I talk a lot about writing workshops and retreats, because I love them both so much. But I’m aware that sometimes in the past I’ve used the terms workshop and retreat interchangeably, causing all matter of confusion and consternation. So let’s discuss, shall we? During a writing workshop, writers submit work, either ahead of time […]
What I did this week: I just got back from a three-day writing retreat in Astoria, Oregon. Oh boy oh boy was it ever wonderful to have three days to focus on writing fiction. I also remembered how great it is to enjoy the camaraderie of other writers. At night we drank wine and talked […]
It has come to my attention that next weekend is Memorial Day. Could somebody please tell me how that happened? And, though summer doesn’t officially start until after the solstice, we all know that Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of long, lazy days, right? Well, if someone could show me a universe in which […]
Good morning! Let’s dive in. What crisis occurred this morning: I woke to the news that the electric coffee pot was not working. This was not good. This was very, very bad. I pulled out my phone and looked up the hours of the nearest Starbucks (luckily, we’ve got at least three within a […]
I just got home from Nashville, where I co-produced the re-instituted Room to Write, along with Terry Price and Janet Wallace. This event is not a writing conference. Rather, as we like to say, it is a time for uninterrupted creativity. While we did offer several talks throughout the weekend, they are totally optional, […]
Yeah, I know. It’s November and you’re holed up in your writing cave. Because, NaNoWriMo. You’ve got words to write! 50,000 of them, to be exact! And even if you’re not participating in that NaNo thing, you’re doing your best to get tons of words on the page every day because that’s what we writers […]
I saw a sunset just like this one! Where I've Been: I kinda fell down on posting at the end of last week (no 5 on Friday post) and the beginning of this week. That's because I was at the beach. I stayed with my family at my daughter's in-law's house in Garibaldi (thank you, […]
Secrets of Publishing Stay tuned for information about a Portland workshop on publishing, coming this fall! Room to Write This beloved Nashville event is being resuscitated! Start your new year out right and join me, along with Terry Price and Janet Wallace, at the gorgeous Scarritt-Bennett center on January 7-10, 2016. Meals will be provided […]
It is cold where you are, no doubt. And wintry and gloomy. On such a day, you might start dreaming of summer and travel. On such a day, perhaps you might dream of summer, travel, and writing. On such a day, maybe you might dream of summer, travel, writng, and France. In which case, […]
I have returned. France was wonderful. Paris has only gotten better in the years since I've been there, and Ceret, the small town in the south of France where I spent a week leading a writing retreat, charming. I had full intentions to blog regularly during my trip. Obviously, that didn't happen. To my credit, […]
