by Blythe Daniel @BlytheDaniel We ask this question a lot. We may not even recognize it anymore. We ask someone who has just lost someone they love, “What do you need?” or we may ask a child who is hurt, “Do you need anything?” We are suggesting there is a…

by Maggie Wallem Rowe It’s less than two weeks until conference time! Those of you able to attend this year will gain so much from the general sessions, workshops, and faculty appointments. But do you know what attendees mention each year as the most valuable takeaway of all? It’s those…

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin I’m involved in a couple of online writing groups and no matter how many times you say it, there seems to be a broad misconception about self-published books. These books simply don’t appear in the brick-and-mortar bookstores. Please don’t misunderstand me. These self-published books have their…

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767 Sitting in my administrative office several years ago, I’d finished a series of articles for an educational publication. Though I was satisfied the pieces were factual, well-researched, and would be published, I was bored. I stared at my extensive bookshelf and longed to share poems, sci-fi,…

by Ane Mulligan  @AneMulligan According to a song lyric by Linda Rondeau: Home, home in the industry Where the writers and publishers play Where seldom is heard An encouraging word And the skies are so cloudy all day. Thanks, Linda for letting me borrow the lyric. Yes, I've experienced discouragement…

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author Conference season is upon us! How exciting! How wondrous! How exhausting! Don’t get me wrong; I love writing conferences. I love learning. I love congregating with my people. I love being surrounded by the energy of other creative people who are pursuing the dream of sharing…