I don’t really like the term “writer’s block” but I have experienced periods of extreme low motivation and feeling stuck in a particular place in the manuscript with no clear vision of how I’ll move forward. Here are a few ways to write past it.
Read MoreI really enjoy productive friend dates. I think the ‘raising the barn’ type stuff that we do together is just as important as going out for coffee.
Read MoreYou’re waiting for an answer, you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, or… maybe for reassurance that it won’t drop and all is well, and it’s draining. But because nothing is physically wrong, you feel like you should still be able to perform at your best.
Read MoreWhen I was younger, I used to ask what was the point of decaf. Sadly, I am older now, and I am acutely aware of the point. And I hate it. However, I wish more places had it.
Read MoreThe very publicly covered romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce was really not anything I cared about. Until I noticed that the way Swift was treated really put a spotlight on how women in general are treated when they express a mild interest in sports.
Read MoreThere’s something about an official Snow Day that feels different. It’s not like a sick day, or a holiday, or even a random day off. It’s like nature throwing a curtain over the birdcage of the world and telling everyone to calm down.
Read More2023 was a bumpy landing, forcing some change in 2024.
Read MorePSA: Those cute pictures of kittens playing with balls of yarn are false. Cats and string can make a deadly combination.
Read MoreThe list of foods that I can have is much shorter than the list of ones that I cannot.
Read MoreRecently there was a huge kerfuffle in the book world. I don’t want to get into that, but it punched up a feeling I’ve been having for a while. A blog I’ve started to write several times but stopped, unable to get a good grip on what I was trying to say. I think I’ve got it now.
Read MoreI’m a list-maker. I’m a practice-run person. I like to do “just one more take.” In short, I like to get things right.
Read MoreWhat is so magical about existing in an empty home for hours, days, or weeks at a time? I have a few theories.
Read More2023 has flown by and honestly, I feel like I need a nap most of the time. But this weekend I’m trying to slow down enough to appreciate what’s around me.
Read MorePeople often express amazement (or shake their heads at how insane I am) when I get up early before whatever events are happening to squeeze in a run, but for me the run is part of the trip. I find such amazing things on early morning runs.
Read MoreI have done everything I can to make packing easier for myself. These systems invariably help. So why do I still hate packing more than just about anything else?
Read MoreIt’s been summer weather in Nashville, which I have to say I don’t mind, but even in the south the Earth circle the sun at the same rate, i.e. the days get shorter and the nights stretch well into the morning. On Halloween, as is typical in Nashville, we had a sudden freeze. Suddenly, it was in the 20s overnight and only reaching to the high 40s during the day. I noticed that it jump-started certain behaviors that I tend to associate with winter even though it will be back into the 70s this weekend.
Read MoreI recently had a fellow writer ask me to do an entry about negative reviews and how I handle them. At the time I was like, ehhh, I don’t want to talk about that this week, but I’ll put it on the list. I can’t remember exactly why I didn’t want to talk about it, but probably I had just received a negative review. This week I feel ready! So let’s dive in!
Read MoreIn case the term is new to you, body doubling refers to being on a call (usually a video call) with someone else in a different location where both of you are doing a task. I’ve tried body doubling with other writers, and it works! I’ll break down what I’ve found most effective.
Read MoreWe do not like the cone of shame.
Read MoreI am writing the advice I would have liked to give my past self. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly nuanced because this is a barometer I do believe you have to develop through experience. My younger self would have really enjoyed a roadmap though. She would have liked bullet points and a direction. So I will try to give you a rough one.
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