What Word Would you Kill if you Could Kill a Word?

Country singer Eric Church recently released a song called Kill a Word. The first time I heard it, I was fascinated by it. In the song, Eric talks about destroying negative words. Here's the first verse:

If I could kill a word and watch it die, 

I'd poison never, shoot goodbye, 

Beat regret when I felt I had the nerve

Yeah, I'd pound fear into a pile

When I listen to this song, it gets me wondering, what word would I kill if I could kill a word?

Well, for starters, I'd blow the hell out of war. Then I'd shrink fat. I'd stuff hunger with so much food it would beg to stop, and I'd reverse old age back to when all its grey hair was brown. Finally, I'd disintegrate landfills, vacuum up smog and sew up the hole in the ozone layer with a double row of stitches so it would never come apart.

It's a fun concept. It could even pass for a game. You give out clues and then everyone goes around the table and tries to guess which negative word you are killing.

So now I'm going to ask you, what word would you kill if you could kill a word?


Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.

Have you Considered Starting your Own Blog?

Most people are good at something. Some are even expert at something. Have you ever thought about sharing your passion with others? And wouldn't that be a great way to start 2017?

Perhaps you knit, or you're an avid gardener or skier, or you refurbish dolls, collect vinyl records, teach piano or refurbish houses. There are thousands of people out there just like you who might be interested in what you have to say. Why not start a blog to share your knowledge and experience? You could give it a cute name like The Daily Knitting or Today's Downhill Run.

So how would you get started? There are dozens of solutions to choose from, but I personally like Blogger.com, which is a Google solution. I think it's easy to use, and it gives me lots of free stats. Also, my posts are picked up through organic search, which is important. Not every blog offers those services for free.

I built my website in Wix (lynnrussowhylly.com) and that module offered a blogging tool as well, but I found that the stats weren't as robust as Blogger at the entry level. To get the best stats, you have to pay for them.

I launched my first blog, LYNNSIGHTS, on Blogger.com about 8 years ago. So when I decided to start Always Write a few months ago, not only was I familiar with it, but I liked the experience I've had. So back to Blogger I went. I did consider WordPress, since it is the most popular tool, but in the end, I decided to stay with what I was familiar with.

To make your decision about where to host your blog, you could do a Google search for "blogging tools." I just did that and right at the top of the list I found this great article, Top Blog Builders for 2017.

Once you've decided to start a blog and you've chosen the service you want to build it on, creating the layout is easy. The service you choose will have many available templates to choose from. When choosing a template for your blog, consider how well the colors, fonts and layout align with the subject matter you are writing about. For example, for Always Write, I chose a template with a wall of books as the background.

Altogether, your decision process should flow like this:

Decision 1: Decide to write a blog
Decision 2: Choose a site to host your blog
Decision 3: Choose a name
Decision 4: Choose a template
Decision 5: Write!

Once you are up and running, you should consider whether you would like to earn money from having advertising (Google AdSense) on your site. I do it, but I don't write enough to make significant money. To really make money, you've got to write every day, and your posts have to go viral. But if you're committed to your blog as I am, It's worth considering. Here's where you can find information about Google AdSense.

Finally, my last piece of advice to you is don't overthink the writing. You do want your writing to be succinct, free of typos, and well written. But you only need a couple hundred words per post and they should be in your own conversational tone. Remember that this is your voice, so be yourself.

Happy writing!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Great Advice from Martina McBride: "Dream Big Anyway"

I recently attended a Martina McBride concert at the Palace Theater in Stamford, CT. For those who are not familiar with the name, Martina is a country singer who has been making hit records since 1992. She's known all over the world. She's one of my all-time favorite singers and I have seen her in concert now three times.

And in one of her songs, one I was not familiar with and unfortunately can't name, she sang the line, "Dream Big Anyway." I immediately felt a connection with the line and realized how important it was to pass along that piece of advice to other writers.

So here's what I want you to know:

You may not make the New York Times Best Seller List, or the Amazon Best Seller List, or any best seller list, but write anyway. Write for yourself and write what you want to write.

You may not have the best, fanciest computer and the most modern equipment, but don't wait until you have the means to get those things. Start writing anyway. Write on a cocktail napkin if you have to. Some of the world's best songs were written on cocktail napkins. And don't forget that Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on the back of a paper bag. The conditions don't have to be great. They just have to work. So just write.

