I took this picture on the beach, a few minutes' walk away from the cabin where I and three fellow writers retreated for three nights and four days (last Thursday through Sunday) that we dedicated to writing. You do not have to be rich to go on a writing retreat. We've used cabins that belonged to friends. You do not have to be a brilliant established writer to go a…
I have friends who don't want to their writing to be cookie-cutter, fill-in-the-blank stories, thus they hesitate to read books on story structure. There are many more people who just want to write stories than there are people who want to study how to write stories. Writing can be fun and exhilarating. A spurt of creativity and words pouring onto the page sometimes trigger a euphoric "high." However it is an understanding of story structure…
Today, I'm prepared to delve into the emotional side of writing. It's my homage to the holiday. Valentine's Day, at least in our culture, has been dedicated to red paper hearts, flowers, creme-filled chocolates, expensive dinners and anything else you can put a Hallmark icon on. Then there's the flip side of Valentine's Day for all those singles out there--and though that's not me anymore, I've been there…
Not writing is good for your writing. I mean it. This weekend I dropped my normal writing routine and got out of town for a two night escape with a bunch of friends. We stayed in a cabin surrounded by snow, mountains, and sweet-smelling, air. A drastic change in routine can work like pure magic. It reminds my body that it exists to live fully, not simply to fulfill…