In 2009, I experienced what novelists call a “dark night of the soul.” I had just gotten married, and struggled with my new adult identity and the loss of my maiden name. In the space of six months, three loved ones passed away, including my beloved grandmother. I was frustrated at work and knew I… Read more »
For months, I dreaded my first pitch session, a live event in which a roomful of potential agents awaited me with only three minutes to impress each one I’d targeted. I’ve always felt that I don’t make a good first impression; I come off too serious, too earnest, too Hermione-ish. (There’s a reason Harry and… Read more »
Hi there word nerds! Today we’re talking with Ken Zak about writing poetic prose and the process behind his book The Poet’s Secret. Kenneth Zak is an aquatic nomad of Bohemian-Polish ancestry. As a lad, he dove into Lake Erie in search of a silver coin. Decades later, he surfaced off the island of Crete… Read more »
What’s up with all the long-running series for middle grade readers? For the purposes of this article, I’m talking specifically about books series that span more than fifteen books—in fact, some of them feel like they might never end! Kids love them, adults perhaps less so when our bookshelf threatens to collapse from the weight… Read more »
If you’re anything like me, when you’re in the throes of the creative process you end up throwing everything at the page and the kitchen sink, just trying not to stifle your muse or leave anything important out of the story you’re trying to tell. When you finally finish it’s tempting to just close the… Read more »
Hey Word Nerds! Today’s episode is going to be so awesome because I’m talking to debut author Kim Liggett, a fabulous YA author and good friend. Her book, Blood and Salt, is out now, and in this episode she and I chat about taking this project from concept to bookshelf. At sixteen, Kim left her rural midwestern town… Read more »
No one can argue the importance of family. Whether loving or trying, our relationships with parents, children, and siblings – or the lack of such relationships – can have a huge impact on our lives. The same goes for literary characters. Their beliefs about family can be challenged, reshaped, or reaffirmed as a result of… Read more »
Happy Fall, Word Nerds! Summer is over, and I’m not mourning. I’m a little too busy anticipating the first Chai Tea Latte of the season, sweaters, and cozy writing days. But boy, was this a busy and wonderful few months! Summer is high conference season, and as we prepared for our own writing conference this… Read more »
Hey there, Word Nerds! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode. Today I’ll be interviewing Barbara Baig about how to write spellbinding sentences, based on her new book by that title. This episode was so much fun to record because as soon as Barbara and I started chatting, I knew I had found a likeminded word… Read more »
In my experience, most three hour drives feel like nothing more than numb legs, backaches, and forcing myself to stop checking the clock. But leave it to my first Writer’s Digest Conference to speed that drive right up. I knew ahead of time that I was going to force my driving buddy into helping me… Read more »
