The Real Writer

12/25/2022

Zeus Saves The Day!

Last writing tip of the advent calendar series and I’ll share why I’m writing on a holiday at the end. There was a plan…. If you’re reading this while hiding somewhere from your family and looking for distraction on your phone, or something neutral to discuss at the dinner table, glad to be of service. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and thanks for reading! Stay tuned for writing adventure #6 on New Year's Eve for a cool transition into the new year.

Writing Tips Day 9: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/23/2022

Intensify Don't Multiply

Watch out for falling into "more is more" mode!

Writing Tips Day 8: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/20/2022

Design Matters

And now we dig into my favorite part of editing and writing: design. Like a secret conversation between you and the work.

Writing Tips Day 7: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/16/2022

Burn It Down

New post for my Random Advent Calendar for Writers tips series and it's a tough one. Do you have the nerve to burn it down?

Writing Tips #6: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/11/2022

Why a Poem is a Hummingbird

Writing Tip #5: Why a Poem is a Hummingbird. Follow my Random Advent Calendar for Writers and join me for a new writing adventure on New Year's Eve!

Writing Tips Day 5: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/08/2022

You Can't Reap What You Don't Sow

Writing tip #4 in my series leading up to a cool writing adventure on New Year's Eve.

Writing Tips Day 4: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

12/04/2022

Who's Really #1?

Who's Really #1? Day 3 of my Random Advent Calendar for Writers with writing tips. Check out this sneaky pitfall many writers get caught in and how to fix it.

Writing Tips Day 3: Random Advent Calendar for Writers

11/27/2022

Writing Tips: A Random Advent Calendar for Writers

New tradition: my Random Advent Calendar for Writers: writing and editing tips to keep you creative through the holidays and prepare you for your next writing year. It will end in a very cool writing adventure on New Year's Eve.

Day One: The Rule of Threes

11/13/2022

Four Lost Things

New post: Four Lost Things: A stranger's notebook, a message in a bottle, a sign from a dead ex-boyfriend, and a billionaire’s request.

A stranger's notebook, a message in a bottle, a sign from a dead ex-boyfriend, and a billionaire’s request.

10/30/2022

Halloween Dinner with Your Favorite (Dead) Writer

Happy Halloween! Here's another writing adventure. The veil is thin, Real Writers....

Writing Adventure #5: The veil is thin, Real Writers.

10/20/2022

Welcoming the Wild

Be wild your way, Real Writers. Find your "wide swell window" and embrace the break.

Find your wide swell window and embrace the break.

09/05/2022

Be a Ninja Poet

New writing adventure! Be a ninja poet (and some random acts of kindness etiquette from a recent drive-through experience.)

Writing Adventure #4 & Starbucks Drive-Through Random Acts of Kindness Etiquette

08/14/2022

"Six Things" Practice for Writer's Block/Paralysis

New post! A tried and true practice to stay creative without pressure when experiencing writer's block/paralysis. Share your six things!

Used on my mountain retreat from writing.

06/26/2022

Writing Retreat by the Sea

Filling the well: a pictorial and video essay of my recent writing retreat on Maryland's Eastern Shore. And the Mermaid Museum!

Filling the well.

06/05/2022

The Stars are in Your Favor

The stars are in your favor through July 28th - time to make your writing dreams a reality. You're never too old to make a wish! (And then take action.)

A Magical Window is Open - Make a Wish

05/22/2022

Wabi-Sabi Writing

Embrace the imperfection and simplicity of wabi-sabi writing.

Forget your perfect offering.

05/15/2022

Meet My Self-Portrait Mannequin

Meet Solange, my self-portrait mannequin who just turned sixteen! Read her creation story and about how to make your own self-portrait.

Solange just turned sweet sixteen!

05/08/2022

Ekphrastic Magic

Field trip! Time for your next writing adventure.

Writing Adventure #2: Field Trip!

05/01/2022

Become a Midnight Writer

Let's write on the dark side.

Writing on the dark side.

04/25/2022

Consult the Poem Oracle

Dabble in rhapsodomancy and consult the poem oracle!

Rhapsodomancy, anyone? Let's get to the truth.

04/17/2022

Choose Your Season Word

Time to choose your (writer) season word!

Your first writing adventure!

04/10/2022

Create a Writer Alter Ego

Create a writer alter ego--it's fun and a bit dangerous. It's just for you and will open doors to creative ideas and writing you didn't know you had in you. (Share yours if you dare!)

Not for the world - just for you.

