If there’s one thing I know for sure about myself and my writing habits, it’s that I need clarity in my life. And, life is puzzling. Life is overwhelming. Life can get out of control. Life can require decisions to be made. I also need clarity in my writing. And, of course, writing is puzzling […]
The summer doldrums are here—and I’ve been fresh out of ideas. For anything. I haven’t posted on this blog, besides putting these newsletters up, in a couple of weeks. I was going great guns on Medium, posting a lot, and then I suddenly stopped. I couldn’t think of anything to say in either place. And […]
As you read this, I’ll just be settling into my home-for-a-month in Ceret. (Follow me on Instagram for lots of photos.) Because I will be spending several days in transit, I went in search of an older post to set up ahead of time and this one from 2015 seemed especially appropriate. Enjoy! I love […]
I’m ready. I’ve got two projects I want to finish, one knitted, one crocheted, on the needles, and I’ve warned my husband that we’ll be eating our dinners in front of the TV for the next couple weeks. Because: Olympics. Because: Winter Olympics. I love them. I love watching the Olympics, especially the Winter Olympics. […]
(While I’m away teaching in France for the month, I’m running a few favorite letters from last year. We will be back to regular, new programming the first week in October. Meanwhile, if you want to come to France with me next year, click here for a look at this year’s program.) Here I am […]
Sitting in church yesterday, one word kept popping out at me, even though the message wasn’t really focused on it. And that word was joy. I kept thinking about it in terms of writing. I wondered: where’s the joy in it? Lord knows, writing is a tough business full of rejection and low-paid work. So, […]
What I’m writing: Draft Two of my first romance novel. I am living proof that you can write a Really Shitty First Draft and make it into something. With previous novels, I’ve known more about the plot and characters and thus had a more polished first draft (still crappy, though). There are many places in […]
Wherein I talk about what it takes to be a writer, in my humble opinion, anyway. To finish a book project, or even an article or short story. To get the book out in the world, either into the hands of an agent and editor, or publish it yourself, which is a whole other enterprise. […]
I’ve been remiss in providing you with Otherwhere links for quite some time now. The problem is not that I don’t have enough, it’s that I have too many. And when I start to corral them, I get overwhelmed. Okay. Deep breath. Here we go (and forgive me if they are not in any particular […]
I have a veritable cornucopia of links for you today, so let’s dive right in. Here goes: Writing Finish that novel already! (I know, it’s not that easy.) Writing historical fiction For the love of it Write great YA fiction How to become a ghostwriter Writing setting (a topic dear to my heart since I […]
