Favorite Reads of 2024

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Before we get too far into 2025, I’d like to take one final look back at the year that was and the books I most enjoyed reading. Below were my favorite reads of 2024 as well as a list of honorable mentions.

Have you read any of the following books? What were your favorite reads from 2024?

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (magic realism). Imagine leaving behind the world you know  and making your home in the isolated wilderness of Alaska in the 1920s to explore new opportunities and make a fresh start. Jack and Mabel don’t know what awaits them when they make the move across country. Childless, they struggle as homesteaders. After making a snow child from freshly fallen snow, they awake the following morning to find the snowman gone, but a young girl running around their property. Faina is the child they wish they had, except when the winter snows end and it gets warm, she disappears into the woods. I thought I would be bored by the lengthy descriptions of snow and ice in the Alaskan wilderness, but Ivey does a great job keeping reader interest as the story unfolds and we’re brought into Jack and Mabel’s life.

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen (YA romance). I think I found a new favorite author in Sarah Dessen. While this book is written for young adults, I didn’t find it juvenile in any way. Written in first person POV, I was immediately drawn into Macy’s world and the way she experiences the changes in her life. Macy’s internal dialogue is especially poignant at times, revealing a maturity far behind her teenage years. All the characters were drawn with depth and thoughtfulness. They were fun and interesting, especially when they interacted with each other as a group. I’m looking forward to reading more of Dessen’s books.

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar (historical fiction). This story is about a group of women pilots who became involved in the war effort during World War II. Known as the Flight Girls, their role was to support the U.S. military by delivering supplies and personnel across the U.S. One of the most intense scenes was the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked as our primary character gets caught in the middle of a mid-air battle with the Japanese fighter plane. It’s a fascinating look at a little known conclave of brave women who risked their lives with very little reward and recognition.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (historical fiction). While Quinn is better known for her earlier work The Alice Network, I thought The Diamond Eye was a more compelling story based on the real life of Mila Pavlichenko, a bookish history student from Kyiv turned deadly sniper in World War II. It’s well-written and well researched, providing a fascinating character study into the life, love and military career of a single mother who became Lady Death. The extensive author’s note provides some additional backstory that gives an added layer to the story.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult (women’s fiction). I can always count on Picoult to write a story that challenges my heart and soul. This one is no different about a mother who goes to great lengths to protect her youngest daughter who is diagnosed with a rare condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, sometimes known as brittle bone disease, in which the girl’s bones break easily. I always appreciate how Picoult looks at the conflict from multiple perspectives so readers see the complexity of the story.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (upmarket fiction). I wasn’t a huge fan of Malibu Rising, an earlier work of Reid’s. But as a tennis fan, I was intrigued by this story. In an interview with Reid, she admitted that she knew nothing about tennis when she wrote this book about a self-absorbed fast-rising tennis star. But as a former amateur player, I think she did a fine job capturing the details of the game. Carrie Soto isn’t an easy character to like, but underneath her harsh, brittle exterior was a vulnerable human being who didn’t understand how to connect with others. That’s what makes this story so appealing to me. It’s a great character study.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison-Allen (magic realism/YA)
I read Addison-Allen’s debut Garden Spells several years ago, and I was immediately captivated by her imagination and storytelling. The Sugar Queen is a charming tale about 27-year-old Josey who still lives at home with her mother and feels she’s destined to live a life of disappointment and limitation in her mother’s household. Josey compensates by hiding out in her closet to eat sweets and read paperback romances. Until she meets tough-talking Della Lee who takes over the closet and the secret stash of sweets. Della Lee acts as both nemesis and fairy godmother to guide Josey out of the closet and into the real world.

Almost Home by Joan Bauer (young adult). Like The Truth about Forever, this young adult story reveals an emotional depth far beyond the young protagonist’s years. In this story, after her grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off again, 12-year-old Sugar and her mother must abandon their home in Missouri. They make their way to Chicago to make a new life and make new friends. As she learns to navigate her new world, she still harbors hope that she and her mother will return to their home in Missouri.

The Secret Lives of Dresses, Erin McKean (literary fiction). This surprising read is a coming-of-age story about Dora who has a job she hates but sticks around because she’s in love with a man who barely notices her. When her grandmother has a stroke, Dora returns to the small town where she grew up and helps out in the family’s vintage clothing shop. There, she discovers notes written by her grandmother describing the legacy and history of some of the dresses. A fun and entertaining read with interesting characters.

Honorable Mentions:
Every Note Played, Lisa Genova
One Italian Summer, Rebecca Serle
Open House, Elizabeth Berg
The Library of Lost and Found, Phaedra Patrick 
Stealing Home, Sherryl Woods
The Beach at Painter’s Cove, Shelley Noble

5 Life Lessons Learned from 2024

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Happy New Year!

With another year in the books, I like to look back on what I’ve accomplished over the previous 12 months—both in my personal life and in my writing. Like most people, I know there are some things I could have done better, like sticking to my writing practice when events disrupted my flow or spending less time on my phone playing games.

Fortunately, taking time to look back also gives me perspective so I can learn from those miscues and form a plan for the coming year. There are always lessons to be learned from each year. Here are five lessons I learned from 2024.

