Bright spots do shine in the world. What is a bright spot for you these days? I read too much news and feel we're very much in darkness. But as Dumbledore reminds us, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” How does one …
If you had time, I'd ask you to read all my manuscripts and tell me which one is the best. It feels like an insanely important decision, except it isn't, is it? I have too many choices. It was easy when only one novel had been written. As a kid I had elaborate systems to …
I want to write about a time traveler who travels through time and space. I have a beginning for such a story but not much else. Who is your favorite time traveler? Mine, in case you don't know (in which case you're new around here), is the Doctor. I like all the Doctors, by the …
A while back, a friend and fellow writer, Tammy Breitweiser, brought llamas into my life, specially on Tuesdays. Did you know llamas are having a moment? Well, apparently they are, and while my heart will always belong to the unicorns, llamas are cool too. They must be. Just look at them! So, thanks to some …
The other day a woman told me she loved to read. I asked the obvious, "What sort of books do you like reading?" "Things that are real," she replied. I decided not to tell her I'm a writer. I did ask her about specific books she liked and we had a good conversation about good …
Recently I watched Brene Brown's Netflix special. This article talks about it. Brene says that joy is the most vulnerable human emotion. We’re so afraid that if we let ourselves feel joy, something will come and take that away from us and we’ll be hit with pain, trauma, and loss. As a consequence, we try …
In an episode of Start with This, Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor talk about the business of creating. So, look at the time you dedicate to your work (not your day job work) and plan on spending possibly as much as 90% of that time on the business of putting your work out in the …
Many of us often love waiting for that magic date or hour to set sail on a new adventure or making whatever change brewing in our minds. But I'm not waiting for the full moon or the New Year or any of that. I designate this moment magical enough. For a variety of reasons (that …
Story-a-Day May packs its storytelling wares and leaves us. Now, here we are. June at the door with all its shiny things. When Story-a-Day ends (or NaNoWriMo), I feel exhausted and a little at a loss. Perhaps you know the feeling, after a big event and everything is over and falls quiet and you look …
For various reasons (most of them having to do with being my own worst enemy), I've avoided sending out more query letters and stories. I'll be trying to make a change in that regard this summer. Thanks for everyone who supports my efforts. Writing and making art solitary endeavors in some ways, but such things …
Marta Bacon 