At a recent conference, I was surprised to learn that creative burnout is common among writers. I was at the Aspen Summer Words Conference and had chance to meet award-winning author Hannah Tinti. I heard her speak on the final panel of the week and then asked her sign myContinue Reading
Biggest physical challenge of being a writer? Not plowing my way through a bag of chocolate when I’m writing. Wow, that’s hard. I don’t feel like I have any trouble getting exercise (my horse keeps me active), but when it comes to emotional eating… Writing is an incredibly emotional thing,Continue Reading
I’m sitting here outside the veterinarian’s office, waiting to take in my cat and dog in for their shots and regular annual checkups. My dog (a black German shepherd) just puked. Unusual for her, but she’s older now, and I can’t blame her for experiencing a little tummy upset beforeContinue Reading
When I first started writing I was in my forties, and I couldn’t imagine needing any antidote for that activity. The discovery of this long-hidden talent brought a deep satisfaction different than anything I’d known. Writing was the antidote to a falling-apart marriage and the trials of two teenage daughters.Continue Reading
My older brother and I really enjoyed roller-skating when we were young kids (around seven to ten). We were lucky enough to have a nice rink in our town, and a mom who was willing to invest in opportunities for us. We both took lessons, but because we were threeContinue Reading
I have always wanted to be a writer. Always. At four or five years old, I would sit at the breakfast table with my mother and read her the Peanuts comic strip. One morning, she looked at me and said, “What if you made up your own story about Snoopy?Continue Reading
Writers (particularly full-time ones, or ones that write and have a desk job) live under a certain set of conditions that can lead to health problems down the road if they’re not careful. There are the hours spent sitting in front of the computer, the constant strain on the eyes,Continue Reading
Before I took myself seriously as an author, I would write in short bursts, either on paper or at my laptop. I did this at my desk, in the garden, or in bed. When I began blogging and writing my non-fiction books, I realized I needed a specific place toContinue Reading
Going to the doctor’s office was never fun, but it’s gotten worse lately, what with the rising medical costs, rushed appointments, and increasing uncertainty about which doctor you’re going to get this time. Writers can find themselves in those offices more than they’d like, though, if they’re not careful. Full-timers,Continue Reading
I kind of hate to admit this, but for me the biggest challenge of being a writer is the computer. I can always tell when I’ve had a good writing day—I can’t stand to read from my Kindle at night! Something about that little lit screen not only tires myContinue Reading
I attended a writer’s conference in Boise back in May 2015. One of the speakers at the event reminded us that writing is supposed to be fun, and that sometimes, we take it far too seriously. I latched fiercely onto that statement. With my first book about to be released,Continue Reading
Even though I deal with carpal tunnel syndrome and a dislocated tailbone, there are other things that stand in the way of spending hours at the keyboard, like the fact that I’m a kindergarten teacher by trade. Each year my attention span lessens because August through June I have toContinue Reading