I’ve spent the last two weeks writing the opening pages of my WIP. After 5-6 versions, I think I’ve landed on one that will stick around until I get further into the story. Then, chances are, I’ll go back and revise it again. By the time I’m done, I will probably have...
Last year, my inspirational word was Everest. Earth’s highest mountain (above sea level) seemed an appropriate metaphor as I strove to conquer a new type of writing. Jumping from genre fiction to book club fiction certainly felt like a climb. What made Everest so...
It’s that time of year again! Time for me another Great Gifts for Writers post. This list is different though because it’s curated by me, an actual writer and reader. I have no stake in these items whatsoever. I didn’t receive a free one in exchange of a plug, nor do...
I turned 59 yesterday. Not a milestone birthday, but dangerously close As a result, I found myself spending a good portion of this week taking stock. How do I want to spend the last decades of my life? What changes over the next twelve months to become that person?...
When my son was a young teenager, he dreamed of being an elite-level gymnast. Only one thing held him back: lack of physical ability. “Some gymnasts are strong. Some gymnasts are flexible,” his coach liked to say. “You are neither.” What my son did have was tenacity....
My agent search isn’t going great. It’s a competitive industry, and agents are very picky about who they take on. (Fun fact: most agents request less than 1% of the manuscripts queried.) I’m not deterred. A writing career isn’t built on one manuscript. Writing...
