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The Distracted Writer
Each writer has their unique approach. Time for writing, style of writing, approach to writing, location for writing, and of course content of writing. The diversity of authors and stories is growing like never before. It’s exciting. It’s applauded. But what about the diversity in “how” people write? I’m a writer wondering if there’s anyone out […]
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Cast Your Characters
I attended a writer’s weekend where the group leader challenged attendees to cast their characters in their current manuscript. We dug in, flipping through magazines and printouts, searching for celebrities or models who visually represented the fictional characters in our books. The workshop leaders even challenged us to take it one step further and write…
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The Story of My Settings
They say you should write what you know. Many of us writers start with something we know. Then we take it to the next level. For example, I doubt that J. K. Rowling has ever met a wizard (one could hope), but she’s been down on her luck, like her protagonist Harry. She may even…
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My Eat, Pray, Love, Year of Writing Fiction
I recently spoke with a friend of mine about my decision to quit my job and step into the writing world full-time. When I told him that I’ve finally found the space in which I belong, I quickly followed it with an apology. Jokingly, I’d admitted that now that I’m fully entrenched in the writing…
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My James Patterson Encounter
I wish I were writing to tell you about my recent sit down with the New York Times Bestseller, but unfortunately, I’m not. I don’t get the chance to rub elbows with celebrities that much. Still, I am going to share a story that has stuck with me until this very day. Years ago, when…
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When I Finally Called Myself “A Writer”
While my full-time job is not in the writing world, thankfully, it does provide a plethora of options to scratch this creative itch—writing books, articles, and posts. But here I am, in my side hustle as “a creative writer.” Yes, I have had some luck getting published, but it was long before that success that…
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How Writers Support One Another
As writers, authors, readers, and members of the literary world, we know the importance of supporting one another. While we don’t always do so—we are human after all—it is something that those in the realm of books do more often than not (at least that’s what I’ve experienced). To give you a snapshot: Recently, I…
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Southern Book Affairs
I miss living in the South. As a writer and reader, and yes, human being, one of the things I loved most is the hospitality that seems to be a life code for those who were born there or had migrated and stayed. Now don’t get me wrong, hospitality exists everywhere, but there is just…
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Eleanor & Harry: Award-Winning Short Story
I’d like to believe that I’m more than a friend and not just a caregiver but perhaps a bit more. This is what I strive for each day while I visit my clients. They have the unerring ability to give me so very much, if only I could somehow return the favor. The television was…
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How Archetypes Give Characters Dimensionality
We all embody a multitude of archetypes. From goddess, to mother, to wizard in the kitchen, and onto storyteller at bedtime. Perhaps you liken yourself more to a scholar than writer, pioneer at work, avenger when volunteering, and diplomat with friends. The list goes on and on to what monikers you embody and what you…