I chose Natural Awakenings because I am consistently impressed with the content and style of that magazine. Writing the article took a lot more time than I had anticipated. I spent quite some time trying to narrow down what I would write about. The article was easier to write after I decided to choose something that I am passionate about right now, which for me is finding ways that can ease labor (since I'm expecting my first baby in early May 2013). I have done a lot of reading about pregnancy and birth, and had come across information about red raspberry leaf tea and dates as being particularly helpful in strengthening and toning the uterus and resulting in more efficient labor, so I wrote a short article summarizing my findings.

I was nervous to submit my article for review. It may be because I have worked with the publisher before as a graphic designer submitting monthly advertisements for my mother's holistic health center. I made sure to mention in my submission email that I was a student at SWIHA and I was submitting an article as part of my Writing for Publication class, because I didn't want him to feel somehow obligated to publish my work based on my mother's connection with the magazine. I'm not expecting to get published anyway, because it does state on the website that they welcome work from published authors. :-)

I think I will submit work for publication again, but in the future, after I've established myself in a business. I think that would carry more weight than being a student trying to submit for publication. I did learn a lot from the process, so if I decide to submit in the future, at least I will know how.

-Lucy

Reflect on your process of choosing a publication outlet, writing an article, and submitting that article for review.How did you feel going into that process? How do you feel having done it? Will you do it again?

Writing without editing is harder than one would think. It seems as if there is a constant editor in my mind, telling me to go back and change something, everything. But the assignment is to keep writing without editing for 7-10 minutes, so that is what I will do. If I can't think of anything to write, I can write "I can't think of anything to write". And now.. I can't think of anything to write! It's like when you're doing something just fine, and then you start to think about if you can't do it, and then all of a sudden, you can't do it! Like talking. I can be having a conversation with someone, and then when my brain gets ahead of itself, my words get all tripped up and silly sounding. I prefer writing, because I can edit. But I can't edit right now! So it's like talking, but writing! Talking is difficult for me because I feel as if I can express myself more clearly in written form. And I tend to talk very quickly, which can be off-putting for some people. A lot of people. Even myself, sometimes! I don't like my tendency to blurt out my responses, but I guess that's just the way I talk, so I had better accept it. I have found that in life, accepting yourself just makes everything better. That's why I don't shave! I prefer not to contribute to an industry that uses women and girls' self esteem (or lack there-of) against them. Luckily, my husband doesn't mind my hairy legs and armpits! And it saves SO much time in the shower. He actually prefers soft hair than prickly stubble, so it works out great. I wonder if my children will shave? I'm pregnant with a boy right now, but I wonder if we have a girl, if she will decide to shave or not? I shaved when I was younger, but there came a point when I decided that any person that I date would need to accept me for me, and part of that includes not shaving. I feel more like myself when I'm not conforming to that particular societal... uh, thing. I can't think of the proper word. Dang not editing! This is harder than I would have thought. How many minutes has it been?! Oh, 30 seconds left. Whew. I prefer editing. I like going over my words and finding ways to make them flow together better. But I guess not editing gives a person a lot of material to be able to edit later.

2.    Creative Writing Piece: Free write for 7-10 minutes. Do not stop to think, do not edit. If you cannot think of anything to write, write “I cannot think of anything to write” until something else comes to mind. The exercise here is to get your creative pathways unblocked.

This is an imaginary press release for a real place. Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine is my Mom's holistic health center, where I work as the graphic designer. We have offered a demonstration like this in the past, but please note this event is imaginary).

News Release (Imaginary)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2013

For more information contact:
Lucy Swerdfeger
8841 E Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480-240-2600
lswerdfeger@arizonaadvancedmedicine.com

Raw Food Demonstration

                SCOTTSDALE, AZ – On March 6^th, 2012, from 10:00am to 1:00pm, the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine (AzCAM) will be hosting a demonstration on the preparation and benefits of raw foods. Lunch will be provided (raw, of course). A suggested donation of $15 is welcome, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Seating is limited to 25 persons, so please call (480) 240-2600 to reserve a space as soon as possible as this event will fill up quickly. The demonstration will be held at the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine at 8841 East Bell Road, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85260. The office is a fragrance-free environment, so please refrain from using any scented products, such as hair products, lotions, perfumes, colognes, etc.

