In the first couple of years that I was writing seriously, I put my work in front of other people infrequently, and only to very small groups of people. The insecurity that struck me in those moments was small, and easy to manage. The stakes were low. But there came a point when the stakes […]
Ride the Insecurity Roller Coaster Read More »
I’ve decided to add a new blog feature, just to inject a little happiness into the world. Every month, I’m going to give you a few things that have brought me joy in recent weeks. Maybe you’ll love them, too. Maybe they’ll inspire you to find other joyful things more suited to your tastes and
My Favorite Things for February Read More »
Y’all, January was a little bit difficult. No – none of the challenges above were particularly difficult to face. Each was pretty minor, taken on its own, and I consider myself lucky that I’m not struggling with the more serious health concerns or the kinds of financial struggles that so many other people are facing.
January Creative Update: On Losing Perspective Read More »
Near the end of December, I wrote a bit about my philosophy about goals. At the time, I mentioned some of the artistic/professional goals I was pondering for 2024. Today, I want to come back to that general topic through a different lens, because I’ve set some new personal goals between then and now. The
The Importance of Personal Goals Read More »
In this month’s guest post, CJ Hosack looks back at the journey it took to bring her upcoming novel from its earliest ideas to a completed, ready-for-the-public story. I’m honored that she was willing to share this story with us, since it illustrates the truth that art hardly ever follows a straight and easy line
Guest Post: CJ Hosack on Ideas in Process Read More »
I had a different post scheduled for today. One that means a lot to me, so it’s been taking longer than usual to bring all the thoughts together. I hadn’t finished it by the end of last week, but was still hoping to power through it yesterday. Now, though, it’s going to have to wait.
Sometimes Life Intervenes Read More »
For me, the New Year has never really seemed like the right time to set Big Goals (aka resolutions). As a kid who always loved school, the fresh start of an academic year was the more natural goal-setting time for me, and I brought that into my adulthood by using my October birthday as a
And a Happy New Year Read More »
This week’s guest post is from another friend, Vanessa Ricci-Thode. She sent me SO MANY beautiful photos of her garden that I couldn’t pick just one or two. There are extra ones down at the bottom. All photo credit to Vanessa herself. Enjoy! I first saw the phrase “rest like it’s your job” in regards
Guest Post – Vanessa Ricci-Thode: Rest Like It’s Your Job Read More »
In second grade, my teacher gave us “creativity exercises” to do in class. This was in the mid-1980s, and a quick internet search reveals that creativity exercises for kids have gotten WAY more interesting since then. Or, at least, they’ve gotten more interesting than the ones I remember. My teacher’s exercises relied heavily on black-and-white
Learning Creativity Read More »
Part of my own mental health toolkit is to spend a few minutes each month reflecting on what’s behind me and looking forward to what’s ahead. It’s a useful routine, because sometimes I miss things. From a “use of time” perspective, my biggest accomplishments in November were a) finishing the edits on my manuscript so
Writer Update, November 2023 Read More »