You may not have all the time in the world to devote to writing. But write anyway. Maybe you work two jobs. Or you're a single mom or dad raising a child. Write anyway, even if you can only devote one hour a week. One hour a month. Yes, everyone will tell you to try to set aside some time every single day for writing. I agree. But I'm telling you to start. Just start. Because if you start out by saying that a single hour is not enough and you wait until you have enough time, not only will you never finish, but you'll never start. So no matter how much or how little time you have, write anyway.

And finally, the last thing I want to say, is try anyway. Maybe you're not sure you have the talent. Maybe you aren't sure you have what it takes to be a songwriter or a novel writer or a children's book writer or what ever it is that your dream is. Try anyway. Because the you that you know today is not the whole you. The you of tomorrow is full of all the experiences and the lessons and mistakes and the ideas you picked up along the way. So try anyway, because you'll never know what you could have become if you don't. Just by trying, you're already a winner.

My thanks to Martina McBride for this wonderful song that sparked this advice.

Happy writing!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

4 Things I Learned from a Literary Agent

Last night, I had the pleasure of hearing a guest speaker at the Norwalk Library. Her name was Jan Kardys, and she was amazing. She talked for 30 minutes, and if I didn't have to leave at that point, I could have easily listened to her for another hour.

She is president of Unicorn for Writers, an organization that helps writers get their books published; she also produces the annual Unicorn Writers Conference; and she has been a literary agent for about 20 years. She knows everything you need to know about polishing your book to make it saleable.

I will share with you now 4 critical things she taught us in those 30 minutes:

1) Reach out to 25 writers and ask them to reach 25 pages of your book and give you their honest feedback. In exchange, tell them you'll write them a glowing recommendation.

2) Copyright your book with the Library of Congress. Having an ISBN number assigned to your book does not automatically copyright your material. Go to to the Library of Congress website, download the TX form, write a check for $35 and follow the instructions for mailing your material to the LoB. In the case of an already published book, they request 2 copies.

3) You must get a review in three places: Publishers Weekly magazine, Kirkus and Library Journal.

4) And finally, you must be on social media. Join groups online, follow other writers, get to know other writers, and then go back to point #1.

I soaked up this information like a sponge. I think everyone there did. I was grateful to learn that I am doing some things right. I also was not surprised to learn that I have a long way to go.

For instance, to get your book represented by an agent, you need to have a marketing plan. So I suggest, if you are looking for an agent, you research book marketing plans online.

Also, there are specific dos and don't about how to write a query letter as well, so research query letters online before you sit down to write one.

I recommend that you take some time to check out the website for Unicorn for Writers. Review every service they offer, how much it costs, and consider attending their conference. There are a lot of opportunities available to us writers if we can find them. and Unicorn for Writers is one of them.

Good luck!


Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Have You Considered Self Publishing? It's Easier Than You Think

When I first considered self-publishing, I immediately went to Amazon.com. As I was scrolling down the home page, I came across a site menu—a black bar about 4 inches long filled with links that made it easy to find the departments you might be looking for on Amazon.

The second column is titled "Make Money With Us". That caught my attention, and as I scanned down the list, the 7th item down says "Self Publish With Us." So I clicked on it. It took me to a division of Amazon called CreateSpace.com.

From there, my whole life changed. CreateSpace was literally the doorway to my future. Once arriving at CreateSpace, I was asked to register. Registration is free. I registered, and from there on out, I no longer went to Amazon, I only went to CreateSpace.

Once on CreateSpace, I saw my very own dashboard. From here, I could design my book, get it approved by CreateSpace, post it to Amazon, and track sales every day.

If you are interested in self-publishing a book you've written, check it out. You can follow the steps I did, or you can go directly to createspace.com. If you should find that you have a few questions during the setup process, there is a customer service phone number available and very visible on the dashboard page.

Good luck!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Would You Like to Contribute to the 2017 AP Style Book?

The AP Style Book staff are asking for everyone's suggestions on new words to add to the 2017 edition, as well as for updates and corrections.

If you have a word that you think belongs in the AP Style Book, or if you would like to vote on a word that has been suggested, go to:

http://www.apstylebook.com/?do=suggestions

The editors promise to read every submission.

