The Secret Life of Writers
Feeling over-stressed? Overwhelmed by responsibilities and edits and runaway characters? Let's face it. Writers work hard --- and we don't know when to stop. Instead we push ourselves until we're threatened by burnout. Here are 10 ways to remain sane while writing. 10. Make a schedule. I'm not a list maker, but I've found that... Continue Reading →
"I'll race you." He flashed me a mischievous grin. "Up the hill, past that circle of pines." I glanced in the direction he was pointing. Seriously? The hill he'd chosen was impossibly steep. . .and buried in snow. Talk about a suicide mission. I checked my sturdy snow boots and calculated my chances of beating... Continue Reading →
Be your turtle self. When I first started writing, so much about the author world intimidated me because I was constantly comparing. . . . Embrace your weaknesses and strengths so you can focus on your goals.
You control destinies by your pen. You summon adventure and love and death. You are the ruler of worlds that readers can only dream of. You, my friend, are a writer. Books offer escape and vision, and you are the one who opens the portal. You show them the path out of the real world... Continue Reading →
Do you ever feel like other writers hold the key to success? We listen to them describe how their curiosity and creativity accompany them through every waking moment, how their stories never cease to flow through them, how many awards they've won. We listen. And we grow weak with jealousy. "How can they already be... Continue Reading →
I am a coward. I sat down with an author friend in a coffee shop last week. After sharing stories, she asked what my next step would be. I knew what I'm supposed to say ---follow up with agents and publishers who expressed interest in my book--- but instead I hesitated. "Well?" my friend said. "When... Continue Reading →
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 →
Hi, Ralene! Thank you for joining us today! How long have you been writing? What inspired your quest to become a writer? I've always been writing, even when I was little. I had a short essay on Martin Luther King Jr. published in a city-wide magazine in the 3rd grade. In 2005, a conversation with the... 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 →
