What is the “Cocoon Phase” for Introverts? And Are You in One Now?
I’ve taught dozens of online classes over the past few years, and almost all of my students are introverts. Sometimes I teach on topics like writing and creativity, and sometimes I teach personal growth and development. But no matter what the subject of the class, I’ve noticed something very surprising with my students that’s been […]
Do You Have to Make Money from Your Writing to be a “Real Writer”?
“So, what do you do?” is a common question in society that makes most creative people cringe. Whether you’re socializing at a dinner party with friends or you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time, the “what do you do?” question is one that we’ve all come to know and expect, and that […]
Women Writers in Transgressive Fiction: The Times They Are A Changin’
The first book I ever wrote was ugly as hell. It was raw, disgusting, weird, and twisted. In fact, when I first started writing it I didn’t even know what it was. I thought maybe it was a memoir, because it was all about a certain period in my life, but I could also see […]
How Do You Know When It’s Time to Give Up on Your Dream of Being a Writer?
A few years ago, in 2015, I hit a wall with writing. I had just given birth to my son a few months before, I was completely exhausted all the time, and I had been querying on multiple novels for years, with no success. I had done everything I thought I was supposed to do. […]
Writers with Imposter Syndrome: You Are Not Alone
You are such a fraud. As a writer, how many times have you heard your inner critic say that to you whenever someone compliments your work? What if your work comes up for an award or you get an awesome review from a total stranger? How about the times you hear that phrase just because […]