It’s probably a bit of a cliché by now - a Caribbean novel with scenes of Carnival - but Carnival was such an important part of my childhood, and especially of summer, that it’s bound to sneak in when I'm writing about summer in Antigua. If you come to Antigua between the months of June and early August, you'll find that much of the radio talk, music, and energy there are directed at Carnival. Well, Carnival and politics - but once you begin to understand the lingo, you’ll understand that…

A while back, I wrote a fun blog post called The Plural of Book is Not Book's, and since then, She Writes members from all over have been sending me their own grammar pet peeves. I love reading them because they prove I'm not alone in my quest to make the world a better place by eliminating one grammatical error at a time.

One of the most common messages I get is about the misuse of…

Kids might dream about summer camp, but if you’re a writer you’re likely thinking about summer writers retreats, conferences, and workshops. They’re a perfect opportunity to escape your home office, explore a beautiful natural setting, make new writing pals, and invest in your writing craft. And, like summer camps for kids, they’re great fun. Here’s what to look for when choosing a summer writers workshop, conference, or retreat...…

When the temperature crawls above 80 degrees and the trees turn deep vibrant green, the seasonal songs of my youth start rolling through my head. One of my favorites is “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” by Sly and the Family Stone. The title says it all. Summer is…

On this final day as guest editor at SheWrites, I’d like to suggest a method for revision, a process you must undertake if you eventually want to publish your “flash” fiction and nonfiction. This comes from an excerpt of an article in The Rose Metal Press Field Guide for Writing Flash Fiction (http://www.rosemetalpress.com/Catalog/Field%20Guide_more.html) entitled “Editing and Revising Flash…

Writing fast and furious is the goal in “flash” fiction and nonfiction because by doing so you outrun that pesky little character called your “inner critic,” which is that mean and shaming voice in your head that tells you everything you write is stupid and not worth the time,…

If you happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, then June is announced with the closing of school doors, the splashing of pool water, and the silencing of the computer keyboard.

Our bodies? Outside.

Our minds? Stuck somewhere in between pages of pool-side books and margarita-filled glasses.

Our writing? On the backburner, waiting to spring to life--maybe sometime in early September.

So why is this the time of year to push our minds to think and write outside of…

I know lots of teachers eschew the longstanding "What I Did On My Summer Vacation" assignment. They think it's hackneyed and perhaps overdone.

I love it, though, and I always have. When I was in the classroom, I always assigned this on the first day of school, due the next day. It was a written assignment, coupled with an oral presentation. Kids could add art if they were so inclined. The assignment doubled as both writing homework and as a "getting to know you" activity so…

Hello She Writers!

I'm writing to announce another open submissions period! From May 27th to June 2nd She Writers will have another chance to submit informative posts about the craft of writing. The theme for the week is Summer. Let's kick off the season right!

If you'd like to share any insights, stories, or advice, simply make a post on your She Writes blog and…

As guest editor this week for SheWrites, I am pleased to introduce Dinty W. Moore, professor, writer and editor.  Dinty was kind enough to take the time for an interview related to Flash NonFiction.  Dinty is the editor of The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Flash NonFiction coming out in September, 2012.  Visit rosemetalpress.com as well as dintywmoore.com for more…

Flash fiction and flash nonfiction differ clearly in content, but many of the needs are the same given the conciseness of the form. 

In an excerpt from The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Flash Fiction, Nathan Leslie in his article, “The “V” Word,” states, “By…

This week on REALITY CHECK, I've asked my friend and fellow editor, Faith Freewoman, to be my guest. She's going to share how and why she has become an "ebook convert" and why it's still important to have a professional approach towards your writing regardless of format.…

--Some writers refer to them as their journals, others call them notebooks or writer’s diary. And just as they all have different names, each writer uses them for many different purposes.

So out of a strong sense of curiosity and a need to learn what sort of things I should consider putting into my writer’s diary, I decided to ‘google’ and see what came up. [This is always a fun way to spend an hour/afternoon/day.......]

I began with Teralyn Rose Pilgrim’s blog ‘…

In last week’s post I explained what a book proposal is and what it should include. This week I asked my friend Diane O’Connell, a former editor at Random House who now has a consulting business to help aspiring authors get published, for the biggest and most common mistakes she sees in book proposals.

Here’s what she had to…

As guest editor this week for SheWrites, it is my pleasure to introduce Tara L. Masih, writer and editor.  Tara graciously consented to an interview in which she shares her thoughts and insights related to Flash Fiction.  I highly recommend The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash…

“Flash” Fiction and Nonfiction: The Brilliant Capturing of a Moment

This week as guest editor for SheWrites, I want to explore a subject that is close to my heart: “flash” literature.  My blog, 20 Minutes a Day at…

Do people scratch their heads at your punch lines? Do you need to explain why the joke was funny? Do you wonder what Adam Sandler got that you ain’t got? If you adamantly answered “yes” to any of these questions, I got news for you.




You’re not funny.



The good news is that although you may never be a stand-up comedian, if you can write pretty well,…

Hello.  My name is Helen (Len) Leatherwood and I am delighted to be the guest editor on SheWrites this week.  We will be talking about the importance of daily writing,as well as explore the world of Flash Fiction and Flash Memoir this week.  I look forward to getting to know you SheWrites members.  Please feel free to participate with comments and writing exercises.  I'd love to hear from you!
…

To me, the glory of being a writer is the freedom it gives you—

to explore your own mind and imagination, your passions and obsessions,

your…

Matilda Butler, SheWrites Guest Editor and Co-Founder Women's Memoirs 

We’re Back to Bach and We’re Looking for Inspiration

Yesterday, I wrote about an intersection between Bach and Cicero -- Bach’s two-part inventions and three-part sinfonias along with Cicero’s five phases for oration. Today I’d like to…