↓
 

Member Log-In

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real

Community Writing Resource

  • Home
  • About
    • About Sheila Bender
    • Videos
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Sheila
  • Media
  • Articles
    • Article Library
      • Full Article Library
      • Instructional Exercises
      • Literary Gallery
      • Reading for Writing
      • Revisions – Sample Successes
      • Sheila Bender On Writing
      • The Working Writer
      • Writing Makes a Difference
    • Writing It Real Contributors
    • Audio Interviews
  • Books by Sheila
    • View My Books
  • Classes
    • Online Classes
    • Live Seminars
  • One-On-One Services
    • Telephone Consults
    • Custom Tutorials
    • Book-length Manuscript Evaluation 
    • Development and Line Editing
  • Anthologies
  • Shopping Cart

Monthly Archives: November 2014

Why Write? My Answers in an Intervew with Mark Matousek

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 26, 2014 by Sheila BenderNovember 26, 2014

Writing is, to me, a friend with extraordinary benefits. This Thanksgiving, I offer a link to an interview for which I am grateful. Mark Matousek chose to interview me on writing as a healing activity. He asked me the kind of questions that allowed me to dig deep and talk about why writing matters. I hope listening … Continue reading →

To access this post, you must purchase Online Personal Essay Writing Workshop + Membership, Development and Line Editing + Membership, Yesim Cimcoz Where Story Begins + Membership, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 11:00AM, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 2:00PM, Poetry Writing Workshop + Membership, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 2:00PM, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 11:00 AM, Summer Reading Summer Writing Plus Membership, Write More Healthy Starts Plus Membership, You: Writing in the 2nd Person Online Workshop Plus Membership, Keep Goin’ On Your Writing over the Holidays Plus Membership, Writing for Young Readers Plus Membership, Introduction to Scrivener — Plus Membership, Writing Healthy Starts + Membership, Eight Half-Hour Consults + Membership, Befriending the Giant + Membership, Write! Write! Write! Writing Exercises for Writing Prose from Personal Experience + Membership, Phone Consult: 3750 Words or Six Poems + Membership, The 3 E’s: Epistolary, Ekphrastic and Epideictic + Membership, Four Half-Hour Consults + Membership or New! Using the Flash Series Technique to Write Memoir.

Continue reading →
Posted in Sheila Bender On Writing, WIR2014

Play with 20 Scene Building Prompts

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 19, 2014 by Sheila BenderNovember 19, 2014

Last week, I wrote about doing a scene-writing exercise short story writer and teacher, Ron Carlson, invented. This week, I am posting 20 ideas I’ve put together for practice writing scenes that will help you develop dexterity in presenting your story, fiction or nonfiction, with the kinds of phrasing and details that absorb readers. Try … Continue reading →

To access this post, you must purchase Online Personal Essay Writing Workshop + Membership, Development and Line Editing + Membership, Yesim Cimcoz Where Story Begins + Membership, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 11:00AM, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 2:00PM, Poetry Writing Workshop + Membership, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 2:00PM, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 11:00 AM, Summer Reading Summer Writing Plus Membership, Write More Healthy Starts Plus Membership, You: Writing in the 2nd Person Online Workshop Plus Membership, Keep Goin’ On Your Writing over the Holidays Plus Membership, Writing for Young Readers Plus Membership, Introduction to Scrivener — Plus Membership, Writing Healthy Starts + Membership, Eight Half-Hour Consults + Membership, Befriending the Giant + Membership, Write! Write! Write! Writing Exercises for Writing Prose from Personal Experience + Membership, Phone Consult: 3750 Words or Six Poems + Membership, The 3 E’s: Epistolary, Ekphrastic and Epideictic + Membership, Four Half-Hour Consults + Membership or New! Using the Flash Series Technique to Write Memoir.

Continue reading →
Posted in Instructional Exercises, WIR2014 | Tagged Trusting Images, Writing Craft Tools, writing exercises, Writing Scenes

The Physicality of Writing Scenes and Characters

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 12, 2014 by Sheila BenderNovember 16, 2014

As writers, we are aware of the dictum “Show, don’t tell,” but sometimes what we think of as showing turns out to be only another way of telling and avoiding showing. On this subject, I often quote fiction writer Ron Carlson’s words in his book, Ron Carlson Writes a Story: Outer story, the physical world, is … Continue reading →

To access this post, you must purchase Online Personal Essay Writing Workshop + Membership, Development and Line Editing + Membership, Yesim Cimcoz Where Story Begins + Membership, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 11:00AM, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 2:00PM, Poetry Writing Workshop + Membership, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 2:00PM, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 11:00 AM, Summer Reading Summer Writing Plus Membership, Write More Healthy Starts Plus Membership, You: Writing in the 2nd Person Online Workshop Plus Membership, Keep Goin’ On Your Writing over the Holidays Plus Membership, Writing for Young Readers Plus Membership, Introduction to Scrivener — Plus Membership, Writing Healthy Starts + Membership, Eight Half-Hour Consults + Membership, Befriending the Giant + Membership, Write! Write! Write! Writing Exercises for Writing Prose from Personal Experience + Membership, Phone Consult: 3750 Words or Six Poems + Membership, The 3 E’s: Epistolary, Ekphrastic and Epideictic + Membership, Four Half-Hour Consults + Membership or New! Using the Flash Series Technique to Write Memoir.

