Cheapskates Avoid Stress Better

I like cheap, the cheaper the better. I use yard sales and thrift shops a lot.

As young parents with little money, we learned to make-do, to get along with what we had. I have completely furnished a two-bedroom house for fifty dollars, and it looked good. My husband painted and re-glued while I cleaned and polished. Authentic old furniture magically appeared as antiques to friends and family. They eyed it greedily and we glowed.

Our house was always filled with a passel of kids, so nicks and scrapes were common to our furniture. I didn’t stress over them because I knew furniture was replaceable. And cheap. Another bonus is that old furniture was better made than the new, lower-end stuff. I’ve owned both and believe me, low-priced new furniture is pure junk! You’re wasting your money.

As the children grew older and our finances improved, we bought new stuff and it was nice, but we didn’t enjoy it as much. Is that strange? Not to me. Kids can’t romp and play on new furniture. They can’t bring a snack into the living room and enjoy family conversation or games when Mother is worried about stains and scratches. The fun is taken right out of the day when a child is banished to the kitchen. Kids are more important than ‘stuff’ and they give hugs. Mine have good memories of their childhood and I’m glad to say I helped.

Now that we are retired grandparents on Social Security, we’re back to the thrift shops. This time for yard toys. Slides, swings, rocking horses and tricycles - even a Little Tyke playhouse was added to the backyard for five dollars. These are good, top-of-the-line toys that other kids have outgrown. The cost is minimal. The memories the kids will have of visiting their Grandparents will be priceless.

I don’t see the sense of spending hundreds of dollars for toys that will be outgrown or forgotten too soon. I would rather spend as little as possible and do without the stress if something breaks. Wouldn’t you? Of course you would.

If the kids are old enough, they can help clean the new toys, maybe paint a trike for a younger brother or sister - apply some decals. They will develop pride and self-esteem through their artistry, they really will. Do you see those runs in the paint? Dab their length with a bright candy color, or gold. Bring them out to be noticed. They’re supposed to be there!

And, in my opinion, anything that aids brothers and sisters to get along and like each other is a huge bonus and stress-reliever for everyone.

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Consider Publishing Fillers

Technorati Tags: writing, critiques, family, life, flash fiction,


Think About Writing Fillers--No, Seriously!

Even writers who don't like kids might be interested in this one. You don't have to write kids-lit to cash in on these ideas--you only need to be imaginative.

The childrens genre is one of the most versatile of all genres, and gives the creative writer many more opportunities to publish than just writing a piece of fiction. If you're ready to submit your work, think seriously about magazines. There are mags for every subject imaginable and the ones in my copy of the Children's Magazine Market accept a percentage of their work from non-published freelance writers. If you don't have expertise on a subject, research thoroughly and appear as if you do.

Don't think you must stick to children's magazines. Are you familiar with Hot Rod? Many of their readers are in the YA bracket. Ever know a teen who wasn't interested in cars? Not me. Maybe you have tips on easy detailing of cars? Do you have knowledge of low-cost modifications that work? Topics include hot rod cars, repairs, racing, and collecting. They're looking for writers with a strong knowledge of hot rodding who can write with an active voice. How does $250.00 to $300.00 a page sound?

Most everyone has a hobby that could be simplified for children. Sewing simple projects are seen often. It was suggested to me long ago to detail simple quilting techniques for children, but I didn't take it on. Remember what you enjoyed as a child and work a project around it. Write step-by-step instructions simply and clearly, and include photos or drawings of the steps. Most will want a model included (if applicable).

Are you or your child left-handed? Love horses? Pets? Home school? Also, check out any regional historical mags your state, county, or hometown publish.

Visit the children's section in your library and spend time looking through magazines. Read the articles and how-to's to get familiar with the style and voice each uses. They will expect the author to know what they want.

While you're there, find the Children's Magazine Market Sourcebook published by The Institure of Children's Literature. If you haven't seen it in a while, you'll be surprised at the number of magazines that accept children's genre articles. It's a pretty handy thing to subscribe to.

A few more ideas:

Preschool and Kindergarten craft projects that use materials found around the house, like egg cartons, cardboard, paper, boxes, string, crayons, paint, glue, etc. Include instructions to show how to combine paint to make all the colors of the rainbow.

Can you draw? What about a picture book formatted as a colorbook that the kids can color to suit themselves? It keeps the kids and their crayons away from Mom's books for a while.

Magazines always need good column fillers. The shorter the better to leave room for more ads. Realistically, it's the money from the ads that pay the authors.

I was sitting in my Doctor's waiting room one day and picked up a colorful locally published brochure. It was filled with ads, jokes and tidbits of both serious and humorous information. The headliner was a short non-fiction parent-child related article. I opened it to the middle spread and realized I'd read the piece somewhere. Looking at the ending, I found it was written by Jessiebelle™  . Imagine my delight to find something published by one of our own WDC'ers right here in my little hometown. Priceless!

By the way, Jessie, the brochure doesn't come any more. What did you say to them besides demanding your Author copy?

Rebus Rhymes are popular and fun.
Rebus Picture Puzzles.
Word Puzzle Games.
Dot to Dot's.
Themed Poetry.

Are you a writer of Tongue Twisters?

Crisp crusts crackle and crunch.

A flea and a fly flew up in a flue.
Said the flea, "Let us fly!"
Said the fly, "Let us flee!"
So they flew through a flap in the flue.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Twisters.shtml

Kids and parents love interactives that keep kids busy and happy.

The best tip I can give today is to visit your library and read the magazines that publish stories, both fiction and non-fiction. But don't stop with stories, check out what else is being published. You can find most submitting guidelines on the net, but you must hold several issues of any magazine in your hand to study them. It's important to write in the style and voice that they publish if you want them to accept your work. There aren't any shortcuts.

Consider magazines when you're ready to send your stuff in; you just might find your
niche and a few clips to boost your self-esteem and the agent's interest when you're ready to query that book.

Keep writing and good luck reaching your goal!

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A weed Beside a Long, Dirt Road

Instead of a daily post, it becomes a whenever I can post. I've been busy though. I've new stacks of yardage to turn into patchwork quilts. I think I'll try a patchwork table cover this time. I have a breakfast room that would look nice with a bright new cover on the table. I've actually covered my dining table with a quilt just for the color, and I liked the look.

It's been a tiring year, emotionally. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes. I've been going over some of my early writings and found peace in the memories. I've remembered that I love dirt roads. Where can one find a quiet dirt road anymore? I need one now. Walking a simple dirt road gives the mind time to think and wonder. There is so much to see, such as lizard tracks in the powdery dirt. I'd forgotten how beautiful they are in their precision.

Looking up into the sky exercises the imagination. There's no one to watch and question your every move or word. Such freedom! Being alone on a dirt road is being one with nature. Wildflowers scattered here and there blend their color among the brown and green weeds, and they are compatible. There is no one to look at the weeds and say, "No, no! You don't belong in my back yard."

I've felt much as I imagine a weed must feel lately. A nuisance in the wrong place, wrong neighborhood, wrong back yard. I can't fit in among the planned, landscaped beauty of flowers rooted in a greenhouse. I've tried my best to disguise my roughness, but the flowers know and delicately turn their faces away. I feel I'm being pulled up by my roots from my favorite place, and there's nothing I can do.

To remember the serene quietness of walking a long, dirt road is my inspiration. Being alone is not lonely there. Where can one find such a place now?

By being quiet and setting my mind free,

it'll find the place I yearn to be.