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
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
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
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
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),
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
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.
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
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
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