2020 was different. It was a notable year for many obvious reasons I don't need to get into here. What I will talk about is how the year impacted me as a writer, and what habits and plans I have in place for 2021 as a result. In 2020, I published my first novella and … Continue reading Reflections, Resolutions, and News for the New Year
I read an interview last year that really stayed with me and has made me rethink where I stand as a creator. For a while, I thought I had a totally clear picture of the writing career I was going to build for myself, if I could. But lately, my perspective on this has changed. … Continue reading What Do I Actually Want? Thoughts on Writing, Publishing, and Creative Control
I'm writing this post after having a really amazing conversation that I'll post more about soon! But until then, I'm thinking a lot about the book that I'm finishing, which has undergone several drafts over the course of many years. That's unusual for me, and I think it's a process that deserves some thought. My … Continue reading Writing Wednesday: A Long-Term Revision
If we've met in person or even digitally, I know you've heard me say this at least ten times, but just in case you need a reminder: if you are looking to enter the writing world in any professional capacity, you need to get Yin Chang's podcast 88 Cups of Tea on your playlist ASAP! … Continue reading Podcast for Writers: 88 Cups of Tea
I'm writing from the woods in Pennsylvania, where my critique partners Sara and Eva and I travel for our annual summer writing retreat! Retreats are great for so many reasons. Getting away from your normal surroundings—and I don't mean a local coffee shop, I mean far away—can really help you refocus on your writing, because … Continue reading Away on Retreat!
For the past month and a half, I've been in the query trenches. If you're not familiar with the term, it is what it sounds like: writers armed with meticulously revised, polished manuscripts venture into the battle of finding representation for their books by writing hopeful letters to literary agents. The query trenches are an … Continue reading Tuesday Writing Thoughts: Flying into Windows
It's the last day of the month of love, and Storymatic gave me another wonderful winter writing prompt to work with! As you can tell from my previous post about Storymatic, I find their prompt cards really inspirational and fun to write from. In case you're having trouble reading them in the above photograph, the … Continue reading Writing Wednesday: Storymatic Prompt (Month of Love Edition)
I have a purple plastic suitcase that is chock full of writing prompts. What do they have in common? They're all postcards! I started collecting postcards whenever I traveled as a way of grabbing an inexpensive souvenir that didn't take up too much space. My collection has become pretty massive (it's a respectably-sized plastic suitcase!), … Continue reading Writing Wednesday: Postcard Prompts
Today, I'm thinking about writing accountability partners and critique groups. My friend Greg asked for a post on this a few weeks ago, and I'm happy to write one in response to him! As much as you surround yourself with motivational journals and objects like those pictured above, sometimes nothing is more helpful to your … Continue reading Thursday Writing Thoughts: The Magic of Critique Groups
Melissa Bobe 