Category: Writing
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The Void
You must feed the void or it will feed on you. That is what writing is. It is standing on a precipice, staring into an endless hole with no guarantee, no possibility really, that you will ever be able to fill it up. And while the void is deep enough already, if you wait, if… Read more
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Day Jobs
I have a full time job and then some. It has been about eight weeks since I took the position after completing my MFA degree in Creative Writing. And I now no longer have time to write everyday. It is often frustrating, probably adds to some of my sleep issues and exhaustion, but I will… Read more
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New Year New Reads
Happy 2015! I’m sure everyone plans to read more this year (don’t know that we will, but it’s nice to dream) and I have my first suggestions. My friend Daniela has just translated her debut novel into English, and it’s available for digital download on amazon.com. If you love fantasy (and a good deal) try a… Read more
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National Book Festival 2014
The National Book Festival was today in DC. I attended for the second year in a row. Perhaps it was more apparent this year, as the venue was indoors rather than out on the national mall, but the festival was incredibly well attended. I sat through four packed presentations and spent the rest of my… Read more
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10 Signs Finals are Coming (MFA Style)
10) Your professors actually mention that your class has a syllabus and you do have an exam 9) You realize exams are still something you have to deal with 8 ) Your needing coffee is now a socially acceptable complaint 7) Your needing alcohol is now a socially acceptable complaint 6) Your classes are full… Read more
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Collaboration
Yesterday a play I wrote received a staged reading. Something to know about me is I’m a little bit shy. I write because I love it, but I also find it an easier and more enjoyable form of communication than talking. However, when working with dramatic writing forms, rather than short fiction or novels, there is… Read more
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Thinking Tools
When I write (usually long hand, I type later) I like to have one thing other than a pen and paper. For those long minutes when I actually have to stop and think between pages about what to do next I need a ball of some kind. Usually I have a baseball or a Spaldeen,… Read more
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Women in Fiction
Yesterday was International Women’s Day. March is also Read a Book Month. In honor of both those occasions I’ve compiled a small (and thus incomplete) list of awesome women and girls in fiction. Who did I miss? In no particular order: 1- Hermione Granger – Harry Potter 2- Katniss Everdeen – The Hunger Games 3- Lyra Belacqua… Read more