Once upon a time, I made New Year’s resolutions. They were usually something like: lose weigh, declutter, or reorganize. Vague and without specific actions or deadlines attached, they were mostly unsuccessful. Don’t get me wrong, they worked… for a week or two. Goals are similar but different. A 2021 article
Category: Writing
Finding Inspiration in Personal Experiences
Life Happens My sons were born 3 years and 2 weeks apart. Recently they had their 36th and 33rd birthdays. Wow. That was fast. It seems like yesterday… Life happens. Change ensues. Whether good, bad, ordinary, or exciting, your life experiences shape the person you become. They also affect those
Can’t Write? Ideas to Combat Writer’s Block
Writing is a solitary endeavor that requires concentration. Some writers need a quiet place away from distractions and others need a noisy atmosphere such as a coffee shop or the chaos of a busy day. But there are times when no matter how perfect the environment, a writer just can’t
Flash Fiction: It’s In The Details
I recently wrote a flash fiction story with a self-imposed limit of 100 words. Typically, my flash fiction (in this case, micro-fiction) is carried by action and dialog, allowing the reader’s imagination to fill in the blanks. However, sometimes too many blanks lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Improving character development
Writing Competitions, Challenges, and Contests
Would you enter a writing competition for fame or for prize money? It’s neither for me. That’s not to say that I don’t want fame or money. I want both but they are not my main reasons for entering writing competitions. the most important reason that I participate is for
A Story Full of Questions
Have you ever written a story in which every sentence is a question? I did that for the first time today. The Source of the Prompt On the Premises is an online fiction magazine. They publish the winning short stories and flash fiction submitted for their writing contests. I found
Quietly Freaking Out: The Week That Was…
Last week was a roller coaster, and the ride is not yet over. There were planned events and then there was “news”. Some of the news was good. Some of it was exciting or nerve-wracking. But some… not so much. Personally and professionally, I was quietly freaking out. Easter Morning:
The Decision: Website or Writing?
Lately, this website has been a pain in my… well, you know. It takes time to work on it, and some days the decision boils down to choosing between working on the Website or Writing. WordPress Woes Although WordPress is not new to me, I’m no expert, and learning all
Short Stories – What I’m Reading
Recently, I’ve made it a habit to read a couple of short stories every day. They help to pass the time waiting for the coffee to drip or in line at the grocery store. For me, it’s an entertaining education. My ability to differentiate between a good story and a
Goals and Tasks
One of my November goals is to write 30 first drafts this month. Wow. Thirty. Sounds challenging. (Maybe I want to re-think this) To meet this goal I have to complete 30 tasks. I plan to write one first draft every day. If I miss a day (or two), my