Catharsis is a powerful motivator for writing. It is perhaps the underlying reason that many of us decide to set down our thoughts. We are working through something, consciously or subconsciously trying to figure out ourselves, our lives, fate, our beliefs, and the world. Through…

I’m particularly proud to host today’s guest blogger, Stuart Lutz, who has been a part of our Writers Circle literally since it began. For four years, I’ve followed the progress of his extraordinary project, The Last Leaf: Voices of History’s Last-Known Survivors. It’s been a…

Many of us come to a weekly writing workshop, a writers group or an MFA program looking for rules, instructions, some correct route to take as we navigate our way through our work. Let me tell you after years with my own writing and helping…

Most of you know my passion for all things wild. Though New Jersey doesn’t qualify for that definition these days, for most of its existence, it truly did. Here’s my little rethink of the landscape of the NJ suburbs: What’s Right Beneath Our Feet: A…

While we’re at it, check out NPR’s Three-Minute Fiction contest. Here are the basics: “We want you to tell us a story about this photo: “The premise of our contest is simple: Send in your original short story that can be read in three minutes…

Perhaps it was a mistake to read James Patterson Inc. back to back with Michael Cunningham’s A Writer Should Always Feel Like He’s In Over His Head. For James Patterson, writing doesn’t seem very hard. Of course, I wouldn’t dare disparage him. Honestly, I’m impressed.…

Check it out! The Writers Circle blog tied for #15 on the 2010 Preditors & Editors Readers Poll! I know it’s not #1, and I never expected it to be. But even reaching #15 in the overcrowded conversation that goes on every day on the…

So often I dwell on the unavoidable truth that writing is hard. Every day as I face the blank or unrevised page, I feel the dread that I won’t be able to fill or fix it, that somehow the difficult work is simply beyond me.…

As an addendum to my last post, Shouting in a Crowd, be sure to read the wise advice of literary agent Nathan Bransford about, yes, promoting your work, but also knowing when enough is enough, focusing on what you’re best at and, most of all…

Written in support of Stuart Lutz, The Last Leaf: Voices of History’s Last-Known Survivors, Stephanie Cowell, Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet, and all my other friends who have, will, or long to be published. What’s it like to be an author today? To…

In my holiday post, I wished for all of you the gift of time. But time is, as they say, what you make of it. These last few weeks, between the holidays, family commitments, several articles I enjoyed writing, and preparing for my new schedule…

Last Friday as a light sprinkle of snow drifted down, my friend and fellow author, Laurie Lico Albanese, accompanied me on my usual morning walk uphill. Most of you know about my obsession with hiking, nature, and the South Mountain Reservation. Check out Laurie’s thoughts…