Has it really been a hear and a half since I last updated this site? Those time and date stamps don't lie. The end of 2018 and all of 2019 were dedicated to finding balance. I am right in the middle of a pretty challenging period of my life. Both of my children are school… Continue reading 2020 and the Perpetual Balancing Act
Category: Improving My Craft
Will The Artist’s Way Help Me Find My Way?
It is true I have been struggling to write for the last year. It is also true that spending time in the Pacific Northwest helped. But some things have come up in the world of SFF writing that have left me reeling, and I've been struggling--and failing--to keep my creative feet planted. Last year, Sam… Continue reading Will The Artist’s Way Help Me Find My Way?
When You Go Looking for Something…
This spring break, we decided to take a vacation here in the good old USofA. The Great American Family Vacation. Well, sort of. I had dreams of driving up through the national parks of the American Southwest. The kids had dreams of beaches and sunshine. So we compromised and went to the Pacific Northwest to… Continue reading When You Go Looking for Something…
Writer’s Block is a Thing
I wasn't sure that writer's block was a thing until I experienced it for myself. It has been a tough year, from a writing perspective, but I'm crawling out of it. Slowly but surely. Through it all, I managed to finish the rough draft of a novel and write 45,000 words on another novel. The… Continue reading Writer’s Block is a Thing
Workshop Week Wrap-Up
I have been home from Hollywood for almost two weeks now, but I'm still struggling to get my feet on the ground. Between jet lag, a nasty case of food poisoning the day after I got home, and general exhaustion, it's been a tiring few days. I'm still processing all the information I learned in… Continue reading Workshop Week Wrap-Up
Goals vs. Resolutions: What I intend to accomplish in 2017
I don't like New Year's Resolutions. The first week of January, the gyms are full, the parks are crowded with joggers, and the self-help section of the book store is buzzing with activity. Â Resolutions tend to last about a month before they fade into the past and are forgotten. On the other hand, I love… Continue reading Goals vs. Resolutions: What I intend to accomplish in 2017
October/November Wrap-Up
When last I posted, my 30 stories in 30 days project was proceeding well. October ended, and so did the project. All-in-all, it was a successful exercise. I did not produce the full 30 stories, but I did manage 24, which I think is pretty good. Will I revise and try to sell every single… Continue reading October/November Wrap-Up
30 Stories in 30 Days: At the Halfway Mark
I've just wrapped up my 15th story, which means I'm halfway through my 30 stories in 30 days challenge. Some stories, I think, have real promise. Or at least they will once I clean them up. Others aren't so great, but they have the seeds of something else. Still others are just plain awful. Technically,… Continue reading 30 Stories in 30 Days: At the Halfway Mark
30 Stories in 30 Days
I've been in a writing slump lately, and I've been struggling to kick my brain into gear. Writing is easy when you're inspired, but learning to write when you're not inspired can be one of the most important lessons to learn as an Early Career Writer. With that in mind, I've decided to follow some advice… Continue reading 30 Stories in 30 Days
Talking about What I Write
I don't know why I find it so difficult to talk to others about what I write. Whenever the opportunity arises, the instinct to shift the subject off myself and back to the other person is nearly impossible to shake, even when it's clear that the other person genuinely wants to know more. There's an… Continue reading Talking about What I Write