Writing is hard work. There is no way around it. As much as I love to write, most of the time it’s a struggle to wrestle the ideas out of my brain and onto the page. Your Writing Must Ring True When I’m into a project, my biggest emotional challengeContinue Reading
What do you struggle with as a writer? When I asked myself that question, my immediate answer was “marketing.” I’m sure a lot of authors would agree with me. I enjoy certain things I do that are considered marketing—like staying active on social media, maintaining a robust blog and newsletter,Continue Reading
I typically publish my regular weekly blogs on Tuesdays. This week, that Tuesday just happens to land on my birthday, so I thought it might be fun to reflect on what I’ve learned over the last (ahem) few years. Not enough, probably, but I do have some things I’d likeContinue Reading
I am about to release my fifth picture book (100 Things) as an author and illustrator and I can honestly say that with each book I have had a different set of personal, professional and emotional challenges to tackle. But the very first book, Outside, Inside (2015), set the baselineContinue Reading
I’ve always thought of myself as a writer. I’ve always been an introvert, and spend a lot of time “in my head.” Writing gives me an outlet, a way to escape, and a way to give a voice to those characters chattering away in my head. The biggest emotional challengeContinue Reading
The dreaded imposter syndrome… Do you worry you don’t have what it takes to be a writer? Even after a writing success, do you feel like you didn’t really deserve it? Do you worry that others will see the truth—that you really don’t know what you’re doing? If so, youContinue Reading
Are you suffering from hidden self-doubt? Being in the business of writing means we regularly come up against experiences that can leave us shaken and unsure about what we’re doing. There are times when you’ll know that you’re doubting yourself. At those times, you probably have ways to cope. MaybeContinue Reading
The term “sedentary lifestyle” has become a buzzword in our house of late. My husband has real concerns about the fact that I spend all day typing at my computer. I get so locked into my projects, so focused on what I’m doing, I forget about everything else. When myContinue Reading
My family and I took a trip to Alabama one year to see my younger brother, who was attending military school there at the time. We went out to lunch at a cute little restaurant, and when the waitress asked if we wanted something to drink, I requested, as IContinue Reading
Writing is one of those job you can do at any time, in any place. As I write this blog post, I’m sitting in my car outside my daughter’s school. I arrived early for the 8th grade send-off so I decided to use the time to write. I carry myContinue Reading
I would say the biggest physical challenge for me is that my wrists and thumbs get sore if I type more than four thousand words in one stretch or spend more than about nine hours editing or working on graphics in a day. I have been to physio which helps,Continue Reading
Writing is a very solitary endeavor. It’s easy to feel lost, to doubt yourself, to feel like you’re wasting your time creating something that no one will read, and if they do, won’t like. Add to that how close the kitchen is and before you know it, half—who am IContinue Reading