In other AP news, the staff of AP Style Book is having a Twitter chat on holiday terms Nov. 15 at 2:30 eastern time. Use the hashtag #APStyleChat to ask questions of the guest expert Julie Rubin.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

The Day I Found Out I Wasn't the Only Writer in My Family

My Aunt Maymee died in 2003 at the ripe old age of 93. My mother and I were tasked with cleaning out her small apartment, which was filled with lots of clothes, as well as boxes, catalogs, nick nacks, toys and more. We had to go through every catalog payment envelope and every piece of clothing to make sure she didn't leave any money in there. It took us three months to sort through everything.

Toward the end of our efforts, I was cleaning out a dresser drawer when I came across a notebook. I opened it up and was very surprised to see that Aunt Maymee had written on every page. It took me a few minutes of flipping through pages before I realized it was a novel. She even had a pen name -- Mae Bow.

It was a story of two girls, about their childhood. I think she had modeled the characters after herself and my grandmother -- they were Irish twins.

But I found myself wondering, why didn't she tell me she had written it? She knew I was a writer. She knew I was interested in writing. We could have really bonded over this. We could have had so many great conversations. Why would she choose to keep it a secret?

Maybe she was afraid her work wasn't good. I haven't read it, to be honest. I tried typing it once, with the expectation that I would type the whole thing and make copies for the whole family. But I quickly abandoned that idea. The first few pages are full of long, run-on sentences. She doesn't break up her words into easy-to-read paragraphs.

How fun, though, would it have been to be able to exchange stories with each other and talk 'shop' with her? I suppose it was so personal that she was afraid that whoever she shared it with might not like it. Did she even share it with my grandmother, with whom she lived most of her senior years?

Unfortunately, I will never know why she kept it to herself. All I can do is be thankful that I found it and cherish it until I see her again. But knowing that writing blood runs in my family is kind of comforting. It makes me feel like that much stronger of a writer.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Get Ready for NaNoWriMo!

The first time someone said to me, "Are you participating in NaNoWriMo"? I thought they were speaking a foreign language. "Huh? NaNo what"?

NaNoWriMo, for those not in the know, stands for "National Novel Writing Month," which is November every year.

The phenomenon was conceived in 1999, and in 2005, National Novel Writing Month officially became a nonprofit.

The global organization, self-described as a "fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing," attracted more than 450,000 people around the world in 2015. Today, it includes a Young Writers program and a camp, and has 18 corporate sponsors.

Libraries and other organizations open their doors to writers who want to get together with other writers during NaNoWriMo month to make it a fun, group event.

To participate:

1) Sign up at nanowrimo.org
2) Fill out a profile
3) Find a region to join
4) On Nov. 1 start writing a fiction novel consisting of at least 50,000 words
5) Update your daily word count on NaNoWriMo.org throughout the entire month of November
6) On November 30 at 11:59 p.m., stop writing.

If you're not a writer but you want to support writers, or if you are a writer but are unable to write a novel in November, there are other ways you can participate. You can donate, you can buy NaNoWriMo merchandise, you can volunteer, you can even sponsor a writing group of your own!

For lots ore information, go to NaNoWriMo.org. Good luck and have fun!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Join a Writing Group

There's nothing more motivating to help writers write than having other writers around you who are doing the same thing and can help you focus.

That is a key reason why libraries offer writing groups.

These groups are free (at least where I live), and encourage writers to engage each other when they're stuck, when they want someone's opinion about a scene they've just written, or when just simply need to get serious about writing, and there are too many distractions at home.

If you're a writer and would like to mingle with other writers, or you need a light kick in the behind to get you started, or to maintain a consistent schedule, consider joining your library's local writing group.

The ones I'm familiar with usually meet every other Thursday night.

Next time you're in your local library, why not ask? If you haven't been to your local library in a millennia, you can check their website for meetings or pick up the phone and call. You may not even have to have a library card, although I highly recommend you have one.

Don't procrastinate. Starting mingling and getting motivated today!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Why Do We Care about the Story of a Person We've Never Met?

I took Wild by Cheryl Strayed out of the library today. And all the way home I was wondering, why do I want to read this woman's story? From the answer to that question, I was hoping to find the answer to my next question. Why would anyone want to read my story?

Actually, I think my story is kind of interesting, but the fact remains, I'm a nobody. Why would anyone be interested in what happened to me? And then I'm reminded of Frank McCort, who wrote Angela's Ashes. He was a nobody and his book became a best seller. Of course, his story took place during a critical time in Ireland's history when the country was in a major depression, so his book brings history to life. That's enough of a reason to read it, I suppose. 

