Do you want to be a writer, or are you a writer? The world is filled with wannabe's. I could fatten my bank account considerably if I had a quarter for every person who's told me, "I've always wanted to be a writer." People think of writing as a glory-filled, cushy career, and it is not. You must be willing to put in the time, the work, the energy it takes if you want to call yourself a writer. Few people realize that there are many successful writers out there whose names y

What can I say? I can't argue. He's right. Some people say the story's the thing, and you do need a compelling story. However, if have a great story but tell it poorly, you have a dud on your hands. Finding the perfect word to depict the action, describing the scene so well that people can recreate what you see in their own minds, building the action to a point that the reader cannot stop reading -- that makes a great story. So, find a story to tell, then take great care in t

Matisse was right, you know. Creativity does take courage. I think of the impressionists and the ridicule they faced as they broke away from the traditional style of the Old Masters. Keep in mind that many of the painters, like Van Gogh, whose works now sell for millions, could barely sell enough paintings to buy food and heat their tiny living spaces. Remember that J.K. Rowling's wildly popular "Harry Potter" series was rejected by several publishers before finally landing o

I've been thinking . . . I do more of that as I get older. As I'm excited to welcome the possibilities of a new year, I wonder, "What did I accomplish in 2017?" It doesn't seem like much. I certainly didn't complete the goals I'd set for myself this time last year. How did that happen? How did the year pass so quickly with so little significant personal progress? One day at a time. One day of procrastinating. One day of letting fear of failure win. One day of refusing to step