Arguably more than any other genre, memoir leans on the concept of theme to be potent and focused and effective. Whereas autobiographies are careful to detail the entire scope of a person’s life, memoir is a snapshot. That snapshot can last a day or a decade, so long as there is a unifying point. One […]
Elie Wiesel was one of the most beloved writers of the 20th century. He wrote more than 40 books in his lifetime, two of them memoirs. His most notable and enduring work, Night—although considered a novel and not a memoir—was an emotionally-charged narrative informed by his time in Auschwitz during World War II. On memoirs, […]
By nature, memories are unreliable. They are time travel through a blurred and distorted lens. They capture glints of light and pockets of darkness through the filter of our present-day attitudes. So how do savvy memoir authors go about recapturing a season of life with confidence in memories? They don’t. During the nearly twelve months […]
Let's be honest: virtual assistant technology has a long way to go. It's equal parts helpful and equal parts repeating yourself like you do at Sunday brunch when your Aunt May forgot to turn up her hearing aid. Until the obstinate woman in my echo dot responds in a helpful way to my "Alexa, finish […]
Since my first ghostwriting project five years ago, I have nurtured a steadily-growing stable of clients who return to me for additional work. A typical year also brings in several new clients. This month, however, marked a first for me: saying no. Let me clarify by saying that I am extremely selective with the projects […]
The longer I move in romance circles - reading, writing, studying, editing, coaching - the more apparent the phenomenon of every man vs. no man. I suppose this could apply to other genres, as well, but it seems prevalent in our romance heroes. I finished ghostwriting a romantic novella last week. In it, the hero […]
I'm asked all. the. time. how it feels to gut myself on the page then watch someone else take credit for the work. Truthfully, I didn't really know at first. The crinkle of cold, hard cash to do what you love tends to deafen for a time. But I'm going on four years as a […]
May I just take this opportunity to say, if you are planning to self-publish: Hire. An. Editor. It doesn't have to be me, though if you check out the client testimonial tab at the top of this blog, you'll see my mounting collection of stellar reviews. All make me feel like I've just sipped hot cider on […]
I'm baking chocolate-peanut butter chip cookies right now and contemplating my next freelance career move. Do I pursue an invitation to write a "sure-to-be-Hollywood-blockbuster," including an all-expenses paid trip to the Caribbean to meet with the client? Do I trust in those repeat clients who have proven themselves awesome beyond belief and thoroughly non-delusional? Or […]
First, I offer apologies for the driest posting spell in the blog's history. December cannot end too soon. It was a month for the passing of loved ones, too many tasks and not enough time and hard lessons in the freelance business. I caught up on my Google Reader last night. Everyone, it seems, is […]
