NAVIGATE ARTICLES: Reading & Writing | Pop Culture | Storytelling

There are innumerable examples of books in which graveyards played a major role, but did you know a stroll through a graveyard could spark the idea for a new story or book? 

​So you have limited time to work on your Great American Novel and you want to make the most of it, right? Here are some easy tips to help you along your journey. 

Comic books are often maligned as an inferior form of fiction. But if you're a writer, regardless of genre, they have some important lessons for you.

A few years back I went all in on social media, hoping it would help me as an author. It did (up to a point), but it also reminded me what's really important to me as a writer.​

Author A.A. Milne used a forest in his own backyard to inspire Winnie the Pooh's magical One Hundred Acre Wood, Here's how authors can also "write a landscape" to use in their books. 

Editing my mother's memoir was an emotional experience... and also an enlightening one. It's not every day you get a peek into your mother's life before she was your mother.

I live in a small town and we just lost another of our small, cluttered, indie bookstores. The loss isn't just about the place, it's about the experience.

Last year presented me with a brand new challenge: editing a memoir written by another author. Here's what I learned from the experience, and some tips for those doing the same.

2020 was a struggle... But in the midst of the pandemic and the loss of my mother, I also finished my fourth novel. Here's how a year filled with loss and grief helped me complete a book about loss and grief. ​

Hooray! The  internet comes to the rescue in my long search to find a children's book I loved... then forgot about.

T.J. Shapleigh is a central character in the "My Summer" books, but does his seeming betrayal of Quinton Wyatt make him a victim of circumstance... or a villain by design?

Combining art with the written word is a very effective way of telling a story. In my upcoming novel, My Summer (Under a Crescent Moon), I'm pushing my own boundaries in combining the two.

Finishing a manuscript should be a joyous relief for an author... and it usually is. But in the era of COVID 19, even our triumphs can produce unexpected emotions.

From COVID-19 to our challenges with racism, we're swamped by numerous storms. Here's how reading and writing can help reduce stress and keep your spirits up during trying times.

What's in the name of a book? Actually, a lot more than you might think. Here's a spoiler-free explanation behind the title of Book 2 in the Quinton's Curious MindYA series. 

Trying to come up with a plot for your next story or book? This exercise forces you to create a plot based on very meager source material. How did you do?

​I journaled for years... and then stopped. Here's why I regret that decision and why journaling is so valuable to authors.

A sequel to My Summer (with Robots) will be out in 2021! Here's a spoiler-free first look at My Summer (Under the Crescent Moon). ​

Home renovation offered plenty of headaches, but also the opportunity to design a perfect work environment.

It's no secret that exercise stimulates creativity... and "purposeful walking" is a technique long used by writers.

If you're not paying attention to what your readers are saying, you're doing yourself (and them) a disservice.

My writing was inspired in part by a children's sci fi story... even though it took me 38 years to finish reading it. 

Maintaining continuity throughout a book or over a series of books can be a major challenge for authors. 

If you're a part-time writer, finding enough time to work on your book can be difficult. Here are some tips to help.

Between my first and second books, I learned a lot of lessons that greatly improved my writing and my confidence.

Authors of all stripes need to be doing some self-promotion. Here are some social media pitfalls you should avoid.

Every author has their own process when it comes to writing. Mine has a lot to do with not staying in one place.

From coffee shops, to libraries to your favorite park bench, the writer's workspace can be a diverse concept. ​

Are you an aspiring writer? Here are some quick, easy games you can play to help hone your craft.