Falklore: Join the Club

If you are a senior and really interested in becoming a writer, then keep a file on the Falklore’s that have appeared and those that will appear. If you want copies of prior columns, let me know at james@jamesfalk.net

Let’s start thinking about things that can be of help in your writing quest. No matter what your level of writing is, seek a writers’ club and start attending its meetings even if you are a novice. Remember, club members who publish were novices once. You'll learn a lot. Attend writers’ conventions if possible. I'm a good musician, a trumpeter in fact, and good enough to have played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Geneva, Switzerland at the age of sixty-eight. During a half century of music, I kept learning from others and also helping others. Good musicians enjoy sharing knowledge. It is the same with writers and authors. The point is that no matter where you are as a writer, do not be afraid to join a club. Our club, Pen to Paper Writers Club in Tecumseh, Michigan, is small but knowledgeable, and we work on every facet of writing from novel ideas to short stories to poetry. Our only requirement is sincerity. It all is very helpful for whatever genre one decides to follow. We meet for two hours the first and third Tuesdays. We have all kinds of writing activities and also home assignments. Good groups work on writing concisely, using action words, proper grammar, characterization and a ton of other things and sources you might never have heard of before, but will be of tremendous help. So keep getting your work space and your schedule in order, keep writing and remember that your goal will not be a snap, but reaching it will be one of the most satisfying experiences you'll ever have. My next column will outline some of the activities that our club does. I have a lifetime of writing in different professional areas but I've still learned a ton from my Pen to Paper pals.

Questions/Comments? Contact Jim at james@jamesfalk.net, or visit www.jamesfalk.net.

James Falk, as a teen-ager, used to dream of being a big-time racketeer. Fortunately, his dream didn't come true. A 10th grade dropout, he finished highschool after four years in the Marines and went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Communications.