Building writing momentum is about starting now, not waiting for the new year! If you’ve ever promised yourself that this year would be your year as a writer, only to find November and December rolling around to once again bring disappointment, you may be tempted to throw up your handsContinue Reading
Would you decide to be a writer again if you knew the truth about the writing life? Every writer thinks they know what they’re signing up for—passion, purpose, and maybe a little fame if the universe is feeling kind. You picture yourself sipping your favorite cup of coffee while yourContinue Reading
Are you experiencing joy in your writing life? What if the way you feel about your writing life right now—whether it feels like an uphill battle or a deep source of joy—wasn’t just the result of your schedule, your discipline, or your latest Amazon ranking? What if it all cameContinue Reading
Author Ginelle Testa has a beautiful story of writing to heal. Check out her new memoir, Make a Home Out of You. by Ginelle Testa Whether you’re writing a memoir, a personal essay, or even fiction tinged with real-world experience, stories can evoke feelings about choices you’ve made throughout yourContinue Reading
I’d say my biggest emotional challenge started for me after I wrote my first novel. I sat at my computer staring into the illuminated screen and said, “Now what?” At first, I hadn’t a clue about self-publishing or traditional publishing. I researched and tried to wrap my head around theContinue Reading
Are relationship problems sapping your motivation to write? If so, you’re not alone. In a recent Writing and Wellness survey, several writers expressed their concern about this. Our relationships are important to us, and when there’s conflict or underlying stress, it’s often so pervasive that can quickly rob us ofContinue Reading
by Sheree K. Nielsen I suppose my love of coffee began as a teenager. On a camping trip, rummaging through the RV’s kitchen cabinets, I searched for tea bags. “Where’s the tea?!” I demanded. “All we have is coffee”, my friend Sherry C replied. Gathered around a crackling fire, inContinue Reading
Sometimes the writing rules we live by aren’t real rules, but merely things we think we “should” be doing in our writing lives. It’s amazing how much power these “rules” can have over our brains. They can keep us feeling like we’re endlessly coming up short, which can be discouragingContinue Reading
by Angela Ackerman My co-author Becca Puglisi and I both struggled with how to show our characters’ emotions in a compelling way. We found our characters were always frowning or shrugging and it pulled down the effectiveness of our scenes. So, to force ourselves to think beyond the first descriptionsContinue Reading
by Sheree K. Nielsen Being around water and nature inspired my poetry and photography collection, Mondays in October. My heart has always been drawn to the ocean and lakes, and you’ll find those references in the majority of the poems. I create best when I’m near water. It’s so easyContinue Reading
My biggest challenge? TIME! I’m married to a world traveler and it’s difficult for me to carve out blocks of time to write, edit for friends, and read. Although, I do take books with me on all of my trips and voyages. I’m not a Kindle user—I’m an old dinosaur,Continue Reading
My motivation for writing wasn’t because I dreamed of being a bestselling author, but rather because of my son, David, born with a severe form of cerebral palsy. Although he lived a full and happy life, in spite of his health problems, David became irreversibly ill just short of hisContinue Reading