Writing about Writing (and Talking about It Too)

I wrote a piece for the February 2019 issue of The Writer magazine (on newsstands now) called Strive to Fail (published online as Six Counterintuitive Goals to Shake Up Your Writing Routine), in which I suggest some attainable—and perhaps surprising—objectives to set, such as Aim Lower, Seek Rejection, Slack Off, and Read Terrible Books, to aid in the pursuit of your writerly ambitions.

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with author Mindy McGinnis for her podcast, Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire. We discussed redirecting anxiety into creativity; writing across age categories; the nuts, bolts, and vulnerabilities of publishing personal essays; and more. You can stream or download the episode here, or find it on your favorite podcast app.

I’ve been spending January away from social media, burrowing deep into my YA draft (and giving Anna, Banana book 8 a final polish), and exploring nearby trails with my favorite pup, Arugula. Here’s a photo from a recent adventure:

Happy trails to you, too!