I returned from my trip to Arizona and last night met with the students at our final Novel Writing class. Most of the time, these last classes are a mixture of questions, student readings and a flurry of conversation as they exchange contact info and make plans for keeping their writing flowing. Last night, though, […]
Tag Archives: encouragement
Pick Me Ups for Writers
Writers are an emotional lot–we have to be to tell the truth in an artful way. This leaves us open to the whims of emotion–and more than a few down days. Rejection, a harsh critique, rejection, harsh reviews, rejection, family & friends who say you need to get a real job, rejection–all this adds up […]
Planning for Failure
The title of this post is meant to get readers’ attention. No one wants to plan to be a failure, right? I read recently that a poll claimed that only 1000 writers actually make money or earn their living from selling books. The figure was challenged but it’s enough to know that few of us […]
How Building Up Another Writer Helps You
The competition is stiff in publishing, as the industry goes through huge changes. Many writers feel attacked on all sides as they fight for ink. So how can helping other writers help you?Writing Tip for Today: I’ve been to conferences where you could practically see the sharks circling. I’ve also been to ones where the […]
Validation: Writers Need Encouragement
I found out today that an unpublished novel of mine made the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. I’m in good company with 249 other novelists, but that’s beside the point. Even a smallish thing can boost validation: I’m a writer and that’s exactly where I belong.Writing Tip for Today: Beginning, intermediate and advanced […]
Introducing Becca Puglisi, Guest Blogger
Thanks so much, Linda, for your support of The Bookshelf Muse, and for inviting me over to chat about the Emotion Thesaurus and its history. Your blog has so many helpful and practical tips for writers. I look forward to the day when I can put your post-acceptance tips to use! First off, any discussion […]
Check Out The Roving Editor!
Today I’m busy cross-pollinating at The Roving Editor, Barbara Scott’s fabulous blog. Whether you write for the secular or the inspirational market, Barbara has a ton of editorial experience which she generously shares on her blog. I hope you’ll check it out!
Someone to Believe in You
If you thought no one believed in you as a writer, would you keep writing ? Some of us automatically shout, “Yes! Of course!” But would you–really?Today, an editor showed me that no matter whether I can sell another novel, she believes in me as a writer. It felt heavenly good. If I thought nobody […]
Revising for Excellence
In last night’s novel writing class, two of my most literary students were on to workshop a passage from their novels-in-progress. These two always seem to know the most about writing. I sense not a trace of the usual, “Garsh, I don’t know nuttin” attitude most students have. The work, as one of these literary […]