5 things an aspiring writer needs to know

I thought it will be great to share with you, dear readers, tips I have learned over the years as a reader and writer.

1. First and foremost, details are keys to transferring emotions to readers. "Show, don't tell" is one of the basic thing we learn in writing 101, but it is not easily achieved. I've noticed in books I've read that authors tend to focus greatly on details to convey their message and emotion. Read this following passage from In Praise of The Island Women and Other Crimes by Brenda Flanagan: "A few hours later we were in Philip's boat and Flash was rowing us over the waves, two fishing poles at our feet... I stared at the water, my heart crying blood, my thoughts hot... Flash kept trying to smile away the cut-eyes I was sending him... The sea turned from green to blue as Flash row us away from the shore, and when I thought it was blue enough, I dove into it." Notice how the author cleverly described the moment before the character attempted to kill herself with thoughtful details. The author did not have to tell us point-blank the character was in despair. She told us so through the details.  
2. Reading is a perfect way to overcome a writer's block. I am no psychologist, but reading seems to act as a great engine to get your willpower going. You may notice after reading a book or an article that your thoughts are more easily transformed into words than before. 
3. Don't be afraid to keep it simple. Sometimes, simplicity is the key to writing a masterpiece. Refer to the passage above. The author uses clean and understandable vocabulary words to vividly portray the character's emotion. 
4. Read a copy editing textbook from time to time. When Words Collide is geared toward journalists, but it has vital information for every writer. It helps you in writing crisp and neat pieces. There are other good editing textbooks you can find. The point is to always refresh your memory with writing guidelines. 
5. Exercise. This is one of the best advices I received from Women's Health Magazine. Exercises help stimulate your brain, especially your memory. It keeps your brain active and healthy; therefore, you are able to avoid those times when words escape you and when you experience a writer's block. 

F.E.D.: Between music and architecture

Photo provided by Frantz Eddy Daniel Jr.

Frantz Eddy Daniel Jr., better known as F.E.D., is an emerging Haitian composer. A master in piano and cello, F.E.D. transfers his emotion to these instruments to create pieces, such as “The Quest” and “Pays Lointain” from his first album. 

“It’s not a formula. It’s really something that I feel,” he stated on what triggered him to compose each piece.

Each of these pieces evoke a different sentiment. “The Quest” portrays F.E.D.’s emotion through the process of working on releasing an album.

“There’s a little bit of a difference between inspiration for a song versus inspiration for an album,” added F.E.D., who published his first album almost a year ago. According to him, working on an album is different in terms of scales because at first one needs to find a common theme for the album, and then negotiate how all the songs will tell a story that relates this theme to the audience.

“[For] the first album,... I wanted the piano to have an important place,” explained F.E.D. “[and] I... wanted it to have very elaborate orchestrations.” Having a strong background in piano and being part of an orchestra played a role in this decision.

“A lot of people call my type of music ‘New Age Music’,” he added.

Therefore, the early concept for the album was to combine new age music type sounds with film music style orchestrations. 

F.E.D. just started to put together other compositions for his next album. 

“I’ve been thinking about it for a few months now,” He said. He wanted to find a specific direction for the new album.

“I have a lot of songs that have been written for a year or even ten years ago.”

“What I have right now is an amount of songs that I began to put in a basket.” 

From this basket, he chose the songs that best fit the concept of the album.

“I think I have right now between 10 and 12 songs I’m leaning toward.” Yet, these songs are currently just demos. Once he picks them, he has to refine and record them.

“Sometime even if you have that big basket of songs, some other songs come.” He is currently composing new ones.

Each song takes a different amount of time.

“One song may come completely finished in your head,” he explained. Meanwhile, other songs take longer to compose. For instance, a song may take more than a year for him to be fully satisfied with it.

However, since F.E.D. is a self-funded artist, he needs to work within a certain amount of time to balance his budget between studio time, other musicians, and all the other aspects of producing and releasing an album. 

“You try to do the best job that you can within a certain amount of time,” explained F.E.D., a perfectionist.

Aside from being a musician, F.E.D. also devotes his time to architecture. 

“Even though I’ve been playing music forever, you could say that it’s in an early stage of my solo musical career,” said F.E.D.  Because of this early stage of his career, being a full time musician is not financially ideal for him. 

In the meantime, F.E.D. admits having a love and hate relationship with architecture.

“I can go for three months of the year, and I’m completely in love with architecture.” During this time, he would barely touch the piano. 

F.E.D.'s  interest in piano started during his childhood. When he accompanied his father, a civil engineer, to his office, he recalled passing the time with the architects.

“For some reason, I just liked being there,” he stated.

Later on, he went to college to study civil engineering, but then switched to architecture. 

Nowadays, he works with a partner as self-employed architects.

“We look for projects and propose design for people,” he stated.