So what is it about people's stories that draw readers in? What is it that draws me in? And why did I want to read Wild? I had seen bits and pieces of the movie, but not the whole movie. And I decided that I had wanted to hear the whole story from beginning to end in her voice. But why? Was it sheer curiosity? 

I suppose curiosity about how a woman could traverse an 1,100 mile trail by herself carrying an 80-pound backpack could get people's attention. There's also the fact, for me at least, that I happen to really like Reese Witherspoon, who played Cheryl Strayed in the movie, and so I could say that it was Reese who captured my attention. If the director had chosen an unknown woman for the part, it's possible I would have skipped right over the movie and had no interest in it all. 

The other thing that drew me in, I think, is that Strayed is a fellow author. So in a way I feel a kind of kinship to her, and I guess I wanted to see if we had anything in common. In most ways, I'm finding, we are complete opposites. But there is at least one  thing I can relate to: losing my mother. 

So I started reading the book because I wanted to know her story. And the deeper I get into her story, I want to know more. Now, I have so many questions for her I'm certain I will not find the answer to when I get to the end of the book. Which, by the way, blatantly leaves her open for a sequel.

For instance, did she ever do heroine again? Did she reunite with Paul? Or Joe? Or someone completely new? Was she able to settle down with anyone at all? Which, by the way, all these questions actually are answered at the end of the book.

And, of course, now I want to read the novels she's written to see if Wild, which is very well written, was just blind luck or if she really is a good writer. 

Finally, I realized, that for anyone to be interested in my story, I have do what Cheryl Strayed did for me. Give the reader something they can't get anywhere else, captivate them with shocking details like I do with my fiction, and make them ask for more. 

With #InFashionsWeb, people are always asking me, "Are you writing a sequel?" I really want to know what happens to Kara and Allison next." My friend Dara even asked me for a prequel because she wanted to know what happened first. 

Perhaps the thing I got most of all out of reading Wild is that if Cheryl can do it, I can do it. And I don't have to hike 1,100 miles alone in a dangerous place to draw in readers. I just have to make it interesting.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Great Books Teach Writers Great Lessons

I just finished reading A Woman of Substance and I loved it. I couldn't put it down. Barbara Taylor Bradford's epic tome kept me on the edge of my seat for all 868 pages.

But when you're a writer, you tend to read with a different eye than someone who reads strictly for enjoyment. I found myself analyzing the structure of the book -- the way Ms. Bradford weaved in characters or advanced her story lines. 

As a writer myself, I found myself saying, OK, this is where Emma needs to get her first break in life, or this spot would be perfect for a love scene. As someone who writes novels myself, it's beneficial to peel back the onion on other writer's books to see how they achieve certain aspects of their story line, especially if it's a feature that held my rapt attention. 

The best parts though, are the ones that I didn't predict -- the ones where I said, wow, I never would have thought of that!

Do you find yourself doing that when you read? Do you analyze the book as well as enjoy it? It's a great way to learn and to hone your writing technique. It is literally a free lifelong education. 

Which books have you learned the most from and what specifically have you learned? Tweet your reply to @lynnrussowhylly. 

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

First-Time Writer? Start by Writing for Free

If you want to be a professional writer and you don't yet have a portfolio, start by writing for free. 

Most young people have the option of working for their high school or college paper. But what if you didn't go to college or your high school didn't have a newspaper?

There are plenty of other opportunities for building your portfolio by writing for free. 

I got my first writing opportunity for our company newspaper when I was a secretary in my twenties. Later, as a sales rep for a radio station, I volunteered to write articles for the local radio station association's newsletter. Then I started to pick up some paid freelancing gigs. They didn't pay much, but the recognition of having my byline on an article was priceless. 

My big break came when I was a production coordinator for a direct marketing company. I actually took over the company newsletter and became its editor. I also built up experience using design tools by doing the layout myself. 

All of these did wonders for my career. Just by the mere fact that I was able to put on my resume that I was Editor of the IMP company newsletter, and that I had a robust portfolio of clippings, I got a full-time job as an editor. After two years on that job, I got a better job. And after five years with that company, I got an even better job. All because I started to build my portfolio by working for free. 

Today, you can find lots of free writing opportunities on Craigslist. Of course, be careful and discriminating about the ads you respond to. Only respond to legitimate companies, and pass on the ones that have no digital paper trail to speak of. 

Before you know it, you'll be on your way!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

I Challenge You to Write about a Tree

Writing well is only half what you write about. The other half is how well you write it.

