San Francisco Archives

The Start of Summer: Writing Projects, Dear Writer by Maggie Smith and More

May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

The Spring semester is over, and I just finished my first year in Graduate school. It’s been a lot to balance full-time work and school, but I’ve got my schedule down, and I’m pretty sure I got a 4.0 this semester.

The Master of Library and Information Science program at SJSU is fun and fascinating, and I’ve felt since I started that this is exactly what I’ve been looking for. This semester, I studied different types of information professionals in information organizations and the basics of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, as well as writing code for my own websites, which was a ton of fun.

For one of my final projects, I created this website on traveling to Amsterdam!

photo of boats parked on river — Photo by Chait Goli on Pexels.com

I’ve been writing a lot and mainly posting poems in Tanka form. Sticking to a form keeps me challenged, and I like figuring out how to shape a poem while crafting a story or image. This month, I started rewriting the opening chapters of the novel, which I finished in 2018. I decided to strip it down and rework the story from one specific character’s point of view after I got feedback from a couple of people that the character was far more interesting than the others.

Besides school and work, I’m freelancing as an Alpha and Beta Reader. I’ve had a few recent projects in the last couple of months, which’ve been great. I love analyzing fellow writers’ work since it also helps me with my own writing. The recent reviews I received from clients have been a highlight for me.

I’m also staying busy. I’ve enjoyed going out into the city with my fiancée and friends. I’ve been going to Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park, trying a ton of new restaurants. I highly recommend Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach and Hikari Sushi Bar in Japantown.

Movies! I love the movies and I’ve seen a couple of good ones recently.

Sinners is another excellent Horror classic. I definitely give it 5/5 stars. The music, the camera shots, dialogue, and story are well executed. I could write a full essay on it.

Thunderbolts* is interesting and definitely a Marvel movie that fits the mood of 2025. I like how the characters struggle with their pasts, and the main “bad guy” is just severe mental illness in a cape. I give it 4/5 stars.

As far as reading goes, I just finished Dear Writer by Maggie Smith. This book is for poets, and it’s impressive. Smith’s chapters are short and sweet, and she dives into the different elements and challenges of writing while sharing her past experiences. I highly recommend this book for fellow poets.

Moving into June, I’m focusing on rewriting my novel since I have the summer off. I’m also working on a goal of 100 Poems in 100 Days. I started this project a few days ago. The objective is to write a poem every day, no matter how crappy they are, so I have about 100 poems to work with in the fall and winter time.

Have you read any great books lately? Have you seen any excellent movies? I want to know. Leave a comment below!

February in San Francisco: Books, Poems and Creations

February 24, 2024February 24, 2024 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

The rain continued through February, but today there is a bright blue sky, and the Chinese New Year parade will crawl through downtown.

I’ve been missing, busy working on The Happy Poet Studio releasing creepy crawly inspired products.

Reading here and there, I’ve already finished five books this year. Do What They Say or Else was an intriguing stream of consciousness of a young woman. Indelicacy pulled me into a poor fabulous world of obsession and evolving relationships. Poor Things took me for a ride I wasn’t expecting with the last chapter a full 180 degree turn.

Listening to music as usual, I’m trying to expand my tastes and try something new, but the Spotify algorthims are keeping me in place.

Writing? Well, a poem here and there, and daily writing exercises when I can. I’m scribbling a few hundred words at the end of the day, but now mostly completing my writing on the weekends. I’m looking for journals to submit a few mismatched lonesome poems – recommendations welcome.

What are you reading/writing/listening to? I want to know.

Wishing for sunny days, this is The Happy Poet signing off.
–Alina

January 2024 in San Francisco: Art, Movies and Rain

January 5, 2024February 24, 2024 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Hello there,

The weather has been wet and stormy in San Francisco and this week there was a downpour on the 3rd that I got stuck in.

I’ve been away for a while, but I wanted to touchbase and see how you’re all doing. What have I been up to?

