Category: How To and Tips
The Book of Nature: An Offhand Beginning
The Book of Nature: An Offhand Beginning by Barbara Mahany Every book has its backstory, and my most recent, The Book of Nature: The Astonishing Beauty of God’s First Sacred Text (Broadleaf Books, March 21, 2023), is one that began in the unlikeliest of ways. There I was, a half-hour deep into a radio talk […]
High Tide in the Redwoods: Memoir, Migration and This Wilderness in My Blood
High Tide in the Redwoods: Memoir, Migration and This Wilderness in My Blood By Terra Trevor My bags were packed, boxes stacked, and escrow was closing. We were downsizing, and moving from the city where we lived for the past forty-three years. We didn’t have a new house to move into, not yet. While we […]
There’s No “Magic Formula” to Write a Book
There’s No “Magic Formula” to Write a Book I wish I could give you a magic formula for how to write a book. That if you have the perfect morning routine, follow the Artist’s Way, or join the right writers’ group, then bam, it will happen. A book will appear, and it will be a […]
Vannetta Chapman: My Writing Process
It seems to me that any piece that discusses the writing process has to begin with a very important caveat. Everyone’s process is different. That’s not merely a disclaimer, it’s true. Art works that way. Every artist is unique in their approach to their art. Every work of art is distinctive. So, it makes sense […]
How to be Jealous
The other day, I saw an announcement for a writer who got a multi-book deal for a series she’d self-published. I felt jealous. And you know what? I loved it. Jealousy gets a bad rap, but I believe it’s often a glittering gift, because it tells us what we want. In my case, I love […]
9 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY TO A WRITER
9 things you should never say to a writer Last week I spent at a writing retreat in Rhode Island. Airbnb, great company, lots of walks, incredible talks, and ridiculous amounts of work done. I got the structure down (and several essays too) for my upcoming book. I, personally, am a big fan of going […]
My Life of Crime
My Life of Crime My life of crime began in fifth grade when the girl sitting next to me was reading a Nancy Drew mystery. After borrowing hers, I swallowed them all up, one book after another of Nancy Drew, the Dana Girls, and the Hardy Boys. Later, I graduated to Agatha Christie, starting with […]
Some Characters Just Won’t Leave
Some Characters Just Won’t Leave By Debra Thomas Like many writers of fiction, I become attached to the characters I create and am often reluctant to let them go. Then another story calls to me and new characters begin to take shape, claiming my full attention and replacing my former favorites. Josie and Vic were […]
What Does Women’s Baseball have in Common with Writing a Novel?
What Does Women’s Baseball have in Common with Writing a Novel? Last night I stayed up late when I should have been sleeping. But I’m on a girls’ weekend in the mountains and treating yourself to fun things is what it’s all about. A little forbidden coffee with cream. A slow walk that’s social instead […]
Let’s Talk About (No) Sex, Baby: Writing Closed Door Romance
Let’s Talk About (No) Sex, Baby: Writing Closed Door Romance Annie Rains Romance and sex aren’t synonymous. Not in real life and not in fiction. That’s not to say that they can’t go hand in hand, but if you’re an author who feels more comfortable keeping the spice off the page, that’s okay. You can […]
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