When I was at the National Book Festival, Angie Thomas mentioned how much hip-hop music inspired her writing. It got me thinking. Are there any musicians that have inspired my writing? The answer is a big resounding "YES!" The musicians that have an inspired me the most are amazing storytellers. I remember sitting in my parents'…
The National Book Festival is like Christmas for bookworms in Washington D.C.: there is a lot of anticipation to see someone who is known around the world. On a rainy Saturday, I went to the festival to see Sabaa Tahir, Marie Lu, Nicola Yoon, Roxane Gay, and Angie Thomas. Basically, I went to see my…
I am going to be honest with you: writing hasn't been easy lately. I wish I could say there was some fancy explanation, but I think it comes down to boring, old resistance. You know, where you stare at the blank screen and words don't come. You know, where all you hear is that inner…
I was sitting in a beautiful, wood-paneled kitchen in the Hamptons. I felt sick to my stomach, and I was pretty sure that sweat was starting to form on my forehead. What could cause so much anxiety in such an idyllic setting?I was about to read my writing out loud. As all you writers know, there…
Spoiler alert: Do not read if you are still watching Rachel's season of The Bachelorette.I sat there with my hands clutching my head, rocking back and forth. I was pretty sure I was groaning as I felt my fingers pull at my hair. A show had actually caused me to literally pull my hair out.My…
On Saturday, my husband and I went to a video game exhibit. Are we major gamers? No, not really, even though we do enjoy the occasional game (if the words "Final Fantasy" are in it, I am down to play it). We were there because I was conducting research for my novel (and, well, it…
I have always been a huge Aziz Ansari fan. Tom, his character, was one of my favorite character in Parks and Recreation, and his stand-up is the best I have ever seen (if you don't believe me, see his bit on ghosts). Right now I am in the middle of season two of Master of…
Okay, you have probably read a billion posts about how you shouldn't stare at a blank screen when you are stuck and how you should go out and do things. But what if you are stuck on what to do to get you unstuck? The solution: shove your muse in a jar! No, I am not…
I am going to keep it real with you; I have been struggling with my novel. My characters have been silent, and I have felt tangled in the plot. I have been staring at the blank screen, grasping my hair in my hands, and yelling my muse's name (which is Frank) a la Marlo Brando…
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