Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now

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  • The sweet secret of practice

    The sweet secret of practice

    Come join me for a fun afternoon of writing practice in two weeks. Like the great music and art masters, we’ll be building muscle memory and training the brain. But this isn’t like practicing scales or mastering vanishing points. This is being surprised, then delighted, by where your creativity carries you.

    I like using the consummate musician Jon Batiste as exhibit A for the unexpected wonders of practice. His performance last summer in Eugene featured Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Batiste morphed it from 19th century classical into 21st century jazz. His practice frees him to play, and make any genre uniquely his.

    Writers at any stage will benefit from the techniques we’ll play with and there are still some open slots in the class. So bring your favorite writing tools and join us. Register at the link below.

    Photos by Susan Palmer

    The Practicing Writer

  • Close observation: There’s a workshop for that

    Close observation: There’s a workshop for that

    I thought I knew this plant, the vine maple. It’s the great autumn showoff in the forest understory, bright yellow to orange to red. Because I learned its name early in my hiking days, I assumed it was an actual vine and when you see it all scraggly under towering spruce and fir in the Pacific Northwest, a vine doesn’t seem wrong. So imagine my surprise on a recent walk in Eugene’s Hendricks Park when this tree-sized version sent a sweeping branch out into the path. Is that? No, couldn’t be. But, yes.

    Wikipedia explains that Acer circinatum, is a many-stemmed shrub-like tree. I had never stopped to give it full attention before. Here’s what else I saw on this fine mid-May outing: the tiniest of flowers tucked among the bright green of new leaves.

    How writers get to noticing is by slowing down, stopping and looking around. While it sounds easy, getting to “easy,” takes practice. And time. Also, curiosity.

    In June I’ll be teaching a writing workshop on noticing. We’ll play with three techniques that help train the noticing part of the brain.

    It’ll be four hours of word play. Writers at any stage are welcome, whether you’re writing for an audience or wanting to make your private journal richer.

    Join me June 20 at Wordcrafters for The Practicing Writer. Register here:

    The Practicing Writer

    Photos by Susan Palmer

  • Pause, turn around, be surprised

    Pause, turn around, be surprised

    Photo by Susan Palmer

    Our last night in London, we had run out of steam. We’d packed in a full touristy day, then ridden the ferry by Westminster at dusk and walked the square. We were headed for the hotel and packing, and a big day of train travel to Paris the next morning.

    I don’t know what made me stop, breathe a moment, then turn. Turning around gave me the view of Big Ben and the London Eye.

    Sometimes it’s hard to give yourself a moment, especially at the tail end of a long day, especially with must-do tasks waiting. But it’s these surprise views that linger long after that make me keep packing my bags.

    Photos by Susan Palmer