We've all heard the lie. You know, the one about talent. How only talented people are successful, only talented people accomplish anything. The rest of us don't have any hope. If you aren't incredible the first time you try, you might as well give up. But I think anyone who's ever had a dream and … Continue reading Why Persistence is More Important Than Talent
I had the great fortune of attending Editor’s Day on October 7, an event put on by the SoCal chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). At one point, Michael Mahin gave a talk about cognitive resistance and affirmations, and I wanted to share his insights here. Mahin opened his talk … Continue reading I Have a Story
As I sat down to work on my writing projects this week, I found myself distracted and diverted at every turn. My normal routines were broken; instead of working on my novel during my lunch break, I surfed the internet. Instead of writing blog posts after work, I caught up on my favorite vlogs. I … Continue reading The Autumn Blahs
I’ve lived in my neighborhood for nine months now—we moved in in January. And in that time, I haven’t explored much. I stay indoors, or follow my same old routines—work, grocery store, home, repeat. But the other day, I needed to mail a few letters and I decided to ride my bike to the post … Continue reading Ride Your Bike and Skin Your Knee
It happens to every writer. (There’s nothing new under the sun.) You read a book and think, “I could never do that. I’ll never be as good as them.” Why is writing so fraught with self-doubt and insidious comparisons? I believe it’s because every finished novel is a black box—inscrutable. There’s no way to look … Continue reading The Curse of the Glossy Hardback
