Behind the (Writing) Scenes with…

Harriett Arnold, Santa Clara County Branch

A New Writing Challenge

For several years, my writing has been primarily academic and data-driven, requiring writing styles based on the journal or institution requirements. I became a member of my local Pen Women branch and began listening to branch members, reading their works, taking fiction writing classes, learning to write differently, and taking on new challenges.

My journey in writing letters in my branch focused on historical topics. In serving my community in California, there are multiple opportunities to learn specifically about 18th and 19th century people, events, and “unknown nuggets” of little-known information.

Realizing an essay or article will be fiction and nonfiction, sometimes there is also an opportunity to discover a “myth” that is not what it seems. I developed an acronym for myself (CIPT) while drinking a cup of tea when beginning my historical writing:

C: Character development (motivation to pass on knowledge, etc.)
I: Imagery (describe an event or person using descriptive language)
P: Philosophical meaning (inspiration or pondering)
T: Tell a story (compelling lives, events, people, etc.)

This acronym is the beginning of my preparation for writing after I have decided to tell a story.

Harriett Brown Arnold, PhD, is professor emerita in the Gladys L. Benerd College, Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of the Pacific, Stockton, California. A veteran educator, she has served in various educational roles and as an international consultant, among others.