by Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt In 1986, social psychologist, Dr. James Pennebaker began an experiment that would transform mind/body medicine for years to come. He asked people who had experienced a traumatic event to write. One group (control group) was asked to write daily about superficial topics for four days. The otherContinue Reading
I find writing itself to be incredibly therapeutic. Honestly, I work through problems I didn’t even know I had through my fiction. And to be clear, I am a fiction writer; none of my published work to date is autobiographical. And yet I find myself returning to particular themes andContinue Reading
Creativity is such an amoebic thing. It moves and grows, shrinks, contracts, spins and warbles in a constant tidal motion. Fortunately, I’ve never suffered from writer’s block but have felt overwhelmed at times by a story. Not sure what to do, insecure about my ability to plot. Will people likeContinue Reading
Through conversations with other writers over the years, it’s become clear that issues including fear of rejection, occasional self-doubt and writer’s block simply come with the territory for novelists. I’ve experienced all of that, but for me, the biggest emotional challenge to writing on a regular basis is struggling toContinue Reading
We like things to be clear. Unfortunately, they seldom are. In writing and in life, there are always gray areas. How should you market your book? It depends on the type of book, your audience, and the marketing tasks you enjoy. How should you structure your writing day? It dependsContinue Reading
Writers face many challenges, including rejection of their work on the path to publication. I wrote four full-length manuscripts before securing a contract, and, even though it was part of the process, each rejection stung. Still, I used the feedback I received to make my writing better, even little tipsContinue Reading
Do you have a to-do list? As writers, we spend a lot of time learning what “to do” in terms of plot, characterization, setting, pacing, and more. We also try to learn what to do when it comes to social media, marketing, publishing, and other parts of the business sideContinue Reading