Artificial intelligence, more commonly referred to as AI, is the hot tech topic of the day. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) wants AI addressed in their contract negotiations and Congress is holding a series of AI Insight Forums to gain a better understanding of it. If you find yourself wondering what AI means to the average writer, read on. Chat GPT To gain an understanding of just what AI can do, let’s take a look at a highly popular … Read More »

Summer is upon us! It’s time for vacations, beach trips, lazy afternoons, and bucket lists. Summer bucket lists are easy to find, and they’re filled with fun ideas. Go ziplining, Spot a herd of manatees. Swim in a lake. But what about writers? Wouldn’t it be fun to turn your writing goals and to-do list into a summer bucket list? What would that list include? How could it be both goal-oriented and fun? Well, I have a few ideas. Write … Read More »

The other day in our writer’s group, somebody brought up the idea of each of us taking responsibility for a periodic “artist’s date” to recharge our creativity. Those of you who remember Julia Cameron’s 2020 blockbuster The Artist’s Way will recognize this concept. I, who avoid self-help books, did not, but when its eloquent proponent among us presented the idea, it sounded extremely appealing. And then I realized I’ve been on one long artist’s date here on the farm, and … Read More »

I’ve read a lot of social media posts by and about writers and their angst with the process. Many don’t think they’re actually writing if they’re not actively typing or putting words to paper. They lament the fact that they only wrote (insert a number here) words within a certain timeframe. Some exceeded their goal while others fell short (by their own estimation). I’d like to challenge the myth that writing is that one-dimensional, one setting pursuit. Plot-Pondering There are … Read More »

How is your 2023 To Be Read pile stacking up? If part of your plan for the new year includes learning more about the writing process and the publishing world, you may want to add some tried and true titles to your reading list. Get started here with some books that can boost your creativity, awaken your imagination, and teach you about the publishing world. Okay, here’s my suggested reading list to make you a well-informed writer. The Artist’s Way … Read More »

As each new year approaches, we savor the feeling of a fresh start. We make plans, set goals, and even those of us who won’t openly admit it probably come up with a few resolutions for the new year. For many writers, those resolutions often involve word counts, page counts, and time in the chair. However, those quantitative measures can often leave us feeling like failures when reality hits and we just can’t measure up. Others of us experience a … Read More »