What is the key to being a successful writer? Building an identity as a successful writer. But what does that mean? Dreaming is Not Enough Kaylie was discouraged. She’d been dreaming of a successful writing career for years. In high school, she won a contest for a short story sheContinue Reading
Writing is a solitary endeavor. Whether we, as writers, are in a bustling coffeeshop or sitting solo at the kitchen table, we are alone in it, submerging ourselves in a world of our own making. We choose our words with care, and then we backspace and type different ones, onlyContinue Reading
by Jane Tucker My retirement plans were twenty years in the making. In my imaginings, I knew exactly how each day would be scheduled, down to the hour. But the reality turned out, as you may have guessed, differently. The first year and a half were spectacular. We traded theContinue Reading
by Wendi Lindenmuth In July of 2015, I hosted a cycling ride in my community that connected two of our most popular gravel trails in Polk County, Wisconsin. We decided to ride about 80 miles total, to our destination and then back to the trailhead where we parked. Many ofContinue Reading
by Rebecca Olmstead I had completed my first mystery novel and done a marathon of three writers’ conferences, my first ever, pitching my baby to less-than-enthusiastic agents and editors. Still, I loved my book, the first in a planned series. Nothing was going to stand in the way of myContinue Reading
by Michéle Olson My main motivation was to write a story that I would want to read! I took a lot of things that I love – Mackinac Island, The Grand Hotel, I Love Lucy, Old Hollywood, movies and TV shows with nuns, and an authentic faith walk. That’s whereContinue Reading
My biggest challenge? TIME! I’m married to a world traveler and it’s difficult for me to carve out blocks of time to write, edit for friends, and read. Although, I do take books with me on all of my trips and voyages. I’m not a Kindle user—I’m an old dinosaur,Continue Reading
I’m not sure if perfectionism is the biggest emotional challenge to being a writer, but it ranks in the top ten. Perfectionism and its evil step-sisters—judgment, comparison, envy, and self-doub—all have the power to do me in if I let them. Based on my unrealistic perfectionist writer ideals, I sufferContinue Reading
I think I was born with the creative bug. As a child I was always making something—paintings, crafts, songs, stories—and I get grouchy when creativity isn’t happening in my life. Two ingredients are really important for creativity to flourish, and they’re pretty difficult to find: time and headspace. I’m luckyContinue Reading
Writing is a truly bizarre profession. We lock ourselves away for weeks or months or years, with no way of knowing if what we’re working on will ever be worth any of that effort. One day, we’re sure we’re writing the greatest novel the world has ever seen, and theContinue Reading
by Carol Pratt Bradley I have three published historical novels sitting on my bookshelf, another manuscript completed and another begun, with ideas for several more. Interestingly, I find that at this stage of being a writer, many of the feelings that I had before becoming a published author still exist.Continue Reading
The key to my creativity is cultivating a positive and active brain. If I let in too much negativity (from social media, the news, and other people), I lose my creative energy. Likewise, if my brain is sluggish (from poor health, poor eating, or poor sleep), I’m incapable of creativity.Continue Reading