The Stuff

All of our stuff—plus the stuff we have to say about others’ stuff.

25

Jan'17

Hearing the Poet’s Heart

When it was Joyce’s turn to read, Kathy stood and held her friend’s right elbow, like a daughter, like a lover, stabilizing each cautious step. The Healing Muse editor Deirdre Neilen moved to Joyce’s left side, one hand on Joyce’s rounded back and the other on her left elbow. Their tenderness supported me, too.

I watched as Joyce stepped to the stage with the determination of an athlete. She carefully opened her pages on the podium and smoothed the folds. Each page was three sheets wide with black block letters two inches high marching boldly across a white expanse.

If my hearing showed up on paper, the letters would look like that. ...

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18

Jan'17

The Freelance Life

Hey, freelancers! Let’s talk about this crazy, hectic life in the best way possible: Friends GIFs!

When the freelancing bug bites you, there’s no turning back. You will make a living without a boss or a time clock. You shall never answer to anyone again! ...

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11

Jan'17

Writing the Perfect Headline [infographic]

Whether your writing a blog post, an email subject, or a freelance piece, your headline is your first point of contact with readers. The headline is your chance to say, “Hey, this is interesting. This has merit. And this is something you need to read!”

That’s a lot of pressure on a few simple words. Thankfully, Squirrly created this infographic to simplify things and help you write attention-grabbing headlines. ...

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04

Jan'17

How to Set Writing Goals

It’s a new year, and you know what that means: resolutions.

Resolutions can be difficult to keep. Why? They are typically vague, representative of some far-off dream. To get in shape. To be nicer to people. To write a book.

Those sound like great things to accomplish, but they’re undefined. They revolve around the end result, rather than the process. To create goals you will actually accomplish, the focus must be on action.

So how do you set writing goals that will get you from where you are to where you want to be? ...

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28

Dec'16

Playing by the Rules

It’s tempting to believe that novelists who have already published books know “the secret.” But every novel, whether it’s your first or fifteenth, poses different challenges. Even the most experienced writers get stuck in dark alleys and thorny woods as they lose their way.

I’m about to publish my sixth novel, Folly Cove, this fall, and my means of feeling my way out of those slimy or prickly places is pretty simple: I read other people’s books and keep learning. This past week, I’ve read four novels that have taught me there really is only one rule in fiction: If it works, do it! ...

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21

Dec'16

Gifts for Writers

The holidays are right around the corner. You—being the procrastinator you are—are probably wondering what to get that special writer in your life. You can’t wrap the perfect story idea so you find yourself at a loss.

Don’t worry. I’m here to help.

These gifts will make your writer smile and will keep your name out of his or her next story. Because let’s be honest—that never ends well. ...

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