to you?

(8) You write in-depth about a media-saturated life, yet, the irony is that because of the success of your writing, your life is more saturated than ever. How do you reconcile your newfound fame with motherhood?

(9) How long have people been sharing their personal stories with you? When did the fan letters begin? Why do people feel comfortable writing to you?

(10) “The truth hurts, but the truth heals…” is only one example of golden advice. How did you come up with these pearls of wisdom? Did you read them from other sources and rewrite them or come up with them on your own?

 

JoAnn J.A. Jordan

(1) What is more important to you – – writing or photography?

(2) What inspired you to handwrite journal entries and add them to your blog? Why do you go through so much effort to scan handwritten passages instead of just typing them?

(3) Your blog is filled with original poetry. Have any of your poems ever been published? If not, will you self-publish them at some point?

(4) Do your photos always match the poetry and the writing?

(5) Line by line, your words and accompanying text are ready for publication. They are not just suitable, they are perfect. Every ounce of creativity and emotion serves as perfect inspiration. Would you consider self-publishing your blog posts and original poetry?

(6) Your handwriting has a flair about it. It slants neatly but has few letters connected to one another. If I were to interpret your handwriting, I’d guess that you are a neat, tidy person who adorns her home with fresh flowers and linens. You are not overly boisterous or in-your-face, but you do jump out of your comfort zone from time to time. How close is that to the truth?

(7) What advice do you give to people who say they like your poetry but do not understand it? How do you explain your poetry?

(8) You state that you are not a people photographer. How come? Why are most of your photos nature shots?

(9) How do you choose which writing prompts to work on? Would you classify your blog as nonfiction or fiction?

(10) Your daily handwritten notes, poems, photos, and gratitude statements are all wildly different. How do you reconcile them into one blog post? Why did you choose this format for your 365 Creativity Project?

 

Writing Prompt 094

Prompt: Write a basic profile on inspirational bloggers: Maribel Steel, Beryl Ayn Young, Rachel Macy Stafford, and JoAnn J.A. Jordan.

Writing Tips:

• Conduct basic Internet research.
• Answer these questions in your writing: who, what, when, where, why (bonus: how?).
• Write your profile as descriptively as you wish. More details make your writing juicier!
• Bonus: interview the bloggers by asking them questions by e-mail and posting their replies on your own blog. Makes for good reading!

If you complete today’s writing prompt in the form of a blog post, please upload it here! Nina Amir and I want to hear from you!

About the Author

Amanda M. Socci is the creator of this unique 10-month training program providing writing prompts to nonfiction writers. Amanda is a diehard creative and an aspiring book author, currently blogging a book on faith, A Slice of Faith, on a community website. Visit Amanda’s blog. Follow Amanda on her journey to book publication. Like A Slice of Faith on Facebook.