Thick-Skin A Key To Writing Success

The alligator in the photo reminds me that writers should be thick-skinned. Anyone who has succeeded in the writing world has developed thick-skin. Writers have to pull it out of their toolbox and put it on. Wearing it, nothing and no one can get in our way and bring...

Avoiding and Retooling Clichés

I heard a line of dialogue in Hawaii Five O this past Friday (One of my favs.) that made me sit up and take notice. “I know it like I know the name on my driver’s license.” Why, you ask, was it so significant? It was creative. No cliché here. You know the cliché I’m...

Springing into a New Novel

Spring is a time of new beginnings. Although in the Chicagoland areas we are still waiting for it to hit us full force. Seeing the crocuses and daffodil’s green shoots come up gave me hope of warmer days ahead. New beginnings in my writing life are a lot like spring....