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Showing posts from July, 2018

Do I need an MFA to write a novel?

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Well, do I? Surprise!  If you came to this blog post looking for an answer to this particular question.... then you came to the wrong place.  Sorry!  This is just a question that's been plaguing me for awhile and I thought it would be a fun way to title the blog post. Currently, I'm in the middle of writing the first draft for my second novel.  It's uber tedious and wonderfully fulfilling all at the same time.  I'm getting better at riding the twists and turns of the creative process, but questions like this always creep in... Am I good enough? Do I know enough about the English language to convey what I truly want to convey?

Greetings from Camp!

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Hello friends! What are you  up to this summer?   Currently, I'm in the midst of writing.  To keep myself motivated, I signed up for  CampNanoWriMo   (Camp National Novel Writing Month .) It's basically an online "camp" brought to you by the same organization that does National Novel Writing Month .  If you're a writer definitely check out both sites.  For this online writing camp, a ton of writers signed up to write 50,000 words by the end of July. 50,000 freaking words. I know. I KNOW! It's a HUGE undertaking, that's for sure.  And I'm 99.9% sure that I won't reach the goal. But I figure it's better to try and fail then not sign up and not write anything, right? It's just like one of my favorite quotes: 50,000 = My moon 10,000 = Pretty Sparkly Stars Plus, while I'd love to say that I'm wholeheartedly dedicated to the craft of writing and ... yada yada yada. *Insert lots of flowery prose about dedication and

Happy July 4th! (And thoughts about writing and freedom)

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Today I was sharing the Pledge of Allegiance with my son.  (I just learned that it's no longer recited in the classroom.)  While I spoke the words to him, I felt myself growing teary-eyed towards the end.  "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all ." Regardless of whatever faith you profess to follow (or not follow), I hope that we all believe in the powerful promise behind those last 5 words:  liberty and justice for all. Liberty relates to a sense of freedom. It touches on the idea that each person has the ability to think, say, or act in a way he or she thinks is right.  Justice relates to each person receiving fair treatment under the law. The Pledge reminds us that in America, both of these rights belong to everyone. Not to a select educated, geographically located, beautiful, wealthy, or certain-skin colored few.  Everyone.  Me.  You.  My worst enemy.  And your worst enemy too. With the current state of politics, it's so easy to point