Could you describe a tree so well that you could make people feel the tree?

"The golden yellow leaf reminded him of her long blonde hair. Just like the leaves blowing in the wind, he could see her golden hair twirling around him as they danced. The branches of the lean, feminine-like willow tree seemed to reach out to him as if to say hold me, hug me. He ran to the tree and put his arms around it. He could almost feel her hugging back."

Go ahead. Grab a piece of paper, or open up the Notes app on your phone or computer. Just think about a tree, and try to describe it. Associate it to a childhood memory or something emotional enough that it might make your eyes tear. See how far you can go with it. If you're a natural born comedian, then by all means make it funny! Make yourself laugh so hard you almost pee your pants.

The point of this exercise is merely to get your senses moving. Next time you feel you've hit writer's block or are stuck on a scene, stop what you're doing, pull out a piece of paper and try to write something incredibly emotional about an inanimate object, like a kitchen pot, a hairbrush ... or even a tree. 

Hopefully, you'll find that the exercise will help restore your senses and once you get back to your main writing project, your juices will flow again more easily. 

Happy writing!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

My Life was More Fulfilled Because of Our Bookmobile

Some of my best childhood memories involve the weekly bookmobile. Every Wednesday, the bookmobile arrived a couple of blocks from our home and I was so excited to get in there and look at those wall-t0-wall, floor-to-ceiling books. Every week, I left with an armload and couldn't wait to get home and start reading them. On a non-school day, I could finish a 300 to 400 page book in one day.

Books were particularly influential to my early teen years and without the bookmobile, I would not have had that opportunity. Also, who knows what I would have gotten into or how I might have strayed without the influence of books from our local bookmobile. 

This bus-turned-library on wheels is critical for any neighborhood, particularly those that are far from the library. In areas with families of small children and where people are most likely to walk or take the bus, it helps connect people to the world outside their neighborhood. 

If you have a child and there is a bookmobile in your neighborhood, I highly recommend it. Even with iPads and e-book readers and televisions and the Internet, browsing through all those book binders and holding books in your hand, for a child, is like taking a trip to fantasy land. 

Your library's website can tell you whether the facility runs a bookmobile, and if so, what neighborhoods it goes to and when. If you can't find anything online, call your local library and ask. Bring the library to you by visiting your local bookmobile today!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

A 'Style Guide' is Your Friend

No matter whether you write for yourself or for an employer, you should always use a style guide. 

Personally, I like the Associated Press Style Guide. The AP Style Guide is the most popular today. It's used for website content, and the majority of print content. Virtually any publication or site that has a young or youngish audience is going to use the AP Style guide. 

If the publication you work for is reserved or conservative, such as The Wall Street Journal or perhaps a law journal, they might use a competing publication called the Chicago Manual of Style. The Chicago style guide is voluminous and harder to follow, but they both serve a purpose, and of course, the ability to search online makes tasks much easier. 

Finally, some companies may also use the Gregg Reference Manual, while the medical industry uses the AMA (American Medical Association) Manual of Style, which you would need to be familiar with if you were applying for a writing or editing job with a medical publication. 

What would you use a style guide for? 

A style guide ensures that your language is always consistent. If, for instance, you want to know whether you should write 'e-mail' or 'email', 'Internet' or 'internet', 'e-commerce' or 'eCommerce'—check your company's preferred style guide. 

If you're not sure whether a certain word or words is a proper noun or a common noun, check your style guide. For example: In 'President Obama', the word President is capitalized because it is a title. But when used generically as in 'The president called for calm in the city today,' it should be lower case. 

How can you an answer to your question by looking in your style guide?

The AP Style Guide is in alphabetical order, so if you were looking up Internet you'd simply look in the section for the letter I. However, the best way to access a style guide today is online. I maintain a subscription to apstyleguide.com for just $20 a year. There is a search box and most of the things I need to find can be done by using the search box. 

As a writer or editor, the right style guide is going to be a valuable and necessary asset throughout your entire career. Keep it handy, whether it's through a mobile app or a hard copy on your desk. and you can feel confident that your work will always be polished and will meet your company's style requirements.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

The Power of a Good Story

A good story always leaves me hungry for more. But it does so much more than that. A love story can break my heart and make me cry. I fall in love with characters, and when they're gone, I miss them. Sometimes when a book ends, I can even get depressed because the characters are no longer in my life. When someone gets that wrapped up in a book, you know you've done a good job as a writer. 