1. Stay flexible with your writing routine. While it’s important to set goals for your writing practice and establish a routine, recognize that those plans aren’t etched in stone. Allow some flexibility to your routine because you can be sure that life will throw you a curve ball or two, such as a work assignment that needs a rewrite, a sick pet that needs to be taken to the vet, or a weather emergency such as a tornado or flooding.

In my case, it was minor surgery to remove a suspicious mass (it was benign) and my cat’s illness which meant putting him down. I didn’t plan for either of these events, so I had to work through them to keep my practice going. I admit it was a struggle. There were days I didn’t write at all because my head and heart weren’t in the right space. I needed time to mourn and to heal. Once those phases ended, I knew I was ready to recommit to my writing practice.

So stay flexible and recognize when you need to change your writing routine. You can always come back to your writing when the crisis ends.  

2. Decluttering can cleanse the soul as well as your closet. Decluttering was one of my resolutions for 2024. But with my health and pet emergencies, I didn’t get to it until the fall. I managed to fill two large bins to donate to a non-profit group. But looking ahead, I know there’s more work to do in 2025.

The process of decluttering forced me to confront some things I didn’t realize I was holding onto, old dreams I once had. I had to decide whether to keep them or let them go. It’s an emotionally draining process, but a necessary one. It meant removing old memories and old dreams that no longer served me, but might have been holding me back from achieving new goals. Funny thing is, after this first round of decluttering, I was contacted by a potential new client about a writing assignment.  I’ve heard rearranging furniture can have the same effect. So if you’re feeling stuck or want to move forward in a new direction, try decluttering or moving furniture around. It might just help make space for something new to show up in your life.  

3. Practice self-care. No matter how many obligations you have, no matter how many assignments you’re working on, it’s important to practice self-care. It doesn’t require a lot of time either. Go for a short walk, soak in the bathtub, take a nap, exercise, read a book, meditate, or chat with a friend. Any short break away from the heaviness of everyday life and responsibilities can give you a fresh perspective and renewed energy. It will help you be more creative and productive too. So make time to practice self-care. Your writer self will thank you.

4. Be open to unexpected opportunities. Every now and then, the universe provides an unexpected surprise in the form of an opportunity. It could be a writing assignment from a potential new client or a chance to travel. When the sky opens up like that, it seems like fate is intervening. When it happens, I trust in the universe and say yes. You never know where that new opportunity may lead. And when it comes to my writing career, any stroke of luck is welcome.

5. Keep on writing, no matter what life throws at you. Life happens. People get sick, beloved pets die and friends move away—or show up suddenly in our lives. Through all the upheaval, it’s easy to dismiss our writing practice as non-essential, or worse, you’re too distraught to think or to write. On the other hand, writing can provide comfort and stability during those times when life seems uncertain. Even if you spend only ten minutes a day on your writing practice, every little bit takes you toward your writing goal while also helping you heal. So keep on writing, no matter what happens in your life.

What lessons have you learned from 2024? How will these lessons guide you into the New Year and motivate you to achieve your next writing goal?

How to Keep a Writing Routine During Your Holiday Travels

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With the holidays come opportunities to travel. Whether traveling for business to other parts of the world or to a neighboring state in your own country to get together with family and friends, new and unexpected adventures await.

But when will you find time to write? Your travels can demand a lot of your time and attention. There are parties to attend, gifts to wrap and cookies to bake. You can get so caught up in exploring the city or enjoying holiday festivities that your regular writing practice might fall by the wayside. While you’re traveling, is it possible to still maintain a writing routine?

The answer, says seasoned travelers, is a resounding yes. But to make it work, it’s important to plan ahead and schedule writing time so you don’t get distracted.

Well-traveled writers at the Writers & Artists community provide practical tips to help you maintain your writing routine while on the road.

1. Set realistic goals. Review your agenda if you have one, then schedule writing time around your schedule. Set goals that are realistic for that schedule, whether it’s the amount of time spent writing or a specific word count. If you set a small goal each day, it’s easier to keep to your writing routine. 

2. Always take notes. Keep a small notebook handy in your purse or pocket. When inspiration strikes or you see something that sparks your imagination, write it down. If you don’t take time to jot it down, no matter how briefly, you’ll lose the image. By the end of your traveling, you could have an entire mini-notebook filled with ideas and images from your trip.

3. Take photos. Sometimes words aren’t enough to capture the feeling and visuals of a setting. Photography is a writer’s best friend. Bring along a camera or use your mobile phone to capture visual details that you can recall later.

4. Aim for consistency. Schedule time every day to write, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Writing a few sentences or paragraphs is better than not writing at all.

5. Take advantage of technology. Your mobile phone has numerous features to aid in your writing. Try the voice-to-text feature, for example, to dictate a scene that suddenly pops into your head. The Notes app is helpful to jot down lists or story ideas. Remember to carry a portable charger so you can keep your devices powered up.

6. Make the best use of downtime. Whether you’re at the airport waiting for a delayed flight or you’re riding on a tour bus, use that downtime to take notes, do research, or read up on the writing craft.

While these tips answer the question of how to fit in writing while traveling, you might wonder, “How can I best use my travels for my writing?”

