Did you know that John Steinbeck kept a journal while writing East of Eden and that it is available in book form? For writers who struggle with such things as self-doubt, writer’s block, and guilt, John Steinbeck’s Journal of a Novel is balm to a wound. He wrote it in the form of letters to his editor at Viking Press, calling it his way […]
For Readers
Are You An Accidental Plagiarist?
The idea of plagiarism scares me, as it should. I am a writer of fiction and of a blog, so I need to be careful in how I do research and pass it on, so I don’t use other people’s words as my own. When I don’t know about a subject (which is often), I defer to experts. I use quotes, and […]
Journal Treasures – Writing a Book
While scavenging through old journals for inspiration, I came across an entry I’d written January 1, 2003 about writing a book. Writing a Book A new year begins. A fresh start. Many hopes. Many dreams. One of my wildest dreams is to complete my first novel. I finished writing it a year ago, but it isn’t complete. I’ve […]
The Absolute Truth
I was more or less told by at least three sources to get my act together and start sharing something about my journey as a writer on this blog. Their logic: “That’s what your blog is about, right?” “Tell us about you,” one said. “Share some of your work,” said another. Okay. Okay. I get the […]
75 Books Every Writer Should Read
Let me introduce you to Online University’s 75 Books Every Writer Should Read, broken into the following categories: Writing Basics Advice for Authors Improving Your Writing Grammar Reference Books Writing as a Career Genre or Format Specific Classics Creativity and Motivation Five of my favorites of the 75 books every writer should read: The Writers […]
Thanksgiving Behind Bars: Knowing your Characters
I’ve noticed that on many creative writing blogs writers share their work. What a revelation! I’ve been spending most of my time writing about blogging and craft (which have their place, of course), when my peers are doing what they do best–writing creatively. So using a prompt adapted from The Pocket Muse: “In your character’s voice, describe a holiday without […]
