“Can I really make a living as a writer?” The recent graduate with a creative writing degree asked. “Yes. Depending on the type of writing you do and how disciplined you are. But if you’re expecting to get rich by writing books, you need a different plan.” We spent the next Coaching sessions working on […]
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“So . . . what can we do? How can we help them understand without preaching at them?” “Well . . . what if we write a book together and explain it in clear language, without any put downs?” And so we did. My son and I had this conversation in 2019, a few months
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What does it mean to call yourself a ‘creative?’ That you constantly come up with new ideas? That you begin a thought and then take a rabbit trail another direction? Or that your desk is always a mess? My definition of creativity involves two possibilities: For Jordan Raynor, author of Called to Create: a Biblical
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Although the music and sounds of July Fourth are now a week past, I still like to focus on freedom—specifically the freedom where I spend most of my time—writing. It feels as if this freedom has always been part of our lives. One of the things we might take for granted. But only since 1791
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about creativity. Partly because I’ve started a new group called Creative Connections. Partly because I learned more about creativity through the books and presentation of Julia Cameron. And partly because I like the topic. After pondering about creativity, I’ve come up with two definitions: Writers understand the whole making-something-out-of-nothing
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Last week, I settled into my table at the library. My table—and woe to anyone else who takes my spot! Another week day romp through my latest novel. This one — a coming-of-age story of a young girl in the 1950s in Oklahoma. Although my main character is NOT myself, she does experience many of
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My hometown recently hosted an author festival. Thirty authors set up their tables, complete with vertical displays, dishes of candy and an assortment of books. After I set up my table, I roamed through the library and visited with the other authors. This library was the modern version of the old Carnegie library where I
When creativity nudges a book idea, strange things can happen. Writers usually begin with the germ of an idea, maybe a “What if” question such as: “What if a young girl from Kansas ends up in the land of Oz?” Sometimes these creative nudges become a puff of wind. They fly away, and the writer forgets
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In our world of virus warnings and political mayhem, it’s nice when life offers a surprise. A few months ago, my creative brain noodled with an idea. What about writing another Christmas book, but not one related to Alzheimers or caregiving? Why not consider the women of Christmas and the roles they played in the
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On Valentine’s Day, I treated myself to the movie, “Little Women.” It was a fabulous version of the classic story, told with back story and references to the Civil War time period. The movie was true to form, credible in its costuming, setting and historical accuracy. The theater was filled with mostly women, probably like
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