It’s that time of year again. The humidity of hurricane season with its heavy heat is peaking and the dread seeping from kids (and teachers!) long at summer play is palpable – school is right around the corner. Before jumping into the chaotic maelstrom of another academic year, I find it useful to take stock of my writing life for fear that I lose sight of it over the next ten months. First, I assess where I’ve come this year … Read More »

Writer’s block sucks. There’s nothing worse than longing to put words to paper, motivation oozing from every pore of your body, but there’s no inspiration to launch those words into fruition. The frustration is palpable, bitter on the tongue. It’s hard enough to find those fleeting moments of euphoric drive, but to lose those to writer’s block is not only piercing defeat, but a mournful tragedy. What if I told you I had a sure-fire way to get over writer’s … Read More »

Ask any writer for writing advice and most often you’ll get one of two words of advice. First, show, don’t tell. There are hundreds if not thousands of books and blog articles dedicated to this sage adage. The second piece of advice, however, often gets taken with that proverbial grain of salt – if you want to be a good writer, you need to read! Got it. Good writers read. But, what does that mean? With everyone gathering up their … Read More »

Every few months I like to assess my writing and see where I’ve struggled. Did I have problems developing plot, creating relatable characters, or perhaps building a fantastical world? Where ever my struggles may lie, I choose one to try to improve upon. As an educator, I’ve come to appreciate that there are a few fundamental tricks when it comes to teaching (and thus, learning.) First, the same approach doesn’t work for all students, so approaching the material in different … Read More »

I don’t know about you, but my writing has gone downhill since COVID-19 starting making its ripples felt here in the good ‘ole US of A. Within days after spring break, my university closed its doors to in-person instruction, and I’ve had to transition my entire curriculum to an online format (a rather arduous task, I might add.) On top of that, I’ve been busy with everything related to COVID. It’s been an exhausting few weeks and the uncertainty of … Read More »

Writers often have a precarious relationship with their muses, fearful of anything that might stifle that creative spark. But, writing shouldn’t be left to the random visits of some whimsical muse, but rather it should be ready to take advantage of those visits. Having a list of tips and tools to support your writing life will ensure that your writing will be both productive and effective. The first tool you need is a roadmap. Writing is a lot like a … Read More »