Photo by PazMadrid I remember the exact moment I began my writing career: I was in third grade about to participate in a group discussion on writing and in order to get the conversation going, my teacher selected me out of the group at random to say to me, “Wouldn’t it be cool to go to the… Read More
How to Avoid Gender Pronouns in Your Writing
Photo by melschmitz Yesterday I began working on my submission for the Feminist Utopia Project (deadline: July 15th) and now I have some serious heartache. My vision is to write a world that has moved beyond our current language heavily steeped in gender binary. But how the heck do I use new pronouns without completely confusing the reader?… Read More
The Writer’s Reality
Minnesota is soggy today. Rain pitter patters on the roof top and my cats sit on the windowsill watching the water dripping down. It is a quintessentially perfect day to get some writing done. Bring on the words! Oh, but wait! There is a week’s worth of laundry to do… And groceries to get… And… Read More
“Historically Accurate Fantasy” Is An Oxymoron
I have never felt comfortable with the “but it’s historically accurate” defense when faced with blatant sexism in my favorite books, movies, TV shows, Anime, etc. However, I also never felt like I had a good response to the excuse. I have a very real, very physical reaction to seeing things that are hurtful toward women. They flow directly through… Read More
Writing to Spark Change, Page by Page
Like every author, I’m hoping to go the way of J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyer. That’s right – film franchises baby! But no, seriously, all authors write because we want readers. Some want to entertain their readers, some want to share cooking tips, and so on. What is your angle? Think about it. If you or… Read More
The Writer’s Work-Life Balance
Ah, the unreachable work life balance. What does it even mean? For me, it is the hopeful dream of someday having just enough time to accomplish everything that is important to me, without feeling rushed. But everyone’s ideal work life balance is different. In fact, it might not even contain the words “work” or “life”.… Read More
Her Story Arc 