This is the sixth prompt for #swinspires, the Gift of Inspiration campaign hosted by She Writes. Between December 13 and 24, ten She Writers who inspire *us* will share a writing prompt. (For past prompts, click here.)…

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My last list of the year (I promise).  I’ve had plenty of book groups asking me for recommendations, so here they are.  In truth, with all the skirmishes lately over the New York Times and how many books by women are reviewed, sold, or placed on the most important book shelves, I gave myself a task:  Make a list of your own favorite books by women and then take a gander at their commonalities, strengths, courage, etc.  As a novelist, I chose novels.  And as I made my list, I was certainly…

She Writers, you inspire.  Here are some of our favorite lines from your responses to this week's prompts so far:

PROMPT 1: "What inspires you to...be…

A pair of amazing women film makers have been working hard to make my first novel, Leaving Atlanta into afeature film.  I have to say that watching them work has been a real education for me.  Yes, I know that writing a book is hard, but at least when you set out to write a book you need only yourself and your computer.  It takes a village to make a movie-- and a whole lot of money!

Here's a little background on LEAVING ATLANTA.  I've always thought…

This is the fifth prompt for #swinspires, the Gift of Inspiration campaign hosted by She Writes. Between December 13 and 24, ten She Writers who inspire *us* will share a writing prompt.…

I have to confess to struggling a bit with these prompts as I don’t consider myself a “writer,” but rather someone whose job requires a fair amount of writing. I do, after all, spend large chunks of my day writing something (reports, funding requests, grant proposals, scholarly articles, email, what have you). In other words, while I certainly write (and read) a lot, most of it is…

This is the fourth prompt for #swinspires, the Gift of Inspiration campaign hosted by She Writes. Between December 13 and 24, ten She Writers who inspire *us* will share a writing prompt.…

Dear Vanessa,

I see you everyday at my job working at the coffee stand. Although Rutgers-Newark is a really diverse place, as far as college campuses go, it's still easy to pick a sister out in the crowd. I see you every day making coffee, ringing up purchases, organizing displays, and reading like crazy. I try not to be too nosy, but I can see that you like to read many different types of books, but pretty much all of it is by black authors. When you opened that cupboard one time, it…

The mind-blowingly inspired guest authors participating in our GIFT OF INSPIRATION campaign are all lined up! Keep your eyes out for prompts from the following in the coming days (drum roll please):

12/13…

When I first began to read, it was LAURA INGALLS WILDER, E.B. WHITE, CAROLYN KEENE (who I thought was a person, not a syndicate) and FRANCES HODGSON…

Does anyone punch holes in the top of large juice cans anymore? You know, with the "other side" of that old bottle cap opener, the pointy triangle end. As a child, it amazed me that to get the juice to pour out of the can nicely, rather than just a blub...blub...blub, a second hole had to be punched in the top of the can across from the first. There was a right way to do it and it worked wonders!

Today you buy coffee or a latte to go and the lid has a tiny hole…

This is the second prompt for #swinspires, the Give the Gift of Inspiration campaign hosted by She Writes. Between December 13 and 24, ten She Writers who inspire *us* will share a writing prompt.…

I’ve been on this extended life-changing journey for almost 6 years now. After I decided to leave my dot-com family in 2004, I have worked a succession of diverse jobs, some amazingly surreal as a host for a nightclub, eye-opening adventures in the world of…

At 35, I was living comfortably, but married to the wrong guy. I thought I was happy. I was dying inside. After depression and angst, I left. It was the most authentic move I could make. And today, I’m married to the love of my life.

What inspires me to keep living more authentically?

I’ve decide to answer this question not with “what” but “who.”

My friend Virginia, who teaches me to be. My friend Jacki (pictured here giving a talk to 85…

For the next 2 weeks, She Writes is devoting the site to a theme: GIVE THE GIFT OF INSPIRATION. We've tapped 10 She Writers who inspire *us* to share a writing prompt between now…

Giving the GIFT OF INSPIRATION at She Writes. Writing Prompt #1: "What inspires you to…live an authentic life?"

Writing Prompt Author:…

Highlights from the Community Blog. (Stay tuned: Holiday round up edition coming soon!)

Querying? Advice from My Agent

by Randy Susan Meyers

Want to make a writer shudder? Ask them if they’ve queried yet. Last year I led a workshop on The Great American Query Letter and the participants shuffled in with the reluctance (not to say dread) of women about to try on…