Thanks to everyone who offered advice about getting over the fight with my manuscript. After a weekend break, I forced myself to get back at it, and completed drafts of chapters nine, ten and eleven! Largely because of that progress, I’m in back in love with the story. I can see the light at the […]
Staring at a bright, white computer screen all day makes my eyes hurt. But I do it — like most of you — for the sake of my manuscript, since I make the most progress while typing away in Microsoft Word. This week, I made a change to my screen, one that seems minor but […]
Writers of memoir, unite! Let’s chat on Twitter about some of the specific challenges to writing memoir. When: Wednesday, July 8, an hour-long chat starting at 8 p.m. EST. If there’s enough interest, we’ll consider making this weekly or bi-weekly. UPDATE: Now every other Wednesday. Where: #memoirchat How: If you want to participate but aren’t […]
Some authors say writing a book is like a love story. Writers, they say, go through the same ups and downs with a manuscript as they would in a romantic relationship. In that case, I think my manuscript and I just had our first fight. Last week I was so sick of my book that […]
Little by little, my travel memoir is coming together. I’ve got a big (self-imposed) deadline coming up: I’m trying to finish the first 2/3 of the book — that’s 10 chapters — by Aug. 1. As I connect with more writers of memoir on Twitter, I’m thinking of organizing a #memoirchat. Let me know if […]
Sometimes when I wake up in the morning and sit down in front of my computer, preparing for a productive day, I remind myself: Lexi, you have lots of information here — advice from authors; instruction on how to write a query letter and find an agent; ideas for staying motivated — and you could […]
I’ll try anything to convince myself that even though I’m writing alone in my office, I’m not really alone. That’s why I love connecting with other writers online, particularly those who are working on memoirs. “Meeting” Rachel Held Evans, whose spiritual memoir will be released in early 2010, was particularly exciting because like me, she […]
I don’t believe in writer’s block. I know, it’s a confession writers aren’t supposed to make, akin to standing up in church and announcing that I don’t believe in the Devil. So I’ll add a caveat: Maybe writer’s block exists for fiction writers, who have to make up plot, characters and everything else they put […]
Gasp! I’ve been spelling roundup incorrectly for five weeks — with a hyphen — and none of you told me?! You know I’m finicky about grammar! (Had to dig out the trusty AP Stylebook.) I feel like I’ve had spinach stuck in my teeth for 40 days. A handful of helpful links I came across […]
Since announcing that I’ll head to The Hambidge Center for an artist residency this fall, several writers have asked for advice about how to find and apply to similar programs, places where writers gather to produce and share creative energy. I’m no expert. Remember, I applied to five colonies, and was accepted at only one. […]