Writer Saanvi Thapar at The Writing Cooperative (on Medium) shares her three-step approach:

Write what you see. Traveling can sometimes disrupt the flow of words and ideas prompting a form of writer’s block, Thapar writes. Go easy on yourself and focus on writing what you see. Many tourist spots offer opportunities to focus on the details of what’s in front of you, whether that’s a stunning sunset over the ocean or the gleam of ice and snow on a mountain. This exercise hones your description writing skills.

Write what people say. If you’re visiting a foreign country, go where the locals go. Grab a table at a café or public park, then listen in on people’s conversations. Note not only the expression in their voices, but listen to how they tell their stories. Immerse yourself in their culture, and write about their history, folklore, and traditions. By listening and learning about others’ stories, you learn to write about them with empathy and understanding, says Thapar.

Write what you feel. Writing is as much an emotional experience as it is a mental and creative exercise. When you travel and experience unique sights and experiences, it’s bound to affect us on some deeper level. Keep those memories alive by recording them in a journal or using the notes app on your phone. Don’t just write about what you see and hear, but explore how those events affected you.

Make the most of your travels by writing about them. With a regular routine, the right note-taking tools, and a desire to share your adventures with others, you can bring your travels to life for readers. 

The Ties That Bind: Writing about Families

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If you ever feel stuck with your writing and need inspiration for your next story, you don’t have to look much further than your own family. Whether you’re an only child or grew up in a family with eight kids, whether you’re the oldest, youngest or somewhere in between, there’s plenty of family drama to draw from. Even the closest-knit families can be hiding a few skeletons in their familial closet.

The holidays seem to intensify these interactions. Some gatherings are fraught with more tension and conflict than a best-selling mystery novel while others will be happy occasions. There are sibling rivalries, miscommunications and misunderstandings, and estrangements. So much fodder for storytelling.

That’s what makes family dramas so fun and interesting to write.

But experiencing these family dramas is one thing; writing about them is quite another. Writing about families isn’t easy. First you have to conquer your own emotional connection to the story, build in some time and space between the present time and the past so you can write about them objectively. You may have to tiptoe around people’s feelings. Family members may not be pleased that you’re writing about them. Or they see events differently than you do. They might feel betrayed or feel they’ve been wronged.

How you present the family stories is up to you, of course. Either write family stories as a memoir or narrative non-fiction, recording the people and events as accurately as possible. Or write a fictionalized version, changing people’s names to protect their identity or leaving out non-essential events and characters.  

Whichever genre you choose, here are a few things to think about:

For fiction:

1. Inject a little humor into the story. To lighten the mood during the most tension-filled moments, pair it with a little humor, writes author Sierra Godfrey at Writer’s Digest. The humor can either come through a character’s personality or in things that the characters say. A good example of this is Buffy the Vampire Slayer who manages to defuse the tension of her fight scenes with snappy comebacks to her demon opponents.

2. Use character imperfection. Everybody’s different so they respond to stressful situations in their own unique way. Under duress, they may make snap decisions that turn out poorly. Understand each character’s flaws, their goals, their mistakes. When you understand the goal of each family member featured in the story, you can use those goals to push family members against each other, Godfrey says.

3. Allow room for each character to grow. If a family member in your story has done something terribly wrong, can they be forgiven? Can they forgive themselves? That can be part of their character arc—from committing their mistake to owning up to it and making amends. In the young adult novel Forgive Me Not by Jennifer Baker, a teen girl is involved in an accident that kills her younger sister. As she goes through a series of trials as punishment for her crime, she grows in self-awareness and learns to forgive herself and eventually earns her family’s forgiveness.

4. Have empathy for your characters. This is the most important element in fiction, writes Godfrey. “Everyone hurts in some deep, emotional way, but most people don’t know how to fix their pain.”  Perhaps one of the best examples of empathy in fiction that I’ve read is The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton. In separate chapters, Hamilton describes the backstory for Ruth’s mother and husband so readers understand what leads up to their brutal and violent confrontation. Ruth, for all her issues, shows incredible grace and insight about what has happened. That shows true empathy, both from the main character and from the author.

For memoir:

The following tips from Sharon Harrigan (via JaneFriedman.com) are geared toward memoir or narrative non-fiction, but some might apply to fiction as well.

* As you write your first draft, don’t worry about what your family will think. Imagine yourself on a deserted island so no family members are looking over your shoulder. Just focus on getting your story down on paper.

* Be aware of your motives. Why do you want to write this particular story, and why do you want to write it NOW? Be careful that you’re not writing out of revenge. Distance yourself from negative experiences long enough so you gain some perspective.

* Write down your own memories before you ask other people to fact-check. Remember your memoir is based on your memory of events, which may or may not be accurate, but they are still yours.

* Treat some people extra carefully, such as children. They’re usually innocent bystanders. Unless they are critical to the story, it might be wise to cut them out of your story

* Family members will react to what you write. Be prepared for criticism, even jealousy. If someone reacts negatively to your piece, go through the manuscript addressing each of their objections. Harrigan also advises having one person to be a trusted reader, someone who knows all the characters in real life but who can also remain objective. It could be a close friend or a sibling. Having that third eye can help you create a truthful story that won’t burn any bridges.

