Persistence

Why Is That Book Taking You So Long?

Recently, one of my writing students asked for advice on how she should structure her novel. “I already have fifty pages and I don't know

Why Keep Writing?

It's easy to give up on your writing. Whether you're working on a novel, a memoir, a short story, or an article, writing is hard. Not

What Can Puppies Teach Writers? Plenty

After my beloved dog Leo died, I entered a thick fog of grief. I felt his absence keenly because he was such an integral part of my life,

The Incredible Weirdness of Being a Writer

I went on a writing retreat recently. Nothing fancy; this wasn't one of those places where you're in a cabin in the mountains and people

How to Revise a Novel: 5 Practical Strategies

I sent the complete draft of my new novel to my agent in September. When I got her editorial notes some weeks later, there were more things

Getting Unstuck and Finding Your Fiction Portal

I am no fiction virgin. I have published six novels to date—one on my own, and five with Penguin Random House. Yet, until recently, I have never felt

Should You Track Word Count While Writing a Novel? Yes, No, and Maybe So

If you eavesdrop on a conversation between writers, it's easy to mistake talk about craft for something else. Marathons, maybe. “I had

I Wrote for 17 Minutes Yesterday!

Last weekend, I participated on two different author panels during the 2016 Newburyport Literary Festival, an event packed with

How One Coach Got Me Off the Couch—and Inspired My Writing

I'm the mother of three champion long distance runners. I honestly don't know how that happened, since I was never a runner. But I showed up at almost

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Persistence