Silvestre’s short book is packed with smart advice. Whether you are preparing to launch a business or have been what she calls a “solopreneur” for several years, Attract and Feed a Hungry Crowd will help you to place yourself among other businesses.  Each of the ten chapters turns on a cooking-related metaphor, from “Thinking like a Chef” to “Find your Secret Sauce” to “Make a Bigger Pie.” While it is easy enough to read the book in one sitting, each chapter can be unpacked over the course of several days.

One of the key ideas on which the entire book is built is that of becoming remarkable by “learn[ing] the recipes. Then hav[ing] the courage to throw them out.” Silvestre doesn’t weigh the book down with testimonial after testimonial (one of my pet peeves with self-improvement books, whether the focus is business or personal.) but rather provides steps for achieving a variety of necessary goals: discovering your market, finding clarity in your work, creating a signature product. At first, I was frustrated by the lack of guidance in the individual steps, but then I realized what Silvestre is up to: she is encouraging the reader to think hard and to find her own way to explore the step. This may not satisfy every reader, but it will produce fresher ideas and ways of understanding concepts.

Overall, the tone of the book is encouraging, but like most chefs I know, at times, some irritation with bad practices comes through, especially in the “Share Generously” chapter, in which Silvestre lists 39 ways to nurture connections. While I agree that the list comprises items that are each best practices in business relationships, the tone of this chapter, perhaps necessarily, shifts from that of the rest of the book.

I’ve set some goals for increasing my business this year, and I’m certain that Silvestre’s book will help me to do so. The exercises included will enable me to develop my secret sauce and signature dish. Never has a book on building business been so tasty, and this is a book that the reader can refer to, like the best cookbooks, over and over throughout different stages of business development.

If you’d like a copy of this smart book, leave a comment by Friday, April 6th at noon. I assure you, this little book is worth reading!

Photo by Corey Tucker*

In March I had the pleasure of working with a room full of photographers as we talked about one of my favorite subjects: blogging. Was there some reluctance about writing in that room? I can’t fib: there was. Were there some fantastic ideas for writing by the end of our workshop: and how! It’s so invigorating working with creative folks.

The workshop was Sponsored by the Connecticut Chapter of American Society of Media Photographers.  Thanks so much to Gale Zucker for inviting me to work with the group.

I’d love to work with your group to share my ideas about niche blogging. Contact me for more information!

*One of the many nice things about working with photographers is that you get fun pictures! Thanks, Corey, for allowing me to use this one!

First line: The book clattered to the floor.

Please let me know if you use this prompt!

Recently I read a travel article in which the writer described ancient cave paintings, which included handprints of the artist.  One finger print indicated that the finger had been broken. My mind has been playing with the “how” of that finger break ever since. For this writing session, consider a physical flaw of your protagonist.  How, metaphorically speaking, did the character break his or her finger?  Write a 1,000 word scene, third person p.o.v. in which your character sustains the damage seen later as a physical flaw. Pay special attention to description of the character’s reaction.

As always, I’d love to hear from you if you use this prompt. What was the flaw about which you wrote?

Over and over in literature, forests are symbols of danger. Characters who leave the safety of civilization for the wilderness face adventures that take all forms. For this prompt, write a 1,000-word scene, in your choice of p.o.v., in which your protagonist leaves the safety of civilization for the danger of wilderness.  Be as literal as suits your story as far as the two settings. To add some conflict, be certain that the protagonist encounters an unwelcoming character in the wilderness.

Have fun, and as always, please leave a comment if you use this prompt. I’d love to hear how it works for you!

First line: (S)he hated ________, but not as much as (s)he loved ______________.

Please let me know if you use the prompt and how it works for you!

As writers, many of us seek to understand human behavior. Whether conscious of it or not, our work is tied to the theories of psychology. For this prompt, explore Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s model of the five-stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.  Write a 500-word third-person p.o.v. scene for each stage as your character deals with an important loss (the loss does not have to be of a person). Let each scene be its own discrete piece. Which stage reveals the most about your character? What does each stage reveal?

Please let me know if you use this prompt and how it works for you!

Each week, ORW will feature a new writing prompt meant to spark your creative juices.  Use it to generate new fiction, creative non-fiction or poetry, or apply the prompt to a current project.  Even if you don’t create a scene that fits with your project, you may find that you’ve learned more about your story.

Fairy tales are filled with animal helpers: fox, frog, dog.  Celtic and Native American cultures, among others, reference totem animals as spirit guides. Consider what helper animal/totem animal your protagonist may have. Even if the animal doesn’t speak (a la fairy tale helpers), what does your character hear from the animal?  Write a 750 word first-person p.o.v. scene in which your character encounters and acknowledges the animal. You may find it useful to read about the qualities a variety of animals are thought to have. Want to dig deeper into this relationship? Re-write the scene from a third-person p.o.v., or if you’re feeling particularly creative, write it from the animal’s point of view.

Let me know how this prompt works for you!

When in Red Cloud, this was the desk Willa Cather used.

As part of my summer vacation, I visited Red Cloud and toured some of the places that were dear to Willa Cather.  I thought a lot about the importance of work in her novels, and I decided that should be the focus of this writing prompt.  Wherever and whenever your novel is set, every character works.  Whether that work appears on the page is another thing.  In 750 words, write a scene showing your character at work.  Spend a lot of time on describing the workplace, a typical workday, and how the character interacts with others while on the job.  Next, write another scene with your character NOT at work.  Without referencing the character’s job, show how the job shapes the character.  Does s/he love the job?  Hate it?  Struggle?  Excel?  Consider the influence of work on your character.

Dialogue should not be chit chat.  Make it work hard to reveal character and to develop plot and scene.  For this prompt, write a 750-word scene with two characters in conversation.  You may have a brief introductory paragraph if you must, but after that, avoid all tags and description.  Without using dialect as a crutch, strive to make each character’s voice unique.  Let the content of the dialogue reveal tension between the characters.  What happens when all you write is dialogue?

Let me know how this works for you!