Life from a Rotting Log
What can a swamp-soaked piece of wood teach us about resilience? Between 40 bug bites and a sinus infection, here is why feeling unproductive is sometimes the first step to growing something beautiful.
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Day 1 of Writing 9,000 Words
One of the biggest traps a writer can fall into is believing that their work needs to be incredible the first time around. That’s the kind of thinking where writer’s block is born. Today I officially started a full week off of work, and boy, did I hit the ground running. Yesterday, I sat down…
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Bass the Putter: The Infinite Loop of Creative Irony
Do you ever mix up the sounds and letters in words while you’re talking? Because I do. And it feels like I do it a lot. It’s actually become a running joke in my inner circles because I also write a lot, and words are my thing. You know? Indiana Jones has a hat, Popeye…
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The Toll of Becoming an Author
Do you know how much it actually takes to write a novel? It’s shocking how much goes into it. Even after writing a few, if I look too far ahead, I struggle to stay motivated. That’s because writing—especially novels—requires focus on the little things. It starts with a word, then a line, then a page,…
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The Long Road to Writing Subterrania
I used to wonder how authors came up with their story ideas. How do you take a single thought and stretch it into hundreds of pages? I never imagined I’d find my own answer in the Las Vegas airport, staring down the dark mouth of an underground tunnel. I can’t speak for every author, but…
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One Month of Daily Blogging (and Counting!)
Between lesson plans, grading, and wrangling middle schoolers, you’d think I wouldn’t have much energy left for writing. Turns out, the opposite is true. Since moving to South Carolina and starting my new job as a middle school teacher, I’ve managed to fall into a solid writing routine. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve posted blogs…
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How My Mom Accidentally Got Me Writing Advice From a Bestseller
Four years ago, just as I was beginning to take writing seriously, one of my favorite childhood authors visited my hometown for a book signing. I remember standing in a long line of children at Barnes & Noble, waiting for my chance to show my support. My plan was simple: walk in, tell him I…