Naomie Labaty on Her Cultural Shows and Her Writing

Photo provided by Naomie Labaty

In 2009, Naomie Labaty and her friend, Angeline Bell, founded Boukan Night, a show where established and upcoming writers could share their work. Yet, what started as a small poetic venue turned into a hot spot for Wednesday nights, not only among Haitians but  among other people with a love for good music and sublime poetry.
"It evolved into a big thing to preserve [the Haitian] culture in Miami especially with non-Haitians and [Haitian-Americans]," Labaty further explained.
Many eminent artists, including Beethova Obas, Joel Widmael, Mikaben and King Kino, came to perform at Boukan Night. They all had something positive to say about this weekly event. Steve Brunache, who was already a fan of Labaty's work, was more than happy to perform at Boukan Night.
"It was a very good show," remembered Labaty. "People asked for more."
Labaty talked about the impact Brunache had on Haitians and the patriotic feeling he brought to the crowd.
Moreover, Stevy Mahy from Guadeloupe also performed at Boukan Night on June 14, 2012.
Labaty and Bell also collaborated with Ayiti Deploge for one of the most attended Boukan Night.
"There was no place to move," said Labaty. She also added that Boukan Night is always well-attended.
"We are [startled] every time by the crowd," She expressed.
Aside from the quality of the show, the small entrance fee also keeps people coming.
"Most of the time, it's only $10," Labaty asserted. They wanted to make it affordable for college and high school students, their targeted audience.
Labaty's television show on Island TV, Plezi Soley, is among the most watched show in South Florida.
"The show makes you feel connected to people," she explained as she becomes a popular figure in South Florida.
The show was previously named Island Entertainment, but she boldly changed it to Plezi Soley to better embrace her Caribbean and her Haitian roots.
Yesterday (Tuesday November 13), Labaty debuted her new radio show on WSRF 1580AM, a Haitian-American radio station.
"It's what I always wanted to do," said Labaty. It will be a 2-hour long show with a discussion component for the first hour and a music session for the second hour.
When it comes to her writing, the CD compilation of her best work is still in production.
"As time passes, I write new poems that I want to include, and quality takes time," she explained.
One of her newest poem is posted on her blog, Anthology of a Heartbreak.
"I think I was going through something when I wrote this poem," she disclosed. "[But] when I write, I try to be less personal. I create illusions, tragedies and transform them into work."
***

P.S. Boukan Night's latest event featuring Boukman Eksperyans is tonight at 8 p.m. Click here to be directed to the official facebook page.

Inspiring Lives with Dr. Shellie

Photo provided by Dr. Shellie Hipsky

Dr. Shellie Hipsky is one busy woman! She juggles motherhood between her career as an educator/professor and her career as an inspiring author/talk show host.
Her show, Inspiring Lives with Dr. Shellie, hit the air this fall on NBC's Pittsburgh Cable News Channel on Monday at 7:30 p.m. The show features guests like Mariama Mounir Camara-Petrolawicz, the co-founder and CEO of There Is No Limit Foundation who takes the batiks created in her homeland of Guinea and puts them on the runway of NY Fashion Week. Moreover, Dawn Diaz with Milagros Day Worldwide has survived two generations of domestic violence and now helps others find their own dreams and goals.
Justin Brown is the executive director of The Education Partnership in Pittsburgh. He has raised over 40 million dollars worth of supplies and resources for the low socio-economic schools. He also works with the school where Hipsky was once the assistant principal.

Dr. Shellie Hipsky with her guest Dawn Diaz

Hipsky deeply connects with many of the guests through humanitarian work. Gertrude Matshe who works with HIV positive orphans in Zimbabwe, has distributed LuvMyWoobie.com blankets in Zimbabwe, and Hipsky has done the samee in the Pittsburgh homeless shelters. She is now co-teaching with Matshe at Robert Morris University since Matshe is RMU's International Rooney Scholar.
Hipsky describes her guests as all having a "tremendous impact" on her. As previously mentioned, she is very involved in the work of some of them, including Roy Juarez (Homeless By Choice), Matshe (Africa Alive), and Sally Powers (Treasure House Fashions) who have all joined her in her work in the homeless shelters. Moreover, Alicia Kozakiewicz, the first cyber predator kidnapping survivor, has worked in collaboration with Hipsky by working together on the National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Dr. Hipsky with Andrea Kopach at the WPXI studio. 

Hipsky is also the vice president and co-founder of The Learning Mountain, an online tool for children learning to read. This company has now reached an international audience with customers from Europe and Africa. Kozakiewicz and Hipsky used this connection to host a national poster contest to see what safe looks like.
This Monday, November 12, Hipsky will be welcoming Powers as a guest. She is the president and founder of Treasure House Fashions, a non-profit organization aiming at empowering women by reselling fashionable clothes at great discounts. Power's organization has helped over 60 foundations.
Recently, Hipsky and her RMU students collaborated with Powers (who donated clothes, jewelries and shoes), Ashley Thompson's Elliven Spa (which did the makeovers), the Inspiring Lives Team, Dragonfly Studios to take the photographs of the single mothers with their children at the Adagio Healthy Start House for homeless mothers.
She then served as the MC for a successful Treasure House Fashions runway fashion show fundraiser.
Her mission for the talk show is to encourage her viewers to rise above challenges and to find ways to reach out to others through her guests. Her gratitude giving segment of the show co-hosted with Jennifer Hain features products that vie a portion of their proceeds to valuable causes.
Inspiring Lives with Dr. Shellie is also broadcasted on the Manhattan Media Network on Sundays at 10 p.m. and the chats have gone global with comments from Australia to Germany. The Triple Launch Party to showcase Inspiring Lives with Dr. Shellie featured over 400 Entrepreneurs and Professionals from EPN and was hosted by Dreams in Heels PR in NYC. We hope that you will tune in soon.
Here is a list of the remaining scheduled episodes with the dates and times.

Airdate PCNC MON at 7:30	MNN/Web SUN at 10PM	TOPICS	FEATURED GUEST
Nov 12	Nov 25	Divorce	Sally Powers & Nan Cohen
Nov 19	Dec 2	Domestic Violence	Maria Wall & Joel Jaro
Nov 26	Dec 9	Organ Transplant	Fer & Allie Iglesias, and Dr. Shellie’s Dad Dr. Jacobs
Dec 3	Dec 16	Parental Kidnapping	Scott Berne & Jill Zabinski-Berne
Dec 10	Dec 23	Super Mom	Dr. Summer Knight
Dec 17	Dec 30	Education	Justin Brown & Linda Hippert

You can also check the TV show on facebook by clicking here.