Category Archives: writing

Turnaround

I got another story back a few days ago. No surprise. I had sent it to a top market where there’s a ton of competition from big name authors. Nevertheless it’s always worth a try. (Well, almost always.) Within days of the rejection, … Continue reading

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Impatience

The writing life has changed radically since the onset of electronic submissions. Mostly this is a good thing. No more trudging to the post office, weighing large envelopes so you don’t attach too much or too little postage, having to … Continue reading

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Before You Decide. . .

No one can ever really convey to another person what it’s like to: have a baby; buy your first home; retire; or write a novel. Sure, you can read about it. There’s no shortage of material devoted to helping the … Continue reading

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Investing

Investing can be hard. Not because of the research involved or the principles to master, although that’s hard enough. Investing is hard because you have to do it in the present while not seeing the results until the future, sometimes … Continue reading

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Gratitude

I got a story turned down a few days ago. Instead of feeling the normal sting of rejection, I felt a profound relief. Truth is, it wasn’t a story I was proud of. I was, and am, very proud of the … Continue reading

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Throw It Out

At a restaurant a few days ago, I had a side of fresh fruit with my burger. It was so refreshing, I thought I’d recreate it at home. I bought a selection of fruit at a store that’s usually pretty dependable … Continue reading

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Start Again

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m reading Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind Hemingway’s Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises. The author, Lesley M.M. Blume, recounts the incident when Hemingway’s wife, Hadley, gathers up all his manuscripts “including … Continue reading

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From the “Nothing New Under the Sun” Department

I’m reading Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind Hemingway’s Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises, by Lesley M.M. Blume (which I recommend). The author recounts that in early 1920’s Paris, Hemingway became the deputy editor for a literary journal called transatlantic review, started … Continue reading

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Crisis Management

Once, on a job interview, one of the questions posed this dilemma: I was faced with three crises at once. How would I set priorities to address each one to avoid a disaster? I must have answered well enough because … Continue reading

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Does It Pay To Pay?

I belong to several online writers’ groups. One discussion that keeps recurring is: Should you pay to enter a writing contest? I’m not talking about the obvious scams or “contests” that are no more than money makers for the “sponsors” … Continue reading

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