Switching from the Pressure Cooker to the Crock-Pot: A (much needed) break

June 29, 2014beccakinla writing, writing process Tags: deadlines, frustration, pressure, quality, quality vs quantity, quantity vs quality, serial, standalone, stress, work, writing, writing several projects at once 2 Comments

Whew!

At this point last week, I had three looming deadlines ahead: a short story each for Binyan and for Binah BeTween, and my next batch of episodes for Glixman in a Fix, the serial currently running in Binah BeTween. I was feeling stressed out not just because these items needed to be in by this week, but by a whole string of deadlines, pretty much constant ones for months on end.

The Pressure Cooker

I had first drafts for both stories already written, and an outline to base the serial chapters on, but it was a lot of writing to complete in a single week. The previous few stand-alone pieces I did for the tween/teen magazines had not come as smoothly as usual, so I was feeling anxious. Trying to think of multiple fictional plots, spoken in the voices of multiple narrators, overlapping one another for months on end was wearing my creativity a little thin. The quality of my work had dropped, and it weighed on my mind.

In fact, Continue reading →

Let’s take a moment to break for poetry

June 24, 2014beccakinla poem, poetry Tags: breaking rules, classroom, poem, poetry, rules, share, student, travel, waiting, writing 1 Comment

Sorry for the sparse posts in recent weeks. Things have been a little crazy ’round here. I took a trip up to the Bay area to see my sister, came home and got a burn on my dominant hand that was serious enough to send me to the ER in the back of an ambulance (I hope to share a personal essay with my readers about that experience soon). Thank G-d, I’m now on the mend and in the midst of several deadlines.

But just to let y’all know I haven’t forgotten you, I’m going to share a piece of poetry I wrote while waiting for my sister to pick me up at the train station in San Jose. Continue reading →

This week’s accomplishment: My First Publication in 2nd Person…sort of

May 30, 2014May 30, 2014beccakinla manuscript, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: 2nd person, binyan, fiction, flashy, hamodia, interview, narrator, point of view, POV, second person, style, writing, writing process, you Leave a comment

Writing fiction in second person point of view is one of those fancy tricks that many people attempt, but few people pull off. I’ve always wanted to do it, but my first several tries sounded stilted and like I was trying too hard.

But this week’s Binyan (inside Hamodia) contains the first story where I think I pulled it off. I think that part of what makes it work is that it combines the first and second person. Let me explain. Continue reading →

Analysis: My first writing workshop for adults

May 26, 2014beccakinla authors, teachers, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: book, california, coaching, crash course, creative, hobby, how to, jewish, juvenile, kid, kid lit, Klempner, learn, learning, magazine, middle grade, picture book, skill, teen, training, tween, workshop, write, writer, writing, writing workshops Leave a comment

Along with writing and editing, I’ve coached writers one-on-one off-and-on for the last couple years. I’ve presented writing workshops and made author visits to groups even longer than that, but those groups always consisted of school children. Yesterday, for the first time, I combined the two and taught a writing workshop for fledgling writers aged 15 and up. Actual grown-ups attended!

The Crash Course

Since my greatest area of expertise is writing for tots, tweens, and teens, I decided to offer a three-hour crash course in writing for those groups. My husband agreed to whisk away the kids who weren’t in school (some Jewish day school kids attend on Sunday mornings), and I prepared materials and advertised.

Overtime

I thought three hours would be enough, I really did. Continue reading →

An interview with author Batya Ruddell

May 8, 2014beccakinla advice, authors, HaModia, inyan magazine, Israel, Jewish, Jewish writing, Judaism, magazines, Orthodox, serial, writer, writing, writing process Tags: advice, author, Batya Ruddell, binah, binah magazine, Chareidi, english, fiction, hamodia, hareidi, interview, Inyan, Israel, jewish, journalist, media, orthodox, serial, writer, writing 4 Comments

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing with you another interview. In this post, you’ll meet the funny, talented Batya Ruddell. For those of you who read Binah Magazine or Hamodia, her name will certainly be familiar. Batya is one of the foremost writers in the Hareidi world today, and her work is beloved both by readers and other writers. Next week, she’ll be presenting at the Jerusalem Writers’ Conference, and this week, she’s answered a few questions for me via email.

RK: How long have you been writing? First, as an amateur, and then professionally?

BR: I think I was writing in the womb!! Seriously, for as long as I can remember I’ve had a pen in my hand. Writing was always my passion but a botched attempt at getting into Journalism school (I knew NOTHING about politics or current events, LOL), led me down a different path to a career as a pediatric and neonatal intensive care nurse. I worked in this field for almost three decades before switching tracks to my initial dream a few years ago and becoming a professional writer.

Continue reading →

Announcing a class for beginning Jewish writers in L.A.

May 5, 2014May 5, 2014beccakinla advice, authors, California, los angeles, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: article, author, beginner, Chareidi, class, course, hareidi, jewish, Jewish children, Jewish magazines, Klempner, magazine, novel, novice, orthodox, picture book, picture book idea, rebecca klempner, serial, short story, workshop, write, writing, writing workshop Leave a comment

Do you have a picture book idea?

Have you always wanted to write for the Jewish magazines, but didn’t know how?

I will, G-d willing, be teaching a workshop on writing for Jewish tots, tweens, and teens later this month.

A possible student for my workshop?

Audience: Ladies ages 15 and up are welcome to participate.

Date:May 25th

Time:10 am – 1 pm

Location:Private home in L.A.

Cost:$25, $18 if you refer a friend and they also commit

To sign up: Please fill out the form below.

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Rebecca Klempner

Author page of Rebecca Klempner

writing

Switching from the Pressure Cooker to the Crock-Pot: A (much needed) break

The Pressure Cooker

This week’s accomplishment: My First Publication in 2nd Person…sort of

Analysis: My first writing workshop for adults

The Crash Course

Overtime

An interview with author Batya Ruddell

RK: How long have you been writing? First, as an amateur, and then professionally?

Announcing a class for beginning Jewish writers in L.A.

Do you have a picture book idea?

Have you always wanted to write for the Jewish magazines, but didn’t know how?

I will, G-d willing, be teaching a workshop on writing for Jewish tots, tweens, and teens later this month.

Thank you for your response. ✨

The Pressure Cooker

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The Crash Course

Overtime

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RK: How long have you been writing? First, as an amateur, and then professionally?

Share this:

Do you have a picture book idea?

Have you always wanted to write for the Jewish magazines, but didn’t know how?

I will, G-d willing, be teaching a workshop on writing for Jewish tots, tweens, and teens later this month.

Thank you for your response. ✨

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