You also can affect people's opinions of things. When I was child, I remember seeing Mary Poppins for the first time. Because of that movie, I fell in love with London and with British accents. Those endearments stuck with me throughout my adult life. 

If you asked me what's the most powerful love story of all time, I would say The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough. It was a story of unrequited love. The kind that leaves you feeling empty and unfinished inside. And even though I read it in the 1980s, I still  think it was the best love story I've ever read. It left a mark on me that will always be there. 

So how does one write a powerfully good story? You keep it real and raw. You give the characters pain and heartache and loneliness and anger and love and tears of joy. You make them work their fingers to the bone to get what they want. You let them rise up from the ashes and overcome their challenges. Achieve their dreams. You surprise the reader with events they didn't see coming. You leave the reader wanting more for themselves and for the characters. 

After you've written a scene, sit back and ask, did it make you feel anything? Show it to your friends and colleagues. Make them describe it. Did it make them sad, happy, angry? If not, perhaps you need to add more detail to describe what the character is truly feeling. 

The power of a good story is in the words you choose and the way you put them together. Remember, you have the power to leave an imprint on someone's life with your story. Make it a good one.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Write about Yourself: Your Experiences Matter

I don't know you, but chances are you have lived an amazing life. You have come in contact with personal heroes. You've overcome difficult challenges. You've achieved goals beyond what you ever thought you could do. Your childhood holds special memories that other people can relate to and that, when described in detail, can simultaneously bring both tears and laughter to people's faces. 

Why not share your story (or stories)? After all, it's original, because there is no one like you. There is no one else who has been through what you have quite the way you've been through it. No one who has the exact same family you do. 

There are many reasons to write your own personal stories. First, for your own enjoyment. You can preserve those memories for all eternity. Second, for others' enjoyment. And third, to inspire, help people overcome, and to heal. 

When writing a memoir piece, the first thing you want to decide is what you want to write about, then where you want it to start and where you want it to end. 

Will you write in the present or in the past tense? Whose voice will it be, yours or someone else's? Your father's, perhaps. Or the voice of your kind and loving grandmother. 

Don't worry if you don't have all the pieces organized in your mind. Just sit down and start writing. The rest will flow. And while you're writing, open up your heart and put your feelings into the piece. If you cry, that's okay. If you're mad, fine. If you feel pain, that's ok. You'll get through it, and you'll be proud of yourself for doing it. 

Now, as you've been reading this, there probably is one particular memory from your past that has come to the surface that you are thinking would make a good story. Write it down. Go on! And don't worry about it being perfect. Just get your thoughts on paper and you can edit it afterward. 

Good luck!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Write Even When You Don't Feel Like It

You're not always going to be in the mood to write. My advice to you is don't put it off. If you wait until you are in the mood, or feel 'inspired', you will never write. Or you will write a handful of pages every six months. 

Creative writing can be turned on and off like a faucet, if you train yourself to do so. Set a time when you are available to write. Perhaps it's after dinner at night or after you put the baby to bed. Some writers get up an hour early every morning and write before they go to work. Whatever works for you. Even if the only time you have for yourself is two hours every Saturday morning, fine. Just commit to it and stick to it. 

Also, if you get writer's block, or you get bored, don't stop writing, just pick a different project. If you're writing a novel and hit a lull in your thinking, shift over to writing a poem or a short story, a memoir piece about your childhood or even haiku. 

The main thing is to keep up the routine. The more you keep up the routine, the easier it will get, and you'll be the surprised how easily the words will start to flow out of you when you sit down. 

Happy writing!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Ernest Hemingway’s Mental Illness: Never Diagnosed, but Always Visible

In the first half of the 20th century, manic depression and bipolar disorder had already been discovered, but it wasn’t talked about. It wasn’t until the 1960s and the 1970s that the words started to become more common. Today, of course, there are treatments that allow people with mental illness to live a full and normal life.

Ironically, though, Ernest Hemingway did lead a full, normal life, at least in his own eyes. And although he was never diagnosed with any type of mental illness, the more I know about him, the more I believe he was bipolar, manic depressive, and obsessive/compulsive.

First, if you take a look at his books, you won’t find a lot of short paragraphs. Sometimes an entire page can read like a single run-on sentence with no paragraph breaks. This was the first clue that captured my attention.