As long as there are families, there will be stories. As writers, we can document the ups and downs and twists and turns that characterize our family life and turn them into entertaining works that readers will enjoy.

Learning to Work with a New Editor

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I received disappointing news a few weeks ago. One of my favorite editors that I’ve worked with the past three years left his company. In his email, he complimented my work and introduced me to his colleagues who would be taking over his accounts.  

Still, the news stung. I’m now dealing with the shaky aftermath. It’s never easy to get used to working with a new face and a new name. It’s like learning to slow dance with a different dance partner. I have to figure out how to dance without accidentally stepping on the other person’s toes.  

There’s also no guarantee that the new editors will want to work with me. Who knows if they have other writers that they prefer to work with? That, of course, is out of my control. I can only control how I develop my relationship with them.   

Where to begin that relationship-building process? It’s never easy, but it has to be done, even if there’s no guarantee anything will come about. I have a head start with the introductions my previous editor made on my behalf. Now it’s up to me to follow through.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had to build a relationship with an editor that replaced one I had been working with. The first time resulted in the connection I had with Scott, the beloved editor who recently left his company. So there is a history of success.

Here are my tips for developing relationships with a new editor, whether you’re new to the publication or they’re replacing a previous editor. Mind you, these connections are still a work in progress. I’m still trying to navigate the relationship landscape with three new editors.

1. Send each editor a note introducing yourself. Keep the note brief. If someone referred you, reference that person in your note. Tell them how much you look forward to working with them. Offer to provide your writing services (or whatever services you offer). Remind them what you can do for them. It might be helpful to share your professional experience, such as the industries and previous companies. Conclude the note with your contact information and some wish for a long-term mutually beneficial relationship.

2. Show your professionalism at all times. If you get an assignment from them, thank them for keeping you in mind for the project. Review the writing worksheet to understand what they are asking of you, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re confused about anything. No, you will not appear stupid. It will show them that you are conscientious and are willing to work with them. Bulldozing your way through an assignment when you’re unclear about what’s expected is asking for trouble. Most important, show that you’re reliable by meeting your deadlines and communicating with the editor if you can’t reach a source or can’t submit the story on time. I have found that if I am running behind schedule because of difficulty reaching a source, editors are usually pretty open about extending deadlines – as long as you communicate the delay. Keeping the lines of communication open will ensure a happy client.

3. Hold off on submitting story ideas. Even if you’ve been writing for a publication for several years and you’re used to pitching story ideas, hold off on doing that until you and the new editor become more comfortable with one another. Give them time to get used to the way you write. Allow them time to get used to their new role. Remember, the ball is in their court. In the meantime, you can stockpile story ideas until the time is right to present them.

4. Mind your Ps and Qs. Focus on work quality. Proofread your story several times to make sure there aren’t any grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure the article you write covers all the points described in the writing worksheet. I would also avoid using artificial intelligence to help with writing your story—unless the editor specifically tells you that you can. I have never used AI for my features because the editors I work with provide the sources I need to interview. The article content comes from these sources, and cannot be replicated by AI. However, AI can be used for brainstorming ideas or doing repetitive work. If in doubt, always ask the editor.

5. Always stay in touch. If you don’t hear from the editor in a while, say several weeks or months, follow up. It may be that they’ve been too busy to reach out to you, or they didn’t need your writing services. Here’s a great tip from freelancer Kat Boogaard who shared this on LinkedIn: When you plan your schedule for the following month, reach out to editors you frequently work with and inquire about any upcoming assignments. Tell them that you’re in the process of planning your schedule and if they have any assignments, they can book them now so you’ll be prepared to jump on the project when it’s ready. It’s a great new approach for staying in touch.

Editors come and go. That’s par for the industry. At some point, an editor will depart, leaving you to establish bonds with the next editor. Don’t let that prospect throw you. While there are no guarantees, clear, consistent communication and producing quality work will get your working relationship off to a promising start.  

Conquering the Scariest Fears about Writing

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Happy Halloween! In honor of this occasion, I’m reposting this story from a few years ago. It’s my treat to you.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably made a myriad of excuses for not getting any writing done – lack of time, fear of failure, too busy, no privacy, nothing to write about, etc.

Below are the seven most common excuses I’ve heard from people (and sometimes I’ve used them myself) for not writing. I call them the Seven Deadly Excuses because they can kill a person’s writing practice before it has a chance to blossom. Many of these excuses are influenced by negative messages and assumptions you’ve heard since childhood. By reframing these messages and taking positive action, those fears could diminish over time.

Excuse 1: “I don’t have time to write.”
A lack of time is the most common excuse people make about not writing. If this is your biggest fear, chances are your writing practice has never gotten off the ground, or you write in fits and starts. You always talk about wanting to write, but you never do anything about it.

The problem isn’t that you don’t have time to write, but the expectation of how much time is needed for writing. If you expect a writing practice to take up two, three or four hours every day, that is unrealistic. No one has that kind of time, unless you are a professional full-time writer. With outside jobs, clients to manage, families to care for,  and other important responsibilities, there’s little time left over for writing.

