In some ways, writing in the first person feels like the most natural way to tell a story. After all, we create stories “in first” every day—over drinks with friends, describing our weekends to colleagues, and complaining about our jobs to our partners at night. “I did this…” and “I told him that…” we say,… Read more »
A rolling wave of earth rumbled me out of my sleep like it had a dozen times before in other types of disaster. Instinct kicked in as I jumped out of bed to the closest doorway to only remember—there aren’t earthquakes in Tennessee. Weird. Something didn’t feel right though and without thinking, I went to… Read more »
Seeking Travelers For the 2021 Virtual Writers Sabbatical I started my writing career just shy of 50, so I’ve been playing catch up with my writing craft. After DIY MFA 101 opened me up to the wonderful world of writing, I was hooked. I dove into a writing craft quest—taking more classes and listening to… Read more »
We think of inspiration arriving in a flash, a moment where the rabbit appears from the magic hat as if from nowhere. Those creative lightning strikes hit each of us occasionally. We know we can’t rely on their appearance. But what if we could? Creativity exercises foster conditions that make inspirational lightning strikes more likely…. Read more »
Like me, I suspect one of the facets of creative resistance, aka writer’s block—overwhelm, perfectionism, procrastination, and self-doubt—has seduced you. You’ve probably cast about researching different tips and tricks on how to break free from resistance, so you can get back to writing. Your research likely revealed tips on establishing better writing structures, getting ruthless… Read more »
Recently, I launched Kris Clink’s Writing Table, a podcast to help new writers learn from authors and publishing experts as we explore books, the writing craft, and the varied paths to publishing. It’s been a joy to hear firsthand from authors who are responsible for my favorite books. Kathleen Barber, Kimberly Belle, Lyn Liao Butler,… Read more »
We signed our book deal at the end of July 2020 with a January 2021 publication date. We were in the midst of a global pandemic. Our kids were home 24/7 with nowhere to go. Karissa had a brand new three week old baby. And we were on a one month deadline for our first… Read more »
My dear Speculators, the Perseverance Rover, AKA “Percy,” landed on February 18th. I wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate perseverance and all the awesome that this innovation in automated extraterrestrial exploration has to offer writers of speculative fiction. NASA intends for Percy to determine some key information about Mars, including whether there is evidence… Read more »
Books with multiple timelines are some of my favorites to read—and to write. At times the storylines can seem disparate and disconnected, and then bam, you get that particular satisfaction as you figure out how they converge. Multiple timelines add layers to story that, when done right, can deepen plot and characters. When I began… Read more »
I am an introvert. For reference, the definition of introversion (which I find highly suspect and somewhat insulting) is this: in·tro·ver·sion /ˌintrəˈvərZH(ə)n/ noun the quality of being shy and reticent. the tendency to be concerned with one’s own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things. “the tongue-tied introversion of the self-conscious artist” Even if… Read more »
