Several judges contributed to the first “Story Street Writers’ contest, the Nightmare on Story Street 100 Word Horror Story Contest.” I was the loudest proponent of the contest and due to my Catholic guilt, I poured myself into the shared task of judging the first two rounds.…
Build Your Own Writing Challenge
Need some writing therapy but disappointed in NaNoWriMo this year? Start your own challenge. You don't need permission!
10 Famous Authors Who Felt Like Frauds to Help You Get Over Your Latest Rejection
Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced one, you’re likely familiar with the insidious, internal voice that whispers: you’re not really a writer; your work is no good. Like death and taxes, self doubt comes for us all, particularly if you’re suffering the sting of a recent rejection.…
Nightmare on Story Street, Final Reckoning
Read the winning stories of our horror contest, in the brand new Story Street Review.
Curious About Beta Readers? Read On
I recently completed a novel that has been workshopped, revised repeatedly, and polished. Before I begin the query process or move to self-publish, I’d like some “consumer” feedback. I want to know how my story will be received by its intended audience.…
Nightmare on Story Street Update
We're getting closer to the 31st. Here's an update on the contest and our top 10 (ok 11).
“Blue Light Hours” by Bruna Dantas Lobato
We’ve all been there – sitting in the blue glow of the screen that holds the image of the loved one we would do anything to have in our arms. Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato is a novel about that unique brand of loneliness.…
Zen and The Pen: The Balance of Effort and Ease
When I was a child, seesaws were fun until they weren’t. When I could find balance and unity with a trustworthy friend on the opposite side, there was harmony, levity, and joy. When I exerted effort, I pushed off into the sky.…
A Work in Progress: All of Writing is Suffering
I am not Buddhist, but I’m not not Buddhist. Same with Catholicism.
One belief that I share with some Catholics and some Buddhists is that all of life is suffering. For St. Teresa of Calcutta, earthly suffering brings us closer to the state of Jesus, giving us a rare ecstasy that prepares us to meet God.…
Bringing first person intimacy into third person narratives: a lesson from Ha Jin
I like the intimacy of first person. The direct connection with a character, the lack of any barriers between us – this tends to be what sucks me into a book. (It’s even better when the lines between reader and protagonist blur entirely, as in Ulysses or Liu Yichang’s The Drunkard.)…