Focus, Writer
For the past two years I have been the proud mother of a talkative and rambunctious daughter. Some people ask me how I can take care of her all day and still manage to get so much writing done. For the past two weeks I have also been the mother of a precious and hungry newborn. Some people ask me how I can get back to writing again so quickly. I don’t know if I have an answer to these questions that will work for everyone but I do have an answer that works for me. Being a mom to two...
Read MoreBeing a Confident Writer Before the Contracts
Last month I posted about being a new writer and the challenges we face emotionally with the daunting task of completing a first novel staring us in the face. I wish I could say after we do that, it’s all smooth sailing from there on out, but the truth is, it’s only the beginning. Sometimes the only thing scarier than the impossible (I wrote a novel) is too many possibilities (now what?). Because the question that comes after you’ve accepted you’re a writer is,...
Read MoreCultivating Your Writing Energy
I can usually tell within the first hour of waking up how the rest of my day will go. If I start off the day in a great mood, it fuels my productive energy and I carry that feeling with me throughout the day, helping me plow through my to-do list and prepare my mind to write. Unfortunately, a sluggish mood will also hang around and can be harder to derail. Everything will move at a snail’s pace and even if I do finish my work in time to write, I usually don’t have the focus. I...
Read MoreWho Cares About Writers?
A few weeks ago my mom stayed for an impromptu dinner at my house. Even though we live fairly close to each other, it’s difficult to get together as much as we’d like with our busy lives and all. When we do get together, there’s a lot of catching up to do. Mostly I talk about my family since taking care of them is where my pride lies. Sometimes I’ll tell her a bit about my work. Oddly enough, even though writing is a huge part of my life and claims an hour or two of...
Read MoreFind Value in Your “Mistakes”
There are two types of writers–the ones who hate their work immediately, and the ones who hate their work eventually. Either way, it’s inevitable that at one point or another, you’ll read back what you’ve written and think, “what was I thinking?” and “who let me call myself a writer?” and “thank goodness no one will ever read that.” It’s tempting to want to build a fire right there on the desk and watch all evidence of such a...
Read MoreBeing Green: What It Means to Be a New Writer
I have something embarrassing to admit. Before I wrote my first novel, I thought you had to be a chosen one. Seriously. I thought it required a fancy degree or some special certificate or maybe an old man in a wizard’s hat came out to your house, interviewed you, and gave you a learner’s permit if he found you suitable. It seemed like such a daunting task that surely an average girl like me could never do it. About four years ago, in my infinite quest for an excuse to give it a...
Read MoreWhat Kind of Writer Are You?
I’m in a place in my writing career where I’m spending a lot of time trying to understand exactly who I am as a writer. What genre do I write? Who is my audience? Am I writing to send a message or for entertainment? Maybe you’ve asked yourself these questions from time to time. I think we all have. But a couple of weeks ago, I came across a question I hadn’t even thought to ask. When setting my goals at the beginning of this year, I decided to not only set...
Read MoreMy Romance With Writing
Since as long as I can remember, I’ve had an overactive imagination. My husband would call it obsessive worrying. The TV show Parenthood so eloquently called it “catastrophizing.” But you, as a writer, will understand. Tell me right now you’ve never heard a bump in the night and started imagining what it could be. A burglar? The creepy neighbor next door who, you’re pretty sure, hates you because you turned off your lights last Halloween instead of handing...
Read MoreThe People Who Touch Our Writing Lives
I had a rare opportunity last week. I use the term “opportunity” loosely because it didn’t feel like it at the time. At the time, I felt uncomfortable and awkward, but more uncomfortable and awkward than that would have been pretending like it never happened. I don’t do well with “confrontation.” The Change If you’ve been hanging around here long enough, you’ll remember in The Story of a Writer (me), part of my journey included coming...
Read MoreWriting Between Diaper Changes
I’m over at Mommy Authors today talking about the differences in my writing life since I’ve had a baby. Check it out! Writing Between Diaper Changes When you first hear you’re expecting, nothing else in the world matters but the day you’ll welcome that little one into your life. Everything else melts away. But as time goes on and your pending parenthood becomes a reality, the truth sets in. Things are going to change. And are you prepared for it. You imagine, you plan,...
Read MoreJamie Raintree
Jamie writes what she likes to call everyday fairytale love stories, featuring the little moments in life that are truly magical. She lives in Northern Arizona with her husband and daughter and is currently editing her second novel.
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