For the past five years or so, I have opened every new year with a post looking back on the lessons I have learned in the previous year. What began as just another idea for a blog post has become one of my most treasured rituals. Every year when I sit down to write this […]
December 26, 2022 by 23 Comments NewsTop 10 Writing Posts of 2022
We made it! Welcome to the end of 2022! After the many notably momentous years that preceded it, 2022 was for me a “sleeper” year—both in the sense that it was much quieter and less externally eventful, but also in that it still ended up surprising me with the deep changes and transformations it has […]
December 19, 2022 by 13 Comments NewsMerry Christmas, Wordplayers!
Dear Wordplayers! This week, I am wishing you a merry Christmas and a beautiful holiday season. My hope is that as you look back on this year, you find it rich in blessings, memories, good surprises, growth opportunities, and wonderful stories of every kind. As always, this time of year is a retrospective for me. […]
December 12, 2022 by 40 Comments Podcast15 of My Favorite Books in 2022
This year-end round-up of my “top books” is always one of my favorite posts to write. I always look forward to the retrospective of my year, not just because I get to remember everything I read, but also because my memories of my actual life are so intertwined with what I read. (When I’m trying […]
December 5, 2022 by 64 Comments PodcastWhat Are the Best Places to Write? 15 Tips to Create the Perfect Writing Space
I admit it. I drool over Pinterest pictures of dreamy libraries and studies. Sometimes I google “writer’s offices” for inspiration about the best places to write, in search of that perfect writing space that will magnetize me to my desk and make me want to stay curled up with my work-in-progress for endless hours of […]
November 28, 2022 by 39 Comments Writing LifeThe Best Christmas Gifts This Writer Has Ever Received
Buying that perfect Christmas gift is always a challenge, but if someone on your list this year is a writer (or if that writer is you), here are some ideas straight from my top-ten list of personal faves. The following were gifts from thoughtful family and friends who know I’m a writer and chose accordingly. […]
November 21, 2022 by 16 Comments NewsHappy Thanksgiving, Wordplayers!
This week, in the U.S., we celebrate Thanksgiving. I find I have much to be thankful for this year. I’m thankful for the work I’m able to do, for all of you who read this site and my books, for your support and encouragement and confirmation in so many ways. I say this every year, […]
November 14, 2022 by 55 Comments UncategorizedMaster List of Answers to Most Asked-For Writing Topics on This Site
You who read this site and participate in the discussions are an endless source of inspiration to me. This is true in many ways, but most literally in that when you ask deeply insightful questions, you often give me great ideas for posts about writing topics! A few months ago, I asked you all to […]
November 7, 2022 by 52 Comments Podcast8 Tips for Dealing With Negative Reviews of Your Book
If one of your goals as a writer is to be read, then sooner or later you will have to deal with negative reviews of your book. This could be as simple as a family member or beta reader telling you (tactfully or not) they didn’t like the book. Or it could be as painful […]
October 31, 2022 by 46 Comments CharactersTop 14 Tips and Tools for Creating Unique Character Voices
Voice in fiction is crucial—but also elusive. First, writers must consider their own authorial voices, then the story’s specific narrative voice, and last but certainly not least character voices. In fact, if you’re writing fiction, the most important voices on the page technically aren’t yours, but your characters’. All of ’em. And they all need […]
