Dear Reader, Today I’m diverging from the path of flash fiction to talk about National Novel Writing Month. Many writers used to join NaNoWriMo for this occasion, but they’ve closed up shop for a variety of reasons. I know that as a long-time participant and former ML with NaNo, I felt an odd sense of emptiness last year without the typical chaos of cheering others on while simultaneously attempting to hash out my story. I missed hearing about what others…
It’s been a wild week in the mountains. Filled with medical appointments, storms, head colds, and a broken dishwasher. Sometimes, life is messy, and the best you can do may not feel like quite enough. The instinct to fight against the tide leads to burnout and succumbing to the inevitable — but in a much grumpier frame of mind. None of us are immune; however, I’m learning to lean into the need for rest while my body battles the unexpected…
I stand in the middle of the crowd and know what people think as they stare at me. They see me smile as I give them my full attention. I listen and nod while they share their woes and troubles. I offer sympathy without judgment, and an encouraging word where I can. They stare into my eyes, which I presume are gray or brown or whatever color they were when I was born. It’s hard to remember, because I haven’t…
This is a series of questions I came up with for my local writing group to chat about at our Thank Goodness It’s Over party, which we’ll likely be celebrating the day you read this. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of my answers. I confess I didn’t include all the questions because some might not make sense to read. If you’d like a printable list of the questions for yourself or to share with fellow writers, you can…