"Let us forgive ourselves for writing poems that aren't better than every other poem that has ever been written." - Dean Young, The Art of Recklessness As writers and poets, we must read. If we do not read, we will be horrible writers. This is nearly a universal truth, no matter how many aspiring writers may say or wish otherwise. (I say "nearly" because there may be some prodigy somewhere who is the exception, but I have yet to meet this person.) Shitty readers make shitty w

"Write even when the world is chaotic. You don't need a cigarette, silence, music, a comfortable chair, or inner peace to write. You just need ten minutes and a writing implement." If you look online for writing advice, quotes, or sayings, you will find many like this one. They all say something along the lines of write when and where you can, you don't need anything particular to get started, you don't need things to be perfect. I call b.s. It is true that you can sque

You have a solid premise and a compelling concept. Your characters are strong, likeable, and multifaceted. Your plot is engaging and well paced. Yet, you're still not selling your book and/or engaging readers. Why? You're cheating, and your readers can feel it. You may have written your book for you, but your audience isn't going to read it for you. They're going to read it for them, which means your book isn't about you at all—no matter how many months, years, and/or relat

I had a wonderful time yesterday talking with Dr. Jeanette Gallagher on BlogTalkRadio about living well with migraines and my book, "Finding Happiness with Migraines: A Do It Yourself Guide." A few things we discussed: Pharmaceuticals Supplements Genetic mutations that might be affecting your migraine treatment Essential Oils Managing Triggers If you missed the live show, you can listen for free on BlogTalkRadio. #migraines #tips #livingwell #chronicillness #radio

Most writers hate marketing. We don't like promotions. We hate cold calling and networking, and most of us find our author bios to be the hardest things we've ever written. In short, we're not salespeople. But, in today's world, if you want to sell your book, you're going to have to change that. It doesn't matter what your plans and hopes and dreams for publication are. Regardless of whether you want to publish traditionally through a big-name house or self-publish on Amazo

You’ve spent weeks, months, even years drafting and revising your work. You’ve researched agents, editors, contests, and publishing houses. You’ve read their recent winners and recently published authors. You think you’re done, that you’re ready to submit. Hold on. Not so fast. Here are five formatting mistakes that could get your manuscript tossed before anyone even catches the brilliant line (or two) in your first paragraph. Not paying attention to the recommended forma

One of my favorite author quotes has long been from Elmore Leonard, “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” Ernest Hemingway meant something similar when he talked about good stories being like icebergs: “If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of

I’ve finally done it, that thing I kept talking about, over and over, for the past nine months. And guess what? It feels great! I’m more productive, less anxious about deadlines, and more at peace with myself. In fact, it’s been going so great, I can’t believe I didn’t start sooner! No, I’m not talking about a new diet or workout routine. No, it isn’t a re-energized sex life. I’m talking about something much, much simpler. A thing we’ve all heard about, and yet rarely find th

My son turned one this month. He is walking, running, pointing, gesturing, saying words like “come” and “sister,” laughing, playing jokes, and learning about boundaries – his own and those of other people. He is not, however, sleeping through the night. In fact, after 40 weeks of pregnancy and 12 months of baby, a “good night’s sleep” for me is still a three-hour chunk of uninterrupted slumber followed (or preceded) by a couple of 90-minute chunks. I’m exhausted, and the get-

My life revolves around a schedule. It isn’t because I want one. (I’m not a natural planner, and I chafe under rigidity and obligation.) It’s because I need one. With an unpredictable chronic illness, an ever-changing infant on the cusp of toddlerhood, and a sweet-but-sometimes-explosive adolescent girl, my schedule keeps me sane. It helps me pencil in time to work, read, and relax. It ensures I get a shower or bath more often than every 72 hours, and it reminds me that (even