The truth is, you don’t need hours at a time to write. When you’re just starting a writing practice, only ten or fifteen minutes a day will suffice. For example, while working as an attorney, A Time to Kill author John Grisham set a goal of writing one page per day, roughly 200 words. Grisham shows it is possible to fit writing into your schedule.

Excuse #2: “I’m too busy.” 
When people say they’re too busy to write, what they might actually mean is that writing isn’t a top priority compared to other responsibilities. Work, school, taking care of family and a household take up more of your time. Why begin a writing practice when these other priorities compete for your attention?

Perhaps you learned in childhood that school work and household chores came first before you could entertain yourself by reading and writing stories. Naturally, that attitude and habit carried over into adulthood. It’s no wonder writing hasn’t become priority.  

When you make writing a priority, you’ll find it’s easier to begin a regular writing practice. Remember, you only need 15 minutes! If you can make room for 15 minutes in your schedule for writing, that’s time well spent, no matter how busy you are.

Excuse 3: “My writing isn’t good enough.”
From the first moment you put pen to paper, your writing probably won’t be very good.
That’s normal for most beginning writers. But it’s true for experienced ones too. Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale, writes as many as 10 drafts of each novel because she knows the first draft isn’t her best or final work. It’s simply the starting point that she can build on.

If you continually tell yourself that your writing is not good enough, ask yourself why you feel that way. What is your writing not good enough for? Publication? For other people to see?

Instead of berating yourself for not writing well, make a plan to keep improving. Read authors whose work you admire, so you can learn from them. When you write something, ask for feedback. Constructive criticism can help you spot recurring errors. Most important, write, write, write. That’s really the best way to improve your craft.

Excuse 4: “I don’t know what to write about!”
Do you suffer from blank page syndrome – the act of staring at a blank page or computer screen with no idea what to write about?  Or when you do come up with a story ideas, do you dismiss them as uninteresting?

When faced with a blank page, you may be overlooking the best source of story ideas: personal experience. You have plenty of life experience to draw from, so explore those events from your past and turn them into stories, either as narrative non-fiction or as fiction.

One way to access this reservoir of life experience is with writing prompts. You can find hundreds of prompts on sites such as Writer’s Digest.

Excuse 5: “I don’t have a private space to write.”
If you share a home with a spouse, three children, a dog and two cats, it may be difficult to find a quiet, private space to write. Others believe that without ideal circumstances, such as a desk and comfortable chair, their favorite coffee mug and favorite pen, they’re just not able to write.

You need to ask yourself if the problem is an actual lack of space, or the expectation that you need a lot of space to write. I’ve drafted blog posts on breaks at work, on buses and trains or while waiting for doctor appointments. If you wish you had ideal surroundings and your current environment is far from ideal, you may be waiting forever to start writing. The truth is, your environment does not need to be perfect to begin writing. Look around you. I bet you can find a space to call your own that is perfect for creating stories.

Excuse 6:  “I might fail.”
Another common excuse writers make is “What if I fail?“  The answer depends on how you define failure. What does failure look like to you? Not getting published? Not finishing your current work-in-progress? Not having anyone read your work? Not having anyone take your writing as seriously as you do? Everybody has their own definition of failure, but in reality, there is only one true failure: not writing at all.

To remove that fear of failure, it might be helpful to start small and work your way toward bigger projects. Start with 100 words, then increase it to 200 words, and so on. Every week or so, add to your daily word count. When you reach these smaller goals, you gain confidence in yourself and you achieve small successes that you can build on.

Excuse 7: “What if I’m successful?”
While fear of failure is common among writers, others suffer from a different malaise:  fear of success. “How can anyone be afraid to succeed?” you ask. You’d be surprised at how many people fear success, myself included.

Fear of success might manifest as an unfinished project – or two, or three or ten. You have several projects in various stages of completion but never seem to finish any of them. In your mind, finishing one of them means you’ve achieved success. Then you worry about what happens when you finish that project. Perhaps you edit your piece over and over again, never fully satisfied with what you’ve written – a useful delay tactic preventing you from finishing your work.

If you fear success, then you may need to rethink what success means to you. What does it look like? It may look and feel differently to you than to your spouse or your best friend. Are you defining success on your terms or someone else’s?

For some people, success means getting published, while for others, it simply means sitting down for a half hour every day to create stories with no thought of publication. There is no right or wrong answer. Write according to your definition of success, whatever that means to you.

When you manage your expectations to conquer your fears, the writing life won’t seem so scary.


15 Ways to Honor National Book Month

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

October is National Book Month. To honor this occasion, I am reposting this story from a couple of years ago.

For readers, authors, publishers, book sellers, and book lovers of all ages, this is an important occasion to celebrate books. It’s a month dedicated to literary pursuits, for snuggling up on the sofa with a hot beverage and burying yourself in the pages of a classic or current bestseller, no matter what genre you enjoy.

This is not to be confused with National Reading Month which takes place every March. National Book Month was formed by the National Book Foundation in 2003 to honor the best books and authors. It’s also encourages the reading books of all genres, to support others’ rights to acquire and read books, and support authors and independent bookstores. If you love books and if you love to read, this themed month is one to savor.

