Writing, "A Journey of Inspiration"

Hello and welcome to my personal blog! My name is Anita Bringe-Worth and I am a writer and new children's author, a former special education teacher, mama, new grandma, fur mama and a lover of creativity in the arts, music, and, of course, literature and language. I am originally from New York and grew up in Rockaway Beach, Queens, home of the Dolphins, but have resided in Charlotte, NC since 2018. I attended St. John's University in Queens, majored in Communication Arts/Journalism and worked in a variety of industries employed in Sales and Marketing jobs until I married in 1990 and moved sixty miles north of NYC to the towns of North Salem and Brewster, NY two counties in Westchester and Putnam where I raised my three children who are the loves of my life and now are independent adults living their best lives in New York, Philadelphia and South Carolina.

In 2010, I unexpectedly became a widow at the age of forty-nine but then several years later, I was lucky to have found love again as I began to navigate being an empty nester. Our twelve years together ( just got engaged at Christmas, 2024 ) has brought a new perspective on my life and encouraged me to fulfill my lifelong dream of being an author.

Now that you know a little about me, here is my vision for this blog.

Each month, I will write three blog posts on different subject matter pertaining to writing, education and parenting. These are the passions I have spent a great deal of time with throughout my life and want to share the ins and outs of my experiences and hopefully inspire others to share theirs. I have combined the first two months (January and February) of the beginning blog posts to catch up to speed. Some blogs will include free downloadable material to use for personal development.

Anita's Writing Journey- My inspiration for writing

My interest in writing began when I was in elementary school after winning a silver medal in fifth grade for writing an essay over a weekend assignment on the dangers of smoking in bed. That essay gave me the taste for the writing life. I was inspired to create and encourage others to do the same. Inspiration for writing comes from personal experiences and the relationships we have with others. To use a simple cliche, "the world is your oyster" when it comes to writing.

As I continued in my schooling and developed more interest in being a writer, I also became an avid reader. I remember at around age eight or nine, I would bring a book to bed with me every night, usually a Nancy Drew Mystery, and read until I fell asleep with book in hand and head on my pillow. I would turn to the classics and find so much wonder in the words. I became a "word-nerd" and had a small notebook I used to write interesting words and their meanings. For me, story telling was such a gift, much like how a musician uses notes blended together to make a beautiful piece of music with many instruments to tell a musical story.

How I began writing my book

In my own writing journey for my first children' book, "My Baby and Me," being a stay at home Mom and experiencing the joys of motherhood gave me the inspiration to pursue my dream of writing children's books. As the text was written years before and I didn't know exactly what I was going to do with it, I kept it in my writing notebook until I was ready to see it come to life. Since the book is a true account of my daughter's first baby doll and she had a strong attachment to the doll she named, "baby," I knew I needed to make the decision to take the risk and have it published. Following certain life events after my children were grown like an unexpected funeral, wonderful weddings and a beautiful birth, I decided it was time to share "my baby" with the world. So, eighteen years after writing the book, it became a reality!

Challenges are a big part of writing a book and I faced a few of them early on. As I was not an illustrator/artist but had a clear view of the way I wanted the scenes to look, I wanted to keep the integrity and authenticity of the story with illustrations that depicted both the doll and the events that took place and I conveyed that to my publisher. The size of each illustration and scene had to be detailed so specifically in order for the page to look the way it would in print. My decisions on hair and skin color, clothing, and location scenes including weather and so many other details was a full time thought out process that took several weeks to figure out. Once I decided on how I wanted the text to match up to the illustrations, the art department completed the details then I was to edit for accuracy. I never realized how involved the process was when reading a children's book with illustrations. As I completed the process and submitted my final edits I waited for the completion of the mock up before I gave the go ahead to print. I was motivated to make sure my book project would yield the results I wanted, and they did indeed!

Lessons Learned- How a book is born

Looking back on the process of writing "My Baby and Me" and the connection with a wonderful publisher, I used my instincts and followed the timeline they suggested in order to see the progress come to life. That was most inspiring to me and kept me actively engaged in my work. The motivation to make this book turn into the actual events that took place was what drove me to continue and enhanced my creativity. Making decisions about hair, skin and clothing colors, style, logistics, etc all needed inspiration. I learned how to re-create the events in order to bring my book to life.

There is so much possibility when it comes to writing. Most writers use their own experiences or knowledge about things as a way to write about what interests others. Someone who enjoys cooking may write a cookbook, the way a teacher of English may write poetry or a novel involving a school. Story telling has an abundance of avenues to reach audiences of all genres. For people who play a sport and travel to compete with other leagues could write a book about how teamwork in sports give opportunities for digging deep inito the imagination where there are no limits.

Once you write from personal experience, there may be moments as a writer when you realize you are allowing others into your personal space and that can be an uncomfortable thing for some people to do. This may be especially true for non-fiction. Fiction, although is not real, can be based on real events. A writer must decide how to choose the direction of a non-fiction piece and what message there is to convey. For my book, since it was based on actual events, I wanted to help my readers feel like they had a connection to the character who experienced different stages of emotional bonding with a special toy.

In my opinion, fiction has a wider audience for those who enjoy the use of imagination. Non-fiction, biographies or memoirs alllow a writer to expose the deep conflicts that are present in their stories. This is what makes writing a book one of the most creative things in life. A character, a location, theme, etc. all connect with a reader on some level.

Call to Action

Enclosed in this blog is a list of writing goals that you can use if you are interested in starting your writing journey. It is just a guide so it may be altered according to your own needs. Whether you journal everyday or are considering writing as a career, part of a writing group or club or just enjoy being creative, I hope this information helps you begin your writing adventure today! Stay tuned for more blog posts soon! Happy Writing!

Writing Goals for 2025

1. Improve Writing Skills

• Complete a creative writing course.

• Read at least 12 books on writing techniques.

• Practice daily journaling to enhance fluency.

2. Expand Writing Portfolio

• Write and publish 5 short stories in literary magazines.

• Create a personal blog with bi-weekly posts.

• Contribute articles to online platforms or local newspapers.

3. Set Publishing Goals

• Finish the first draft of a novel by mid-2025.

• Submit work to at least 10 literary agents.

• Explore self-publishing options for completed works.

4. Network with Other Writers

• Attend at least 3 writing workshops or conferences.

• Join a local writing group for feedback and support.

• Engage with writing communities on social media.

5. Develop a Writing Routine

• Set aside dedicated writing time each day.

• Create a comfortable and inspiring writing space.

• Track progress and adjust goals monthly.

6. Seek Feedback and Revise

• Share work with beta readers for constructive criticism.

• Revise drafts based on feedback received.

• Learn to accept and integrate criticism into the writing process.

7. Explore Different Genres

• Experiment with poetry, non-fiction, and screenwriting.

• Write a piece in a genre outside of comfort zone.

• Participate in genre-specific writing challenges.

8. Set Personal Milestones

• Celebrate completing each draft or significant project.

• Reflect on progress quarterly to adjust goals.

• Reward achievements to stay motivated.