Hope St Simons 2

Thought of the Week

When you first make a dish, you use a recipe perfected by someone else…a master of that dish. Weeks later you make it again. Then for another occasion you make it again. The funny thing is…each time you decide to tweak it a bit. More vanilla, less salt. Pecans instead of walnuts. One less egg yolk or one more tablespoon of butter. Ginger instead of nutmeg. Before long, after redoing that dish over and over, you have altered it into a recipe of your own. That’s how you find your voice. . . reading the perfected recipe for stories that have gone before you, until you figure out you have a recipe all your own.

Editor, FundsforWriters
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Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326
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Chapin, SC 29036

What They Are Saying

The fact that you are producing your own fiction plus non-fiction books and FFW (in three different versions) AND blogging, Facebooking and tweeting all those helpful links multiple times daily is nothing short of miraculous. I don’t know of any other writer doing the range of things you do, and doing it all so well! You are a true mentor and that’s invaluable to the rest of us.

-Shannon Selin

Your column is a tremendous encouragement, giving me the sense of being connected with a whole community of people sitting in front of their screen, struggling with words.

- Michelle Vachon

You may not realize just who you touch with your work, but I guarantee you make a difference to more people than just me.

- Daniel Holly

I always send people to my friend Hope. She’s like going to a train station for writers. Her knowledge can take you anywhere you want to go.

- Bob Perks, Author “I Wish You Enough” www.bobperks.com

C. Hope Clark is a lot of help when it comes to keeping it short. You follow her advice, and writing becomes, like, the most organic thing ever. It’s refreshing to get this newsletter every week and learn a little bit more about staying true to my craft.

- Kevin A.M. Lewis

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