“I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of.” —Joss Whedon I spent all day carving away at my novel. It feels weird where I am. It’s so familiar, but it’s all so different. Same writer. Same novel.Continue reading “Cheat Codes for Writing”
Category Archives: on writing
Don’t Forget the Value of Your Words.
“Every word a woman writes changes the story of the world, revises the official version.” -Carolyn See
Comfort in Your Writing Space
I have had writing spaces all over my house. At first, I had this huge space down in the basement. I didn’t really do too well with my allergies. Then I had a smaller but still a decent-sized space in the basement, but this time it was in a partially finished room. It still botheredContinue reading “Comfort in Your Writing Space”
A Million Ways
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” -Terry Pratchett There’s a million stories; I feel like it’s not just telling yourself the story but deciding the best story that reflects the vision. What’s frustrating is that visions aren’t always easy to translate within the limitations of language. At the same time, thereContinue reading “A Million Ways”
The Game
“Novel-writing is, for the novelist, a game of let’s pretend.” -Philip Roth When writing this novel, I’ve found the best way to keep going is to find the fun in it! Mary Poppins sings it well.
The Big Secret
“My writing process is a mix of research, personal experiences, washing the dishes, raising kids while thinking – then writing.” -Jean Craighead George I feel like this quote is giving away the big secret to writing. Imagine this is where it all comes from, not magic at all. I still believe there’s a mystery involvedContinue reading “The Big Secret”
Art as a Rebellion
“In this passionate and empowering TEDx talk, writer and creative coach Amie McNee challenges the idea that art is frivolous or indulgent in difficult times. She argues that creativity is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Art calms us, connects us, and gives us purpose. It heals our bodies, minds, and communities. More than that, it’sContinue reading “Art as a Rebellion”
The Missing Key
“I really believe understanding the menstrual cycle is a missing key in the wellbeing and creative output of women.” -Claire Baker What?! Now I need to know more. It has never even crossed my mind to think about my cycle in terms of my writing. I know there are some times I feel like writingContinue reading “The Missing Key”
Trust Your Gut
“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E. L. Doctorow Writing a novel is like this. Writing a poem is more like feeling your way through your house in the dark before your eyesContinue reading “Trust Your Gut”
Grammar Trick
“Writing is an act of faith, not a grammar trick.” -E. B. White There’s plenty of opinions about writing. There are supportive opinions, there are judgmental opinions, and there are just plain old unbiased opinions. I don’t think much of that matters. This quote from E. B. White says it all: it’s an act ofContinue reading “Grammar Trick”
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