As I sit at my computer and watch many of our nation’s freedoms being threatened–freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to congregate–I begin to wonder, when will our freedom to write come under attack? People said it couldn’t happen in the United States. They said we had too many checks and balances for […]
Who or What Pulls Your Strings?
I’m sitting at my computer today, thinking about the world, fearful of the future and wondering who or what pulls your strings. Who and what makes you do what you do? Who motivates you? Having just listened to Meryl Streep’s moving speech at the 2017 Golden Globes, I wondered what went through this great actress’s […]
Anyone Can Write Goals–AccomplishingThem Takes a Lot More!
Before I started writing full-time, I was a communication coach. One of the things I did with my clients was to help them establish their goals. What did they want to accomplish? What was holding them back from their dreams? What would it take for them to accomplish their goals. It’s one thing to set […]
What Are Your Writing Goals for 2017?
Can you believe we are at the dawn of another new year? Amazing! #writing #goals Click To Tweet As each day passes us by, we often wonder what we’ve accomplished from day to day. Many of us are simply trying to stay above water. Keep all the pieces in place–whether it’s that demanding job with […]
Tips from Famous Writers
Recently I watched a video with tips from famous writers. It was all about the joy and heartache of writing. Stephen King, JK Rowling, Maeve Binchy, Anne Rice and more talk about their writing experiences. Most agree that writing is not something that is mechanized #writingtip Click To Tweet As one writer put it, get on […]
Rainy Days and Sundays–Learning the Discipline of Writing
On beautiful crisp days when the sun is shining, it’s often hard to pull out the computer and plug away at that masterpiece. Our friends are going out biking or hiking up a magnificent mountain. Rainy days are a much better alternative. But, if you only write when it rains, it’s going to take you […]
Writers Helping Writers
Before I published my first novel, I contacted two previously published authors. One told me he never read another writer’s work. The other refused to help me in any way. I found these responses both disheartening and sad. Why is it writers refuse to help newbies? How are newbies ever going to break through without […]
Tips to Deal with the Let-Down When Your Novel is Finished
How do you feel once you’ve finished a novel? #amwriting Click To Tweet Okay, so you might say, “I’m never finished.” I feel that way as well. It seems there’s always tweaking. But, once the novel is sent off, gone, out of your reach, how do you feel? Good? At a loss? Jumping up and […]
What Works and What Doesn’t Work in Writing Fiction
As I’ve studied the art of fiction writing, I’ve learned that it is much more an art than a science. What works one day is proved false the next. What readers eat up today, they toss aside tomorrow. Clearly the art of writing fiction takes patience and a willingness to push the envelope. I’m reading […]
Writers Helping Writers
As I struggle along with my new manuscript, I realize how much writers have to do alone. We create, edit and ponder all by our little lonesomes. Here is where I’d love to have a writing partner. Wouldn’t it be nice to toss ideas off someone, to ask them to read what you’ve written, to […]