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Award-winning, Nashville-based writer, editor and journalist Katie Lewis talks about the creative community, being a freelancer, setting deadlines and remaining healthy and inspired.
You might have a new role as a parent, yet that doesn't mean you've lost the desire to create.
For Pete's sake, how can you make it work? Let's talk about how to get back into the creative writing routine while maintaining some grace (and sanity).
Read moreHere, because your work deserves to be read, are 21 opportunities to submit in what remains of April and May. That's 21 chances you could be published, win a prize, be recognized for being the kick-ass talent you and I know you are.
Read moreYesterday, I did something I never could have anticipated. When I hit a point in my current writing project where I felt stuck and stilted, I dug out a piece I put to bed a few weeks ago. I reread it.
It bolstered me. I felt awe in the creative process and appreciation in my ability to write what I meant to write. And then I wrote, wrote, wrote fueled by the proof that yes, I can do this. I've done it before. I'll do it again, and now.
Read moreWhat would happen if you committed to weekly writing? If you're anything like me, you'd find a million reasons to do anything except the hard work of meeting your most vulnerable self at your desk. That's why I created The 52-Week Project, for writers like you and me who need a nudge. This project is a free weekly email series. One writing prompt a week: That's all there is to it.
Read moreOnline workshops can be tricky to suss out. Are they going to solve your problem? Do they contain information you don't already know? Will they be worth your money?
The truth is education is ongoing, and when you've been out of the classroom, you're a lot less likely to keep up with your studies. That's one of the reasons I created Fiction Workshop: for people who are creative, know they can write well and want to write better. If you want to embrace and own your writing life, for once and for all, Fiction Workshop is for you.
Read moreFor longer creative writing pieces -- novellas and novels -- I find character profiles to be enormously helpful. They help give definition and breathe life into people who only exist on paper. If ever I'm unsure how a character might respond to his circumstances, I refer back to the profile I created to remind myself of who he is and what drives him. This profile acts as a blueprint for a fictional person.
Read moreWe understand by now that writing is hard work. Many writers don't like the act of writing and instead prefer the joy of having written. Me, I really enjoy the writing process, in part because of cheerfully I enjoy words.
Masterfully, in her poem "Tides," Mary Oliver thoughtfully chooses words we don't see every day.
Read moreCreatives know how scarce and unreliable money can be, which is why so many opt for unrelated full-time employment so as not to put the stress of a relied-upon income on their passion.
It’s the main reason I like giving away things for free. The 52-Week Project -- free writing prompts each week for a week -- has been a beautiful experience and so amazing to see embraced. Today, I’m really excited about another free venture: The One-Week Daily Writing Devotional.
Read moreJournalists know the most important part of their actual writing process is crafting a gripping lead. The beginning of a creative non-fiction piece should be enticing, provocative, a teaser, a foreshadowing and supported by what's to come in your piece.
Once the lead is discovered, the rest of the story writes itself.
Read moreAs a creative, you know inspiration can be found anywhere. When your heart is open and ears are tuned, a turn of phrase or observation might kickstart a scene you've been stuck. You'll try anything to capture that spark, right? Me too. That's why I've been listening to podcasts every day. Here are nine of my favorites.
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