#5onFri: Five Ways Writers Can Be Accountable

Sometimes even the best of intentions can go wrong. You have a plan to write, but then Monday turns into Friday and your goal is nothing but a distant memory, cast aside for the completion of daily errands. Or you pull up your writer’s chair and sink in with ideas flowing, but the doorbell chimes… Read more »

How To Set And Track Goals For a Creative Nonfiction Writing Career

Besides actually doing the writing, I’ve found that the hardest part of forging a writing career is making goals. There are more opportunities now then there have ever been: you can submit to literary magazines, pitch to editors at almost any publication, apply for writing residencies, and, if the opportunity presents itself, go to graduate… Read more »

Do Your Commitments Reflect Your Priorities?

Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the trio of “Be Well, Write Well” interviews from Julie Maloney, Carol Van Den Hende, and Karen Kaufman Orloff. I learned a lot from studying their habits and schedules. Schedules and commitments are at the forefront of my mind these days, as I recently did an interview on the… Read more »

Why You Should Review Your Writing Year

Every so often, it’s important to pause for a moment and take stock of where you’ve been and where you’re going. I like to do this around holiday time, particularly around Thanksgiving, because it reminds me of all the things I have to be thankful for… things I’ve overcome in my writing journey as well… Read more »

How to Build Your Own Writing Habit

A lot of people like the structure of a traditional MFA program because it gives students rigid deadlines that they must meet; their grades depend on it. There are also writing challenges (such as NaNoWriMo) that give a similar motivation to get your butt in the chair and write. But what if we don’t have… Read more »

5 Pockets of Time You Never Knew You Had

Not everyone can find long blocks of time for writing because real life often gets in the way.  If you are one of those writers who can set aside large chunks of time for your writing, that’s fantastic!  Even if you’ve got tons of time on your hands (…and don’t tell us if you are… Read more »

Creative Monsters

Today’s Halloween, the day we celebrate all things that go bump in the night.  But while Halloween boogies might be imaginary, I’d like to talk about some monsters that are very real: creative monsters.  What are creative monsters, you ask?  Creative monsters are those people in get in the way of our creative journey.  Often… Read more »