Something has me feeling philosophical. Maybe it’s because I’ve finished the first draft of a novel I’ve been working on and have “shelved it” for a couple of weeks to marinate. In last week’s post, I wrote about a writer friend who is thinking of giving up writing because she’s tired of knocking on doors…
You’ve got nine months left to birth your goals in 2024! (Too graphic?) Think of this reminder post as your alarm. The alarm has sounded, slap it and…go back to sleep? No, don’t do that! Slap that alarm and bounce up. Wipe your brow and say, “Whew! I still have forty-one weeks left to work…
I just read a disturbing essay called “The State of the Culture, 2024” on The Honest Broker by Ted Gioia who says the public is leaning heavily toward no longer wanting entertainment as we know it: movies, books, theater, art, new music. People want distraction. They want to scroll, to look at something for a…
Walt Disney was one of the most creative individuals. As is Barbra Streisand. JK Rowling. The Beatles. Monet. But why did they feel the need to tamper with the world? Why tamper with making something out of nothing? Did the world really need Mickey Mouse? Did the world need Funny Girl or Harry Potter or…
Lately, I feel like I’m doing so many things and none of them very well. When I get overwhelmed, I’ll admit, my first impulse is to give up. Do you ever feel like that? But today I remembered two things: 1) It’s Presidents’ Day, and neither Washington nor Lincoln ever gave up and I know…
Valentine’s Day is coming this week. So happy hearts and flowers and anything that makes your heart go pitter-patter! Did someone say, “Books”? The quickest way to my heart is a stack of unread books. Here’s my stack of books to fall in love with (for kids) this month: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold….
I keep a journal, but it’s full of boring weekly to-do lists and notes from writing courses. I guess that makes it not-a-journal. Do you have one? If not, sticky-notes can be just as good for capturing your thoughts. Sticky-notes are also super for writing teeny-tiny stories. I love the idea of small stories. I…
And why is it all over children’s literature…and oozing into some adult lit, too? I’d agree with you if you said that the word “magic” is overused almost to the point of meaninglessness. But don’t become jaded to magic. It’s anything but meaningless. In children’s literature, magic spins a golden thread. You’ll find it in…
“Your mind is like a dirty tap.” That’s what Ed Sheeran, singer/song writer/musician/record producer, has said. That tap has to run for a while before the water gets clear. To be clear (ha!), Ed wasn’t talking about water, and neither am I. I’m talking about ideas. Do you expect your story or painting or garden…
How are you? I read (can’t remember where!) that by this point in January, people can tell what kind of person they are by how they’re tackling their new year goals. If you still have a foot in the game, bravo! If efforts are meh, quickly look for the smallest, most infinitesimal thing you can…
