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The publishing world uses The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)--all 1,146 onion-skin pages--as its industry standard for creative writing, so writers and editors must work to understand its rules and guidelines. I use this manual every day, and for years, I have trusted in the sixteenth edition. However, according to CMOS Shop Talk, “The rumors are…

Pamela Paul, editor of the New York Times Book Review and author of five books, introduces you to Bob in her most recent book out earlier this year, My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues. Bob is her Book of Books, a journal in which she has listed every book…

Think about projects you completed: What kept you going? How did you feel once you reached the finish line? What goals do you have now, and what is keeping you from accomplishing them? I want to focus on one reason keeping us from achieving our goals—writing excuses. I mastered the art of making excuses a long time…

Let's imagine the English language like a fashion show where a hot trend ten summers ago makes a comeback with a fresh look, maybe a new color scheme. But why did we stop seeing the outfit in the first place? In a sense, it went out of fashion. Words do the same thing. Sometimes, what was…

If you've heard me speak, attended a workshop, or participated in any of my classes or online programs, you know what a huge fan I am of the five-year journal. I've been keeping one now for more than twelve years, and I'm currently filling my third book. Because it takes only five minutes a day…

Do you write about your family history? Isn't it exciting when you discover a great story about one of your descendants? Isn't it, also, frustrating when you can't find any information about someone you'd like to know more about? Have you ever thought about what stories you are leaving (or not leaving) to your future…

As I boldly stated in the previous newsletter article, The Glass Castle is my favorite memoir. With the movie coming out this month, it seemed fitting to recommend it for you to read in my August Book Review. I’m certainly not alone in celebrating the book and Jeannette Walls’ writing; The Glass Castle spent more than…

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate Publicity My favorite memoir is coming to the big screen August 11th! In more than thirty years of reading memoirs, I believe The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is the best written of any I’ve come across. Now, Lionsgate Films is bringing Walls’ family saga to life with Brie Larson as Walls, Woody…

Thank you to all who participated in the sold-out Spiritual Memoir Workshop last Friday, July 28th in Fruitland Park. During our time together, we talked about the various definitions the word spiritual offers writers, looked at the many themes and types of memoirs, and enjoyed an enlightening writing exercise. The stories shared raised goosebumps all over…

I recently read an article about a grandson who waited over twenty years to open a letter from his grandmother. The letter, dated 1991, marked the last time his grandmother witnessed a solar eclipse. Historic moments such as this offer us great opportunities to capture treasured memories for our loved ones. Many clients I work with…