Category Archives: Public appearances

The Shame I Feel

I’m stupid. I’m inadequate. I am a failure. This is what I grew up believing about myself, and there was no place that proved these points more often, more relentlessly, and more consistently than school. All day long, five days … Continue reading

Posted in Book tour, Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, economics, education, emotion, Energy, failure, fiction, History, Listening, Magic, Maintenance, marketing, Pain, Play, privacy, Process, Public appearances, Publishing, research, silence, Society, spaciousness, spirit, Starting a new work, Stillness, Story, Strength, success, survival, The market, the world, Uncategorized, Visibilty, what artists need | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Making Art in the Age of Trump

Writing takes spaciousness. It requires managing time and psychic space. It requires holding part of yourself away from things: reality, jobs, bills, money, even marriage and partnership and family. It requires keeping a large part of your heart and mind … Continue reading

Posted in Book tour, comfort, Community; Genorosity, Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, economics, emotion, Energy, failure, fiction, Grief, Listening, marketing, privacy, Process, Public appearances, Publishing, research, silence, Society, spaciousness, Starting a new work, Stillness, Story, Strength, survival, Uncategorized, Visibilty, what artists need | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Walls, Doors and Windows

I am thinking about walls, doors and windows, and the rooms that many writers feel they are kept out of. The feeling is real. I have a lot of experience with walls, doors and windows. Besides the fact that I … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, class, Community; Genorosity, Comparison, Competition, creativity, economics, Elitism, emotion, Energy, failure, Gratitude, happiness, Magic, Maintenance, privacy, Process, Public appearances, research, Self-worth, silence, soul, spaciousness, spirit, success, survival, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Visibilty, work, Writing career | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Living in Fear

I have been living in fear. I am afraid of my public life. I am afraid of what it might mean to be known for what I do and recognized. I am afraid of what it might mean to not … Continue reading

Posted in comfort, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, emotion, Energy, fantasy, Gratitude, happiness, home, Passion, positivity; grace; light, posterity, privacy, Public appearances, Self-worth, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Writing Fiction

Writing fiction is always about relationship, and the first relationship that must be established is between the author and the main character. There’s got to be a certain intimacy in order to proceed. I can’t just write. I don’t just … Continue reading

Posted in Comparison, Competition, Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, Drafts, emotion, Energy, Exploration, failure, fiction, Journaling, Magic, Process, Public appearances, Publishing, Starting a new work, Story, Visibilty, voice, Wildness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Whose Story Matters?

Dear Karen, During my first book tour I gave a reading at a conference held in the auditorium of a university. I was terrified of public speaking, and to make it worse, I was completely intimidated by the people I … Continue reading

Posted in creativity, Day by day, Elitism, Passion, Public appearances, Self-worth, Uncategorized, violence, Visibilty, voice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Elitist Construct

Dear Karen, Long before my first book was published, long before I had even written it, I struggled with finding a way to put words on paper and have them become a story. Part of my study was to read … Continue reading

Posted in Book tour, class, Comparison, depression, economics, Public appearances, Self-worth, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Identity

Dear Karen, I have read and reread your letter many times. This is what struck me the most, it was in reference to leaving the job: “It’s as if I have turned in my sweatshirt that identifies me as a … Continue reading

Posted in Book tour, Comparison, creativity, Day by day, Enrgy, Public appearances, Uncategorized, Visibilty, Writing career | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment