“What am I doing?” I stand in the middle of the kitchen and ask this question aloud, even though there is no one else in the house aside from the dogs. My coat is on, phone in hand, and the dogs stare at me. What the hell was I…
We’re moving into the season of the two G’s — gratitude and giving — and I recently read two articles that, separately, talked about both. The first, an op-ed in The New York Times, discussed the benefits of giving thanks even if we aren’t feeling very grateful. “For many people,…
If there is one piece of advice that I have heard more than any others, it is this: Develop a thick skin. I’ve heard it from family members, friends, fellow writers, and editors. A thick skin, it seems, is the quintessential job requirement for a writer, especially those of us…
In September. That’s what I’ve been telling myself for the past three months. When will I clean out the over-flowing dresser drawers? In September. When will I start eating healthier? In September. When will I start writing more? In September. In September. In September. In September. With this mantra, I…
As a writer, most of my work is done alone. It is just me, my computer, the wild horses running through my head, and the blank page staring back at me. Part of me wonders if it is this solitary, independent, and introspective side of writing that continues to…
We hear so much lately about all the Internet trolls and nastiness on the web these days, but what we don’t acknowledge enough are the really beautiful friendships and supportive relationships that can develop as a result of the Internet in general, and writing on the web specifically. I first…