That Name Rings a Bell
Like a lot of writers, I have a little notebook where I jot down stuff that pops into my head. Sometimes it’s an idea or phrase. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a single word. For instance, the last note I…
Tag: Novel Incubator
THIS DRAFT SUCKS
It’s the first afternoon of the Novel Incubator Alumni Writing Retreat in Jackson, NH. From my room up in the eaves, I read over the last chapter of the latest draft of my novel, attach the whole thing to an…
Personal Artifacts: Researching Your Own History
I was on the phone with my dad the other day, and just before we hung up I said, “Yalla, bye!” This was strange for a number of reasons. First, “Yalla, bye” is a weird phrase. Yalla means “let’s go”…
Traffic, Kevlar, and a Critique
When I first started taking writing classes, my friends would ask what they were like. I would explain in a lighthearted voice that the classes were centered around the discussion of someone’s work – the good, the bad, the indifferent….
Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!
I am not a writer who yearns for a cabin in the woods for weeks at a time. Being away from my life for long periods does not fill me with creative joy. I wish it did. Just like I…
One Dog at a Time
I got my first dog, Zoe, in 2012 at a time when I was trying to finish a draft of my novel in order to apply to the Incubator program. Zoe was a good dog and a very easy puppy….