Some people are completely unhelpful in a writer’s journey. You know the type—the ones who say you can’t do something or that your writing doesn’t have an audience. Lara Lazenby has certainly faced her share of naysayers. People told her she couldn’t write a book about a child with cancer because no one would read it. After beating cancer four times herself, Lara refused to let anything hold her back anymore. After writing on and off for nine years, she … Read More »

A big component of being a successful writer is the willingness to experiment, take risks, and not let fear hold you back. Laura Holian was curious about the Royal Palm Literary Awards and decided to submit a story, even though she had never thought about writing short stories before. It turned out to be a very rewarding move. Her story Sick Day won First Place for Published Creative Nonfiction in 2018. Laura talks about the importance of emotion, outlining, and … Read More »

Are writers born with a natural gift that some have and others don’t? Or is writing a skill that can be learned by those who work hard enough? This ages-old debate has always had proponents on both sides. Annette Masters is no stranger to the idea that writers either “have it” or they “don’t.” In high school she was told she was clearly the latter, and the consequences of that kept her from  writing for twenty-six years. But now this … Read More »

Discovering unfamiliar places and learning new skills is one way to deepen your life knowledge for your work, but what about exploring within? Amarilys Rassler delves into her Cuban roots and childhood memories to create writing layered with authentic details and riveting emotion. Her story, Seis Dedos, Six Toes, is just one example of how she amplifies her horizons within and delivers a captivating story of a young Cuban girl in a poignant moment in history. It won First Place … Read More »

Writing military history is an important task requiring accuracy and attention to detail while still having lean prose. Extensive experience in creating reports and briefings while serving thirty-one years in the armed forces gave Will G. Merrill, Jr. these skills. He used them to write his second book, Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes—Afghanistan and Iraq, which tells the true stories of real-life heroes. His book won First Place for Published History in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Will talks about … Read More »

My first FWA meeting was a terrifying disaster…well, to me at least. I’d only scribbled in notebooks, I wasn’t a real writer. Yet I dared to go to the Maitland library among a group of REAL authors. No worry, I’d just hide in the back. My hopes were dashed when I saw the tables arranged in a U, with nowhere to hide. People would see me. I sat down and flipped through pages of an empty notebook, attempting to look … Read More »