Elizabeth Herman has been helping and supporting writers of various backgrounds and ages and in all stages of the writing process since 1998. She completed her doctorate in Rhetoric and Composition in December of 2008. Vital Writer Services is her new business offering coaching, tutoring, editing and proofreading to writers in various genres and with a variety of possible issues. Five percent of each fee will be donated to non-profit educational service projects around the world, which are described on the ‘supporting others‘ page of this blog. Contact her at 618-559-1641 (cell phone) or hermanbetsy@yahoo.com for more information.
18 Sep
It’s nice to see you.
Great things happen when people love each other and have faith in others’ love for them. There recently came across a time when everyone was looking for friendship, or so it seemed. Then they would all get together for specific events that were agreed-upon places where love, peace, harmony, forgiveness and acceptance were the top priority on everybody’s mind.
For example, in my hometown of Carbondale, Illinois, we are on Day 8 of the Eleven Days of Peace event. It started on Day 1, which happened to be the 10th anniversary of September 11 attacks. Now, as we approach September 21, 2011, we see the end approaching of an unusual get-together of interfaith and civic groups to learn about non-violence and create a safer and more harmonious world. Some of the people who made this a great series of events included Hugh Muldoon, Diana Brawley Sussman, Randy Osborne, Marleen Shepherd, Ken Starbuck, Ossama Bahloul, Din Dayemi, Bill Sasso, Kathy Renfro, Sarah Heyer, Nikki Garza, etc., etc., etc., and the list goes on and on. Everyone who participated in one way or another is a hero in my book.
15 Jul
Childhood Scars
Human beings scar consistently and easily. Not all scars are physical or seen by the naked eye. Some scars are unseen. In the mind, some traumatic events leave impressions, which build up over time.
When I was very small, there was an incident of molestation that happened before I could walk or talk. I have vivid memories from that event, even though I was so young at the time. These memories have come back to me through years of intentional therapeutic work to uncover the root causes of some of my emotional and physical problems that I encountered as a young adult.
The problems stemming from numerous incidents of childhood sexual abuse were most acute when I was a young mother of young children. I couldn’t seem to sleep properly or digest my food properly during those years. I also needed counseling in order to handle conflicts that occurred during my marriage. I had a nice husband, but I was so taxed energetically that I couldn’t give him the gratitude that he actually deserved. He couldn’t be grateful to me either, and by the time 10 years of difficult marriage passed, we were ready to separate and divorce.
Now, I’m 48 years old and I’ve been divorced for 14.5 years. I’ve paid thousands of dollars and many many hours for therapy to handle the emotional and physical problems that I live with as a result of being sexually abused as a child. In addition, there was some emotional and spiritual neglect that happened in my family, despite the good and loving intentions of my parents. This is not a blame game. I love my parents and yet I’m compelled to look at them more truthfully than they allowed me to as a child. The reason I must tell this truth is not to hurt anyone, but to help those still sustaining the same kinds of scars that I have carried with me into this healing period.
More on this topic in future posts. With much love.
28 Mar
7 month anniversary!
This week marks the 7th month that Contemplative Writers’ Group has been in existence. It has really made my time in Carbondale so much more fun, and I hope to continue meeting with people to write, talk, read and eat for a long time to come. We have continued to read aloud from Natalie Goldberg and other writers who practice in a more or less contemplative way, throughout the last 7 months. Most of the time we have 4, 5 or 6 people in attendance. Sometimes we have a big dinner with several dishes and sometime there is only one cook and the dinner is small. Either way, regardless of how much food there is, we are always most grateful for the company of other writers who are willing to trust a 10-minute silence in each other’s presence and the value of the writing that springs forth from that silence. At first, I said that sharing the spontaneous writings was optional, and it still is, but the vast majority of participants share their work without hesitation, fully recognizing that it is all in process and not meant to be seen as polished or masterful, though sometimes/often there are flashes of brilliance that shine through.
18 Jan
new articles on Suite 101
Last week I posted a description of our Contemplative Writers’ Group and then today I just posted a Vegetable Pot Pie recipe on Suite 101. These two maybe part of a more long-term, consistent effort on my part to more frequently publish and earn a steady income from writing. Linking these two up to my facebook friends and to this blog may help generate more hits and more revenue. If anyone reading this is also a writer and would like to, we can collaborate on editing our articles on Suite 101. If you like food and meditation especially, then we can help each other come up with new ideas for topics and content. I hope to learn enough about online writing to earn a decent living as a writer and an editor in this internet-based economy.