So how can you honor National Book Month? Here are a few suggestions that are sure to keep you busy all month – and beyond. What is your favorite way to celebrate National Book Month?

1.  Enjoy a reading retreat. Set aside an entire weekend just for indulging yourself with a good book. Turn off the TV and streaming services. Instead, immerse yourself in the written word rather than watching it on the screen.

2. Read a new author. Scan the bookshelves at the library or local bookstore and find an author you’ve never read before. Perhaps it’s someone you’ve heard good things about. Or maybe you’ve never heard of them, but the book title and premise intrigues you. When you try new authors, you open yourself up to new ways of storytelling.

3. Re-read a favorite author. Re-reading a novel from a favorite author is much like wearing an old favorite sweater that’s warm and comfy. If a lot of time has passed since the first time you read the book, you may see something new in the story that you didn’t notice before.

4. Visit an independent bookstore. Independent bookstores have seen a resurgence in recent years, thanks in part to their connections to their communities. This National Book Month, show your love of reading by visiting your favorite, local bookstore.

5. Visit your local library. For those who can’t afford to buy books, libraries are their go-to place for reading. These days, libraries are more than just a place to borrow books. You can also borrow DVD movies, audio books and music. Libraries are the ultimate literary community center of the neighborhood.

6. Join a book discussion group. There are numerous book discussion groups around and many of them specialize in a particular genre, such as mystery, current events or memoir. Check your local church, library or bookstore for one near you. If you can’t find a group that fits your interests, start one of your own.

7. Swap books with other readers. When you’re done reading a book, spare it from a life on your bookshelf collecting dust. Consider swapping books with friends, neighbor or colleagues so you all can enjoy them. Or set up a lending library in your apartment building so all residents can contribute their used books.

8. Set up a Little Free Library. Share your love of reading with your neighbors through a local Little Free Library. You’d be surprised at the types of books you might find at one, including recent bestsellers. These little libraries not only bring readers together, but they’re a great place to donate your own books you no longer want.   

9. Support local authors. Follow your favorite local authors on social media, comment on their postings, or attend an author book signing in person. Show them how much you appreciate their work. After spending long hours honing their craft or working on their novel, getting fan support often gives them a boost of confidence.  

10. Donate books. There are many non-profit organizations that collect books to pass on to people who don’t have access to them. One such organization is Chicago Books to Women in Prison, which responds to letters from women in prison and sends them books upon request from their library. Consider donating books you’ve already read so others may enjoy them too.

11. Carry a book with you wherever you go. Tuck a book in your briefcase, backpack or purse. If you’re out and about and you suddenly find yourself stuck in traffic, waiting at the dentist’s office or riding the bus, you can use the spare time to read.

12. Read a banned book. A surprising number of books are falling on the banned hit list in many areas of the country. Many of these books are banned because they are either considered sexually explicit, depict child abuse or contain LBGTQIA+ content, among other things. You can find lists of banned books on the ALA’s website as well as ways you can get involved in fighting book banning.

13. Listen to an audio book. If you can’t sit down to read, try listening to a book instead. Audio books make it possible to multi-task, so you can enjoy the latest best-seller while driving your car or cooking dinner.

14. Write a book review. Is there a book you absolutely LOVED? Or conversely, is there one that disappointed you? Write a brief review about it. Post it to your own blog (if you have one) or post on a review site like Good Reads.

National Book Month is the perfect time to express your love of books.

Writing Stories Featuring Mature Characters

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Pick up a book anywhere these days, and you’ll likely find a story about a young protagonist, or at least someone far younger than yourself. In an effort to reach the millennial generation, most publishers and filmmakers tend to feature younger characters.

Where does that leave older readers and viewers?

A recent study by Gransnet, an online community for grandparents, finds that ageism really does exist in fiction. In its survey of 1,000 women over the age of 40, roughly 47% said there aren’t enough books on the market about middle-aged or older women.

Further, over half (51%) felt older women in fiction were portrayed in clichéd roles, such as being technology-phobic (not true) or not having interests outside of the home.  

Most important, two-thirds of surveyed women (67%) said they want to read about characters they can identify with, specifically physically active women (56%) and working in satisfying careers (41%).

The publishing industry is beginning to take notice. Some publishers are more open to reviewing manuscripts featuring older adults. While the path isn’t wide open, it’s certainly an improvement from days past when publishers automatically dismissed a story because of an aged protagonist.

For examples of these types of stories, here’s a list of books I’ve read that feature older protagonists (late 40s and older).

* The Little French Bistro by Nina George
* The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
* The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick
* The Children Act by Ian McEwan
* A Man Called Ove by Frederick Bachman
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
* Olive Kittridge by Elizabeth Strout
* The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
* Open House by Elizabeth Berg
 
Why do these stories work? Because they feature clearly drawn characters with extensive life experiences and some emotional baggage, which makes them relatable. Their backstories are based on modern realities, such as career shifts, love gained and lost, and personal challenges. They also bring emotional maturity. Even though they’re older, they still face difficulties, such as fear of aging, fear of being alone and struggling to trust again.

The truth is, people don’t stop living – or loving – once they turn 45.

