I STARTED DAYDREAMING a couple of years ago about dialing down my advertising work and, eventually, writing fiction full-time. To have more success getting published I knew had to write with more rigor and intention. A writers group seemed a logical step. Kindred spirits. Constructive critique. Insights on craft. Positive peer pressure to stick with […]
The 185-Page Hipster Accessory
WHEN FRIENDS ASK TO READ the manuscript they’ve been hearing me talk about for so long, I find myself filling with white-hot shame. It’s wonderful they ask, but I’m certain they’re just being polite. “Are you sure?” I respond, implying they should seriously consider this for a few more weeks. But they always say yes. […]
The Art Of Productive Procrastination
WHENEVER I’M ANXIETY RIDDEN and just can’t seem to start or finish an important project, I try to practice what I call “productive procrastination.” It happens when I know that binging on countless hours of Netflix or reality television will shackle me with so much guilt, I have to force myself to do clean the […]
Why Comedy Tweets Are Good For Writers
HADN’T REALIZED I’D TWEETED forty or so times about talking to my novel. Sure it’s a far cry from the 935 tweets that make up Small Places (Twitter novel I tweeted between 2008-2010. Read some on The Nervous Breakdown). Me: You like being a second draft? Novel: I don’t feel as crazy-eyed. Now what? Me: […]
What Does It Mean To Writers When An Indie Bookstore Closes?
RUSSO’S BOOKS, perhaps the only independent bookstore left in California’s Central Valley, is closing in a little more than a week. Some people say it sucks. Others have an “oh well” attitude. But what does the indie bookstore’s impending doom mean to writers? It’s a little premature to say the Bakersfield bookstore is going away. […]
Storytellers To Recount Experiences At Memoir Event
FOR THE SECOND TIME, Invisible Memoirs has selected a Bakersfield author’s story as its centerpiece, even naming the California-wide anthology after a local memoir. Why I am I excited about this? As the workshop instructor and initial editor of everyone’s submissions, I’m just so happy all of my students’ hard work paid off. Twelve local […]