Pacemaker.Press: A Flexible Goal Planner for Writers (and anyone else)
I interrupt my usual agenda of pep talks to bring you what is absolutely going to sound like a commercial, but I promise I haven’t been paid. It’s not an ad. It just looks like one. Here we go. Several months ago, my friend Kelsey told me about Pacemaker, which calls itself a flexible goal planner for writers and students (but check it out even … Continue reading Pacemaker.Press: A Flexible Goal Planner for Writers (and anyone else)
Today, I am 40.
Oh my gosh when I see it in writing it seems like I’m talking about someone else. FORTY. I don’t consider 40 old. At all. I just thought I’d feel more adult-like by forty. My mom, who is 66, says that she still doesn’t feel adult-like; so maybe this is just life, and we’re all secretly kids wandering the world in our grownup suits. Forty … Continue reading Today, I am 40.
It’s Okay to Be a Beginner AKA No One Cares About You
Here’s a thing that’s been on my mind lately. It seems like, as we get older, we stop allowing ourselves to explore new things. I hear a lot of “I’m too old for that” or “What’s the point at my age?” or “But Megan, my hip replacement is next week.” I attended a local blogger event last weekend, and even caught myself having those thoughts. … Continue reading It’s Okay to Be a Beginner AKA No One Cares About You
Megan’s Movie Marathon
I’ve had a ritual the last few years where I try to watch a scary movie every weekday in October. (I do weekdays so I can watch while the kids are at school, and I typically watch the movies at 7am, right after my youngest gets on the school bus. The added bonus is if the movie scares me to death, that will have mostly … Continue reading Megan’s Movie Marathon
Word for the Year: An Update!
Remember back in January, when we talked about choosing a Word for the Year? I chose the word Go, and several of you chimed in with words of your own. The idea of a Word for the Year is that it gives you more of a focus for the year, one word to guide you as you go wherever life leads you, rather than setting … Continue reading Word for the Year: An Update!
Someone Already Wrote My Book (And Other Lies You Tell Yourself)
When it comes down to it, it’s pretty hard to tell a completely original story. In the most basic sense, stories are made up of the same pieces—a protagonist with a goal, an antagonist in the way of the goal, and the journey the protagonist goes on to either succeed or fail in getting that goal. A young kid finds out he/she is magical and … Continue reading Someone Already Wrote My Book (And Other Lies You Tell Yourself)
Celebrate the Steps
Five years ago, I attended a writing retreat with a large group of authors who all debuted in 2014. We spent a long weekend working and writing and talking about goals. One night, we were asked to talk about where we hoped to be in five years. There were a variety of answers: I want to sell foreign rights to my work. I want to … Continue reading Celebrate the Steps
Megan Whitmer: The Soundtrack
I love music. We all know that, right? I mean, I obsess over it. I can get lost for hours in my Spotify Discovery and New Release Radar playlists. I constantly browse live music shows near me. One time, at Thanksgiving, when my mom asked us all to say something we’re thankful for, I said music. (My brother made endless fun of me for it, … Continue reading Megan Whitmer: The Soundtrack
I Am Not Ready.
It’s time to start a new book, and I am not ready. I’m never ready. That’s the whole problem. If you ask me what I need to be ready, I can’t even tell you. I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not ready. I wrote Between and its sequel without worrying about being ready. I wanted to write them, so I did. Somewhere … Continue reading I Am Not Ready.
Thirty Ideas for Artist Dates
If you read my last post about Artist Dates, you know that the whole idea of taking time to do something alone that nourishes my inner artist was a hard one for me to embrace. I was worried that it would seem selfish, or that I wouldn’t find any value in them. Sure, I enjoy my alone time, but would it necessarily make me a … Continue reading Thirty Ideas for Artist Dates
