What History Teaches Us About Writing My daughter was taking a Cold War history course at university. She thought she had a handle on the subject, but was amazed not just at the complexity of world politics (which was expected) … Continue reading →

But Striving for Satisfaction Back in high school, after my first break-up, I despaired I’d never find another boyfriend—a dramatic reaction, perhaps, but not atypical for a heartbroken teen. Stop looking for one! My friends told me. Uh, not helpful. But of course, they … Continue reading →

Assumptions about Assumptions My husband was chatting with a work colleague he hadn’t seen in a while. “How was your trip?” he asked, assuming she’d been on vacation, her normal routine at that time of year.  “I wasn’t away,” she … Continue reading →

Writing Fitness I recently joined a gym. Normally, I’d sneak down into my home gym, alone, where there was no judgement. And I don’t mean no judgment from others—I mean no judgment from me about myself.  Yet, buoyed by a desire for change, I … Continue reading →

When To Write My two daughters have both moved out of the house for university. Besides the fact that I’m not allowed to turn their bedrooms into extensions of my home library (a policy we’ll have to revisit later… 🙂 ), … Continue reading →

You ARE a Writer A reminder: if you write, you are a writer. Not, “if you get published”. Not “if you’re on the bestseller list”. Not “if you’re an award winner”. You’re a writer if you write.  You may write as a … Continue reading →

Do What’s RIGHT for YOU I read an article about a new author who had a breakdown at a writing conference and left after the first day. She’d felt the full force of imposter syndrome—everyone else seemed so much more … Continue reading →

Writing vs. Publishing I’ve only ever participated in one official run, a 10k fundraiser. I trained and raised money, and was excited—until I got to the starting line and was overwhelmed with the people and the noise. I’d been running … Continue reading →

When Life Gets in the Way My husband was on a business trip when he called to complain that his meetings had gone awry. As the organizer, he felt responsible, but the errors were beyond his control. He was not … Continue reading →

Someone Else’s Agenda My daughter had to prepare a presentation for her work. She put in the time, effort and practice, then, the day before, the meeting was cancelled, with no plans to reschedule.  She was frustrated. She’d worked hard, … Continue reading →