It may seem counterintuitive, but as a writer, you have to tackle many job descriptions that go far beyond putting pen to paper. When you’ve finished writing a book, the real work begins. With so much competition out there in the self-publishing world, you need to boost your visibility and revenue—from there you can keep… Read more »
Writing a captivating novel (one that grabs readers like a new episode of Stranger Things) is perhaps the most challenging personal project you’ll willingly embark on. Why? Because it demands a unique blend of creativity, craftsmanship, storytelling finesse, resilience, and the unwavering belief that you’re a literary genius, even when your words feel as lackluster… Read more »
When the writing isn’t going well, I often go to the kitchen, not to consume (well, sometimes), but to reconnect with the creative flow. Seeking kitchen inspiration, I rediscovered the seminal cooking show, The French Chef. The first thing I noticed is that culinary icon Julia Child isn’t perfect. She loses her train of thought,… Read more »
A MacGuffin (sometimes spelled McGuffin) can be a way to draw your characters into the real story. There needs to be something going on at the beginning of the story to hook the reader in and show the characters being proactive—before the full implications of the plot crash down on them. A MacGuffin is an… Read more »
You’ve written your heart out because you know you have a story to tell and you’re the only one to tell it—a story, a novel, a narrative, a memoir, an article, an essay, a letter. And then suddenly you stop. At first, it’s not quite clear that you’re in deep trouble. This happens all the… Read more »
Stepping into someone else’s shoes is a defined part of both creating and reading fiction. One thing no one told me was that I would change so much as a writer once I had a kid. It makes sense: becoming a parent forces someone to become an entirely different role; it broadens life experience in… Read more »
In the thirteen or so years that I’ve been in publishing, I’ve heard and seen it all. Working alongside #1 bestsellers and aspiring hopefuls, the similarities are a lot greater than one might expect—and the writing process isn’t too different, either. Whether you have a storied career, a collection of Creative Writing degrees, or you’re… Read more »
As a writer, you have your own unique gifts and only you can do the work you’re meant to do, but you’re also part of a larger art form with a long history and an amazing community. Just as we study the work of the writers we admire, we can study the path they’ve taken… Read more »
Sending your story or poem out into the world, whether for critique, publication, or writing contests, is crazy-scary. Will the world accept it with open arms, love and cherish it as much as we do? Or will it be mashed and crumpled, tossed into a corner to whither, forgotten and abandoned? This is a Brobdingnagian… Read more »
Writing a memoir that covers difficult subjects should be cathartic, and reading it should be soul-stirring. I believe the work an author puts into their inner world will determine the mark their work leaves on the world. If you want to free your soul and inspire hope for healing, then here are five things to… Read more »
