(…continued from last week…) So, if I used to be one of those writers driven more by validation than by love of story, what changed? I’m glad you asked. 🙂 It was easy to recognize the pride and impatience in others. One critique partner expressed to me that he “didn’t have time to write a […]

Why do you write? That question has surfaced various times over the years, usually in writer’s groups meetings or at conferences. More recently, it’s become the one question that I believe has determined my path. It’s pretty easy at first, when your heart is full of the marvel of creating, and your eyes are full […]

After entering contests and being a part of critique groups for a while, I felt brave enough to volunteer as a contest judge. What does it take to be a judge? It’s more than, “do I like this story or not?” You do need a working knowledge of the different elements of the writing craft: […]

I entered my first contest at about age sixteen and didn’t enter again until about eight years ago. Since then, I’ve made it a point to find at least one a year to enter—usually more than one, and with more than one story. I’ve made it to first-round finals several times, but I’ve never made […]