For Halloween: Charlotte Isn’t the Only Writing Spider

Halloween Is the Time for Celebrating Writers—Spiders Included

Charlotte Isn’t the Only Writing Spider

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, writer of fiction, poetry, and

the HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books Writers Depend On

A few years ago, administrators and docents of the lovely Descanso Gardens in the foothills of the San Gabriel where I live shared the story of writing spiders everywhere including the colorful orb weaver (you might know her from her bright yellow spots, her eight graceful legs, and her beautifully constructed notebook which she often constructs in gardens big—like our famous Descanso—and our own backyards. Today her job (and she is ashe/her/them/they if she is dressed in yellow) is to remind literature lovers and authors that the author of Charlotte’s Web might have been writing a story of fiction for writers but he was probably inspired by real writing spiders. Perhaps one he knew personally. Perhaps one he had read about. It’s hard to know because spiders (and other inspirational beings) are seldom credited.

And I want to remind readers and writers that the quality that makes great literature of any kind is how it reflects real life. Nature. Including human nature. What makes it great is that magical quality that attracts and—dare I use the the word ensnares?—so completely it becomes known as a “classic.”

Our orb weaver is a welcome guest in our yard. Even though she is about an inch long, she helps us keep harmful insects away. Her notebook is very tidy; hers is the one most artists emulate when they reproduce the delicate, magical web used for most everything a spider does. It’s her bedroom, kitchen, the nursery for her cocoons, her home. It is as intricate as longhand so museum curators, scientists and…mmm…writers call her and her relatives “writing spiders.”

Note: This article might be re-inspired. I found a column titled “California Classroom” in the Los Angeles Times—all nicely yellowed by time. It was inspired by spiders in their lovely public gardens and found its way to the clipping notebook (real paper!) I keep of articles about my fellow writers.

More About the Author 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web to her children when they were very small; it never occurred to her that one day she would appreciate that book on many levels beyond a lovely story with lessons to teach. She is now the author of a Modern History Press Series that began in 2004 with The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t, now published in its 3^rd edition as a hardcover, paperback, and…an e-book! One of the books in that series is even available as Audio! Author White would never have believed in possibilities like that for his lovely characters, his lovely story. Find Carolyn’s series on Amazon’s newly offered pages for series at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T. That Amazon feature is one of the #TheFrugalBookPromoterTips she shares with writers so they’ll know that Amazon offers a similar page to any e-book series that appears on their website. Happy Halloween to all.