Change It! “Write what you know,” they say.  But what if you don’t know anything? Let me rephrase. I mean, what if I don’t know anything dramatic or adventurous or truly extraordinary? I’m not a spy or a soldier or … Continue reading →

Be You From The Great Gatsby: “The windows were ajar and gleaming white against the fresh grass outside that seemed to grow a little way into the house. A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and … Continue reading →

We All Have Them! When my kids were little, they loved the animated TV show The Backyardigans, about a group of anthropomorphic characters who dart off to play in, well, their backyards, using their imaginations to the fullest. It was captivating … Continue reading →

Reader Time vs. Writer Time Years ago, my husband and I went on a whirlwind tour of Australia. One night, we arrived in Brisbane and noticed the clock in the hotel was wrong. We shrugged. The next morning we were … Continue reading →

Take Control of Your Inner Critic “You’re a terrible writer!” “Who do you think you are??” “What kind of crap sentence is that??” “You call that character development??” Recognize this voice? Of course you do. You’re a writer. Each of … Continue reading →

(Really!) Okay, okay, maybe you hear me about giving yourself a break for your so-far-from perfect first draft (or second draft or third draft or twentieth draft) but you can’t seem to do it. You’re still too hard on yourself. You still think … Continue reading →

…When Do You Walk Away? Despairing after the millionth literary agent rejection, I asked my book coach, “Should I just quit?” I expected encouragement and affirmation. What I got: “Maybe you should quit.” I was stung. Was I that bad of a … Continue reading →

…Which Means the Writing World Needs You Everyone can write. (Notice I didn’t say everyone can write well…) But everyone has ideas and a lot of people want to get them down on paper, which is one reason why it’s so … Continue reading →

What Writing Really Looks Like The first time it happened, my husband laughed.  He’d come into our bedroom one Saturday afternoon and found me lying on top of the covers, my hands folded, my eyes closed.  “Feeling okay, Jen?” he’d … Continue reading →

It’s Your Building Block of Writing (Really!) A friend once told me he didn’t believe in writer’s block. Of course I scoffed. Because of course it exists. I’ve lived it. That overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, sinking despair when the curser blinks, unmoving, … Continue reading →