Has writing become a literal pain in the butt? Answer the following questions: Do you experience… Pain in the buttock muscle on just one side that radiates down the back of your leg? Numbness and tingling along the back of the leg? Sciatic pain? Pain that gets worse the longerContinue Reading
Facing my biggest physical challenge is what actually inspired me to become a writer. I have always identified as a creative person. A pianist with a music degree, I’ve also sewn, quilted, painted, refinished furniture . . . you name it. (Ask me about the three-foot balloon-and-paper-mâché kangaroo I madeContinue Reading
Do you find that even though you have a scheduled daily writing time, it’s often interrupted? Jennifer had the perfect situation for a while. She wrote while the kids were in school and her husband was at work, which worked out beautifully until summer break came. Then she was constantlyContinue Reading
We all know that negative self-talk can be destructive. Most of us are much meaner to ourselves than we ever would be to a friend. When a story is rejected we privately bash our own writing ability. When we fail to stick with our writing commitments, we bemoan our ownContinue Reading
I saw part of an original Star Trek episode the other day that got me thinking about our “dark sides.” It’s the episode where a transporter malfunction splits Captain Kirk into two people. Called “The Enemy Within,” it follows the story of the two as they display unique characteristics. SeemsContinue Reading
Have you given your creative power away? Let’s find out. Imagine for a moment you’re a character in a fantasy novel, and at the very beginning of the story, you’re given the power to write. There you are in your cool leather outfit walking around with your writing power, andContinue Reading
My best friend of thirty years was not doing well, both emotionally and physically. She’d been through a lot over several years and I knew I was losing her (the cancer she had at thirty came back, and she passed away). She and I, along with two other friends, spentContinue Reading
There are several things writers need to learn that we can learn from smart moms. After all, how often have you, as a writer, called your book your “baby?” A lot of us do it, because we put so much of ourselves into our work. We talk about “conceiving” ideas,Continue Reading
by Carol Rose Don’t get me wrong, being an author has many challenges, whether the writer chooses to pursue traditional publishing or goes the indie route. Still, words make me happy. I’ve been a reader since I was very young. In fact, one of my earliest memories is of wakingContinue Reading
You sit down for a blissful hour of writing. You carved out this time and everything worked out perfectly. You’ve got a private place to work, your favorite tea (or other drink) beside you, and your work-in-progress pulled up on your laptop. An hour later, you’ve managed little more thanContinue Reading
How do you keep writing when others don’t support you? In a recent Writing and Wellness survey, I asked respondents to share their biggest writing challenges. One answer in particular broke my heart. The writer explained that a bad relationship had left her with the nagging feeling that her writingContinue Reading
Are you a highly sensitive writer? Do you know what “highly sensitive” is? I didn’t until I read The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron. Wow. What an eye-opener. If you’ve ever been told that you’re “too sensitive” and you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend you do.Continue Reading