Secondly, he lived a life of extremes. He ran with the bulls in Spain. He drove the same roads that were driven in the French Grand Prix and drove them as fast as he could. He was a hunter, and went after the biggest game he could, and also the riskiest: lions in Africa. When he wasn’t hunting, he was deep sea fishing. He loved the fight with the big fish – a fight he loved to win.

And he did all this while consuming massive amounts of alcohol. He could drink an entire bottle of wine – or two – every night during and after dinner. That’s after having a few mixed drinks at lunch.

But perhaps the most telling trait was that he never stayed in any one place too long. He would spend the spring in the U.S. and the fall in Italy or vice versa. He moved back and forth and around Europe and the U.S. constantly. It’s amazing he got any writing done.

And speaking of writing, he did it standing up at a cocktail table. According to Aaron Hotchner, one his closest confidants, who wrote several books about his life with the writer, Hemingway would write on yellow legal pads standing for as much as nine hours a day.

He was married several times, but spent the most number of years, I believe, with Mary. She must have loved him very much to deal with his shortcomings.

In the end, when his life became compromised by illness and he couldn’t drink, hunt, fish, travel or drive the way he used to, he took his own life with a shotgun.

When I think about Hemingway’s life, I wonder, what if drugs had been available in the 40s and the 50s, and what if Hemingway had taken them? Would he have written masterpieces? Would he have enjoyed life as much as he did?

The truth is, in a lot of ways, Hemingway’s career as a writer gave him the financial means to live the life he did. If he had been a poor man, would he have lived his life the same way? To the degree that he could afford it, I believe he would have.

Was he bipolar and obsessive/compulsive, or merely eccentric? Perhaps some day a master’s degree student will take up Ernest Hemingway as his or her thesis subject, and we will finally know the truth.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Try to Learn a New Word Every Day

There are lots of websites that will help you expand your vocabulary, many of which even will push out new words every day to your mobile phone or your email address.

Some great places for word learning are:

A.Word.A.Day by Wordsmith.org

WordLearner.com

Merriam-Webster.com and

Dictionary.com 

There are also online games you can play, which will build your word skills, such as Words With Friends, Scrabble and Bookworm. Bookworm is one of my personal favorites because it gets harder as you move up in levels. 

If you prefer not to have something delivered to your inbox every day, you can still learn new words and expand your horizons by reading. 

Read your local daily news or the national news online. Read the religious book of your faith such as the Bible, Torah or Quran. Read children's books to your kids every night. Take a class. 

Also, when you come across a word and your not sure of its meaning or even its spelling,don't be afraid to consult a dictionary online such as those suggested above, and jot it down for later if you can't look it up right away, so you won't forget it. Also, Wikipedia is a great place to get a complete history of a topic. 

You might think that being an adult and not being able to spell a word, especially if it's a word you learned growing up and have since forgotten, is embarassing. It's not. No one knows everything. 

I'll bet you can think of a word right now you'd like to better understand. We're done here, so go ahead and look it up!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Discover Your Local Library, and You May Discover Yourself

Your local library is a wonderland. It's a daily staycation. It's your door to opportunity for anything you want to do or be.

For any question you have, any question at all, I guarantee you will find at least a partial answer in your local library. You can learn things you never dreamed of, explore new things, meet people, get exercise, sing, dance, watch movies, take online classes. Learn a foreign language. Learn how to cook.

But while the books, CDs, magazines, audio files and videos are jewels, your local library is so much more than that today.

For example, the Norwalk library has yoga classes; classes for English as a second language; a poetry club and a subscription to Lynda.com, a training site that has hundreds of videos that teach you any software program, from Photoshop to Java. All you need is your library card number to log into the Lynda.com website. And of course, they all have free-use computers with Internet access. 

The Greenwich library does Free Friday Films once a month. The Darien library has a writing group where people get together to discuss the books they're working on and solicit feedback. I took a free class there a few years ago on "How to Write a Memoir."

If you have small children, I highly recommend "storybook time". It's a great way to get your child not only to love reading but also to use their imagination and to visualize. 

Think of your library as a shopping mall. Every aisle is something different. Every day, something new to see, do and learn. Library cards are free and children 5 years old and up can get one. If you haven't visited your local library yet, I encourage you to do so. If you have kids, bring them. They'll thank you, and you'll thank yourself.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

There's More than One Way to Write

I write novels. I also write business articles, press releases, flyers, songs and much more.

Are you interested in becoming a writer? If you are, just know that there is more than one way to write. For instance, you could work for an ad agency and writer TV or radio commercials, print ads, web banner ads, or email text or banner ads. 

