Skip to content

Posts from the ‘Writing Life’ Category

Dec 24

1 Comment

Beginning January 1, don’t break your writing chain

Despite dire predictions that the world was going to end last week, I’ve been thinking ahead to how I’ll meet my writing goals in 2013. One reason I like to learn how successful writers work is to see if they have any rituals or routines that I can follow myself.

There’s no way around it: A regular writing routine is crucial to producing finished work. So I was intrigued when I read about the Don’t Break The Chain calendar idea attributed to comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

As the story goes, each January, Seinfeld hangs a year-at-a-glance calendar on a prominent wall of his office, and for every day that he writes new material, he gets to mark a big “X” over that date. After a few days, a chain of Xs begins to form. The annual goal is to write every day and not break the chain. Read more

Dec 20

Two notebooks that won’t let your ideas wash away

My best ideas and writing breakthroughs rarely come to me when I’m sitting in front of the computer. Unfortunately, those ideas can be fleeting, which is a prime reason to carry a notebook.

Inspiration often strikes when I’m on a walk, driving around in my car, lying in bed — and in the shower.

Fortunately, I’ve discovered another writing tool to add to my kit for writing in wet places. Aqua Notes are waterproof notepads that come with suction pads for sticking in the shower. AquaNotes tablets also include a pencil, and you can even write under water. Read more

Dec 17

Writing as a path to healing

Since Friday, I, like many people around the world, have experienced an array of emotions–grief, anguish, anger, and compassion, among others.

I originally began writing because I wanted to tell people’s stories. My mother developed sudden onset dementia and writing was my way to try to understand it. As I saw my mother regress before my eyes, writing about it and talking about it helped me process my grief and my sadness. Read more

Dec 14

4 Comments

Have you read these banned books?

I’m one of those people who wants to go through doors that say “authorized personnel only,” whether I’m authorized or not. So when I see a list of books that are “banned,” I want to read them more than ever. Maybe you do too.

In 1998, the Radcliffe Publishing Course compiled and released its own list of the century’s top 100 novels, at the request of the Modern Library editorial board. Below, you’ll find the ones from the list that at some point in time have been challenged or banned from classrooms or library bookshelves.

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger Read more

Dec 13

3 Comments

What to do on days when your writing takes a back seat to the rest of your life

Some days are just rougher than others. Yesterday was one of them. I woke up at 6:30 and knew I should have gotten out of bed to write for an hour or two before my hubby and the cats were up. But I didn’t. I fell back asleep, waking at 8:30 to a ringing phone and the beginning of my workday.

It was a long day of dealing with the little stuff—answering customer questions, paying bills, compiling marketing lists, shipping, creating content for a product brochure, etc. But despite giving my all to every task (and doing a damn good job, by the way), I was left feeling underappreciated and devalued. It was a sucky kind of day.

So, at the end of my workday, instead of killing somebody, I made a list of alternatives: Read more

Dec 12

2 Comments

Give the gift of your writing

As a writer, it’s within your power to give a one-of-a-kind present: The gift of your words.

If you’re searching for a special gift for a friend or relative, consider the gift of a poem, essay, or heartfelt letter.

Imagine one of your poems artfully written in beautiful script and framed.

Children can create gifts of writing too by writing an autobiography from their perspective, no matter what their age.

Here are a few tips to spark a piece of writing: Read more

Dec 11

1 Comment

Gifts for the writer in your life

I can’t believe it’s the holiday season again. Seems like it was just yesterday! If you still need holiday gift ideas for the writer in your life, below are a few of my favorites. And if you are a writer…feel free to forward this post to your loved ones. Hint. Hint.

Writing Journals

Whether we type our masterpieces directly on the computer or write by hand, we need notebooks and journals to keep track of our thoughts. My favorites are the moleskine notebooks (there are many different colors and sizes so buy your writer more than one).

I also love the Spirit of Flight Journals. Type “writing journals” or “writing notebooks” in your search engine, and you’ll have plenty to choose from. Read more

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »