Writing is a solitary process, ideal for introverts, yet there are few actions more extroverted than baring your soul in a novel and sharing it with the world. I wrote for decades, scribbling into notebooks alone in my room often at odd hours of the night, before making the slightestContinue Reading
Is it possible to make this Thanksgiving creative? It might not be easy. First, there’s all that food. Indulge too much and you could feel poofy and lethargic—definitely not in the mood to write after dinner. Then there are the family gatherings. If you’re scheduled to attend, there may beContinue Reading
My biggest, perhaps only, emotional challenge as a writer is motivation/self-discipline/time management. After I transitioned from traditional to self-publishing a few years ago, one of the many benefits was that I set my own deadlines. For my personality type (Ooh, shiny!) this is also the bad news. There are soContinue Reading
Temperatures are getting colder, which means you may be feeling it in your writing nook. I started using my handwarmers about a month ago. Even a slight chill can make my fingers stiff, and then my typing is clunky and slow. (Read more about handwarmers in our previous post, “HandsContinue Reading
by Dr. Brent Wells Absorbed. In the zone. Lost in the words. As a writer, you may often enjoy your work most when you find yourself absent from the rest of the world. Like a runner focused on the goal ahead with no intention of slowing down, you work untilContinue Reading
You know your cell phone can be a distraction, but a thief? It’s true. Every day, if you’re not careful, your cell phone will steal from you. Here’s how, and what you can do to protect yourself. 1. Cell phones steal your boredom. Research shows that boredom is beneficial whenContinue Reading
I’d say separating self from product is the biggest challenge. We put so much time, energy, and love into our books, so we tend to take criticisms of our work personally. I can have hundreds of positive reviews, and if I get one bad one, it’s a little soul crushing.Continue Reading
Do you sometimes feel, when you’re putting words on paper, that there’s someone else in the room? Well it’s Halloween season, so that may have something to do with it, but then again, writers are notorious for feeling sort of…well, haunted. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock HolmesContinue Reading
by Virginia Jensen I first became interested in beadwork because I had moved to a new city and was out of a job. I ended up working part time at Michaels craft store demonstrating products and holding classes in craft work. The beading teacher was unable to continue, so IContinue Reading
Organic eggs have been on the market for awhile, but how can you tell which are the healthiest for you and your family? Eggs are a great source of nutrition for writers. They’re high in protein, low in calories, and unlike previously believed, will not raise your cholesterol levels. ButContinue Reading
If you were to write a story about a writer’s worst nightmare, what would it be like? You’ve probably already imagined it. When you were slaving away on your novel, worried that you’d never find a publisher, you thought of it then: What will happen if this story never seesContinue Reading
by Donna Cook My first idea for this story actually came as I developed the series as a whole. The Beautiful Rivers series is about three siblings who inherited a luxury resort on the California coast when their parents passed away suddenly. (Their cousin, who was practically raised with them,Continue Reading