Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers

by Kate Hopper, Hope Edelman (Foreword)

Use Your Words introduces the art of creative nonfiction to women who want to give written expression to their lives as mothers. Written by award-winning teacher and writer, Kate Hopper, this book will help women find the heart of their writing, learn to use motherhood as a lens through which to write the world, and turn their motherhood stories into art. Each chapter of Use Your Words focuses on an element of craft and contains a lecture, a published essay, and writing exercises that will serve as jumping-off points for the readers' own writing. Chapter topics the importance of using concrete details, an overview of creative nonfiction as a genre, character development, voice, humor, tense and writing the "hard stuff," reflection and back-story, structure, revision, and publishing. The content of each lecture is aligned with the essay/poem in that chapter to help readers more easily grasp the elements of craft being discussed. Together the chapters provide a unique opportunity for mother writers to learn and grow as writers.

Use Your Words takes the approach that creative writing can be taught, and this underscores each chapter. When students learn to read like writers, to notice how a piece is put together, and to question the choices a writer makes, they begin to think like writers. When they learn to ground their writing in concrete, sensory details and begin to understand how to create believable characters and realistic dialogue, their own writing improves. Use Your Words reflects Kate's style as a teacher, guiding the reader in a straightforward, nurturing, and passionate voice. As one student noted in a class "Kate is a born writer and teacher, and her enthusiasm for essays about motherhood and for teaching the nuts and bolts of writing so that ordinary mothers have the tools to write their stories is a gift to the world. She is raising the value of motherhood in our society as she helps mothers build their confidence and strengthen their game as writers."

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Parenting, Unfinished, Self Help

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2012

About the author

Kate Hopper is the author of Ready for Air: A Journey Through Premature Motherhood and Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers, and co-author of Silent Running: One Family's Journey to the Finish Line with Autism. Kate holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Minnesota and has been the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, two Minnesota State Arts Board Grants, and a Sustainable Arts Grant. Her writing has appeared in a number of journals, including Brevity, Los Angeles Review of Books, The New York Times online and Poets & Writers. She is an editor and writing coach and teaches writing online, at the Loft Literary Center, and in Ashland University's MFA Program. For more information about Kate’s writing, visit her website, www.katehopper.com.

Reviews

[Literary Mama]

Use Your Words is directly addressed to writers who hope to tell their motherhood stories in ways that are resonant and meaningful. Hopper herself is aware that writing about motherhood may be, as she says, “an uphill battle to get it taken seriously,” one she has struggled against. In her own writing life, Hopper faced down that struggle by continuing to write herself and by encouraging her own writing students – often mothers – to craft these stories themselves. What emerged from those sessions with her mother-writer-students is this book on craft.

Read Literary Mama's full review here: http://www.literarymama.com/reviews/a...

Use Your Words is also part of Literary Mama's "Mother's Day Essential Reading 2012" list. Read the whole list here: http://www.literarymama.com/litreflec...

[Alison Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every mother who wants to write, a must-read. I know I will go back again and again to Kate Hopper's wonderful book, full of useful advice and writing exercises and prompts.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book through the Amazon Vine program, though I've stopped getting as many books (or even really looking at the books available) because, well, I am buried in books. (I'm not complaining, mind you.) Plus there are tons of other cool things I can get through Amazon Vine, so why add to the books I can't get to yet?

This book, though, caught my eye and I broke down and ordered it. I'm a writer, after all, and a mother! This book looked like it was for me!

And...it was. I'll admit, I was a bit afraid this would be too much "do this, do that" and not enough advice or help I could actually use, but Hopper, as it turns out, is a talented teacher. She doesn't just tell you what to do, but uses a wide variety of examples--from mothers, no less--and she's down-to-earth in her approach. For example, she doesn't suggest you get up every morning at 3 AM to write (though that may be what works for you). She advocates writing, yes, and gives you tools for doing that, but she's not militant or unrealistic. I appreciated that.

One of the best parts of this book, for me, was getting encouragement from a fellow mom-writer, someone who has multiple kids, is working in the world and in writing, and who has a life beyond the page. Some of the writing books I've read, while excellent, seem like they don't apply. Hopper has combined her expertise in writing with humor and practicality.

Have you ever thought of writing? Not sure how to start or where to begin or what to do? This book will be a great guide for you.

If, like me, you have a clue but need a cheerleader or a refresher or hey, a break from a certain kind of reading you might find yourself constantly immersed in, I'll bet you will love and appreciate this book just like I do.

Overall, highly recommended, especially for fellow mom-writers.

