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My First Kindle Publication
I’m testing the world of Kindle publishing with a humorous short story based on my time in Indonesia. It’s something of an anti-Downton Abbey as three expat teachers try to deal with a powerful maid....
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Good Stories: What Christians Can Offer
Yep, I think we need to work and think really hard to offer the world the sort of stories Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Françoise Mauriac, Dostoevsky and Victor Hugo offered. But it would be worth it....
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The Good Thing about the “Polar Vortex”
I hate cold weather, though I will brave it when I have to. The best thing about it is that it forces me to write. Disinclined to go out and about I procrastinate less and have been able to work on a...
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Happy Birthday, Wendell!
From the Writer’s Almanac: It’s the 80th birthday of writer Wendell Berry (books by this author), born near Port Royal, Kentucky (1934). He came from a long line of tobacco farmers who had farmed in...
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Poem of the Week
How To Be a Poet BY WENDELL BERRY (to remind myself) i Make a place to sit down. Sit down. Be quiet. You must depend upon affection, reading, knowledge, skill—more of each than you have—inspiration,...
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Sepia Saturday
This week’s prompt led me to the National Library of Scotland’s digital archive which had these photos of WWI soldiers writing letters. All are circa 1918. What a war! It’s centennial has given us...
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Writing Update
I finished the first draft of my script and have sent it off to three friends to be critiqued. It’s always rather nerve wracking to offer writing for comments. What if they hate it? What if it’s...
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Next Steps
After receiving feedback that isn’t “We’re dying to buy your story,” it’s easy to feel disheartened. I tend to think the answer is to come up with an action plan. It’s also good to have more than one...
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Masterclass with Aaron Sorkin
I’ve just finished a screenwriting class taught by Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing, Social Network, Steve Jobs, Sports Night, etc. fame. Masterclass offers the class for $90 and I found it to be a good...
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Secrets to Getting Published
My public library had a great talk about getting published. They got a good crowd of aspiring writers who want to write fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and poetry. The talk was led by an editor...
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Sepia Saturday
When I saw this darling girl interrupted from her writing, I knew I wanted to find some good photos of people at their writing desk. It’s crucial to have a good place to think and write. Here’s what I...
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NaNoWriMo: I’m In
I almost forgot that I signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). So I’ve decided to write a novel in a month. I’m sticking with my plan to adapt a screenplay I’ve written, which is a...
View ArticleA Kindred Spirit
By serendipity, I just discovered this smart, engaging woman’s vlog on books and writing. Farah lives in the UAE and is articulate, perceptive and oh so knowledgeable about current books. After the...
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Tooting My Own Horn
Despite a morning which got way off track, I have passed the 25,000 word half way mark of National Novel Writing Month. Also, I’d like to thank the Northbrook Public Library for hosting a weekly Write...
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American Writers Museum
Timeline This year the American Writers Museum in Chicago on Michigan Avenue. It was high time I visited so despite the rain and cold, I took a friend from Milwaukee to explore it. After showing our...
View Article2018 Resolutions
I believe in New Years Resolutions as they do kick start action in a time of year when it can be so cold that hibernation is all I want to do. Here are my 2018 resolutions, though I’m toying with the...
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Wish Me Luck
I’m in Los Angeles now preparing for Act One Writers’ Upfronts event where I will pitch three different story idea to three different producers. I admit I’m a trifle nervous. Today I’m preparing for...
View ArticleWriting Progress
I’m on page 72 of what I plan to be a 100 page play. If it’s a bit longer, great, but it should have at least 90 pages and I think that’s attainable. At this stage I’ve struggled. I’d hoped to get to...
View ArticleTip for Writers
A friend posted this tip on Facebook and I thought I’d share it. My friend, who’s been a screenwriting for years and has been paid as a script doctor, advises writers to keep their notes and...
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Weekend Coffee Share
Inspired by Colline, I’m trying out a new blogging challenge, Weekend Coffee Share. It’s a simple writing prompt asking participants to share a few experiences or thoughts from the past week. This week...
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