I found FundsForWriters over three years ago when I became disabled and started considering writing as a new career option. Since then I have followed C. Hope Clark through her websites (see the links below), blog, and Facebook. I have learned much from her and am always encouraged. Today I am excited that Hope Clark offered to …
What I Wish I’d Known Then… Read More »
I was recently trying to help a friend who found herself in a rough spot. She kept telling me she had no ideas and was terrified of what was going to happen, yet every suggestion I made she responded to by saying she wasn’t comfortable asking that person for help, or she didn’t want to …
No Need to Write Alone Read More »
As I’m sure every pre-published author has, I read Stephen King’s On Writing, and pretty much every other autobiography of successful novelists I could get my hands on. The majority started out writing and selling short stories. So, I prepared to do the same thing. I have written some flash fiction (short, short stories of 1,000 …
The Next Step–Get Published! Read More »
I am the first to admit that I can justify almost any form of procrastination, but my hands-down favorite is research! This became such a problem while in graduate school that one of my professors made me parrot “It’s not done, it’s only due” every time she saw me about campus. I had missed too many …
Researching WWII Children Read More »
I have been dreaming of going to a writers’ retreat for years. While reading a magazine aimed at those of us pursing a writing career, I came across the idea of a DIY Writers’ Retreat. The article (which I have since lost and forgotten all the citation information) gave suggestions for holding your own writers’ …
Do-It-Myself Writer’s Retreat Read More »
“Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet.” — Anonymous The Internet is only one of my many distractions. A little over three years ago I naïvely thought that after having been an insatiable reader since early childhood and investing years in studying and teaching literature, I would be …
What are distractions, really? Read More »
After four decades of making amazing plans, setting solid goals, and having them dissolve like a vapor in the wind, it still surprises me when things don’t go according to plan. Growing up, my family motto was “all plans are subject to change.” I had great plans for my writing in November, and now it’s …
Back on the Keyboard Read More »
For those of you who aren’t writers, or aren’t familiar with NaNoWriMo, this post is to inform, inspire, and share my experience thus far. NaNoWriMo (pronounced nă-nō-RĪ-mō) stands for National Novel Writing Month. I first heard of this when I read Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt in January 2010. At that time …
