Theory and Practice
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What Anne Lamott Said to Me (Sort of)
One of the advantages of living near Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the opportunity to be part of the thriving literary community that revolves around the University of Michigan’s prestigious Zell Writers’ Program. When I moved here twelve years ago, I declared that I had landed in Writer Heaven. One of Ann Arbor’s gems (in the… Continue reading
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Wondering What to Write About? Try These Prompts
We are writers. We are committed to writing regularly. Some of us face a blank page every day. Writing is generally a solitary exercise. The topics about which we write arise from the deluge of our thoughts, from the minutiae of our impulses and emotions. Sometimes, though, our minds may feel blank. What will we… Continue reading
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25,000 Words by April 1?
I’m fired up! I just finished reading Jami Attenberg’s new book 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round. Reading her book led me to explore #1000wordsofsummer, a popular movement in which people commit part of their summer to writing a thousand words a day. Attenberg advises, “Write 1000… Continue reading
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Should We Set Writing Goals?
I am writing this on New Year’s Eve, in the midst of the resolution-setting season. As I’m sitting here, I imagine that writers out there in the world are considering whether or not to set writing goals for the upcoming year. A born plan-maker and strategy-formulator myself, I have posed writing challenges for myself in… Continue reading
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Reasons to Keep Writing
Writing is hard work. Maintaining a regular writing practice can be thankless. You don’t always get the recognition and support that you deserve. Your writing gets rejected. Or ignored. You may question your ability. You may wonder why you keep doing it, or if you should. At times when you feel that your writing is… Continue reading
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Write the Book You Want to . . . wait . . . what?
If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. Toni Morrison Who are we writing for, anyway? Since Toni Morrison died in 2019, I have encountered many times the above comment attributed to her. And every time I think of it, something about it… Continue reading
Do you write about yourself and your experiences? Do you write about traumatic events in your life? Or, do you struggle to find time and motivation to write?
If so, this blog is for you.