I Write Because I Can’t Afford Therapy
If I could afford it, therapy would be preferable, but that would mean finding a decent therapist. I’ve had little luck with healthcare professionals, so when I heard therapists often suggest journal writing to those dealing with stress and anxiety, I thought I would give it a try. It turns out journal writing isn’t my […]
Handwriting is an Incredible Tool
I detest the blank document on my laptop. The cursor is mocking me—blinking on and off, waiting impatiently for me to do something. I much prefer the blank page of a college-ruled notebook. What’s the difference? For one thing, there’s nothing there to mock me—just beautiful white paper with lovely horizontal lines waiting for me […]
Nowhere, Yet Everywhere
I’m in the middle of nowhere, yet I’m everywhere. I’m a part of everything. All my senses are engaged—awakened and happy. Sitting on the front porch, I lean back so I’m staring up at the night sky. It’s dark, and the stars are numerous. They are crystal clear when not competing with the glare of […]
4 Behaviors of a Book Addict
I’m a book addict. I admit it. I recently took a few days off to enjoy a mini vacation for my birthday. And during my too-brief excursion, all four of the following behaviors of a book addict applied to me. 1. I had one bag devoted to books. I was only going to be gone […]
Action: The Killer of Self-Doubt – Part 2
Self-doubt has me by the throat. It has me in its grip and won’t let go. I’m approaching the finish line for my fifth novel, and I’m doubting myself again. Am I any good at this writing business? What if this book is the worst I’ve ever written? What if no one likes it? I’m […]
It’s Not Heaven, But It’ll Do
I’m sitting on the beach, just chillin’, baking in the sun with a cool breeze blowing in off the water. Heaven. My fifth novel still isn’t finished, but I don’t care because my toes are either in the sand or in the water. Every so often, a thought flits through my head about something that […]
It’s Hot!
It’s hot. And I’m cranky. (Usually, I’m just cranky.) That’s about all there is to say when it’s 100° at 9 a.m. and 117° by 2 p.m. Air Conditioner Don’t Die on Me! My air conditioner clicks off for about 30 seconds before it starts up again. Not good. I’m sitting here praying it can […]
4 Reasons for Not Finishing My Novel in 2020
I just read an article on the Writer Unboxed website titled “6 Plausible Excuses for Not Finishing Your Novel During the Pandemic.” Great article. Funny and entertaining. I loved it. One problem, though. Not one of the six plausible excuses in the article explained why I hadn’t finished my novel during the pandemic. So, I […]
3 Things I Learned from Journaling
I started daily journal writing several years ago, although I’m not sure what I do can be called journaling. I follow the advice of Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way and write ‘morning pages’ and dump whatever is in my brain onto sheets in a cheap notebook. Whatever you want to call what I do […]
What is a Viability Advisor?
It’s Friday, and I wish I could say I’m happy about it. But this week has been—to put it nicely—awful, punctuated by a Thursday that was horrible in so many ways. With the help of a friend, I’ve determined that I can no longer be responsible for making my own decisions. Therefore, I have hired […]