“Critique days” were met with both anxiety and excitement in my undergraduate creative writing courses. The whole class would sit in a circle and, one-by-one, we would each have our writing critiqued by both our peers and our instructors. Talk about nerve wracking. Sometimes the feedback would be helpful and encouraging. Other times, I would… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Melanie Moyer. Melanie is a debut author and veteran ghostwriter. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Creative Writing, Religious Studies, Folklore, and Russian History. She regularly co-hosts a horror pop culture podcast called Splatter Chatter, serves as a co-host… Read more »
The holiday season always reminds me of my mother’s sugar cookies, warm sweaters, and cozy mysteries—novels, short stories, Hallmark Movie Mysteries—any variety will do. I love sipping an Eggnog Latte curled under a warm blanket reading (or watching) a good cozy mystery while the rest of the world rages outside. There’s something about the familiar… Read more »
Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books about the craft and process of writing. Almost invariably, when discussing the all-consuming writing routine, the author will say something like this: “You must keep your writing time sacred. That means you’ll have to say no to things to which you might otherwise say yes. If… Read more »
Last summer, Alison Walsh from the literary food blog Alison’s Wonderland Recipes sent me a surprising invitation: To write the introduction for her then-upcoming cookbook, A Literary Tea Party. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. First, it meant having a byline in a published book—and what writer wouldn’t be excited about that? Second, it… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Ruth Spiro on the show! Ruth’s journey as a writer is one I think many word nerds can relate to. She never imagined she’d be a writer…until she started doing it! And now she writes innovative books for kids about science, technology, engineering… Read more »
What’s the difference between writing for kids and writing for adults? You may assume it’s something like using simpler words for kids, or ‘dumbing down’ the story, but that’s not the case. Kids can handle challenging words and concepts. Kids do have different needs and expectations, though. There’s a great DIY MFA post here with… Read more »
I’ve been a perfectionist almost as long as I’ve been a writer. I strove for good grades in school, agonized over homework for hours, and practiced the heck out of dance routines. The work ethic I developed as a result was driven by my determination to do well, a desire to please my family, and… Read more »
The first time I heard, “there’s nothing about the main character that makes me care about her,” it felt like someone punched me in the throat. Yes, a bit of a dramatic response, but right then and there that’s how I felt. I sat for days afterward wondering what was wrong with me. Had four… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of having Jennie Nash on the show! Jennie is the founder of Author Accelerator, a book coaching service that has helped hundreds of writers complete their book projects by giving them the sustained editorial support they need. She has spent 30 years on all sides of… Read more »
