Why subscribe?
Writing is hard. It’s easier with help. Welcome to my writer’s coffeehouse community of practice.
Join the crew
I am a host of contradictions. But I bet you are, too. Writers, we’re different. Special. Unfathomable. That’s why we need to band together. I remember the first time I went to a writing conference, how amazing it felt to be surrounded by creatives. After spending most of my life living on the periphery, I finally found my people. I was home.
This newsletter, this space, is going to be like going to a writing conference without paying for travel, hotel, or registration. Picture us sitting across the table, drinking coffee and discussing writing. I’ll tell you about my process while I help you flesh out yours. We’ll talk about the hard stuff. How it’s not always easy to write. How we sometimes get lost in our books. How it takes guts and a willingness to examine the parts of ourselves we try to hide in order to bring authenticity and profound relatability to our stories. Plus, I’ll give you the inside scoop about this writing life, including the skinny on publishing.
You bring the coffee, I’ll spill the TEA!
But first, a little about me.
I am an award-winning author, writing coach/instructor, mentor, editor, educator, and ghost writer. I am also a recovering speech language pathologist (the day job)who has worked in acute care, private practice, and the public schools. That background helped me develop a robust knowledge of the psychological needs of others which I combine with a world view -these are my ‘hot takes’ and like any good origin story, they are filled with equal parts trauma, destiny, and magic.
The net-net? I’ve got stories to tell… and so do you!
They say that there are some elements of writing that you can’t teach-mostly your voice. Which happens to be the thing that sells your books.
But I believe voice CAN be taught. After taking endless courses in writing, attending a high-level invitation only weekly critique group for over ten years, a running and attending countless other groups, publishing award winning novels, judging literary contests, and earning my MFA, I’ve learned a few things about this writing thing. I know for certain there were seminal moments in my life that helped inform my world view which in turn developed my writing voice.
Interested in my process? I’m happy to show you.
I believe that truly impactful writers mine their personal experiences in order to serve the stories they are writing. That’s just the way it is. Sorry, writer, you gotta dig deep for the words on the page. It’s a transactional situation that requires unwavering bravery and staunch dedication. Otherwise you are left with flabby stories, unemotional and lifeless. Who’s reading that book? No one.
By reading my substack you’ll receive a weekly newsletter every Tuesday with intensely personal essays as well as the truly hard moments about all the things that shaped my writing, all the things that continue to drive me to write.
Plus, you’ll get suggestions for how to live a successful creative life, because this writing life is hard.
(Cue the gameshow announcer voice) But there’s more…
I’ll help you practice how to drill into your emotional well for the things that inspire you and even those that piss you right the eff off, because I view writing as essential practice for living. You’ve heard the old adage of ‘write what you know?’ Well, I flip that to “write what you love/or what you hate,’ because that’s where the passion lies.
I’ll share productivity tips, my favorite plotting methods, information about writing conferences and workshops, and contests and social media pitch fests. I’ll give you actionable insights for your own writing. Knowledge is power. If you want to win at writing, you need to arm yourself.
Some say that writing is not a team sport, but I disagree. We can do this together. Let’s go.