The Happy Poet Studio

Since November, I’ve been working on my Etsy shop, which features some of my original art and creative Canva designs.

I desire to design hoodies, t-shirts, notebooks, and bags. These are the things I use the most in the my daily life, and these are things that bring me joy.

For the past few weeks, when I’m not drawing I’m creating pins for my Pinterest or buying a bag of donuts.

Watching Movies

About once a week, I’ve been going to a movie. I have an AMC pass so I like to take advantage of my 3-movies-a-week membership.

My Top 3 Fav Movies I’ve seen recently are:

–Poor Things
5/5 My Kinda Humor, My Kinda Story

–The Boy and the Heron
5/5 Stars, Amazing

–The Iron Claw
4/5 Stars, Good but depressing

iPad Air (5th Gen) and Adobe Fresco

In December, I decided to push my boundaries and I got and iPad Air. I have a cozy apartment so there is limited space for art supplies and I’ve been getting the itch lately to create so this was the perfect fit.

I’m spending about 30 minutes to an hour every day drawing and painting in Adobe Fresco on the iPad Air and it’s a load of fun.

The textures look real, the water colors are amazing, and the charcoals are fabulous. Below is a painting I did inspired by Bob Ross’s “Winter Russet.” I worked alongside the YouTube video of the episode which helped a ton.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/288582288637735623/

What am I reading?

Axe Handles by Gary Snyder. This collection of poems is crisp. Snyder is one of my top favorite poets and whenever I come across poems of his I haven’t read, I need to immediately chew and consume them.

Music?

My December Spotify playlist is meager (understatement) and I’m working on my January 2024 list already. My goal is to hit around 25 songs and see if there’s an underlying theme/mood to it.

I try to build my playlists to reflect my mood during that month and I have over 3 years of playlists now, so it’s nice to have an soundtrack journal of the past.

What’s Next?

I’m writing a lot still and aiming for about 30,000 words a month. I’ve got poetry on my mind and a few short stories I’m playing with and of course there’s my half-finished novel and then that finished novel I still need to edit to completion (for the 10th time, I swear).

There isn’t enough time to do all the things I wanna do, but I’m gonna try.

Signing off,
Alina
The Happy Poet

April in San Francisco

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

In front of the Chinatown public library, I look across the street at a garage and the Transamerica Pyramid poking out from behind.

Depending on your positioning, the slant of the hill, the gaps between passing cars at intersections, and the weather, it’s possible to gain new perspectives on iconic buildings and the Bay Bridge. These are the views I’ve been searching for for the past few months.

A cable car on Powell Street grinds by heading southward. A slight burning odor hits me when it passes; a mixture between metal and oil I still can’t figure out.

Since the start of the new year, I’ve read more, written here and there, and thought about a few poems I’ve yet to scribble down. It’s all been swimming in my head as I balance starting a new job, spring cleaning, and upcoming birthdays. And it’s already April. How did that happen? Lately, it’s felt like time slips by faster, and I’m left trying to catch up.

I walk south on Powell Street. Nag Champa floats in the air by the Buddhist and Taoist Association building, and I take deep breaths to get as much of it as possible.

The sky is blue with a few clouds, but they’re moving fast, so it might change to gray skies and a slight rainy mist. Riding out all the atmospheric rivers and turbulent winds in the city these past few weeks, I’ve been calmly waiting for Spring. I want a sunny hot day to go to the beach and read.

There are plenty of current events to talk about, but I’m somewhere between exhaustion and nausea every time I try to write about any of it lately.

I keep running out of time to process the most recent mass shooting before another one happens. As hateful rhetoric spreads and takes hold in multiple states, as reproductive rights are stripped away, and as fascism continues to grow – I worry about the future.

How can I write about it all? How can I process what’s happened in the U.S. in the past few years? I’m struggling to grasp how other writers have done it.

So I take moments to look at the city, I take moments to sit and eat lunch in a park, I take moments to read a book at cafes I haven’t been to before, I take moments of peace because I’m not sure how many of them I’ll have in the future.

