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Just Keep Writing

If you’re like me, you write in fits and starts, not everyday like they say we should. I find that I get easily discouraged. I get gung ho about a project, work at it furiously for two months, receive some negative feedback from someone (which can range anywhere from doubts a non-writer friend expresses about […]

2018 Writerland Update

It’s been a ridiculously long time since I blogged here, so I’m starting with an update. Last year I spent a lot of time blogging privately—doing research for a project I’ve been working on when not cooking, cleaning, shopping; organizing child care, birthday parties, vacations, camping trips, backpacking trips, after-school activities, doctor’s appointments, haircuts, field […]

The Imperfect Writing Life

At AWP16 in Los Angeles in March, I went to a fabulous panel called The Imperfect Writing Life with Samantha Dunn moderating and Andre DeBus III (author of House of Sand and Fog and Townie), Carol Edgarian (author of Rise the Euphrates and Three Stages of Amazement), Neil Thompson (director of publishing at Amazon) and […]

Author Interview: Frances Stroh

Today I’m thrilled to bring you an interview with Frances Stroh, author of the forthcoming memoir BEER MONEY: A Story of Privilege and Loss, about the downfall of Stroh’s Beer and the Stroh family fortune. Keep an eye out for BEER MONEY in May of next year.

Photo of Eric Stroh children (1979) by […]

Interview: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

My interview with the director, co-producer, and stars of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance this year, is live on The Rumpus. It’s a wonderful movie, and I encourage everyone to see it when it comes to your town!

 

What Makes a Great Blog?

When I teach Blogging for Beginners at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, we get everyone’s blogs set up, but that’s the easy part. Learning how to use WordPress, Blogger, or SquareSpace will get your blog online, but it won’t make you a great blogger. Great blogs have five things in common—quality design, great content, clear […]

Blogging Classes Start Next Week!

A quick announcement to let everyone know that TODAY is the last day to get the early bird discount for Blogging for Beginners, which starts next Monday, June 22, at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto. After today, tuition goes up $25, but you can still enroll right up until the minute class starts (but […]

Twitter and (Real) Pirates: Social Media for a Cause

Social media has many raisons d’être—to advertise, to entertain, to build relationships with other people—and every now and then there’s an opportunity to use it for a greater good, whether to raise money for a great cause or to help a fella out. This is one of those opportunities.

Still from a video released […]

Four Ways to Revitalize the Author Reading

Today I’m excited to welcome Laura Joyce Davis, a wonderful writer who has some great tips for turning the traditional author reading into so much more. Welcome, Laura!

Not Your Typical Reading: Four Ways to Revitalize the Old Reading

By Laura Joyce Davis

I’m a sucker for a good reading. Give me a front row […]

7 Tools for Blocking Distractions

Photo courtesy of Audio-Technica via Creative Commons

Today, social media are an important component of a writer’s life, but it’s equally important to know when to turn them off. For some of us, this is no easy task, which is why we need a little help to keep the distractions at bay. […]