Author Archives: Marjorie

How to start a writing group

Marjorie Turner Hollman helps authors self-publish their books. She is also a disability advocate, sharing information about Easy Walks (not too many roots or rocks, relatively level with firm footing, and something of interest along the way) in open space. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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Group photo from a recent gathering

You’ve thought of joining a writing group. Maybe someone has told you to join a writing group. Perhaps you have heard about how cut throat writing groups (sometimes called critique groups), can be. You have avoided going to a writing group.

But… that book you read where the author talks about how helpful the members of her writing group have been. Those writing conferences that people rave about (and pay good money to attend.)

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Danforth Falls, Hudson, MA

Marjorie Turner Hollman helps authors self-publish their books. She is also a disability advocate, sharing information about Easy Walks (not too many roots or rocks, relatively level with firm footing, and something of interest along the way) in open space. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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Danforth Falls

On a mild day in late December we headed to Hudson, Massachusetts to explore the area of Danforth Falls, a natural, not man-made cascade. Natural waterfalls are not a common feature in eastern Masschusetts.

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Crest fallen, or Learning how to write after teaching it for 40 years

Guest post: Em Turner Chitty previously published this article on her Substack

I taught English language and writing for many years, edited (and graded) thousands of essays, raged at the inadequacy of the way we are taught to teach it, and now for the first time in my life am dipping my toes into the waters of actual writing every day for myself, maybe for a few others. And I’m finding it way more difficult, and myself feeling more vulnerable, than I ever expected the experience to be.

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Proofreading is Elementary?

The Girl Scout–happy to be in school. Not so thrilled to check or rewrite her assignments

Marjorie Turner Hollman helps authors self-publish their books. She is also a disability advocate, sharing information about Easy Walks (not too many roots or rocks, relatively level with firm footing, and something of interest along the way) in open space. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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Proof reading: You learned that in elementary school, right? You remember elementary school. Even up into high school, you knew that when a teacher told you to “Proofread your work,” it meant that you were supposed to read through what you had written, looking for spelling mistakes. In later grades, you also needed to decide if your sentences made sense, and if not, to rewrite them.

What you likely never heard during your years of formal schooling (perhaps even into college?) was that “proof-reading,” in the publishing world, means exactly what the words say. Proof-reading is actually reading (reviewing) a proof (test) copy of a manuscript that has been laid out, almost ready for publication as a book (or ebook or audio-book these days).

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How to write a book

It’s a process–but it always starts with your first steps

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Breaking down the process

Please note: this is a blog post, not a book! What is included here is not comprehensive. It’s a start, not the final word. Thanks for stopping by and read on.

Where to start?

It’s a process with lots of steps.

Start small. A blog post? A letter to a friend? A letter to the editor? It all counts.

Write what you know

Non-fiction–Write a useful book. I learned the importance of this from the best: Write Useful Books, by Rob Fitzpatrick. Plan to write a book that teaches what you’ve learned, shares skills you have developed, or inspires others who are coping with life challenges related to what you have faced.

Fiction–You will still be writing what you know, with a huge dash of imagination thrown into the mix. Of course there’s more to it than that, but it’s where you start.

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Cape Cod Canal in winter

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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Amazing views along Cape Cod Canal

We have visited the Cape Cod Canal countless times. As colder weather sets in we can count on seeing multiple flocks of eiders swimming near the shore as we stroll along the paved walkway overlooking the waterway.

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Percé, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Canada

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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Percé Rock

It’s the rock that will grab you when you come around the bend in the road. Massive, kinda rectangular. My first view was near sunset. The light hit the massive stone structure just off shore and turned it a glowing gold-reddish hue. A small arch at the bottom, at sea level, added an intriguing detail to this iconic landmark, Percé Rock, just offshore from the boardwalk and bustling tourist town of Percé.

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It’s the cobbles, at Gooseberry Island

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

Visiting Gooseberry Island on a warm day (note the shorts–not what I wear in winter)

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One of my favorite pieces of shoreline is on the southeast coast of Massachusetts. New England is well known for its rugged, rocky coast. This little spit of land, Gooseberry Island, juts out into Long Island Sound and has some sandy beaches and oversize boulders. A causeway allows visitors to drive out onto the island.

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Blackstone River Greenway/SNETT keeps getting longer (better!)

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

Newest section of the Blackstone River Greenway/Bikeway now open!

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Because the process of developing rail trails is such a monumental effort, the easiest sections are generally completed first. (Higher in elevation, already somewhat cleared, lacking encroachment from neighbors). Tying together these disparate, already completed sections of one proposed project is a challenge. When new connections are established the rail trail becomes more attractive for those of us who enjoy traveling by bicycle. And thus, my enthusiasm as we watched progress on the Blackstone Riverway rail trail extension from Blackstone, Massachusetts into Rhode Island.

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Medfield, MA rail trail

Trail head, Medfield Rail Trail

Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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On a warm November day we headed over to Medfield, MA to visit the relatively new Medfield Rail Trail. The path is a work in progress as part of the Bay Colony Rail trail, with plans to connect with more of the rail trail located in Dover, Needham and Newton. The Needham and Newton portions are finished while the Dover section is in the planning stage. An updated map from December, 2023 details the completed sections of trail and the plans for further development of this recreational resource. It is also is part of the much larger trail network of the Bay Circuit trail.

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