Two years ago I began writing a story. We had moved from our home on the central California coast to Virginia, and I was homesick for the mountains, the cool coastal air, the golden evening light--the familiar beauty of our former home. For several months, I used my writing to capture memories of California, fearful … Continue reading Cure Homesickness: Write a Novel
Tag: novel
How to Write a Novel in Ten Years
I recently read a Pulitzer Prize winner that took the writer about a decade to complete. What a coincidence! My first novel took me nearly ten years to finish. Now, I doubt Anthony Doerr followed my process when he knocked together All the Light We Cannot See, but if you’re looking to write a … Continue reading How to Write a Novel in Ten Years
A Children’s Story (Excerpt)
I'm currently writing a children's story. It's a great deal of fun, primarily because I'm writing with my children in mind, thinking about what will interest and entertain them. They really are the perfect audience: endlessly forgiving and easily amused. In this story, I'm just getting to know a particular character. I know she walks every morning and … Continue reading A Children’s Story (Excerpt)
Short Stories
I have written two short stories solely for the purpose of exploring individual characters from a longer work. There were two benefits to this exercise. First, I got a firmer grasp on each character's motivations. Second, I was able to procrastinate on the longer work and still claim to be writing. The following excerpt is the … Continue reading Short Stories
In the Quiet 