“Older characters show us what it’s like to be human,” said Jeannie Moon, Your Author Mom, in a recent webinar for the Contemporary Romance Writers (CRW). While her session focused on romance novels, I think her suggestions can be applied to any genre or literary fiction.

Stories about characters over 45, Moon added, “focus not only on romantic relationships but also on personal journeys of growth and reinvention. Themes of second chances, overcoming life’s hardships, and rediscovering love are common, adding to the emotional resonance of these stories.”

To best capture these literary journeys, writers can adapt the traditional fiction tropes so they reflect the challenges and opportunities of middle-aged characters. For example:

* Friends to lovers – You might have the lead characters meet through a mutual friend or at a social occasion, like a wedding. Maybe they go to the same health club or share the same hobby, like bird watching, or meet at a cooking class.

* Forbidden love – Something about their budding relationship might be forbidden. The most common obstacle is age difference or perhaps they live in separate cities so the distance might prevent them from being close.

* Second chance – This trope is common for older characters. Imagine them meeting at a class reunion (I have friends who met that way and later married!) or meet at the funeral of a mutual acquaintance after not seeing each other for years.

* Rebuilding after loss – Older characters suffer through losses, but also find the strength to move forward with their lives. Losing a spouse, a job, or a home are common experiences for older adults.

* Forced proximity – Seasoned characters might have their own businesses. In this trope, try pitting two business owners against one another on opposite sides of an issue concerning their town.

You get the idea.

There’s plenty of room on library and bookstore shelves for stories about mature adults. The key is to create characters that are authentic and believable. Show them as vulnerable people struggling to make sense of their world as they grow older.

As readers age out of younger protagonist-led stories, they will appreciate being able to find novels with older characters.

Best Tips from the Writing Brave Summit             

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Recently, I attended The Writing Brave Summit, a virtual meeting hosted by Brooke Adams Law. The event featured interviews and webinars by authors, editors and publishing experts who shared insights and tips about writing. The summit covered fiction, non-fiction and memoir writing so participants could pick and choose the sessions that they were most interested in.

As a fiction writer, I walked away armed with renewed enthusiasm for my work. I’ve compiled some of the best tips I heard from these professionals and share them with you below. Hopefully, they can help you as much as they’ve helped me.

Tip 1: If your story is stuck, it may be a problem with your protagonist not the plot. It’s not about raising the temperature in the story or adding a new plot twist, said editor and book coach Daniel David Wallace. What may be needed is to raise the temperature on your protagonist. Make sure your main character is fully engaged with the action, making decisions for good or bad about what to do next. That will keep the story moving forward. Focus on developing the character first, including goals and motivation, then develop the plot.

Tip 2: Write scenes from perspective of one POV character. It’s easier to write a story when you have one Point-of-view character per scene, said Savannah Bilbo, developmental editor and book coach. When you switch POVs within a scene with no defined break, it can be confusing for the reader.

Within each scene, give the POV character a goal, something they want to achieve. That could be getting advice from a friend or gathering some key information or take care of a problem. Also make sure the POV character has agency, that they are the one dealing with the conflict and making decisions.  Without that mini-goal and decision-making role, the character isn’t realistic and can’t engage with the action of the story (which piggybacks onto my previous point.)

Tip 3: Use interiority to get into the mind and heart of the POV character. Make sure the POV character reacts internally to everything that happens in the scene, not just what they think and feel, but what they plan to do about the problem they face, said Karyn Fischer with Story and Prose. Interiority matters for several reasons:

  • It provides context for the action
  • It’s the inside story
  • It leads to character transformation.
  • It allows readers to feel the emotion
  • It allows readers to follow the logic of the POV character
  • It connects to the character’s voice

    Tip 4: Create conflict between characters by developing opposing personality traits. Writer and book coach Kat Caldwell described the Big 5 personality traits of POV characters: conscientiousness (highly vigilant vs. complacent), agreeableness (People pleaser vs. cranky curmudgeon), Extraversion (outgoing and engaging vs. reserved), neuroticism as a reaction to stress (anxious/worrier vs. laid-back); and openness to new experiences (willing to try anything new vs. fearing change of any kind)

To use the Big 5, Caldwell suggested creating a main POV character who is out of balance with one of these personality traits. Then develop a side character or secondary lead character with the opposite trait. Alternately, you can choose a different imbalance for a side character. For example, a POV character that ranks high in agreeableness and wants to please people while her best friend is more open to change and will try anything new and thus encourage the POV character to try new things.

Tip 5: Try intuitive outlining to plan your story. If you’re not a fan of plotting or using formulas to plan your story, try intuitive outlining. This is a hybrid approach that combines the power of your own innate creativity and intuition with a loose, flexible plotting structure.

Not everyone has the ability to plan their story from scene A to scene B to scene C. Maybe you think of individual scenes but you’re not sure in which order they should be presented.  That’s okay, says Lewis Jorstad, The Novel Smithy.

“Our brains have a natural way of telling stories,” he said. Over our lifetimes, our brain has acquired an  innate sense of storytelling because it’s been exposed to different stories over the years—through books, movies, TV shows, verbal exchanges, author readings, blogs and social media, podcasts, etc. We’ve all learned how to tell stories. We just may not understand how to put them together.  

