Whether you’re stressed about the quarantine, the state of the world, or you’re exhausted from home schooling small children, it’s hard finding the time to sit down and indulge your artistic side. Maybe you recently lost your job or had your hours cut at work, so now you feel guilty about dedicating a few hours a day to your writing. Instead, you feel compelled to apply for jobs or find new ways to make money. The truth is you aren’t … Read More »

It’s October, that time of year where our fears come out to play. It’s also the perfect time to face our fears as writers. How do I know what your fears as a writer are? Let me begin with a story. During my first few years as a professor, I was lamenting with a colleague up north about the job. Rather, it wasn’t the job that was the source of my anxieties, but my own feelings of inadequacy and fears … Read More »

If you’re a writer, it’s bound to happen. You’re in one of those treasured sweet spots where your story is all but writing itself! Then, without warning, it’s over, and you’re up against it. Now what? There is a way forward, a way to emerge victorious and keep your characters doing what they need to do. Leave, But Don’t Stop This might be a good time to leave whatever mode you’re writing in and give your mind a change of … Read More »

If there’s one piece of writing advice I hear more than anything else, it’s that to become the best writer you can be, you have to write every day. To improve your work, you have to buckle down, focus, drown out distractions, put your butt in the chair, and just write — every single day. Do whatever you can do to keep yourself accountable. But what happens when you hit a block? Not just a small hurdle in what to … Read More »

In my experience, having a good list is the best reminder of what I’m aiming to do. I especially like lists that help my writing life. Remember back in school the letter “D” on a test returned from your teacher signified far less than stellar work? For fun, let’s turn that on its head and say “D” can stand for good things, too. Good D words For instance, ideas symbolized by words that start with “D” can drive your writing … Read More »

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 »