A Tool to Crush Writer's Block

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A Tool to Crush Writer's Block

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? It has to be one of the most debated topics in the writing world. Some writers believe there’s no such thing and others can attest to how debilitating it can be. I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, but I have to say, I don’t like the word “block.” Stuck or having a less than productive day, sure, but having a block just sounds so awful to me!

Quite some time ago, the lovely Mari McCarthy from Create Write Now gifted me her journaling course Overcome Page Fright. I first met Mari two years ago when I interviewed her about her book Heal Yourself with Journaling Power. If you’re not familiar with Mari, she famously says, “Release the issues in your tissues,” and she is living proof that journaling will change your life.

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Mental Wellness for Writers

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Mental Wellness for Writers

With the crazy year 2020 has been, I thought it would be appropriate for my last post of the year to discuss mental health for writers. Writing is a great way to improve mental health. But what can you do when writing is your job? How do you maintain optimal mental health when you’re already writing all the time?

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New Resource & Giveaway Alert: The Occupation Thesaurus Writing Guide is Here!

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New Resource & Giveaway Alert: The Occupation Thesaurus Writing Guide is Here!

Hi everyone! Today I have something fun to share…a special chance to win some help with your writing bills. Awesome, right?

Some of you may know Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi of Writers Helping Writers. Well, today they are releasing a new book, and I’m part of their street team. I’m handing the blog over to them so they can tell you about their Writer’s Showcase event, new book, and a great freebie to check out. Read on!

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Realistic Character Descriptions: My Experience as a Floral Designer/Florist

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Realistic Character Descriptions: My Experience as a Floral Designer/Florist

To win readers over we need to write characters so authentic they feel like real people. How do we do this? By brainstorming a character’s backstory, personality, needs, desires, and their day-to-day world. Lucky for us, one aspect of their daily life is a goldmine of characterization: the type of work they do.

Think about it: a job can reveal personality, skills, beliefs, fears, desires, and more, which is why Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi created The Occupation Thesaurus, a writing guide that profiles 124 possible careers and the story-worthy information that goes with each. To help with this project, I’m sharing my experience as a floral designer/florist below, in case this career is a perfect fit for your character!

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Why It Might Be Better For Your Wellbeing to Not Write Every Day

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Why It Might Be Better For Your Wellbeing to Not Write Every Day

Last month I shared a wonderful guest post by Desiree Villena—4 Reasons Writing Every Day is Great for Your Wellbeing. While I agree with the points Desiree makes, I also found myself questioning whether writing every day is great for everyone. If you follow author Becca Syme on YouTube, you’ll know about QTP—Question the Premise.

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4 Reasons Why Writing Every Day Is Great for Your Wellbeing

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4 Reasons Why Writing Every Day Is Great for Your Wellbeing

Guest post by Desiree Villena.*

As someone who writes for a living, I’ll admit it’s not always something I want to do. Getting started some days is like pulling teeth (if you’ll pardon the cliché from this purported professional wordsmith).

But unlike a trip to the dentist, I always feel much better immediately after a writing session — mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even physically. To me, this is a sure sign that writing is good for my wellbeing, and I know that many of my writer friends feel the same!

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I Asked the Wind: Interview with Poet Valerie Nifora

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I Asked the Wind: Interview with Poet Valerie Nifora

I had the pleasure of speaking with poet Valerie Nifora about her new book I Asked the Wind. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I Asked the Wind is a collection of poems about love. Valerie and I chatted about her book and what advice she has for aspiring poets and anyone searching for love.

Scroll down for the video, or continue reading for a summary of our chat.

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