How to Write when the World is on Fire

By Rochelle Melander I’ve spent the last week under the weather, first with the Norovirus, then with a cold. The only benefit to being sick has been my need to rest—and stay offline. It’s tempting to spend every moment scouring the news, listening to the pundits, seeking signs of hope... Read More

Use the Difficulty

By Rochelle Melander ˆ The Exceptional is always usual And the Usual exceptional. To choose what is difficult all one’s days As if it were easy, that is faith. Joseph, praise. —W.H. Auden, For the Time Being My coach played a clip of Michael Caine talking about his philosophy, “Use... Read More

Writers@Work: Writing Lessons from a President

By Rochelle Melander “Go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.”― Jimmy Carter Watching President Jimmy Carter’s funeral last week got me interested in his writing life. Carter was one of the most prolific presidents, penning 32 books. (Twenty of his books became New York Times bestsellers.) As far... Read More

Identify Your Allies

By Rochelle Melander This is what we can all do to nourish and strengthen one another: listen to one another very hard, ask hard questions, too, send one another away to work again, and laugh in all the right places.  – Nancy Mairs Neuroscientist Moran Cerf said that we can... Read More

Letting Go

By Rochelle Melander When we want to change our lives, when we seek to create a new vision for our life’s journey—we need to open up time, space, and energy in our present lives. Without this first step, without the empty spaces, we cannot hear the nudges to a new... Read More