What a lifesaver for writers and editors alike! Fellow NAIWE member Barbara McNichol has compiled in one easy-to-navigate manual the most crazy-making words from A-Z that, yes, trip us up. No more scrambling […]

As we embark on a new year, many writers are assessing where they are in their journey and determine where they want to go in the year ahead. For some, that means publication.

Most writers are familiar with […]

As I reflect on this past year, I have had the privilege to bear witness to the achievements of many writers—and, in some cases, I have had the honor as an active participant in them. Some finished writing a book, […]

What immediately comes to your mind when you hear or read the following names: Oprah? Stephen King? Joel Osteen? Most likely, it is an image, a concept, or a word. But whatever the form, that is that individual’s […]

Last month, I wrote about the importance of writers having their own storefront, or website. So this month, I want to address how to drive traffic to your website. In a word, marketing.

I confess that marketing […]

Two weeks ago, I was chatting with an acquaintance who is also self-employed. A massage therapist, she rents space in a salon on Main Street in her city. We discussed the perks and perils of self-employment, and […]

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”
– Robin Williams

“If you don’t take some time off, your work is going to suffer.”

This inner admonition sliced through my murky, overwork-induced fog, snapping me to full, present-moment attention. The last thing I want is for […]

Recently on Facebook, one of my friends posted a photo of his book cover with the caption “On sale now…” What immediately followed, along with the 51 “Likes,” was a flood of comments: “Where can I buy it?” […]

One of my favorite people, agent-turned-author Nathan Bransford, blogged last week that writers “kind of have to have” an addictive personality. In his view, compulsive drive is necessary to finish something, […]

Last month, I attended the UW-Madison Continuing Studies Writers’ Institute, which was tremendous. The last presentation of the Institute was a panel discussion about how to keep our enthusiasm for writing alive […]

The dialogue bubbles that appear on my smartphone in texts has got me thinking about dialogue (again), so I want to continue this topic from last month.

In response to last month’s article, one of my […]

Dialogue is one of the trickiest elements of writing. The ability to capture on the page the natural flow of speech and conversation is a skill that comes naturally to some writers and evades others. But never […]

When I began my newsletter eight months ago, I was on fire, brimming with ideas and enthusiasm and committed to having it sitting in my subscribers’ inboxes first thing on the first day of each month. And for the […]

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions, mainly because they tend to be just that—New Year’s resolutions. An event. A short period of time, like the New Year’s holiday. Once the resolution period is over, […]