When I think of emotion my mind immediately goes to visual cues. Recreating visual cues into words can be hard for new and experienced writers and like any writing it takes practice. I wanted to see how different writers tackle emotion in their writing so I asked Book-in-a-Week’s four contributors to share their perspective on…
Establishing Boundaries During Writing Hours Everything is all set: laptop booted up, pen and paper at hand and a cup of coffee that is still hot. You have been waiting for this “free” time to get all those words out of your head and onto the paper. With hands poised above the keyboard, you take a…
A couple of years ago, I signed up for an improvisational theatre class. At the time, I spoke very quickly, fumbled over words, and often experienced deer-in-the-headlight moments. I figured improv would help me think more quickly on my feet and also help bring the spontaneity back into my life. The spontaneity that had been…
It is quite possible that as a writer, you are juggling a lot of writing balls. You might be working on your novel. You might have an assignment due for a magazine. Or perhaps you are trying to get a short story written for a contest deadline. You have all of this plus what life…
For many of us, writing is a passion. We observe, daydream, jot notes, and become lost in our worlds. Then we come to the paper or the computer and bring those worlds to fruition. We are storytellers. We are artists. Yet, even if we are in the middle of writing and a friend or family…
NaNoWriMo is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it is just too big. Fortunately, there are plenty of other, smaller scale, challenges that can make a huge difference to your writing. If you haven’t already, it is time to add a little haiku to your life. When I started my Master of Arts in Creative Writing…
Greetings from Florida We arrived in Florida in mid-July. The weather was unbearably hot and humid–mid-90’s and within 48 hours of our arrival, everything went pear shaped. First, the job my husband was promised and that we traveled three thousand miles for, evaporated faster than butter in a hot frying pan. Second, the apartment we…
“Why would anyone ever want to leave their comfort zone? That’s the best place to be.” A former coworker said that to me after I placed Neale Donald Walsch‘s quote on my desk: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” For many years beforehand, I held the same belief as her. I was…