Do you believe in the “perfect” writing space? For me, it looks something like a quiet room, natural light, a clean desk, maybe a window with trees moving gently outside. And, if I'm ambitious, I'm on a deck, in a comfy chair, the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore. But, in my busy and chaotic life, what I've come to realize is writing doesn’t need perfect surroundings. It just needs a place where a thought can settle long enough to make it to "paper." 5 Tips for Supporting a Calm...

When I write my blog posts, it's coming from my POV. My quirks. My experiences. My sense of humor. And I'll let you in on a secret: The main characters in my stories usually have a strikingly similar backstory as me. They all carry a little bit of "Jill" in their handbag. Many writers do this, and it acts as a window into the author's soul, albeit slightly dusty and hard to see through. But it raises a good question: Is a first-person POV the best choice? In first person, "Jill" is front and...

Why Authors Should Have Coffee with Other Authors Writing is usually a very solitary thing. Most of us spend a lot of time alone with our thoughts, our laptops, and words that may or may not be flowing that day. That’s part of the process. And writing needs quiet and focus. But if you stay too isolated for too long, it can take a toll, and you might start wondering if anyone else is dealing with the same struggles. That’s why something simple helps more than people expect: meeting another...