Tweet I was interviewing another writer who shared the same insight that I had this year. That with everything else that has combusted in 2020 (vacation plans, truth in government, belief in humanity) one thing stood out as being the lone win. For once in my writing life, the whining insecure I’m not a real writer was shot, and a real-er more likable writer took her place. Somehow while everything else went down the drain, my self-esteem came out intact. Not only that, but I gained the balls to query places and apply to opportunities that I would no way…
-
-
Tweet This is a great holiday gift idea if you’re one of those early Christmas shoppers who like to get presents done before Thanksgiving. But it’s also a perfect pick me up if the world has got you down lately. Admittedly, I’ve become a big fan of subscription boxes from kid-themed like this one to spa-indulgent. Right now, getting a box or two in the mail is a must-need ray of sunshine on an otherwise dismal stay at home day. If you’re in need of a little writing inspiration, you might choose to go straight to the Scribbler Subscription box,…
-
Tweet Most people are not fans of difficult emotions. So we evade it. We distract from it. We eat. We shop. We gossip. We watch mindless TV. All to escape feeling something that isn’t bad. It’s the things we do to try to avoid it that’s bad. But feeling it is just well uncomfortable. And yet, to sufficiently deal with anything hard like grief or disappointment, we need to actually feel it. Right now there’s a lot of pain in the world. But everywhere on social media and in life we hear the same things: Buck up. If it’s not…
-
Tweet It happens to the best of us. Sometimes creative blocks last a few hours after a walk or shower. Sometimes they drag on for months, even years. It’s during these times that we’re likely to give up. That brilliant premise that got us to our feet every morning now seems like a distant dream or worse a terrible idea. Yet we hear of writers who became authors after years, a decade even, after slogging through a single manuscript. If we give up, the buck stops there. But what if there were ways can we reignite that flame of passion for…
-
Tweet Lately, I’ve been resting in between writing articles. I know my greatest asset is not my writing, but my ability to stay healthy and strong despite waves of doubt, unpredictability and chaos of our pandemic world. I realized while there is a multitude of classes provided on the craft of writing, I seldom see posts devoted to a writer’s inner world. How do we nurture our creative selves? How do we protect it from burnout, desensitization and overwhelm? This is the reality for many of us who are sensitive souls. I am an INFJ so making sure I don’t…
-
Tweet As writers, we love to write and create, and sometimes even edit. But talk about ourselves? Work on our finances? Market our books on social media? It’s enough to send us back behind the safety of our computers. Introverts as most of us are, are deeply uncomfortable putting ourselves out there. But being an author is a business. It requires us to share who we are with the world and to do so in a real, authentic way. This is why meeting author and business consultant Mitch Mitchell was such a breath of fresh air. Everything from his website,…
-
Tweet Laurie Ann Thompson is a children’s book author of seven books including ALA Youth Media Awards Schneider Family Award winner Emmanuel’s Dream, which can you believe was her first published book? When I set out to interview authors, I never imagined I’d get the chance to talk to a picture book author, let alone one who is accomplished as Laurie. As you’ll hear in our interview she’s every bit as talented, smart, and knowledgeable as every author I talk to, while being extremely humble. If you write for children, you know the challenge of doing so. I’m on my sixth year…
-
Tweet Lately, everything seems to be coming to the forefront. We can no longer stay silent and hidden, sweeping our historical systemic racism under the rug. There are people in power triggering all of our old wounds, inciting violence, but also causing us to reflect and revisit the ways we’ve been hurting each other. Racism is a fact of life. The pandemic is a reality of our new life. Writing is a tool that can be used to make changes. But how do we write and create when everything in the world is overwhelming right now? I listened to an…
-
Tweet In this conversation with Cami Nihipali, a teacher at Kamehameha schools and author who writes under the pen name CL Walters, and I chat about deep things. I didn’t even do an intro on this one. I didn’t have time to. We get right into race relations and what’s going on in the world today. It’s not an easy conversation, but I admire her courage and willingness to go there. She didn’t have to, but she did. You won’t want to miss this one especially if you’re writing about cultures different from your own. I attribute the ease of…
-
Tweet I recorded this interview weeks ago and postponed it due to the racial tragedies and injustices that have impacted me deeply. To support the Black Lives Matter Movement, I have been speaking out on my social media platforms and will be making changes to this blog. You can read about my stance on The Inspiring Bee, but I will be posting here as well. Thank you for your understanding while I figure out ways to serve you and what we’re all going through right now. Inspiration Conversation With Author, Speaker and Teacher Susan Purvis If you heard that an…