I make it to California Street and hear the rhythmic grating of another cable car, this one coming up the hill and heading north. Small groups of tourists, families, and couples crowd near the stops on the street corners, waiting to jump on.

Crossing the street, I glance at the Bay Bridge down below, framed by the layered buildings downtown. It’s unbelievably beautiful.

Over my shoulder, the Transamerica Pyramid is hidden by a strip of grayish clouds; the ever-present giant I imagine to be a hybrid symbol (modern and ancient) of longevity for the city. I hope through it all; it’ll continue to stand.

Alpha and Beta Reader: Alina Happy Hansen

January 7, 2023May 27, 2023 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Alpha and beta readers are everywhere but finding the right reader for your writing is vital if you want to level up your manuscript. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on your first draft or draft #634. You need someone you can trust who will provide honest, detailed feedback answering all your questions and concerns. Continue reading to learn more about the pros of alpha and beta reads and how I can help you today!

photo of person holding a book — Photo by Enzo Muñoz on Pexels.com

What’s the difference between an Alpha and Beta Reader?

An Alpha Reader will review a writer’s initial draft, sometimes, they’re professionals with writing and editing-related jobs or experience. But they aren’t looking for grammar or punctuation errors when they read your manuscript. They’re looking at broad strokes like plot and character development. An Alpha Reader will point out what elements need work and what can be cut or expanded. If you’re looking for an Alpha Reader, you want someone who knows about the craft of writing.

For instance, I have over a year of experience interning as a Developmental Editor for a publishing house. I worked one-on-one with authors, providing them feedback and writing help on their novels’ macro and microelements. When I started freelance beta reading that I was providing a lot of alpha-like feedback (a two-for-one deal!). Now I know I can easily switch gears and be an Alpha or Beta Reader for my clients.

Find out more About Alina Happy Hansen

a person writing on a notebook — Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

Beta Read Feedback to Polish Your ‘Polished’ Writing

A Beta Reader reads a more polished draft close to a final version that’s ready for publication. Ideally, they love to read the genre of the writing they’re beta reading.

Tip: You don’t want to pick a beta reader who mainly reads Noir Novels to read your Sci-Fi Romance with a cast of otherworldly beings.

You want to find a Beta Reader who knows the genre and can focus on your story. In addition to providing answers to your questions, beta readers will let you know what they liked or disliked.

Key Takeaway: Beta Readers focus on the story and genre, while Alpha Readers look at the mechanics of your writing and execution.

Once upon a time, I was an Intern for a Literary Agent. I read full-length manuscripts (around 300+ pages) and wrote up book proposals, blurbs, and short reviews within 72 hours. Reading Nonfiction to unreleased Fantasy novels, I became familiar with various genres and knew what elements to look for and analyze. This knowledge has helped me become an exceptional alpha and beta reader.

Read about my Professional Writing and Mentoring Services

assorted title books collection — Photo by Marta Dzedyshko on Pexels.com

From Draft to Published Book: Don’t Stop Writing

Writing a novel is hard work. I’m writing my second book now, and it never gets old. It’s a difficult journey, but I don’t get tired of rewriting, editing, and plotting out my stories. I love writing and can’t get enough of offering writing help to my fellow authors and poets.

If there’s any advice I can give you today, it’s DON’T STOP WRITING. A draft today could easily become a published book by next year, don’t give up!

Order Your Alpha and Beta Read Today!

I want to help you so you can take your draft and turn it into a polished manuscript that’s ready to be a published book. Driven to explore new worlds, I revel descriptive writing, dive into creative nonfiction, and love helping budding writers with their first attempts at story-writing.

Are you interested in an Alpha or Beta Read by yours truly? Feel free to check out my services or leave a comment below. I can’t wait to connect and help you with your writing 🙂

What do I read? Fiction, Nonfiction, Personal Essays, Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry, and more! If you have a writing project and want to know if I can help, reach out today!

Dive into my NaNoWriMo experience for 2022!