Shortly after I posted my first poetry set on the affection of joy, I realized that I should probably clarify what this poetry project is, and why I decided to make it my focus this year.
This year, I … read full post
the longing of the wind in the willows
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame is perhaps my favorite book, or at least in my top ten. I rarely re-read books, but this one is an annual read for me, and only recently did I think to … read full post
what I learned from 100 rejections
2018 was the year I took up the challenge to accrue 100 rejections – with the goal, essentially, of submitting to 100 or more publications in a year.
The publishing landscape is sprawling and extremely diverse, but if there’s one … read full post
the turning of the year
Linnea and I were discussing how the new year seems more overwhelming at the start than exciting. It’s as if we’re standing on a cliff daring ourselves to leap, having no idea what lies ahead or what condition we’ll be … read full post
the fruits of fall: on ordering the harvest
It’s been a long time since I’ve been back home in Indiana during the fall, and I forgot how busy it is.
For the last few months or so my mother in particular has been taking steps to preserve the … read full post
the metamorphosis of moments
My daughter loves creatures of all sorts, and has very little fear of them.
This summer, since moving to the country, we’ve had a steady stream of creatures (mostly of the six-legged variety) traipsing through our house in a variety … read full post
christopher robin: through a child’s eyes
For Linnea’s birthday (a couple weeks back) we went out for ice cream with some close friends and then to a movie we had both wanted to see for some time: Christopher Robin.
We are both Winnie-the-Pooh addicts from … read full post
epiphanies and doughnuts
Writing, at its very core, is about saying something. It doesn’t have to be profound, and it doesn’t have to be beautiful as some might label it. But for me as a writer of faith, it has to be true. … read full post
workshop: against frictionless community
I recently sent in the second draft of my second Candlelight Carols script to my colleagues in Chicago.
I’ve been learning to love “seconds,” the revitalized or “new and improved” version of my initial offerings.
When I first wrote a … read full post
thoughts from a two-year-old writer
Recently I’ve been receiving this rash of wonderful wise words from established writers about the act of writing – everything from excerpts from John R. Erikson’s “Story Craft” …
… read full post“My approach to writing has not been dramatic or romantic. It