Category: Personal Essays
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The Rabbit Hole to Wonderland: a Reflection on the Journey of Writing a Novel
The lingering aroma of burnt pumpkin cookies wafting from the kitchen reminds me of the date. It’s autumn again. That tells me it’s been four years since I started this book, and I haven’t published a page. My ambitions of publication and daydreams of sold-out book signings are worn and threadbare now. Sitting in my…
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Let’s Talk Writing Anxiety: How to Address & Deal in a Healthy Way
Does writing make you anxious? Are you afraid of publishing, one-star reviews, or failure? Is the state of the world simply too much for you to focus on writing? Are these fears hurting you today? If the answer to any of those is yes, then this article is for you, writer.
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Is My Novel Too Short? – Thoughts on the Word-Count Obsession
I won’t deny the importance of word-count. But I begin to wonder if we’ve gone too far in the pressures of word-count goals.
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My Book was Scheduled to Come out 2 Years Ago, and I’m Still Editing
I can say with all honesty that I’ve never worked harder on anything than I have this novel.
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Self-Doubt – Why I’m not an Instagram-Perfect Writer
Suddenly, it’s all falling apart. What if I’m wasting my time by rewriting? What if changing all of this was unnecessary? What if this never pans out? What if I’m not good enough?
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Well, That Didn’t go as Planned: Confessions of a Writer Who Doesn’t Know What She’s Doing
I literally just wrote a few weeks ago how my book is “wrapping up” and “almost done” and “final editing” blah blah blah. What happened?! I was so sure of myself! I had such a great plan laid out. It was gonna be perfect! Here’s the thing, though: sometimes – most times – my own…
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Irritation in the Book Aisle – Writing the Book You Want to Read
I walked up and down the book aisles of Target. Back and forth. Scanning the shelves with remarkable care, even though every title is familiar by now. Give me some credit: I don’t have a real bookstore near me. Books-A-Million is a half hour away, McKay’s is further, and Barnes and Noble is even further.…