[Damla · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you’re ready to tell the world a story. Your plan is a gifted, cunning, picturesque chronicle of the comedy and drama called ‘life as a Mom’. Before you start, you might want to check out a book called “Use Your Words” by Kate Hopper. This bestselling author is much like a director, as she escorts and guides you through assignments to make you a better writer. Sadly, writing about motherhood and children is sometimes looked at as a lackluster genre. Kate Hopper shows how to give your memoir character, voice, and structure. With multiple directives and easy understandable exercises, this book might be the key to a harmonious blend of words to captivate and capture your reading audience. Whether we see your chronicle of ‘Life as a Mom’ head up the best seller list or one day your child shows her grandchildren a slice of your life, “Use Your Words” can only enhance the story. I really like Kate Hopper’s development of a good-humored and adaptable approach to writing. The book is filled with educational techniques mixed with perfectly understandable examples." Use Your Words” is a positive accessory for mom writers and bloggers as well. I love words, but I can see several areas I can improve my skills!

http://sweepstakelover.blogspot.com/2...

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I finished reading—now to get writing. Actually, the book already got me writing with Kate Hopper's online book tour. I've flagged a bunch of exercises for days when I don't know where to start or when I need something different.

The book reminded of the lesson I've already learned about what you are writing about and your real subject and made me think about voice differently.

Aside from the writing advice, I loved a lot of the pieces she used as examples.

[Kate Vogl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been recommending this to all the mothers I know who write. Kate knows how to bring forth a writer's sense of humor and empathy and how to encourage a writer all along the way. A must have for any mother writer's book shelf.

[Bethany Jarmul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If you are a mother, you should read this book. If you are a writer, you should read this book. If you are both, you should read it, study it, drink it in.

As a mother and an aspiring writer, this book inspired me, taught me, and gave me the tools I didn’t know I needed. It’s a practical, down-to-earth guide for mothers who want to write about their experiences.

[Jennifer Sask · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and encouraging

I'd recommend this book to any aspiring writer and/or memoirist, but especially writing mothers. Very informative and encouraging about learning the craft of writing creative nonfiction.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provided helpful examples and writing prompts to write about being a mother. At times the examples seemed a little too long but otherwise, I liked it.

[Ann Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice book on writing for young mothers raising kids.
For me, that ship has sailed.
Started this book in 2012, picked it up again this year. Got most of the way through it.

[Carin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Hopper's "use your words" is a great guide for mothers getting (back) into creative non-fiction.

Kate shows the budding mama writer how to write a compelling story. Each tip/ chapter is backed up with examples and writing exercises, with additional prompts at the end of the book. Being a busy mother herself, she also dispels some of the common writing rules in favour of more mama-friendly ones.

I loved this book. Like many mothers I feel compelled to remember/ write down the stories of pregnancy, birth and childhood, but would be bored stiff writing a "then I did this and this happened" kind of account. I want to write proper, fleshed out stories, but haven't written anything like it in years. This book reminded me how to go about it.

[Molly]

This is a good guide for a beginning writer, particularly those who want to transform their own musings on motherhood into more polished prose. Based on Hopper's classes she has taught at the Loft Literary Center, this would be a good book to give to those who might not have access to her in person.

[Stephanie Friant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just love this writing workshop/mothers' group in the form of a transportable, go-at-your-own-pace book. For any mother interested in writing about being a mother - even grandmother's/guardians/aunts/Dad's? - this is a must read.

http://sistersunderthetrees.com/2014/...

[Mary Kenyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother who wrote her way through years of parenting young children, caregiving my husband through cancer, and through the deaths of my mother, husband, and grandson, I believe writing saved my sanity at times. I'm passionate about encouraging young mothers who want to write, and this book has become a must-read on a reading list for my workshops.

[Emily Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is impossible to finish- I cannot read a chapter without being inspired to write, write, and write some more!

This book now has a permanent home on my writing shelf, and I will refer to it often. I highly recommend it!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very helpful. It gave me many new ideas and tips to try when working on my writing. While I'm not sure that I will ever be a true writer, I feel that if I did choose that path this book would definitely be a helpful tool.

[Marisha Caballero · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to learn how to be a good writer and "use my words" well...and for the glory of God. Sadly, the swearing and taking the Lord's name in vain in many of the memoir excerpts repelled me. I only made it half way through when I decided that I'd had enough.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was only pages into this book when I felt like I had come home. I dreamed of writing about my mothering experiences and Kate's book, followed by her online course have led me to do it.
The book is filled with inspiring examples from mother writers and stimulating exercises.

[Karla Archer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed working through this book. I've never had great recall of details (more the overall feeling of the experience), so it's been really challenging to get through some of it, but I needed the challenge!

[Kathryn Whitlatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great inspiration.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoy Kate Hopper's writing, I do not think I enjoyed this book as much as everyone else did.

[Audrey Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring for moms wanting to tell their story for personal or professional work. A must for bloggers, especially for the mom-tots blogs.

[Karna Converse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for writers who are first, and foremost moms. Filled with tips and exercises for both getting started and for polishing drafts into something that's publishable.