The Most Inspirational Self-Publishing Success Story I Have Ever Heard
Publishing success is something that happens to other people - people with MFA's from Iowa, people who dine with agents in New York, people sprinkled with fairy dust and set Keep Reading...
How to Write a Query Letter That Will Have Agents Begging for More
This post was first published on Writer.ly. Do you want to get a publisher to pick up your book? First, you likely need an agent. To get an agent, you’re Keep Reading...
In SIX WORDS or fewer, write a story about a great discovery.
In SIX WORDS or fewer, write a story about a great discovery. (Leave your story in the comments below.) What the heck is this? Based on the response to Keep Reading...
In SIX WORDS or fewer, write a story about an experiment. (#6words kickoff!)
Many of you answer my six word story challenge prompts on Twitter. Your creative responses have given me great pleasure. Some stories turned out shockingly insightful, others made me laugh Keep Reading...
My Daughter Lies: Karma Bites a Writer in Her Skin-Tight Dress
My daughter lies in the best way possible – in her writing. For her sixth grade language arts class, she wrote a story based on an experience from her life. Keep Reading...
The Poet's Advice: Don't Write Crap
When I told my writing group that I planned to write one blog post per day in June, Kay, a poet, gave me a warning. “Don’t write crap.” I laughed, Keep Reading...
Killing the Pirate: The Cutting Pain of Editing a Character from a Novel
This evening, I discovered the ending to the novel I’ve been working on for the past nine years. Glorious. It all makes sense now. Of course, I also realize that Keep Reading...
How to Fail at Being a Writer
Would you like to know how to fail at being a writer? Follow these steps exactly and failure may be yours! First, begin with doubt. Doubt your talent, your brain, Keep Reading...
My Daughter's First Glimpse of Mortality: The Death of Ichi, Ni, San and Toto
My daughter was four-years-old when I wrote this essay. As I had very little experience with death in my own life, guiding her through her first glimpse of mortality proved Keep Reading...
Proper Introductions: The Evolution of a Wallflower
My twelve-year old daughter and I stood at the edge of the wedding pre-party. The crowd of barely knowns and complete unknowns jumped and seethed with motion and noise. Happy. Keep Reading...
Eleven Secrets to Building a Better Writing Group
What do Chuck Palahniuk, Ursula Le Guin and Louisa May Alcott have in common? They all belong (or belonged) to writing groups. Writing may be a solitary pursuit, but the Keep Reading...
