“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”—Oscar Wilde Comparing your writing to others is a fast-track to a killer case of the blues. Don’t subject yourself to this downward spiral; it’s a waste of your precious time. Concentrating on sharpening your craft, educating yourself and building a platform are much better uses of your effort. [...]

I sat at my mother’s kitchen table, surrounded by loved ones. We spent the afternoon sharing memories from their childhood, about growing up in a small town in Missouri. The only thing that interrupted this enjoyable visit was when I had to turn over the tape. I was doing research on a story. Good and [...]

     There is an urban legend that the great German-born inventor, Albert Einstein, dreamed up his Special Theory of Relativity while riding his bicycle in circles, arms crossed, as he smoked his pipe. It was said that this was his favorite way to ponder a problem. While most regard Einstein as a scientific or mathematical [...]

When Joshua led his troops before the walls of Jericho, they first prepared. The soldiers made ready for battle by girding their loins and shouldering weapons. Writers can arm themselves with their own weapons of war, as they face the battle of the page. From the humble mechanical pen to the latest computer application, wordsmiths [...]

We’ve talked before about the voices in your head suddenly going silent. But what if they stay that way? You’re stuck. A deadline is looming ever closer and there’s nothing on the paper but lint. Writer’s block is a familiar, albeit dreaded term that every wordsmith knows. The holidays and all their hubbub are over. [...]

“You look ravishing tonight,” Marco breathed into the dark-haired beauty’s ear as he led her to the dance floor. The exotic sound of a tango filled the room and the couple embraced in a passionate dance.   While the first paragraph of this essay evokes romance and seduction, the emotion that a reader wants from [...]

It arrived in your email box yesterday. You’ve read it 20 times since then, and still can’t believe someone would say such hurtful things about your story. Receiving a bad review is not lethal, but it sure can gut your confidence like a fisherman with a striped bass. First, if bad reviews send you into [...]

“It seems like yesterday when we sent Junior off to kindergarten, and now he’s starting college!” “There, there, Marge, think of the bright side. Now we can put a hot tub in his room.” Like parents sending their child off to college, writers must release their work for scrutiny and possible publication. Not unlike parents, [...]

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. “–E.L. Doctorow At the August meeting of the Kansas Writers Association, several members jokingly referred to their writing experience as “hearing voices.” Although schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, most writers have regular occurring bouts of voices in their heads. Fellow KWA member B.D. Tharp talks about “the [...]

Doubt is one size fits all. It comes in many sizes, shapes and colors. Kind of like a Snuggie. It covers and envelops our bodies and spirits and hearts, squeezing out all imagination. Doubt is just another word for fear, and that can be paralyzing. Think back to when you submitted your writing for the [...]