In intuitive outlining, the focus is on developing scenes as you think of them rather than developing them to fit some kind of pre-ordained formula. You let your intuition guide you.

That leads into Tip 6.

Tip 6: Think and write scenes rather than chapters. Scenes are where the action takes place while chapters are merely arbitrary breaks in the story and can sometimes contain more than one scene, which can make it difficult to work with and reorganize.

Because scenes are smaller, self-contained pieces, that makes them easier to write. They’re like puzzle pieces that can be mixed and matched and moved around. Jorstad suggests writing scenes as you think of them, then arranging them in the order they might appear in your story. Then if you see gaps in the story’s action, write additional scenes as needed, but not to complete some arbitrary formula.

Do any of these tips resonate with you? Have you learned any cool writing techniques that have helped transform your writing?

The Great Debate: Should You Call Yourself a Freelancer When Marketing Yourself?

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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I came across an interesting debate on LinkedIn recently. Noted freelance writer Kat Boogaard posed this question to her followers: To be successful, should you call yourself a freelancer?

The question received a great number of comments, many from people who proudly call themselves freelancers, including Boogaard herself. A few claimed that there’s a lingering stigma attached to the title and clients either perceive you as cheap labor, a beginner or are an unreliable profession that can produce good quality work. Much of that is untrue.

Some responses surprised me. I figured I’d see more comments from people who preferred another title, such as business owner or writing consultant. But largely, most of the commenters were proud to call themselves a freelancer.

The conversation reminded me of a colleague I overheard at a networking event many years ago, who bemoaned her fate as a freelancer. I remember hearing her tell another colleague, “Why is it that when I tell someone that I’m a freelancer that they assume my services are free?”

I’d like to believe that we’ve come a long way since that overheard conversation and that today’s clients are more accepting of the freelance term. After all, as one of Boogaard’s commenters point out, freelance is the nature of the relationship they have with clients; it’s not the nature of the work itself. 

That’s an important distinction to remember. Freelancing is simply the way you choose to work. It does not reflect the type of work we do.

So this begs the question: should you include the term freelance in your title when you market yourself to potential clients? Does it make a difference at how they perceive you? Does it make a difference in the types of clients who approach you or the type of assignments you’re offered?

Like any other issue, that all depends on who you ask. I’ve broken down the arguments below.

I proudly call myself a freelance professional because….
 
* It’s how I market myself to clients. It makes it clear who I am professionally, the work I do (such as writing or graphic design) and how I work for them. I proudly own the label and the narrative of a freelancer, and there’s no doubt about what I expect from clients in return.

* Freelance is a term that editors use when searching for writing support. If an editor searches for a freelance writer, and I don’t have that term in my LinkedIn profile somewhere, they’re probably not going to find me.

* The freelance term makes it clear that I am an independent contractor. I am willing to work WITH clients, but not FOR them. It makes it clear that I cannot be treated as an employee of their firm.

* The freelancer term has become more accepted in the marketplace. Many writers have been in the freelance writing business for decades, and have worked successfully under that title. More companies are noting their professionalism, their reliability and their high-quality production. Over time, any  skepticism about freelancers has faded.

I don’t call myself a freelancer because …

* Freelancing can be perceived as a vague term that covers a lot of ground in the creative field. It doesn’t always explain the work you do or how much experience you have. For instance, a freelancer could have two years of business experience or 20. That experience difference can matter a lot to potential clients. It might be better to emphasize the type of writing or creative work you do first before identifying yourself as a freelancer.

* It can imply that you will work low-paying gigs or for free, and thereby attract clients who expect freelancers to do a lot of work for not a lot of money. It can suggest, often unfairly, that a freelancer is a starving artist who will do anything to get published. As more freelancers have hit the marketplace and turned down the low-paying jobs, those assumptions have faded. Still, there’s a certain mindset, especially among small businesses, that they can take advantage of your “free”lancing.

* The term freelancer sounds impermanent and temporary, like the title of “interim manager” in sports. It can imply that the freelancer is there for a short time to hold down the fort while those in charge look for a better qualified candidate for the job you’re already doing. It can also suggest that you’re doing this work short term until you find a better opportunity. In other words, you’re there to collect a check rather than build a long, steady relationship with the client.

As you can see, there are solid reasons on either side. Much of it depends on your comfort level with the term. I recently changed my profile description to include freelance to test out the theory that editors might find me. We’ll see…..

If you find yourself in the middle of this debate, unsure whether to call yourself a freelancer or something else, here are a few questions to ask of yourself.

* What impression do you want to make to potential clients? How do you want them to see you professionally?
* How comfortable do you feel calling yourself a freelancer?
* How do you want clients to find you (via LinkedIn, X, Instagram, other job sites)?
* How do you see yourself? As a business owner? A consultant? A writer and editor? A freelancer?
* How concerned are you about misperceptions in the marketplace?
* How much experience do you have? Are you starting out as a freelancer or have you been working that way for a while?

It takes some serious soul-searching and experimentation with assorted titles to see which one works best for you. No matter how you define yourself as a professional writer, the freelancing business is definitely thriving and is here to stay. There’s plenty of room for new faces in the freelancing pool.