How to Give a Good Reading Despite Your Myriad Neuroses

Have you ever been to a reading where the author creeps apologetically to the podium and then stammers through page after page without once changing expression or making eye contact with the audience?  Plenty of good writers give bad readings.
It’s painful to watch gifted colleagues sabotage their work with self-defeating behavior when they’re reading.  Giving [...]

A Cautionary Tale: Don’t Iron Your Clothes While They are on Your Body, No Matter How Late You Are

The phone rang at six p.m.  I was supposed to meet my husband and his colleagues at a fancy restaurant downtown for dinner at 6:15. I was running so late that I was trying to iron my clothes while I wore them.  That was with one hand.  With the other hand, I stirred a pot [...]

Hanging from the Weakest Limb of that Twisted Tree Called Love OR How to Survive Rejection

I am an expert in the field of rejection.  I stand before you today with exquisitely impressive rejection credentials.  I’ve been rejected by The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Ploughshares, a top children’s book agency in California, and my first grade boyfriend, Walter Flemke, may he rest in peace.
You may be asking yourself, why doesn’t [...]

Writing a Better Story by Telling it First

            A while back I wrote two short stories and couldn’t place either of them.  After receiving the umpteenth rejection slip, I plunged into the Swamp of Despair. 
The months rolled on.  I wrote and sold non-fiction, but in my heart of hearts, I wanted to write a short story and have it published.  Finally, I [...]

My Grandmother Packed a Pistol: How to Create Characters Your Readers Care About

            When you hear the words, Italian grandmother, I’m sure an image of a cute little old lady comes to your mind.  She’s wearing an apron.  Her hair is tied back neatly in a bun.  She’s carrying a plate of pasta and meatballs.  The gentle woman is smiling and saying, “Eat, eat.” 
That would not [...]

Feeling Lucky? The Pros and Cons of Entering a Writing Contest

CONS

You usually have to tie up your manuscript while it is being considered in the contest.  That will prevent you from sending it elsewhere.
You usually have to pay an entry fee.  That can add up.
If a contest has many entrants, your chances of winning may be low.
The publishing deal offered in a contest may not [...]