I was at one of those scary artsy parties. You know, the kind where everyone is thinner and cooler and surely having more sex than
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The AWP Conference in Boston: Where Writers Swim Like Fish
My first day at the AWP Conference in Boston, I stood for several minutes at the bottom of the escalator, paralyzed by the sight of so
Read MoreNew York City Survival Tips from a Country Bumpkin Mom
I work in a barn. As in, I literally work in an office in the barn behind our house. Built before the Civil War, our barn has everything you might
Read MoreTips For Choosing The Right Reading Materials for Your Kids
This week, I'm featuring a guest post by English teacher Pam Johnson* on how to choose the best books for children of any age: If you want your
Read MoreDoes Blogging Sell Books? Not Exactly. But Here’s Why You Should Do It Anyway.
Whether you're a self-published writer or published by a traditional house, the word on the street is the same: Blog like your life depends on it if
Read MoreShould You Publish Your Own Novel? Four Things to Think About.
After writing five novels without selling any of them, I lost heart. What was I doing wrong? I had sold many articles and essays to national
Read MoreParents in the Trenches: Talking to Teens Without Shouting, Getting Gored, or Losing a Finger
Recently, I heard about a woman being gored by a rhino in South Africa. She was in a safari park when a guide suggested that she stand closer to the
Read MoreWhy You Need a Writing Retreat and How to Make the Most of It
As I write this, I'm in a house on the tip of Cape Ann in the dead of winter, in a place where I don't know a soul. I couldn't be happier. I'm on a
Read MoreRevising Your Novel: Is Back Story Clogging Your Narrative Flow?
Most of us become novelists because we don't envision moments. We envision worlds. Novelists must fully inhabit those worlds to write about them.
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