                “This event couldn’t have happened at a better time,” says Dr. Martha Grout, AzCAM’s Medical Director. “Many of our patients have been asking for guidance in the preparation of raw foods for health purposes, and we are pleased to be able to open it up to the public. We are planning on offering this type of demonstration on a monthly basis.” The reasons why one should incorporate more raw foods into one’s diet as well as equipment recommendations will be some of the topics covered during the demonstration.

                For more information about AzCAM and this Raw Food Demonstration, please visit www.arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/imaginary-raw-food-demonstration.

                The Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine is dedicated to providing the most up to date integrative and holistic methods to improve patients’ health and well-being. For a full list of services, please www.arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/medical_services.

I have an eye for beauty and I find inspiration in art. Nurturing my creativity is important to me and I look forward to being able to devote more of my time to creative projects. Working a full time job for which I am ill-suited saps my energy, but beginning in March I will be working from home primarily doing graphic design, which I feel will give me more energy because it is an activity that I enjoy. I very much look forward to having a less structured schedule which will allow me to stress less, stay caught up with schoolwork, and find more inspiration in my daily life (and my growing baby, due in May!).

I seek inspiration in my daily life in nature: listening to the birds sing, watching a sunset or sunrise, contemplating the night sky, pining for the moon. I also enjoy reading beautiful poetry and quotes. Films, photographs, and books are another great source of inspiration, because I have a very deep capacity for emotion and find myself swept up in the story. Dreams can be another rich source of inspiration.

My job has prevented me from writing these last four years, so it is difficult for me to say whether my inspiration guides my writing style. I look forward to seeing how the two interrelate the more I write. I don't think my writing style blocks my inspiration, because I draw inspiration from everything around me.

Here is a quote that I find particularly beautiful and inspirational:

"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

1.  Creative Writing Sample: Where do you seek inspiration in your daily life? How can you apply that inspiration to your writing? Does your inspiration guide your writing style? Does your writing style block your inspiration?

The Dreamcatcher

The dreamcatcher hung on the wall, dangling feathers a tantalizing temptation for household cats. It was placed there years ago when the current tenant of that room went through a decorating blitz. Since then, it hung next to several wind chimes, silent in the indoor setting.

Suddenly, the decorator returned and placed a smaller dreamcatcher next to the first. "Huh," the larger dreamcatcher thought... "Another one. A smaller one. What is it doing next to me? Am I not catching enough nightmares? And why would it do it better, it's so much smaller! Wait... no need for jealously, now we have company. And we can both do the job better because of it."

My advice, if I could talk, is to PLEASE move me somewhere out of reach of the cat's claws. My feathers are far too enticing and now, if you look closely, you can see evidence of them being chewed. You're lucky nothing from this shelf has fallen and broken from curious cats' paws."



2.  Creative Writing Sample:  Choose an inanimate object in your workspace. This could be a chair, desk, plant, pencil, or whatever catches your eye. In a blog, write about the following:
 
•    What is its story?
•    Imagine it sitting next to another object of its kind but of much better of much worse quality. What is it thinking about that other object? How does it feel being compared to it?
•    Now, what advice would this object give you if it could talk?

Biography

Lucy Swerdfeger is a graphic designer and life coach with a passion for helping budding businesses develop a cohesive, unique brand while coaching business owners and employees to achieve the next level in business development.

Having graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2008 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration, Lucy has honed her graphic design skills and brings passion and vision to your project, as well as enthusiasm and accountability to your goals. She is expected to graduate in May of 2013 from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts Mind-Body-Wellness program with a focus on Holistic Nutrition and Urban Farming, in addition to a comprehensive and accredited life coaching course.

When not designing and coaching, Lucy can be found hanging out with her husband of three years and preparing for the birth of their first child in May of 2013. She loves cats, food, unicorns, and naps, and enjoys watching movies and reading in her spare time.

Lucy is available to assist you in redesigning your business and your life. She takes great pride in your success and is a motivating, encouraging force to help propel you to the next level.