11 Jan
Contemplative Writers’ Group meets every other Wednesday @ 6 PM
We’ve been having some really nice sessions over at my house in Carbondale on Wednesday evenings. Some of the writers who attend have been published and some have not. All have been very grateful to set aside the time and willing to share with emotion and sensitivity. The group seems to be changing members over the course of weeks, and we’ve held about 8 sessions so far. The sessions include a vegetarian meal, lot’s of fascinating, informal conversation, and a 10-minute contemplative writing exercise. I suppose some of the writing exercises are more or less contemplative than others. I find that if one has instructions that are complicated, it’s easy to make it contemplative, and simpler, by asking everyone to close their eyes briefly and focus on what task is being asked of them. This is a basic focusing technique. With eyes closed and silence, words that seem obscure or challenging tend to sink in easier and participants gain better comprehension and agency to complete the task at hand. You can find a full exploration of this meditative writing method, as used in an academic setting, in my dissertation, completed in 2008. The title: Supporting Student Writers’ Personal Agency through Meditation in the Composition Classroom: An Exploratory Study.
7 Nov
Diplomacy
Sometime it takes a lot of delicate balancing to be able to give feedback diplomatically, in a way that will not make the other person defensive or over-burdened with criticism. It’s difficult to predict how others will respond to the honest, constructive criticism that is part of a productive writing relationship. Their reaction may depend on little, unrelated things, like how well they slept the night before, or how their significant other spoke to them during their last encounter, or how much caffeine they had or didn’t have that morning. Others’ responses are varied and unpredictable, a little like the weather in the Midwest. And now with our global climate crisis happening, you might find that the writers in your life are taking your input even more erratically than ever.
21 Sep
Home Classroom
Holding the Art of Living Course in my home this weekend was a joy. I was so happy to see all the people, learning and talking peacefully and celebrating the knowledge that teacher Sunil Prabhu brought and presented so nicely. There were 14 of us plus our teacher, and everyone brought tons of food to share and we pulled together and lived in harmony for 3 days. Now my next venture is to host and facilitate a writing session this Sunday at 5:30, with a group of aspiring writers in this community. We will probably use one of Natalie Goldberg’s prompts from her book “Writing Down the Bones.” Then we’ll have a vegetarian meal together. I feel happy about this, partly because I’ve met the people who have signed up on Facebook already, and I like them a lot. Writing is always a lot of fun, especially when it’s done in good company.
2 Sep
gratefulness lists: a healthy writing practice
The other day in class I showed a video called “Be Happy,” where stick cartooned figures engaged in activities that produced happiness in themselves and therefore, in the world. In a conscious writing practice, lists play a big role. You can list what you want, and list what you have, and list what you are grateful for having (or not having). The list can take any shape or grow to any length you like. If you’re looking for a way to keep a daily or weekly journal, think of all the types of lists you can make over and over again. Mondays could be your “things I did this weekend” list. Tuesdays could be your “things I’m good at” list. Etc., Etc., since the types of lists and the items that go into making up your lists can change and reconfigure endlessly. Enjoy the healthy, reflective focus that writing practice with lists can bring you. And don’t forget your shopping and chores lists!
24 Aug
16 commandments for English 101
What I want you to do for English 101 this semester (16 commandments):
Take responsibility for your part in our two-way, mutual communication process.
Ask questions directly to me and persist in asking me until you fully understand my instructions or my information.
Write without stopping during freewrites in order to come as close as possible to filling the page.
Read the assigned material in time to discuss it on the day each reading is due.
Bring questions about your readings to class whenever possible, and make sure you get answers to those questions.
Adopt a positive attitude toward the subject matter at the beginning of the semester, and keep it throughout the course.
Share your ideas and your work with confidence.
Offer support and help to other students and to me whenever possible.
Accept support and help from other students and from me whenever possible.
Speak up during class when I request it.
Bring all assignments to class on time, including informal written work and preliminary and final drafts of formal written work.
Take notes during class, especially when I write information on the board or share it on the screen.
Review your notes often outside of class.
Cooperate pleasantly, respectfully and positively with other students and with me during whatever activity is assigned on any given day.
Visit me during office hours, or email me to get feedback on your progress in the course or on specific assignments.
Be patient with yourself and trust that you are making progress as a writer even when it may not feel that way.
