Do we decide what to do with our lives? Is something destined to happen, or a result of our choices? These questions have puzzled us for generations. Yet their mystery hasn’t prevented authors from exploring the concept of “fate versus free will” in their stories. If anything, it prompts writers and readers alike to try… Read more »
When shit goes down in our lives, how do we keep writing? At best, we lose our ability to focus on our work. Sometimes it makes us question our work—question whether what we have to say will be relevant. Or at worst, become afraid to write what we write. There’s no more tragic fear for… Read more »
Wasting time puts our writing on the back burner. It simmers there as we reorganize an already immaculate pantry, neatly handprint our grocery list, or update that oh-so-very-important calendar to remember birthdays of family and friends. Time wasters. But, tell me your birthdate. I’ll take the time and add it to my list. My motivation… Read more »
This is the third installment in my latest Writer Fuel sequence. You can catch up on the previous posts about writing as service and responsibility via these links. As always, newsletter subscribers get to read these essays before I post them here. Join the community to receive the WRITER FUEL newsletter and be part of our private Facebook group. In a… Read more »
Today, we depart slightly from our usual #5onFri programming to share a couple more installments of the Writer Fuel essays. Stay tuned for this afternoon, when I will share the third essay in this series. Newsletter subscribers get a sneak peek at these essays before I post them. They can also help crowdsource this column, by replying to… Read more »
Last week, I started writing letters to my email list in response to the recent political events. I got a landslide of replies, and it seemed fitting to share these essays more broadly. “Writer Fuel” is a series of posts where I adapt essays from my newsletter to share as blog posts here on the website. Newsletter subscribers… Read more »
Chapter books offer wonderful possibilities for creating memorable characters. Targeted to readers ages 5-10, chapter books take character development to a deeper, richer place than possible in picture books and easy readers. In this piece, I’ll explore some ways to develop outstanding chapter book characters that will connect with young readers. All characters have sayings,… Read more »
When I was asked to write a blog post I immediately started thinking of my topic. What information did I have to share with my fellow writers? Should it be on craft? Maybe about getting published? There are just so many things and I couldn’t decide. So, I started researching. I researched on the internet,… Read more »
Few people are as special to us as friends. Whether they’re reading pals, travel buddies, or classmates from elementary school, they’re as dear to us as family and treasured for more reasons than good laughs and shared interests. Strong friendships aren’t limited to real life, either. Literature has shown us the ups and downs of… Read more »
Sometimes inspiration is hard to come by for us as writers. Everyday living distracts and tires our imagination and focus. Why do you think there are so many memes and books written about writers getting on with the writing? We know that getting to the writing is the hardest part of the effort. (I see… Read more »
