January 1 is as arbitrary a day as any for new starts, because let’s be real. You can start a novel any day. Start working out any day. Resolve to stop getting take out lunch any day. Start a new hobby any day. But, a year is also a container–and I’m all about containers (hello,Continue reading “My 2026 Word of the Year”
Category Archives: Creativity
Is Something Holding You Back In Your Writing Career?
Give yourself permission to dream big this year! I have been holding back on something. I think it’s a big something. It’s no secret I am a woman of a certain age (the kind of age with a big 0 coming after it in January) and all the fun challenges that come with it. IContinue reading “Is Something Holding You Back In Your Writing Career?”
Stop Chasing Perfection in Your Writing Career
Stop chasing perfection in your writing career. Seriously. Perfection is elusive and subjective and f*ing impossible to grasp. I’m at my annual writer’s retreat with a couple of friends at the beach this week. The weather? Not perfect. We’ve been battling the wind every time we go for a walk, which we have to slotContinue reading “Stop Chasing Perfection in Your Writing Career”
Back to School = Back to Work…sort of
It’s back to school week here. Routines are filling the calendar. Our alarms are set way earlier. I can feel myself easing back into “real life.” To put a cherry on top, the weather this week is what we like to call around these parts ‘false fall.’ Just under 80, dry, cool mornings. Right now,Continue reading “Back to School = Back to Work…sort of”
Feeling Stuck in Your Writing?
Have you ever felt stuck in your writing? Whether it’s a specific point in your work in progress, or your entire writing process, we often get stuck. I’ve been stuck all summer. There are lots of reasons for it, but stuck is where I am and it is beyond frustrating. So, I get it. InContinue reading “Feeling Stuck in Your Writing?”
What Monica needs right now…
I received a marketing email with that subject line. While the service described inside that email was not bad, it was definitely NOT what I need right now. What do I need? It’s not a comprehensive list, but a decent sampling of what I need right now. And I know that a service from aContinue reading “What Monica needs right now…”
Using character development questions to understand our creative whys
We are the protagonists of our own writing life. So if you’re struggling with your creative goals or sticking to a writing routine, let’s dig into your wants, needs, and writing obstacles to better understand your creative why. Much like our protagonists have an external want and an internal need, so do we as authors.Continue reading “Using character development questions to understand our creative whys”
Writer Confession
Can I be really honest for a second? I haven’t been writing lately. Other than here anyway. And that terrifies me. I am out on submission which is an exciting, stressful, boring, soul-baring, doubt monster awakening time. When I signed with my agent in December, I was at the start of my first revision passContinue reading “Writer Confession”
Beyond the First Draft
This week, I started posting at Substack. No worries, loyal readers, I will continue to post my content here as well. The benefits of joining me there are that you will receive posts two days earlier as well as have the opportunity to join me in monthly Ask Me Anything sessions if you are aContinue reading “Beyond the First Draft”
Waiting for the “right” time?
My apologies for my absence in this space lately. I have missed it, and you! I needed to focus on my own writing in January, and while I typically can make time for this newsletter and other content to engage with you and other writers in the world, the month got the best of me.Continue reading “Waiting for the “right” time?”