03/28/2022

Hi Real Writers, I hope you are well. I've been thinking about what makes me happy and how I want to spend my time, and I'm ready to share a new project. Take a look at "Why I Stopped Playing the Writing Success Game" and I hope it inspires you!
https://therealwriter.substack.com/p/why-i-stopped-playing-the-writing?r=ir3x&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

03/27/2021

media1.tenor.co

Had two great meetings with editing clients this morning. It's exciting when writers are committed to the revision process!

11/28/2020

Finding it hard to write during this pandemic? Me too. I love Gary Snider's work, so sharing this great advice for the poets out there.

Here's a comic from my new book, I WILL JUDGE YOU BY YOUR BOOKSHELF. Find it at your favorite local bookstore or wherever you get your books!
https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/i-will-judge-you-by-your-bookshelf_9781419737114/#

01/02/2020

Lighting Saint Jane Austen candle for 2020!

Lighting the Saint Jane Austen candle for the real writers out there. Here's to your creative success in 2020!

Wrote a book and need an editor? I am a developmental editor and work with fiction and nonfiction writers, poets, and essayists.

Email me: [email protected] and let's make sure your acclaim is not long delayed!

Lighting the (secular) Saint Jane Austen candle for the real writers out there. Here's to your creative success in 2020! Wrote a book and need an editor? I a...

11/24/2019

Journal With Me: The Living Heart of the World

Journal With Me: Enter the Living Heart of the World. You're standing at its door, having walked the year's labyrinth. What will you find when you open it?

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and crea...

11/17/2019

Journal With Me: Awe is Available

Journal With Me: Awe is Available. This week it's all about how to let the Universe work its magic in your life!

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and creati...

11/10/2019

Journal With Me: When Pigs Fly

Journal With Me: When Pigs Fly! Meet your spirit animal for this session. The cards connect in a choose your own adventure kind of way. Your reaction to the title of the video tells you your path.

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and creative...

11/03/2019

Journal With Me: Meet Your Literary Witch

Journal With Me: Meet Your literary witch! Let 3 conjurors and the surreal images lead you somewhere you've never been! Who's yours?

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and creative ...

10/28/2019

Journal With Me: Shake Things Up

Journal With Me: Shake Things Up! Three different ways to move forward & effect (or accept) change. Strong energy in each of these cards. Pick the one that feels riskiest!

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and creative...

10/27/2019

Writing tip: avoid the well worn plot path.Take the road less traveled. How to "make it new"? (Ezra Pound) Find the small loss/betrayal/change with big impact and work it from inside your characters.

10/20/2019

Two Journal With Me videos today. Write for 10 mins based on cards pulled from decks. Fun, no pressure, surprising, insightful. Brainstorm/plot stories, poems, and essays!

"Signs from the Universe" https://youtu.be/Nk_UUUTKkm0 and "Pathways to Light https://youtu.be/1rKUez0PFv0

Hope they brighten your Sunday and inspire you for the coming week!

10/06/2019

Journal With Me: Your Unfolding Timeline

Journal With Me: Your Unfolding Timeline. This week we talk time. If you drew a timeline of your life, from beginning to end, what would it look like? Where would you be along that line? Let's check the aerial view.

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and ...

09/29/2019

Journal With Me: Who's Your Anne Shirley?

Journal With Me: Who's Your Anne Shirley? Anne of Green Gables and unicorns. Grab your journal! 👩‍🦰🦄

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving st...

09/22/2019

Journal With Me: Autumn Equinox

Journal With Me: Happy Autumn Equinox! At last, introvert's season! ☔☕🍂📚 This time of year we look to the trees as the symbol and metaphor of cycles and change. What is your cycle/season?

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and ...

09/15/2019

Journal With Me (Sundays): Honor Yourself

Journal With Me: Honor Yourself. Theme cards to start us off, full moon in Pisces advice, and one of my "Paris hates me" stories. Honor yourself in all your 3D glorious messiness!

Let's journal together on Sundays! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and...

09/01/2019

Journal With Me (Sundays): Better Self

This week: Journal With Me: Better Self. I forgot to share last week's video, but it's there, along with this week's abridged version due to family stuff. Sharing a cool project I backed and there's a giveaway!

Let's journal together on Sunday afternoons! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, ...

08/25/2019

Journal With Me (Sundays): Awakening to Adventure

Journal With Me this week: discovery, adventure, mystery. Let today's session take your breath away. Dare you! Using the mystical Lunar Nomad Oracle by Shaheen Miro.

Let's journal together on Sunday afternoons! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and...

08/05/2019

Journal With Me (Sundays): Move and Choose

Journal With Me this week: Do you still want what you want? Be honest!

Let's journal together on Sunday afternoons! Looking for a bit of sacred writing time for self-exploration, relieving stress, and ...