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I received a LinkedIn notification of a book release, from a man I respect. The premise was intelligent, and I perceived the plot to be in-depth and a challenge, which thoroughly tempted me. The problem was: 1. About six other authors I already read have books out. Some were released the end of 2021, some just […]

“Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.” ― Judy Blume, bestselling children’s author Book banning is back in vogue. I don’t care which politics people adhere to or whether or not they have children, but I am not fond of book banning. […]

“Sorry, but we’re in crisis mode over here. Everything nonessential is getting cut. But call us when this COVID thing is over.” Just like that, my two-year university contract doing international education strategy development vanished. Worse still, my consulting business appeared to be sliding straight toward a cliff. Higher education was on the skids, and […]

The point is to learn how to write anything book-length, and the first one you write, actually reaching THE END, may need to be your trial run. You really need to see if you can do this first, and that book, with all its warts and scabs, could show more of your flaws that you […]

After enduring 21 Covid months cringing through virtual events, the experience boils down into a secret sauce for going pro when going on camera. Shifting a virtual event from the level of suck to success is a skill every author needs since virtual connections increase opportunities for professional exposure and more book sales. Seven easy […]

Earlier this year I lost another family member. At the funeral, I caught myself giving more attention to the impact this person had on other people, and how it’s not about how they died but how they lived. Yeah, maybe trite and cliché, but the shift from mourning to celebration mattered to me. To pine […]

When I started my writing career, I maintained my corporate job, which offered me the stability I needed after surviving leukemia and the respite of part-time work during my long convalescence. I took a very business-like approach to jumpstart my writing life. Find feedback fast Corporations invest in intensive employee feedback to help people grow […]

The more someone else can write your piece, the less valuable it is. I receive many submissions for FundsforWriters, and the majority of them can be written by almost anyone. How to write for parenting magazines, how to schedule your writing day, what makes for a successful writer. The advice could be copied and pasted from […]

Memoirs and legacy books have never been more popular. It is natural to want to memorialize oneself, to create a written portrait of one’s life to pass down to children and grandchildren, or to publish one’s story as a lesson from which others can learn. However, not everyone who wishes to tell their personal story […]

It’s a familiar feeling for the writer. Once he or she has finished a manuscript, essay or book of poems there is a sigh of relief and a feeling of satisfaction for a job well done. The writer puts the work aside for a bit, then takes it out again and starts the editing process. […]

As a published author, I always look forward to reading FundsforWriters. Not only does it deliver C. Hope Clark’s fun updates about all things books (and life!), it provides incredibly useful news about literary grants, job opportunities, industry insights, and writing retreats. Last year, the newsletter mentioned the Pat Conroy Literary Center’s Writer’s Residency in […]

I like to think of Christmas Eve and New Years Eve as the forecast, the brink of something forthcoming instead of the end of the year. We stand on the cusp of better and brighter living. Of more hope. Of more adventure. There are those of us who have suffered loss, and I wish you […]