Writing Is About US After years in the writing world, here’s what I keep circling back to. Writing talent/skill/effort is NOT the same as discoverability.  The best books may not sell. The best writers may not get published.  The best … Continue reading →

Happy Pub Day, Amaranth! There’s an easy narrative about writers. So-and-so published their first novel in [fill in year], followed by their latest in [fill in a date often very soon after the first.] Perhaps this makes sense to non-writers, … Continue reading →

A Piece of Cake I had to shake my head at my own folly. I had two errands to run: buy a book and buy a cake. Coincidentally, both were the same price, about C$40. I winced at the cost … Continue reading →

Video Games and Writers I love talking with teenagers; they have a perspective on the world that is refreshingly different than those of us who are older (and, as a result, perhaps more jaded…).  My teen daughter: We’re just NPCs … Continue reading →

It was a Dark and Stormy Night… One spring day as I stared out at the dreary rainy weather, I reminded myself of the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” And I love May flowers (tulips, especially!) so a part … Continue reading →

Undiscovered Nuggets of Gold One time when I was in the car with my daughter, she played clips of songs from Disney movies. I couldn’t see her phone; I could only hear the music. It sounded incredible—only I was surprised … Continue reading →

And Other Writing Obstacles We often throw around the term “writer’s block’. It’s a terrific catch-all phrase for why we’re not writing (when we think we should be writing). I’ve argued before that there’s no such thing as writer’s block—my friend once … Continue reading →

Women in the Writing World Did you know the first know author in the history of world literature was a woman?  Seriously.  Enheduana was a royal princess and high priestess who lived in the 23rd century BCE in the city of … Continue reading →

A Table for Two: You and Your Writing I need to walk a fine line as a book coach. I want to support my clients, but I also have to hold them accountable. I offer flexible deadlines because I understand … Continue reading →

Moving the Goal Posts I was lamenting to an author friend how hard “traditional” publishing success is to come by. While she agreed, she also cautioned me, not so much about my perspective of “success” (something I’ve learned must be different for … Continue reading →