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Milli, I just finished listening to my first podcast from TPR. It was the stories about getting flowers from a secret admirer. Neat experience. I'll encourage the others to listen in. I can't thank you enough for this, Milli. It sounded so amazing to hear a professional reading my story! It gave me goose bumps to hear the podcast. Please thank everyone involved in Online Arts Outreach for me. I want them to know how wonderful they are for putting this together.
Fear of Writing is proud to be associated with Texas Public Radio and the Online Arts Outreach program. This resource belongs to you, so please feel free to join us! If you're reading this page, you are already qualified to participate. The info on this web page will provide an easy, no-cost way for you to dabble or dive in headlong. Or simply subscribe to the podcast or use the streaming audio button to listen to stories created by participants.
One Writer's Journey Into the Bowels of Texas Public Radio
This project and podcast is part of our efforts to inspire Texas Public Radio listeners to be creative and explore their hidden literary talents. A monthly prompt is offered to get you started writing on a subject or idea. The Fear of Writing method was invented in 1999 by author Milli Thornton when she needed to heal her own creative dreads. It is based on fun and liberating writing prompts known as the “Fertile Material” from Milli’s book, Fear of Writing. The deliberately gentle philosophy at Fear of Writing creates a safe space where you will not encounter criticism or “critiques” from the other writers, only mutual support and enjoyment of one another’s writing styles. Fear of Writing is a way to help us unleash our creativity, not become letter perfect. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? Anyone on a writing journey can participate, including absolute beginners. If you have always longed to write but didn’t quite have the courage or the know-how to get started, then this method will help you launch quickly into creative writing. Experienced writers, including professionals such as journalists, have also used Fear of Writing to switch from non-fiction to creative writing, or to work through a specific writing fear. Children’s author Penelope Stowell used the method to work through a “fear of finishing” and consequently had her first children’s title, The Greatest Potatoes, accepted and published by Hyperion Books. The Fertile Material is not just for storywriters. Poets have also used the prompts to create wonderful poetic tapestries. Other creative types can also use the prompts for inspiration. For instance, Catherine Greti, a collage artist in California, has been known to use the prompts to inspire ideas for new collages. To meet our Producer and the Story Selection Panel: http://fearofwriting.com/radio-for-writers.htm
The underlying atmosphere at Fear of Writing is based on a gentle understanding of your creative fears and a non-judgmental celebration of your creative expressions. The active method at Fear of Writing (the “Fertile Material” prompts) is based on freedom and fun. Forget what your college professor told you and let your imagination go wild! Creativity is first and foremost about letting your imagination loose. You can attend to the finer details (such as editing or rewriting) at a more appropriate stage of your creation. YOU CAN PARTICIPATE THROUGH ONLINE ARTS OUTREACH If you would like to try this method at home, look above for the monthly writing prompt. Write a story and submit it by email to the email address given below under Rules for Submission. Your story will automatically become eligible for selection for the audio aspect of this project, where Fertile Material stories are recorded and made available on this page via streaming audio and through a downloadable podcast. RULES FOR SUBMISSION To access a printer-ready version of these guidelines at Milli Thornton’s Website, click here on Print These Submission Guidelines. 1. You do not have to live within the Texas Public Radio listening area to participate. 2. Your story must be based on the monthly Fertile Material prompt (found above). 3. Your story does not have to use the same title given in the prompt. However, when you submit you must provide the full text of the prompt so the Story Selection Panel will know which prompt you used. 4. Your story should be no longer than two single-spaced pages in a Word document using one-inch margins (approx. 1,200 words). You may also submit a poem instead of a story, as long as it's based on the Fertile Material prompt. 5. Please keep your submissions suitable for a general audience. 6. There is no need to use manuscript formatting when you submit. The accent here is on creativity rather than formatting. 7. Please include your first and last name and your city and state at the bottom of your story. Use an email address that you check regularly. 8. Send your story as a Microsoft Word document attached to your email. If you cannot send a Word document, please contact Milli first to make other arrangements. 9. Submit your story to Milli Thornton at fertilematerial@fearofwriting.com. 10. If your story is chosen to be recorded for podcast, you will be contacted—either by Milli Thornton or a representative from Texas Public Radio—with a request to give permission for TPR to use your story in the public domain. You can read the permission form by clicking on Print These Submission Guidelines. MORE FERTILE MATERIAL PROMPTS If you've already used this month's prompt to write a story and you're still feeling inspired, you can find more prompts on this page at Milli's Website: www.fearofwriting.com/creative-writing-prompts.htm. WRITING CIRCLES: ATTEND ONE IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY ... OR START ONE OF YOUR OWN WHEREVER YOU LIVE Writing circles are a fun way to use the Fertile Material prompts to get more writing done. There's no pressure to read what you’ve written to the group and no critiques are allowed, only friendly and supportive feedback. The object is simply to have fun and do some writing. For more about how to attend an existing writing circle, or start one of your own, visit the Writing Circle page at Fear of Writing.
Program Archive: Program 008 - Bah, Humbug Program 007 - Guru Groove Program 006 - Chocolate Stories Program 005 - War Stories Program 004 - The Mysteries of Love Program 003 - Fortune Smiles Program 002 - Free Spirits Program 001 - Holiday Stories
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