If you’re having trouble every time you start writing, you may simply be trying too hard. Readers of this blog already know how I feel about prematurely striving for perfection or allowing your inner critic to weigh in when you’re trying to create. Both will effectively squash any creativity you ever hope to have. Let’s… Continue Reading
Writing on Demand
I admit, I haven’t recently followed the advice I give my writing coach and blog coach clients about writing on demand. I’ve only just now gotten back to writing my book Auntie Mom. For those of you who missed that post, suffice to say that my 18-year-old nephew from Paris has moved in with me.… Continue Reading
Self-Publishing Success Story
I love a good self-publishing success story. So I love this post by Judy L. Mandel about the process of getting her memoir Replacement Child (Seal Press, 2013) written and published. She found the process that worked for her during the creative phase. She didn’t give up when she didn’t find a publisher, opting to… Continue Reading
How to Get Kids Excited About Writing
When I donated a month’s worth of writing coach sessions to a silent auction benefiting a local non-profit organization, I didn’t expect my new writing coach client to be 11. “Does he want to do this?” I asked his father who had actually bid on my services. “He’ll do what he’s told.” That didn’t bode… Continue Reading
One Writing Coach Client’s Book Launch
After writing coach client Barbara Hinske sent me her manuscript to review, I came back with two major suggestions: She had neglected one entire narrative thread involving the book’s villains that begged to be developed. She needed to let the action–rather than narrative exposition–move the reader through the story. As I’ve discussed in my Story… Continue Reading
Surviving a Stalker Republished
Some people might say that I’m stubborn. When it comes to not letting a good book die, they’d be right. I wrote the first book about the stalking of ordinary people 20 years ago. It was published as a mass paperback. It did okay, but not great. That’s what happens when there’s no real marketing… Continue Reading
Languages Are About More Than Words
When I was in college, I took a bilingual creative writing class. Most of the students, including me, wrote stories and poems in either English or Spanish, or sometimes in both. Since I’m also fluent in French, having lived in Paris as a kid, I also wrote in French. (How do you spell over-achiever?) But… Continue Reading
Punctuation Can Make Alll the Difference
A friend who has brought me on to help with her romance novel sent me the following email about what a difference punctuation can make. It made me laugh, so I figured I would share it. After you read it, I think you’ll agree that punctuation can, indeed, make all the difference. Enjoy! –… Continue Reading
Grammar Outs – Cooking Shows Burn Grammar
In my ongoing effort to out bad grammar committed by very public figures, I turned to TV’s cooking shows. Talk about fertile ground! “We’re going to rinse [the pasta] really good so it stops cooking,” said the host of Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen. Jamie, you say good and I say well. And in… Continue Reading
Why Blogging Is Critical
“Are people still really blogging?” asked a friend of mine when I announced that I was going to start helping people as a blog coach. After more than a decade of working with individuals as a writing coach, it just made sense. Yes, people are blogging, especially if they’re trying to promote themselves or their… Continue Reading
Literary Agent:
Ted Weinstein
Ted Weinstein Literary Management
Mechanics’ Library Building
57 Post Street, Suite 512
San Francisco, CA 94104
tw@twliterary.com
www.twliterary.com