Find Writing Gems When You Mine Your Life Experiences

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson 

We all want what we write to matter—to touch hearts, change lives, challenge the status quo. 

To that end we search high and low for the words that connect us to our readers.

But what if the gems we’re searching for aren’t hidden in distant places, but instead are buried deep within our own experiences?

Today I’m going to give you the clues to finding those precious nuggets hidden in plain sight. If you’ll bear with me, I’d like to follow this mining metaphor to its ultimate end and show you how to mine your own experiences to make your writing richer.

7 Reasons Why We Love Novels

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Thousands of novels are released each year. So many wonderful and amazing books, and we’ll never be able to read them all. But we try.

What’s the fascination for story? Why do we crave the next novel and the next?

The Best Parts of Being a Writer

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

We all know there are aspects of choosing to write for a living that can make life tough. It’s easy to get focused on just the negatives. Today I want us to celebrate the best parts of being a writer!

29 Quick & Easy Social Media Updates to Share

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Sometimes connecting with our readers through social media seems like such a time-consuming chore that we can’t pull together the energy to even try. Truthfully though, by doing a little bit on social media consistently, we can make great strides. Today I’d like to share some easy—quick—ways to make those important connections. My tips are divided into three sections—things we can do now and share later, things we can share on the fly, and things we should avoid sharing.

Circle the Wagons

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

Coffee and donuts. They go together like love and marriage. Someday I’d like to write a poem and I’d like to start it with the line, “Coffee and donuts, sittin’ in a tree.” I’m not sure where to go from there. I get that far and all I know is that I want to be in that tree.

I confess I’ve had a few too many donuts. Sad to say, the bough on that tree would be bending pretty low about now. That’s why I decided to go on yet another diet recently. Also sad to say, I’ve already fallen off the wagon.

Living in the Moment

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Forever is composed of nows. - Emily Dickinson

In these days of instant access to cameras and social media, it's easy to get caught up in recording the moment instead of living in the moment. How do you combat that danger?

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

I invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

Writers Are A Strange Lot

We writers are an odd lot.

by Lori Hatcher  @LoriHatcher2

My husband puts up with a lot.

He’ll be the first to tell you that living with a writer is, shall we say, different. He knows writers are a strange lot. We can be physically present but mentally light years (or centuries) away. While it may appear that we’re talking to ourselves, if you ask us, we’ll deny it.

“Oh no, I’m not talking to myself. It’s the characters in my head who are talking. I’m just moderating the discussion.” Uh, yeah, I think there’s medication for that.