How to Have the Best D*mn Writing Workshop. Period.

Writing workshops can be wonderful. They can connect with other writers, build community, and add strong points to your writing CV.

But workshops can also be perplexing and downright frustrating. Whose feedback, if anyone’s, should you prioritize? Do you have to take every suggestion into consideration, even the ones with which you disagree? Read on for Jessica Hatch’s best tips—gleaned from attendance in adjudicated workshops in three different countries—on making the most of your time in the Cone of Silence and beyond.

Read More

Q&A with Tiffany Grimes of Burgeon Editorial and Design

I’ve known Tiffany Grimes, the editor behind Burgeon Editorial and Design, since we were wee and angsty writers participating in Teen Ink Magazine’s London Writing Program. Through the years our paths have crossed time and time again, and Tiffany is one of my favorite editors to follow on Instagram.

When I heard that she and two other editors (Jeni Chappelle and Carly Hayward) were hosting a virtual writing retreat all about character development in February 2021, I leapt at the opportunity to get more information and to share it with you.

Read More

Is Writing/Life Balance Possible? Pt. 1: Building and Sustaining Momentum in Your Writing Practice

Much like Newton’s First Law of Physics, there is a key difference between a writing practice with momentum behind it and the considerable amount of energy a writer has to put in to get the ball rolling.

So, how do we gather this momentum? By setting a routine.

Read More

RA Frumkin, Author of THE COMEDOWN, on Sharing Personal Experiences in Fiction (Interview Part 3 of 3)

At AWP 2018 in Tampa, I was honored to meet novelist RA Frumkin. Their debut, The Comedown, was published by Henry Holt in April, and is available for purchase wherever books are sold.

This third and final section gives RA’s advice on how and when to share personal experiences with your readers.

Read More