Wait, what…but you said… When I was in the fourth grade there was a girl that was sort of in my group of friends, but not really. She was the cool girl that knew one of my friends because I think their brothers knew each other? I can’t remember and it’s not important. She, the…
Editing a manuscript is like a spin class. There’s something already there, my body’s not bad, but with a little effort it could be better. Tighter, leaner, more…defined. When I edit I start at the beginning, I can’t just move in and out of chapters because I lose track of where I’m at and then…
Live like you’re dying, but never take yourself too seriously. Well, which is it? I’ve read myself onto a long balance beam. I need to focus, be serious enough to watch my step and carefully plan my trip from one stop to another. I need to believe in myself, give myself credit, stop caring what…
I need to be more serious. Expensive shoe wearing, fine leather bag carrying, author portrait where I’m looking over my shoulder in some way, serious. A scarf that’s not fuzzy with every color in the crayon box is in order or maybe even…lip liner. If I become more serious, play the part, then I will…
It is important to be descriptive. I work on my vocabulary. Not in a flash card sort of way, but I try to expand the way I express myself. This takes some effort because I want to stretch, but never go into territory that feels artificial. The words I use need to feel organic, so…
We are What We Believe Ourselves to Be. I have these little quotes, word groups, prophetic prose, that I print and magnet up on the board behind my computer. I face a wall in my office, so I try to make it a pretty wall. These little statements usually change every week. Sometimes they are…
Lower it up. When my children were younger if they wanted the music or a movie turned up they would say, “Lower it up, please.” It started with our oldest daughter and the phrase was handed down to the other two. My youngest still slips up and says it now and then. I love the…