The relationship between theme and plot has been a major writing challenge during the pandemic. It’s been a year of lockdown, of protest, of raising very confused and saddened children, of angry debates and so much
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I’m looking forward to moderating this cool (free!) virtual event for the King County Library System. As we pass the one-year mark of the pandemic, writers and creatives of all kinds are reflecting on what it
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One positive thing has happened during this first frightful pandemic month of 2021. I find myself able to read again. I mean, really read. Focus on pages, stick with a novel from chapter to chapter, finish
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Happy New Year! Here in the Pacific Northwest, 2021 has begun with… rain. That’s no surprise. Rain is the forecast from something like October to June. I must admit, it’s a touch harder to bear than
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The blog migration has begun. I realize that we’re just one week away from the official start of winter and two weeks shy of Christmas. So, if I were a southbound Canada Goose (or Santa Claus),
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2020 has brought with it an unusual dilemma for contemporary fiction writers. What are the odds of selling a novel set in the pandemic? The timeline for a manuscript to travel from final draft to bookstore
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If you haven’t read King’s ON WRITING, treat yourself to a copy this year. Even if your TBR pile is already too high, I give you this useful nugget of King-ly wisdom.
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Zadie Smith is one smart lady. Read some of her thoughts on fighting the algorithm and (short) storytelling. Better, still, take a minute to trick yourself into getting some of your own words on the page
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Who doesn’t love wordy celebration? We began January with inspiration from author Barbara Dee. Now, as we hit the midpoint of the month, I’m celebrating the joy of ANTICIPATION. Here’s a list of soon-to-be-released titles (and
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When it comes to creative writing, metaphors can make magic. Even though I know and use metaphors with regularity, sometimes it helps me ground myself with a nice refresher definition and some sweet examples, like the