30 Days of Discipline
On showing up, doing the work, and improving your life
Writing and Mountains
Two weeks ago, me, Kyle and Yoshi – along with Kyle’s momma, Sharon, and uncle Jimmy – made the 24-hour drive to our new residence, San Tan Valley, AZ. A common question we’re getting from people we meet here and friends back home is what drove us here? Kyle and I had no guarantees when…
Takeaways from Des Moines Writers’ Day
No matter what profession you’re in or what hobbies you pursue, connecting with like-minded people in your area can help you grow in so many ways. Writing – whether you pursue it as a profession or hobby – is a job done mostly in solitude. It’s easy for us writers to get too comfortable at…
2016: The Year in Writing
Back in January, 2016 wasn’t looking so good. I had my wedding to look forward to, but the year was off to a bad start. Kyle and I had celebrated New Year’s on a party bus with about 40 of our friends. Three weeks later, about 10 of us came down with mumps. Guess who was…
A Writer’s Favorite Things: 15 Gifts for Writers
What does a writer like? You might think notebooks, pens, books…and you’re definitely right, these are great gifts for writers. But if you want to really surprise the writer on your Christmas list, think beyond the general act of writing. How can your gift help their creative process, ease their writing stress or help them grow as…
7 Tips for Writing and Life from Author Cheryl Strayed
If you’ve read the book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail or seen the movie, you know that words from Cheryl Strayed have a way of evolving into a deep, inspirational lift while stemming from dark, tragic life experience. Author George Sanders describes Strayed’s writing best: “Big-hearted, keen-eyed, lyrical, precise…Cheryl Strayed reminds us in every…
Authors | Creativity | Writing
Jenny Lawson: Tips on Writing and Blogging
What may start as a fun, hobby-based or stress-relieving blog can often serve as the foundation for a best-selling book. Look at the success of Julie Powell’s Julie and Julia and Tim Ferris’ 4-Hour Work Week. The same happened for the humorous personal memoir writer, Jenny Lawson. Lawson is the blogger behind The Bloggess, an award-winning blog containing dark humor…
Is Writing Hard?
During a recent long car trip out of state with my fiance, I sat in the passenger seat typing away on my Chromebook, sighing here, laughing there, oohing and aahing at other points. I shared with Kyle the deadlines I had to meet the day after we would return back home, and he made a thought-provoking comment: “At…
Set Yourself Up for Success with the DIY MFA Book
Since graduating with my bachelor’s degree five years ago, I have been debating whether to enroll in a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in creative writing. The idea of it sounds absolutely blissful to me–honing the craft, develop my skills, making important connections with established writers and publishers, and, of course, forcing myself to…
Reader to Writer: My Origin Story
There’s a common myth among writers that people were born with the talent to write. My mom has always told me that I have a “gift” in writing, and while I enjoy compliments, I have to argue that I wasn’t born with special writing skills. Perhaps I had instilled in me certain qualities that are required to…