Write Now Coach! Blog by Rochelle Melander

Last night I heard Ann Patchett read from her new book State of Wonder at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee. The store was packed and readers were excited to hear this book group favorite talk about her life, writing and books. As a writer and writing coach, I was most... Read More

21 Jun 2011

Book Proposals

The Book Proposal Resource Guide

Every day I meet people who want to write and publish a bestselling nonfiction book. I always encourage them. But, I know how hard it is. The market is tighter than ever before. At the end of 2009, an agent reported that she had read and responded to 38,000 queries... Read More

15 Jun 2011

Journaling, Write2Transform

Wednesday Writing Prompt: Positivity Journal by Rochelle Melander

In the Summer 2011 issue of Yoga International, Anne Dubrovsky profiles Anusara teacher Amy Ippoliti. In a sidebar, Ippoliti suggests keeping a separate journal for positive events in your life. I love it! Detail Success. Over the years, I have frequently asked clients to record their achievements, the encouraging events... Read More

13 Jun 2011

Memoir, Writers Read

#WritersRead: Reading Memoir by Rochelle Melander

I started reading memoir years ago, thinking it might help me write my own. It did. As I revise my memoir, I continue to be fascinated by how other writers structure the narrative of their lives. Here are some of the memoirs I’ve read in the past year and a... Read More

08 Jun 2011

Write2Transform

Write2Transform: Fierce Wonderings

In Ralph Fletcher’s marvelous book, A Writer’s Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You, he encourages readers to examine their fierce wonderings and bottomless questions. Today’s assignment, writers, is to make a list of everything you wonder about. What are you curious about? What are your bottomless questions? What places, things,... Read More

07 Jun 2011

Productivity

Are YOU a real writer?

Being a real writer means being able to do the work on a bad day. —Norman Mailer I’ve read and shared this quote from Norman Mailer multiple times. He gives good advice: real writers work even when they don’t sleep well, the kids get sick, and the basement floods. Last week, I had... Read More

06 Jun 2011

Rejection

Reframe Rejection by Rochelle Melander

This past weekend at WriteCamp 3 Milwaukee, a writer asked me what I thought was the most important trait for professional writers. I did not even need to think about my answer: persistence. Today on Online College, I read a post about famous, much-rejected authors. I already knew that... Read More