[The short version: I'm done submitting novels to agents and publishers. The current novel seems to have run its course. Because it's the first book of three and I want to finish the series, I will. (Many writers set a series aside at this point … [Continue reading]
In 2013, a friend and I decided to take a long weekend, get a cabin in East Texas, and focus on writing for a few days. It became an annual thing until last year, when -- like so many other events -- we canceled because of the COVID-19 … [Continue reading]
A month and a half ago, I wrote this entry, about how this time of the year usually means the annual writing retreat becomes quite a focus for me. At the time of that last entry, I wasn't sure if a retreat would happen this year. But...the friend … [Continue reading]
This time of year is usually when a friend and I plan our annual writing retreat. We didn't go anywhere last spring because...well...a worldwide pandemic kinda got in the way. And while my friend (who quit corporate life to become a nurse) is … [Continue reading]
Over the years, I've gotten rid of several bookcases worth of books. Despite those purges, I still have three shelves full of books about writing craft. I think I keep most for the sake of nostalgia, but some -- especially style guides and books … [Continue reading]
A disclaimer: This is not an entry in which I set out to make the argument that targets are inherently terrible. It's great to have goals...at some point, you have to look forward and say, "I want to reach that point!" But for many, targets (and … [Continue reading]
And so we come to the end of not just another year, but one of the years! It's not a year I'd hope to repeat, but it was not without its moments. Obviously, the big thing was the pandemic and just...all that out there! (You know what I … [Continue reading]
The other morning, I read this essay by Hilary Mantel about writers learning to trust themselves. It's full of gems like this: You must recognize, though, that once you enter this life, you are at the disposal of your book around the clock. And … [Continue reading]
The annual social media break is almost done -- tomorrow I return to it all. It started years ago when I mentioned I was considering stepping away a bit, which quickly escalated to dares from friends committing me to 101 days off of all social … [Continue reading]
[I wrote this 10 days ago and guess I didn't set it to publish. Still holds up, so here it is...] * * * [The idea for this entry came from this Muddy Colors entry by Justin Gerard about his ideal art space. The gist: he has a fancy desk, but he … [Continue reading]
Eleven years ago today I started The Juggling Writer. It's changed quite a bit since this first entry. I don't post as much as I once did. Gone are lists and things that were more, well...bloggy. It's now a place where I share whatever comes … [Continue reading]
I've been on an earlier-than-usual morning schedule, getting up around 4:00 a.m. to read and write. It doesn't hurt that with the arrival of September, North Texas has been unseasonably cool and cloudy and rainy. (By "unseasonably cool," I mean … [Continue reading]
The two worst years of my life were junior high school. (More than the years in which close relatives died; more than the year I found out a brain tumor blew up in my head and was bleeding into itself and making me go blind in my right eye.) Those … [Continue reading]