It’s ironic that on the day we honor labor, I’m beginning a week of vacation. Well, not really vacation since I’m going nowhere. It’s important to recognize when we need a rest from labor. Our creative souls starve for adequate …
Brain Fitness
We writers have a challenging job. We try to eat healthy, drink water, move our muscles and improve our health to keep up with the pace of marketing and deadlines without flatlining along the way. All are important for fitness …
What Not to Say
Several years ago I outlined these ten no-nos. With conference season in full swing I thought a refresher would be a good thing. Plenty of blogs tell you how to approach an agent, what to say and how to say …
What Now?
Remember those days when we worked so hard to get published? Did you ever think that publication would only be the beginning of a new set of worries? As aspiring writers we were fixated on the prize– representation and an …
The Measure of Success
If there’s one question I’m asked more than any other, it’s this: “How do I measure success when it comes to book sales?”
I’ve heard the strangest theories of what constitutes success. For instance, this from an old Publishers Weekly, …
Workspaces
I’ll confess. I’ve been watching YouTube videos of art studios as I reorganize my own studio. January definitely seems to be the month to reorganize and get ready for a new year. My office—my writing and working space— is already …
The Christmas Celebration Continues
I’ve always loved the old English carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, partly because I was born during the twelve days of Christmas. (Think: Goose.) I was also married on the Seven Swans Day. Christmas marks the first day …
Not So Fast
Anyone who is trying to build a career as a writer knows that making a living in the early years is an almost impossible challenge. But when a writer has sold a couple of books and had a little success, …
An Ongoing Grammar Rant
I almost never address the issue of grammar because, sure as shooting, I’ll make a handful of mistakes right here in front of you. But irregardless I’m feeling cranky so I’m going to list eleven of my top cringeworthy examples …
Working from Home
Oh, the joys of working from home. It’s Sunday afternoon and I just sent an email to a client. Fail! I’ve been focusing on disciplining my work hours and yet, too often, the office calls to me on evenings and …