or Seeing the Unseeable A week ago, I received a gift of teeth--and the gift of perspective. For the first time in my life, I was able to see a part of myself I understood so little about. My mother always insisted I had a big mouth. In fact, more than once she has noted … Continue reading Perspective and The Gift of Teeth
Good question—who is out there in my audience? Until last year I thought I was writing for myself. My writing teacher rolled her eyes (at least that's what I imagine she did. She was on the other side of the screen, so I’ll never know). She said, “A writer does not write for oneself unless … Continue reading Audience: Who Are You Writing For?
If I can give you advice on anything, I'd have to say write about what you know—and what you don’t know. It took me over forty years to realize that most people don’t analyze things as much as I do. In April, a friend told me I was making him crazy with all of my questions. … Continue reading Write About What You Know—and What You Don’t Know
I am a creative type. Anyone who knows me understands it’s an understatement when I say, "I’ve been pretty busy." The details of a typical day in “The Life of Rachel” can be rather dizzying. I blame my mother. To me, being productive from morning until I drop my weary head upon my pillow seems … Continue reading “Busy” in the Life of a Creative Person
"Oh grow up!" my mother used to say. And so I did--but I did it my way. I never was very good at following the rules. (The apple didn't fall far from the tree.) Neither are my babies...damn apples! I wonder if she ever wishes she could take those words back? I know I often … Continue reading The Art of Letting Go
I’ve been thinking of rejection a lot lately—and I’ve realized I’m pretty darn good at it! How did this happen? Was I always good at rejection? Is it something to be proud of? I did a bit of research. Experts would agree that North Americans are more or less proficient when it comes to maintaining … Continue reading Rejection 101
On Taking Risks First off, I’d like to make a disclaimer—my mother said no such thing? When I was a teenager, she did sort of look alarmed about some of the decisions I was making. After all, I was beyond carefree back then--I was a lot like she had once been. But, I'm not so daring … Continue reading Taking Risks: Did your Mother Really Say Not To?
There is growth through change. The towering maple tree in my backyard exposes its buds as it thrusts its limbs towards blue skies. It confirms that we are surrounded by growth and that we are always on the cusp of seasonal change. “The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way … Continue reading Growth Through Change
In the beginning, there was the written word... Of course, like most writers, I’ve always known that I wanted to a writer. As a little girl, I lived in my mind and lost myself in books. I can still remember the joy of writing my first stories when I was a pupil in the tiny one-room … Continue reading Writing—The Beginning of My Journey
This weekend, I had the opportunity to discuss creative process—which just happens to be one of my favourite topics. These are questions I've been asked many times, so you might be wondering about them too. When you write in the first person (“I”), are you writing about yourself? Not specifically--it's really genre-specific. Anyone who's read … Continue reading Creative Process: First Person, Present Tense