When I began to seriously consider writing and getting books published, I asked myself a very career-minded question:  How will I know when I’ve succeeded as an author? It seemed to me there should be a definitive answer to that question. At that time, I answered it from my perspective as a librarian. I liked when I could go to the shelves and retrieve a couple of books by a favorite writer. So, I thought if I can get ten … Read More »

All of us are creative beings. We thrive on inspiration, deep emotions, and messages from our subconscious to get writing. But, as writers, we also have to practice good self-care to ensure we aren’t burnt out. Feeling stressed, depressed, or drained will not help you. I decided to write this blog after realizing it took me a year to process the stresses and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. I barely wrote or read anything during quarantine, which was strong evidence … Read More »

On a road trip to Maine there were four of us, plus two google-navigating cell phones, one road atlas and a GPS device to “bind them all.” Needless to say, whoever was driving was besieged by three or four opinions about where to turn and which was the best route. (After the GPS led us on a few merry dead-ends, we could only partially count on her expertise.) The driver was in the unenviable position of glancing at the GPS … Read More »

Rejection letters are commonplace in the world of literature. If you’ve written anything and submitted, I’m sure you have one, or two – or like me – more than you’d care to admit. Personally, I like to call rejection letters toilet paper, it’s just a little more fitting of a title, isn’t it? But I digress. When you began your trek into the world of the literary arts, you probably were sure of one thing, you’d write a masterpiece, you’d … Read More »

With social distancing and sequestering still high on the priority ladder, it might be a good time to dig through the closet/flash drive and unearth that writing project you’ve been meaning to finish or thought was so bad that it was beyond repair. Dust Them Off! Pull those unfinished projects out and see which one jumps to the head of the line, begging for your attention. Give it a new, fresh view and the attention it deserves to get it … Read More »

It’s the new year, and people are thinking about resolutions, changing their lives, and expanding their horizons. Those are great goals to aspire and work toward. I’ve even been working on a few of my own in various parts of my life. Then I wondered how I could apply those lofty ideas to my writing. Organize How is the plot moving along? Are scenes jumping around like popping corn or fireworks exploding in the night sky? It might be a … Read More »