You could work for a software company and write manuals or instructions. You could work for an education or training organization and write schoolbooks, classroom training materials, self-help programs. 

You could write scripts for YouTube videos, documentaries, TV shows, movies. You could write songs, poetry, children's books, presidential speeches, blogs for yourself, blogs for other people. 

The ability to write is a talent that would serve you well in almost any field. So if you like to write, explore all your options. Try different things. 

One of my first editors, Ken Brief, once told me, "I'd rather hire non-writers who have lived life and have something to write about than hire writers who've done nothing but write."

So live life first, then remember: There's more than one way to write.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Sidney Sheldon is My Idol

When I was 17 years old, my family took a summer camping vacation at Lake George, New York, out on one of the islands. When we had finished bringing all the food and supplies out of the boat and up to our campsite and set up all the tents, I was free to do as I wished. I went into my bag and got out a new book: The Other Side of Midnight, by Sidney Sheldon. 

I found a big flat rock where the sun was beaming down. It was the perfect spot, and I sat down to read. I immediately noticed that in the first chapter, he introduced one character. In the second chapter, he introduced a new character. But in the third chapter, he went back to the first character, and in the fourth chapter, back to the second. He continued to alternate like that, bringing the two characters' lives closer and closer together until, bam! their lives intertwined, and now they were in the same chapter. Then he would introduce new characters into the mix. 

I was only a few chapters into the book when I got a revelation: "This man writes just like me." I realized that the way Sheldon set up his story line was the same way I felt I wanted to set up my own story lines. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a novelist, and Sidney Sheldon became my idol. 

I continued to read all his novels after that one. Bloodline is my second favorite. And even though it took me 51 years to achieve my goal, I never forgot or gave up on my life's dream that I had decided that day: I wanted to be a novelist. And I never changed it either. 

This year, in January, I self-published my first novel on Amazon, In Fashion's Web. It's a story of three strong independent women: Tracey, Kara and Allison and how their lives intertwine. Like Sheldon's works, my book has love, drama, intrigue, heartbreak, success and much more. 

While I continued to learn from every book I read after that and from teachers who gave me my education, I will always look up to Sheldon as my mentor and idol. Thank you Mr. Sheldon. Perhaps we'll meet in heaven one day. 

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

You've Got to Love to Read First

I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't fully engaged in books. As a child, books were always a big part of my life. I loved the feel of turning the pages, but most of all, I loved where the books would take me -- all around the real world, or into a fantasy world.

So before I even knew there was something called writing, I fell deeply in love with reading. By the time I was in second grade, I was reading everything I could get my hands on. I remember my mom signed me up for some books by mail. Each one had 3-4 short stories in them, and I couldn't wait to receive new ones. 

My sister Diane, being the oldest, had all the Dr. Seuss, which I read cover to cover dozens of times. Still to this day I love those books. She had a complete set of Nancy Drew Mysteries, and and she used to receive these cute, short, fat books in the mail that had two classics. You read one on one side and then you turn the book over and upside down there was the other book on the other side. It was these little fat books that introduced me to Jungle Book and Robinson Crusoe. 

Because our mother knew the importance of reading early on, both Diane and I read above our grade. When I was in second grade, I went to fourth grade for reading. Diane was in third grade and she went to fifth. 

Reading is so critical to success today. I feel like if you can read, you can go anywhere and learning anything. So I wish for your child the same love of books I had. 

Please ... read to your child. Introduce them to books as a baby. Let them feel and touch and turn the pages, hold it upside down, read from the back to the front, look at the pictures. 

Mobile phones, tablets and computers are not enough to engage a child to read. Go back to basics! Sit and read with your child at night. Bring them to the library. Get them a library card. Teach your child the love of reading and you will have given them an edge that will help them succeed no matter what they do or where they go in life. 

Go read!

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon. 

Welcome to My New Blog, Always Write!

I'm so excited to be starting a new blog just about writing. In this blog, I plan to talk about how to write, what to write about, why I write, why you should write, book reviews, childhood memories of reading and writing, anything and everything to do with writing. 

The title, of course, is a play on words, mimicking the phrase "always right". 

I look forward to seeing where this blog will take me, and in peaking your interest. I hope you enjoy it!

Please note that this blog was originally launched on Wix.com. However, I was not enthralled with the metrics they were giving me so, today, I moved it over to Blogger.com.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.