Years ago, when my friend Amy asked me if I wanted to be a part of her writing group, I was skeptical. I was just wrapping up my masters degree, and had been a part of three different writing groups, all of which had lasted no more than a meeting … [Continue reading] about 6 Tips for Forming a Writing Group
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What I Learned at AWP This Year
AWP is a pretty epic gathering of writers. I went once before, when I was in grad school, and had to travel all the way to Chicago to do it. So when I found out it was going to be here in LA this year I signed up right quick. In case you're … [Continue reading] about What I Learned at AWP This Year
Talking Story with Charles Johnson
My UCLA extension class, Novel IV, ended Tuesday. I've said before what a great class it was, and one of the highlights was that the instructor arranged for us to Skype with the author of the book we had studied all quarter, "Middle … [Continue reading] about Talking Story with Charles Johnson
Fiction Submission Spreadsheet
Rejection is part of being a writer. If you're not getting rejected, you're not submitting enough, and I haven't been rejected in years. For a long time I didn't submit any short stories to journals because I was working on my novel, and it just … [Continue reading] about Fiction Submission Spreadsheet
My New Writing Desk
Moving sucks. We haven't moved in so long, and we've never done it with kids, and there is so much to do, and we've entered the "I know it's here somewhere" phase. Ug. And while getting ready to move, I'm trying to get our current house ready to … [Continue reading] about My New Writing Desk
No Need to Ask
Preparing to move has gotten the better of me. All I want to do is work on my novel. It is coming along very well, better than it has in a long time, and yet, life continues. Lunches need to be made, bedtime stories told, appointments attended, and … [Continue reading] about No Need to Ask
Reverse Engineering a Story
When I started my novel, my thesis advisor suggested I check out a book called Winter's Bone. This was back before it was a movie with the impeccable Jennifer Lawrence staring as the main character, Ree. (Yes, I've been working on this novel for a … [Continue reading] about Reverse Engineering a Story