Writing is hard. Not just in craft, but in practice. As writers, we must take great care of ourselves to produce our best work. While at first, the connection between our self-care and writing might not seem obvious, consider trying to show up to the page tired, hungry or aggravated with life. While conditions cannot… Read more »
“Aim high” is probably advice you’ve heard before. I sure have: my elementary school’s motto was aim high, be respectful, care for others, all admirable things to do. But not everyone will tell you to do so when it comes to your writing. There are the skeptics, those writers who want you to think that… Read more »
In the last Be Well, Write Well post, I wrote about the perspective of having abundant time. Today, I’m going to show you that time is not only abundant in the macro sense, it can also feel abundant on the micro level—in the weeks, days and hours that make up the building blocks of our… Read more »
Let’s be real: crime fiction conferences are expensive and time consuming. But there are other ways to be part of the crime fiction community and you can do it from your own backyard. Join A Crime Fiction Organization Several genre groups support the crime fiction community. International Thriller Writers represents professional thriller writers from around… Read more »
Writing for kids, of any age, is a big responsibility. Kids across age groups range in experience and the ability to think critically about what they read. Very young children are especially prone to thinking that a book, any book, must be an authority. After all, books are like, official, right? Even teens and adults… Read more »
As editor of a literary magazine, my love for quality short-form writing knows no bounds. And as part of the job, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know several excellent writers. RB Frank is witty, versatile, and packs a punch in a limited number of words. Purely out of curiosity, after becoming a true… Read more »
A decade ago, most people perceived independent publishing (also called self-publishing) as a last option, something that was not so much chosen by the author as for him (i.e., no one wanted his work). But today a growing number of authors, including those who’ve been traditionally published, choose to publish independently for a part or… Read more »
Writing usually means meeting deadlines and routinely showing up to write. Writing for an audience requires the consideration of who the audience will be, because while writers want to express themselves, they also want to impress. After all, there are books to sell, and articles that need to be read. But what if you were… Read more »
My grandmother recently passed away at 99 years old. When she was born, in 1919, the average life expectancy for a white American women (higher than that for males, or people of color) was 56 years old. As a child, the idea of a 99 year-old person, let alone her own ability to live to… Read more »
In May, I attended a screening of Jaws at the Metrograph in New York City, hosted by Arts in the Armed Forces (AITAF). The film concluded with a talk back session with actor Adam Driver and director/ screenwriter Steven Soderbergh. It was an incredible learning experience, and I left wondering if other opportunities and resources… Read more »
