It’s no secret that the Omega Christian Writers conference is happening next week. Preparations have been underway for months now (OK, for two years actually, since the last in-person conference) and now it’s almost time! Squeeee! But what is so good about a writer’s conference? I’ve written about the advantages of conference before: being with […]
General writing
Tips and skills in writing generally
Changing Lanes and Taking Risks
‘Stay in your lane’ is a frequent social media soundbite that is not so much advice as it is admonishment. And I get it. I do. There’s only so much a millionaire can say about living on the poverty line, for example. Or that an expert on Russian poetry can tell me about when to […]
Why I Started Writing
I started writing because I was angry. A lot of writers tell you not to do that. They say anger is a lousy motivation. They say if you write while angry, the anger will leak out onto your pages. Bring it on, I say. Frankly, I don’t care about a writer’s motivation. Many people are […]
Gifts and Graces: A Tale of A Book Signing
I walk into the bookstore, arms wrapped around my box of books. (I always bring spare books to book signings just in case. Call it professional paranoia.) I spot a table set up for me and my author friend who will be joining me. Unhurriedly I set up my paraphernalia and relax on a chair […]
Blessings of a Writer’s Conference
I walk into the main conference auditorium, dragging my keyboard with me. (Actually, a friend is dragging my keyboard. I am dragging the stand.) The room is set up with rows of chairs facing the far wall, where a table sits. I set up my keyboard beside the main table, testing the sound. I will […]
Keep Calm and Keep on Writing
I sit alone on the park bench, watching the world go by. Nearby walkers pass in and out of my field of vision, but I am not watching them. Their chatter, and the chatter of birds, dimly registers in my consciousness. There is a rose garden to my left; from here, I can see the […]
Retreating—In a Good Way
When is a retreat a good retreat? When it’s a writer’s retreat. Actually, there are many forms of healthy and healing retreat. Last weekend I indulged in several of them: I took off to a friend’s place in the Blue Mountains, met with writer-friends, ate fresh scones with jam and cream (essential fuel for writing), […]
You Mustn’t Let a Little Thing Like ‘Little’ Stop You
I really enjoyed watching the new Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical. One of the catchiest songs for me was Naughty, in which the eponymous Matilda, a plucky young girl, sings: You mustn’t let a little thing like ‘little’ stop you! The song is about how you can be brave and take matters into your own hands, even though […]
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Creativity is Inefficient—And That’s a Good Thing
As a kid, I loved to daydream. I would sit for hours, staring through my bedroom window into the backyard, imaging all sorts of characters going on quests and having adventures. My toys and LEGO constructions mirrored these daytime fantasies, and I enjoyed books that took me into other worlds too. I started writing stories […]
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Is Writing Cathartic?
‘How wonderful to express your pain through writing,’ people often enthuse. ‘It must be so cathartic!’ Yes—and no. On the one hand, I find it helpful to get my feelings onto paper or screen. Seeing things in black and white can give me clarity about my problems, not to mention perspective. Sometimes, when I write […]