The Secret Life of Writers
After all, I was afraid. Last year, the writers conference was my fairy godmother, and my every wish came true. This year? I knew what was ahead of me. Work. Hard, brutal, frustrating work. I pitched to an invisible agent the entire drive to the conference. Grew teary over my imperfect one sheets and proposal.... Continue Reading →
The cartographer dipped his pen into the ink and hesitated. His finger rested on the spot where the words would go, but he could not bring himself to pen it. On the far end of the table, a lone candle smoked into the dimness of the room, twisting the shadows into gruesome monsters of his... Continue Reading →
He came through the door with a smile and a sarcastic comment that set me laughing. I watched my characters fall in love with him. I watched him change their world. Less than a week later, he was dead. I was at my laptop, locked into the intensity of battle, focused on the story's goal. I... Continue Reading →
There are voices in my head. Dozens of voices. Clamoring. Demanding. Critiquing. They are the voices of my future readers, and they are the reason I am afraid to write. There are days when I want to find some group of Writers Anonymous and blurt out my confession. [Stands on trembling legs and with head... Continue Reading →
I closed my eyes and the blue glow of my laptop screen blinked through the darkness. I could hear nothing but the erratic beat of my heart. The story inside me was silent. Dead. I whispered my characters' names, seeking the connection that had been present only days before. For hours I'd searched for a way... Continue Reading →
You know the feeling. You pick up a novel that promises to transport you into another world and another time, but instead it is a weak imitation of the modern world. The characters spout modern slang, strut around with modern mindset and attitude. But, hey, their clothes. They're different. And, say, have you noticed the date? A.D. 300. Surprise!... Continue Reading →
Don't fall into the trap of writing to be famous. To make money. To gain esteem. Write to release the story within you.
A restlessness built within her when she found herself without a notebook in hand, for in those moment the portals were permanently closed and she feared she would never find her way inside again
