I find writing itself to be incredibly therapeutic. Honestly, I work through problems I didn’t even know I had through my fiction. And to be clear, I am a fiction writer; none of my published work to date is autobiographical. And yet I find myself returning to particular themes andContinue Reading
I’m excited to share the news about my friend Melody Owen’s new Author Nation community for writers! by Melody Owen I started my career teaching English to Adults in Asia and South America and loved teaching writing. I mostly worked with professionals looking to boost their career in the globalContinue Reading
The celebration known as Elvis Week began shortly after Elvis’s death on August 16, 1977. That year, mourners from around the world gathered at Graceland—the entertainer’s home and where he was when he passed—to pay tribute. Ever since the gathering has continued at the same time every year. Fans makeContinue Reading
by Sandy Vaile After more than a decade of writing and teaching fiction, I have the luxury of looking back on my journey (thus far) to see where I could have done things differently to heighten enjoyment and expediate my arrival at the place I am now. And I’m goingContinue Reading
What does it take to graduate from amateur to pro writer? You may be wondering if you’ve done it yet. Maybe you think you have but you haven’t, or vice versa. Here are five signs you can watch for that show you have left the amateur behind. Amateur to Pro:Continue Reading
The biggest emotional challenge of being a writer for me? Shyness. I’m not sure if that qualifies as mild anxiety or self-doubt. In my mind at least, many people become book people because stories offer them something they can’t find in the real world. A lot of us are turnedContinue Reading
Are relationship problems sapping your motivation to write? If so, you’re not alone. In a recent Writing and Wellness survey, several writers expressed their concern about this. Our relationships are important to us, and when there’s conflict or underlying stress, it’s often so pervasive that can quickly rob us ofContinue Reading
by Beth Castrodale Late last summer, I was in something of a rut with my fiction writing. I’d recently completed a novel and had no idea what I might work on next: a short story? another novel? When I tried to generate story ideas through brainstorming, this backfired. Instead ofContinue Reading
Novel writing is an emotional rollercoaster. It begins with feeling overwhelmed. There is nothing as intimidating as a blank page. Then there is the feeling of excitement when ideas begin to flow. Then you feel the satisfaction of creating a world from scratch. Then there’s frustration when you’re hit withContinue Reading
Have you ever created a photo journey for your story? My novel The Beached Ones is the first book I ever researched by traveling the route my characters take. I drafted the book first, and once I had all the key locations down, grabbed my mom (who loves to travel),Continue Reading
I think that any good writer is emotionally challenged at some level. Otherwise, how could we create and write about the emotionally damaged characters in our stories? Readers expect authenticity in our characterizations. If we haven’t felt things like grief, anxiety, depression, love, and fear, then how can we createContinue Reading
My first novel launched my fiction writing career, and I’m grateful for everything that happened with it. But with the benefit of hindsight, I can see several things that might have helped me progress a little faster. In case they may benefit you, I’ve written them down here. First NovelContinue Reading