A little bit of Philosophy

Today I did spend a lot of time writing a paper about free will and determinism. Are we making our own decisions, or are our experiences making our decisions for us? I feel it’s a little bit of both. I used to get caught up in these discussions, but then I realized it’s probably aContinue reading “A little bit of Philosophy”

Embrace Your Voice: The Path to Writing Success

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” -Octavia E. Butler There’s a million ways to write a story. There’s a million stories to tell, maybeContinue reading “Embrace Your Voice: The Path to Writing Success”

From Waiting to Writing

“If you wait for inspiration to write you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” — Dan Poynter I used to say if my author opened their book to find me writing, I’m a writer in their story. That’s a fun way to think about the consistency of writing. There will always be a million otherContinue reading “From Waiting to Writing”

My Child’s Birthday: The Power of Kindness and Support

“People will forget what you said… but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Today I’m going to just say, I’m so grateful for humans who are compassionate and understanding. My little one had her first real birthday party with all her friends, and I was so anxious, but all the parents wereContinue reading “My Child’s Birthday: The Power of Kindness and Support”

What’s your Favorite Weather to Write in?

I’m willing to bet that most writers agree the perfect weather to write in is the wet kind. Initially, this post was going to be about rain, but a cold winter evening in a warm house with soup in a slow cooker came into view. That’s when I had to change my mind. Rain andContinue reading “What’s your Favorite Weather to Write in?”

Embracing Tiredness and Writing Through the Fog

“Give yourself permission to write something small.” Julia Amante The trick is to write through the fog. Tonight I’m tired. I have been staring at a screen all day. I am happy to be here, and I’m also tired and ready to get under my weighted blanket. I think it’s okay to want both consistencyContinue reading “Embracing Tiredness and Writing Through the Fog”

The Quiet Truth of Self-Publishing

For a long time, I thought publishing a book was this big, loud affair. Then I got some of my works published, and that was very exciting, and I’m grateful for the experience, but it was also a rude awakening for me. I was jolted into this world where no one will automatically care thatContinue reading “The Quiet Truth of Self-Publishing”

Editing as Art: Nurturing Creativity in Your Writing

“The first draft of anything is sh**.” — Ernest Hemingway Earnest Hemingway said it. And I live by it. Here’s the thing: we want everything to be perfect the first time. We want an award-winning novel to flow out of us without a blemish. But I have to ask, where’s the fun in that? Transformation isContinue reading “Editing as Art: Nurturing Creativity in Your Writing”

Renew Your Energy: The Writer’s Guide to Rest

Accept the Call “The mind needs to be given rest so that it can return to its work with renewed vigor.”— Seneca I will never understand why our culture rewards overworking. In yesterday’s post, I talked about how you need to give yourself permission to go away and write. In that post, I mentioned howContinue reading “Renew Your Energy: The Writer’s Guide to Rest”