Love to Write

Can someone love too much? Possibly, especially if you have Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder that makes people biologically unable to distrust or suppress emotions. After I read this book review of Jennifer Latson’s The Boy Who Loved Too Much, I wanted to read the memoir about a disorder I’d never heard about, but find…

I just called to say hello. I just need a moment of your time. I’m just writing to ask… Let’s take just a few minutes to talk about the word just. The word seems inconsequential and innocent enough, but it has a way of weaseling itself into one’s writing and speaking and, when it does, it…

American writer, Augusten Burroughs, best known for his bestselling memoir Running with Scissors, once said, “I like flaws and feel more comfortable around people who have them. I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.” That quote made me think about my own flaws and intentions. What are my flaws? If I…

In the midst of sharing her top three pieces of advice for memoir writers, Ava Chin, author of Eating Wildly, divulges the life stories behind each suggestion. Chin discusses the unique challenges of memoir writing, such as writing about people who are still alive. "My writing students are always asking me about the pitfalls of…

Can you believe it's November? For some, that means Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, and the sound of the clock ticking down is growing louder. For others who love to write, it's the first day of National Novel Writing Month! Also known as NaNoWriMo, this online program is a fun, unconventional approach to…

Kicking off the conference last Friday night with an instructor dinner Last Saturday, I enjoyed the company of 350 people eager to research and write their family stories at the 21st Annual Central Florida Family History Conference. I gave four workshops alongside many other fabulous speakers. I enjoyed meeting all of those who came to one…

The 21st Central Florida Family History Conference in Orlando is this weekend, and I am excited. I haven't spoken at this event before, and here I am with four workshops to present. In last week's newsletter, I wrote about the first two workshops on Saturday morning. This week, I wanted to tell you about the two afternoon workshops…

The Elements of Style is a tiny manual you can turn to when you need to know the proper use of the semicolon, remind yourself of some commonly misused words and expressions, or how to appropriately utilize a colloquialism. It is the only style manual to ever appear on bestseller lists and has explained to millions…

I'm sure you are familiar with one of my favorite authors, E.B. White, thanks to his classic children’s stories, Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and Trumpet of the Swan. You may not know, however, that he wrote many beautiful essays that have been compiled in The Essays of E.B. White.  I particularly love two of the…

At this time of year, the jack o’ lanterns are out on front stoops, facial features aglow with dancing light from their inner candles. I recently heard an Albert Schweitzer quote that made me think of this jack o’ lantern image as we approach Halloween. It’s a beautiful sentiment that also leads us into November,…