A few weeks back, in the middle of a massive rewrite of my novel, I sat down to write the next scene and as soon as I started I knew it was horrible. The scene I had typed out on the page was nothing like the scene in my head. So I tried again. Reworked… Read more »
Recently, I shared five tips for writing more powerful personal essays in my #5onFri post, 5 Hacks to Make Your CNF More Compelling. My post this week offers some insights on creative nonfiction’s genre-bending forms, and how working with them can lead to more interesting and innovative work. This has certainly been the case for… Read more »
Drawing powerful verbal images is a real skill and is often a key ability that defines ‘natural writers’. Here are five things to think about when you write with respect to using the power of the pen to draw images. 1) Be aware of visual imagery The first step is heightening your awareness of verbal… Read more »
In recent weeks the future of the personal essay has been a hot topic – you may have come across Jia Tolentino’s article in the New Yorker, Lorraine Berry’s take on the situation over at LitHub or Susan Shapiro’s response to Tolentino’s piece. As a writer, teacher and lover of creative non-fiction, particularly its genre-bending… Read more »
Writing hashtags and Twittter chats are hot right now. There are plenty of pages explaining them and what to look for, but who are these chats for? What can be gained from them? Here are five kinds of writers and the benefits they can gain from participating in a Twitter chat. 1) The Social Butterfly… Read more »
Hey, you, writer. Do you have a ‘dirty little secret’? Is there an extra reason why you don’t let anyone read your old stuff? I bet you’ve written fanfiction. I’m here to tell you not to be ashamed of your archives. Fanfiction can be a serious tool for writers looking to learn, grow, and find… Read more »
In 2015, I had a transformative year. I finally began to take steps in pursuing my love of writing. In keeping with the momentum, I decided I would attend the Writer’s Digest Conference and brave Pitch Slam. Pressing that register button and making all the plans felt like a dream, so much so that I… Read more »
A couple weeks ago I attended an absolutely amazing writing retreat – in Iceland. Yes, you read that correctly. The Iceland Writers Retreat held its fourth annual event from April 5th through 9th, and I was utterly thrilled to be part in it. And not only did the trip fulfill a three-year-old dream of visiting… Read more »
When you hear the term “break out of your comfort zone” you probably think about something drastic like sky diving or quitting your job to live on the road. These are completely valid ways to break out of your comfort zone, but you don’t have to do anything nearly so drastic to find the perfect… Read more »
If you are a multi-passionate artist, you may have several ways in which you create. Maybe you write, but have several projects happening at once. Or you have multiple projects in different genres. Perhaps your passions live not just in a pen, but a pencil or paintbrush, and your creations want to be born in a… Read more »
