Rejection letter – I got one this week. Most writers, who regularly submit their work, are familiar with the rejection letter. I’m sure you’ve heard before that many famous published authors receive multiple rejections before their one acceptance. (Check out the article “6 Famous Authors …
Read MoreCreative Origins
After reading some of my writing, my mom sent me an e-mail praising my creativity and said, “you certainly didn’t get that from me!” That got me wondering about where creativity comes from. Is it nature or nurture? I started reading about the topic. Various …
Read MorePrompt Story: The Boyfriend
I organize a prompt writing group that meets online once a week to share writing we create based on various prompts. The exercises are meant to develop and solidify a writing habit and to help get the creative juices flowing. You never know when a …
Read MoreWriting Interest and Experience
Many people ask me when my interest in writing started and about my writing experience. I don’t remember not being interested in writing. The first “book” I wrote in second grade was a story about an alien who had landed on earth to make a …
Read MoreMy Writers in Residences Story
Last fall, I participated in a writing pen pal project put on by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. The program, called Writers in Residences, supplied participants with writing prompts from which you were to write a story and send it to your pen pal. …
Read MoreWhere does your inspiration come from for fiction writing?
I get this question often from my readers and even from fellow writers struggling with their own books. Think of inspiration as a stand mixer: you throw a bunch of different ingredients in the bowl, mix it up and eventually you have a tasty masterpiece. …
Read MoreI can’t help it! Reading Like A Writer During a Book Challenge
I signed up for the local library’s Extreme Book Nerd Challenge to read at least 50 books, which fall into various categories chosen by the librarians, by the end of the year. But as a writer, I can’t seem to separate reading for pure enjoyment …
Read MoreWriting Groups
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart,” said romantic poet William Wordsworth. But what if you can’t fill your paper? What if you can’t even hear the breathings of your heart? Don’t despair! Writing groups can offer the help and support many authors …
Read MoreCreativity=Knowledge+Inspiration+Imagination
I have been feeling more creative lately, and I think adding three things into my weekly routine has helped. 1) I am reading more. Writers need to read, and to make sure I don’t let this slip through the cracks, I signed up for a …
Read More