What Do You Want To Say?

What Do You Want To Say?

What Do You Want To Say? One of the problems we can encounter with writing is that sometimes the passion we have for our topic doesn’t translate onto the page. You know what you want to say, but when you sit down to write, all of a sudden you draw a blank. You can’t...
Writing Is Hard And Painful

Writing Is Hard And Painful

When I was a young punk getting my MFA in Memoir (they have those in New York), we would go to a seedy bar near 68th and Lexington after our workshops to bemoan our existence. “The writing is just so hard,” I would say. Nods from my compatriots. A round of tequilas....
Fear Part 3: What Will People Think

Fear Part 3: What Will People Think

One of the fastest ways to get creatively blocked and stalled in your writing is to imagine your audience–a swarm of anonymous readers, ex-partners, and your mom–all judging and jeering from the sidelines. The fear of what people will think is a sneaky, slippery fear...
The Trouble With Following Your Passion

The Trouble With Following Your Passion

Here’s the thing no one ever tells you about your passion. It’s not always obvious. It’s not always right there IN YOUR FACE. It’s not always something you have loved since you were a little kid. And… You may not even be any good at it. Not yet, anyway. First,...
Befriend Your Resistance

Befriend Your Resistance

::: GUEST POST by Tanya Marquardt • Published Mar 1, 2017 ::: Once I wrote an entire play just to avoid the play I was supposed to be writing. Let me explain. I had pitched a play idea to a company, gotten a commission, outlined a first draft, and because I was in my...
Firewalking Is Like Writing A Book

Firewalking Is Like Writing A Book

Valentine’s Day a couple of years ago, I took myself firewalking. Something about it being on Valentine’s Day made it seem like the most appropriate and perfect way to spend the evening. And I was interested in establishing a new love for myself rather than always...