by Rochelle Melander Clarissa Pinkola Estes has something important to say. Did you know … that eccentricity is the first sign of giftedness? What if the thing that people criticize you for, the thing people find irritating about you, is also your biggest gift, your superpower? Author and Jungian psychoanalyst Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes says...Read More

Note From Rochelle Dear Writers, Last fall, I had the privilege of attending Mystery Writers of America MWA University. While there, I heard Hallie Ephron speak about Dramatic Structure and Plotting—which changed the way I think about writing fiction. I’ve invited her to the blog to talk about one small aspect of plotting—how to juggle...Read More

17 March 2015 Note From Rochelle Dear Writers, In Milwaukee, where I live, they’ve been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day since the first weekend in March. Today, the bars open at 6:00 AM for Irish breakfasts and, of course, beer. Even if you’re not Irish, you might be interested in today’s article about how to be...Read More

When we commit ourselves to writing for some part of each day we are happier, more enlightened, alive, lighthearted and generous to everyone else. Even our health improves. –Brenda Ueland In June, I took my son to a Switchfoot concert. In the middle of their show, the lead singer talked about leaving their record company,...Read More

For me, poetry is related to walking. Words and images fill me when I wander somewhere alone. Writer Bruce Chatwin lived with nomads and believed inspiration, as well as true rest, could best be found in motion. Sometimes I wish I could walk forever, jotting down notes and words. —Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, Poemcrazy When I...Read More

This is what my office looks like when I am finishing a project: messy. I spent the whole weekend moving furniture, tossing old stuff, cleaning, and organizing. I still have more to do, but I am beginning to feel like I can breathe again. I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to...Read More