I went to a Fitz and the Tantrums concert last Saturday, and it pretty much changed my life. How? Besides being an amazing show, it taught me some great lessons that could be applied to my writing. 1. You Have to Wait I think I must be getting old, because waiting is getting hard. I keep…
There seems to be not much light right now. So much so that I feel like I am fumbling around in the dark to find the right words.They remain hidden from me.I wish I had answers or at least pithy things to say to make you laugh, but I don't. I don't understand why there…
Look, I am not here to steal your voice. I have recently heard from some writers that they are terrified that an editor will try to steal their voices. As if editors were huge purple women that like to sing about poor unfortunate souls. Or, if you like to kick it more old school, we…
Once upon a time, there was a species of creatures called trolls. They no longer limited themselves to bridges, but they now roamed a highway that was much larger: the Information Highway (more commonly known as the Internet). While they no longer made ridiculous demands to pass, they still maintained their destructive habit of mocking people,…
You need an agent. I am not talking about James Bond or the kind that Johnny Rivers sings about. I am talking about an even cooler agent. I am referring to a book agent. Why do you need an agent? Because there are slush piles in publishing house, and you do not want your manuscript lost in…
Okay, before we begin our regularly scheduled programming, let us experience a magical 80s throw-back by clicking here. (Please come back though, ok?) Woah, didn't that feel like a Lisa Frank notebook in a video? You gotta love the ridiculous bow and neon colors. Let's not forget the twirling bride/groom. Good times.So why am I talking…
There is always that moment on a first date.The pause.No matter what, there will be that awkward pause. If it is going well, it will happen when you think about how it is going well. You will think: "Oh my! He is so handsome. I cannot believe he asked me out. And it is going…
TV gets a bad rap. Parents say it will rot your brain, and Ray Bradbury depicts it as causing a nuclear holocaust. But I say it can improve your writing. Okay, not ALL TV improves you writing, but the good shows do. I have listed five shows that will get you that much closer to becoming…
1. Fly a kite.2. Explore your neighborhood.3. Cook a new dish.4. Have a dance party.5. Try on a new outfit.6. Buy a new pen.7. Read a book in a different genre.8. Flip through a magazine.9. Talk to a friend.10. Walk your dog.11. Travel to somewhere new.12. Wander a bookstore or a library.13. Listen to a…
Dear Beverly Cleary,Happy 100th birthday! If anyone has deserved such a long and wonderful life, it is you. I wish I could visit you today with a beautiful chocolate cake that was big enough to hold a hundred candles. I would give you the world's biggest hug, because I do not think I would be…