Tweet This is a post I don’t usually write. Usually, I’m a how-to nonfiction writer hoping to inspire you. But when it comes to fiction, I’m struggling. Recently, I attended SCBWI Hawaii chapter’s 2016 conference with 2015 Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat and literary agent Suzie Townsend. It was as encouraging as it was discouraging. It made me want to write as much as it made me want to quit. One of the other writers put it simply. With nonfiction there’s facts to lean on. When you’re grasping around in your imagination, there’s no bars, no walls. You’re free and freedom can…
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Tweet Your muse. That nefarious, unpredictable, fickle elf (but don’t tell her that, I want to get on her good side!). Many writers say you don’t need one. Just put fingers to keyboard and type. Me? I need one. When I write when I’m fatigued, when I’m ill, when I’m uninspired, my work is kind of trashy. Ends up being deleted the next day. In my opinion, sick days are best for transcribing and editing. But there are secret ways I’ve learned to ease the muse out. It’s the reason why I’ve been bubbling up with ideas lately. I can’t…
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Tweet Is inspiration really that important to your writing? If you read my other blog, The Inspiring Bee, you can probably guess what I think. But I might be alone in my thoughts. I just wrote an article for The Writer magazine with quotes from a handful of writers I admire on why inspiration may not be necessary to get writing. In fact, they list at least three reasons why you may be wasting your time if you’re waiting for inspiration to strike. What do you think? Does inspiration help your writing soar or is simply an excuse to procrastinate?…