Writers need to journal. End of story. Continue Reading…
Writing can be difficult business. It is usually a solitary endeavor that requires us to pull our creative energy from our own mind, heart and spirit. There have been times when I have sat and stared at the empty page for oh so long, wondering where I will find the inspiration to write something that means anything at all. Many times I want to just shut down the computer, or close the notebook, go watch television and forget about it until tomorrow. But I know that writing every day is what keeps my mind on my writing. Continue Reading…
In 2005, I left the world of regular paychecks, corner offices and difficult bosses to become my own boss. I opened my own public relations agency and at the same time began taking on freelance writing assignments from newspapers and magazines.
Becoming a freelancer and entrepreneur was NOT on my bucket list of things to do before I died. In fact, over the years I had many conversations in which I emphatically said, “I will never, ever own my own business. I like my regular paycheck, benefits and security.” Continue Reading…
Recently I’ve written some historical pieces for magazines. For these articles, I spent uncountable hours conducting in-depth interviews with people who were involved in the story or who could provide me with background, a colorful perspective, or a unique memory. An important technique I have learned is to transcribe everything from the interview, and then begin to build my story using key quotes I’ve received from my interviewees. Dialogue and quotations can be a powerful way to move a story forward and provide it with its heart and soul. Continue Reading…
“The desire to write is like a nagging mother.” ~ Erma Bombeck
There is an old framed newspaper column hanging above my desk that was written probably more than 20 years ago by Erma Bombeck, who most will remember as a wildly popular and beloved author, newspaper columnist and humorist. When Erma died in 1996, a very unique and inspirational voice was silenced. Continue Reading…
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