Just one week of meditation boosts creative problem solving
Please read my latest article on Huffington Post: Just One Week of Meditation Can Boost Creative Problem Solving From deciding what to eat for breakfast to handling a complex dilemma at the office, there is always more than one solution to any problem The paths linking a problem to any number of resolutions can become twisted […]
Teens can Improve Creativity, Relieve Anxiety by Meditating
Please read my latest contribution to Huffington Post! Teens can Improve Creativity, Relieve Anxiety by Meditating creative thinking with our neocortex, the part of the brain that is concerned with problem solving, visioning, hypothesizing, and strategizing. Meditation can have profound effects on the neocortex. Blogger Branain Radcliffe shows how meditation boosts your creativity and focus in seven specific […]
Stepping into the spotlight – Interview with Victoria Theodore
I’m excited to announce that Mixtape Methodology published my interview with musician Victoria Theodore, featured in 20 Feet from Stardom. Here is an excerpt: When Victoria Theodore began taking piano lessons just before her twelfth birthday, one of the first songs she learned was “Overjoyed,” the 1985 R&B single by Stevie Wonder. The song came naturally […]
Kill Writer’s Block Now: The Fast Track to Creativity Starts Here
Staring at a blank page? No me, my friend; I’m already off and writing this blog post, charmed by the prolific Charles Bukowski, “Writing about writer’s block is better than not writing at all.” (The Last Night of the Earth Poems) Garnering the wisdom of two of my favorite writing instructors, I’m here to solve your […]
4 Fun Tips for Inspiring Children to Read & Write Stories
Words are the foundation of any great story. Whether eloquent, blunt, allusive or rudimentary, words are the playthings of those new to the alphabet and MFA students alike. I have two children, ages 5 and 7; both alphabet aficionados and no strangers to playthings. Like any book nerd, I do my best to feed their […]
What Was Your Childhood Dream? Dare to Let Go And Grow
Image: Freedigitalphotos.net
Using Dirty Fighting To Escalate Tension In Your Story
Great books are filled with conflict, and great characters who learn important lessons. Writer and all-around-funny Jenny Hansen’s clever tips for Dirty Fighting Techniques can be applied to your main character’s friend, family member or a significant other…whoever he or she is in conflict. Hansen asserts, “Every entry on the Dirty Fighting List is guaranteed […]
10 Simple Ways to Support Authors You Love, and Love the Readers Who Support You
I’ll admit it, I’m a fangirl. When an author’s amazing book inspires awe, when an agent teaches a class with the intention of improving and inspiring our burgeoning manuscripts, or either write a blogpost containing encouragement and advice for other writers–well, I want to return the favor of their generosity and give them a (virtual) […]
Thoughts on Plots (and whatnot) with James Thayer
When people ask what your book is about, they are really asking about the plot. A response: “It’s about two German Shepherds sniffing for buried treasure,” only scrapes the surface. Why dogs? Why that breed? What kind of treasure? Where? When? What must they overcome in order to sniff it out? What will they do with […]
10 Life Lessons from Syndicated Writer, Author, Teacher and Chef Monica Bhide
This must-read guest post comes from the impressive and always lovable Monica Bhide, author of three cookbooks, the blog A Life of Spice and syndicated columnist of SEASONINGS, distributed by the Scripps Howard News Media to over 300 news outlets. In addition to her writing, Monica owns and operates her own cooking school, which has been featured in […]