Continue reading →
Posted in Instructional Exercises, WIR2014 | Tagged Trusting Images, Writing Craft Tools, writing exercises, Writing Scenes

Grandma’s Fridge

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 5, 2014 by Jennifer WagleyNovember 6, 2014

Years ago, Jennifer Wagley entered a vivid, funny account of her perceptions of her grandmother’s attitudes toward food — buying, keeping, and serving it. It turns out she did this in 12 paragraphs, and as you know, we are celebrating our 12 year Writing It Real anniversary asking for essays that use the number 12. Check our contest guidelines … Continue reading →

To access this post, you must purchase Online Personal Essay Writing Workshop + Membership, Development and Line Editing + Membership, Yesim Cimcoz Where Story Begins + Membership, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 11:00AM, Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – How Editing Helps You Find Your Way + Membership 2:00PM, Poetry Writing Workshop + Membership, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 2:00PM, In-Class Writing and Responses – Your Writing Will Surprise You! + Membership 11:00 AM, Summer Reading Summer Writing Plus Membership, Write More Healthy Starts Plus Membership, You: Writing in the 2nd Person Online Workshop Plus Membership, Keep Goin’ On Your Writing over the Holidays Plus Membership, Writing for Young Readers Plus Membership, Introduction to Scrivener — Plus Membership, Writing Healthy Starts + Membership, Eight Half-Hour Consults + Membership, Befriending the Giant + Membership, Write! Write! Write! Writing Exercises for Writing Prose from Personal Experience + Membership, Phone Consult: 3750 Words or Six Poems + Membership, The 3 E’s: Epistolary, Ekphrastic and Epideictic + Membership, Four Half-Hour Consults + Membership or New! Using the Flash Series Technique to Write Memoir.

Continue reading →
Posted in Literary Gallery, WIR2014 | Tagged contest winner, personal essay

Mark Matousek Interviews Sheila

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 2, 2014 by Mark MatousekJuly 5, 2018

Mark Matousek interviews Sheila about her teaching and the writing of her memoir.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Adrianne Harun

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Adrianne HarunOctober 19, 2022

Sheila talks with Adrienne Harun about her award winning novel, A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain, and her career as a fiction writer and instructor in the Rainier Writer’s Workshop.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Patty Cogen

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Patty CogenJuly 5, 2018

In Conversation with Patty Cogen Sheila talks with Patty Cogen, author of nonfiction for parents of internationally adopted children, as well as poet and essayist.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Dennis Must

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Dennis MustOctober 5, 2023

Sheila talks with Massachusetts author and playwright Dennis Must about his recent novel, Hush Now, Don’t Explain, from Coffee House Press, Seattle.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Andrea Hurst

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Andrea HurstJuly 5, 2018

Sheila talks with agent and novelist Andrea Hurst about the new aspects of agenting, publishing and writing.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with John Pierce

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by John PierceJuly 5, 2018

Sheila talks with John Pierce, technical editor for companies such as Microsoft as well as editor of poetry for Copper Canyon and Floating Bridge Press.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Susan Bono

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Susan BonoJuly 5, 2018

Sheila talks with Susan Bono about her career as a writer, editor, publisher and teacher.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Holly Hughes

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Holly J. HughesJuly 5, 2018

Sheila talks with poet Holly J. Hughes about her poetry and her teaching career as a writer.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

In Conversation with Mara Lathrop

Sheila Bender's Writing It Real Posted on November 1, 2014 by Mara LathropOctober 19, 2022

Sheila talks with playwright Mara Lathrop about her writing and her career.

Continue reading →
Posted in Audio Interviews | Tagged podcast

Sign up for Our Quarterly Newsletter for Updates on Classes, Conferences & More...

Search Writing It Real

Recent Articles

  • Writing of the Body: Metaphor Making is Food for the Soul
    July 3, 2025
  • The Story of an Unlikely Writer: Philip Kenney on How Writing Changed His Life
    May 19, 2025
  • Chapter 25 from All Roads Lead to Rome, Searching for the End of My Father’s War
    May 8, 2025
  • The Long, Instructive Path to My Published Memoir
    May 1, 2025
  • Sheila Reads Her Poems for National Poetry Month
    April 3, 2025
Journal Council Member

Podcasts ~ On Air with Sheila KPTZ Radio

  • In Conversation with Charlie Fleishman
  • In Conversation With Richard Weeks
  • In Conversation with Peg Edera
  • In Conversation with Gerry McFarland
  • In Conversation with Philip Kenney
  • In Conversation with Brenda Miller
  • In Conversation with Bill Kenower
  • In Conversation with Robin Page
  • In Conversation with Sue Pace
  • In Conversation with Mindy Pollack
  • Listen to More Interviews...
  • Sheila on KUOW
©2025 - Sheila Bender's Writing It Real - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