Everyone has things they’re good at, and well, not so good at. Right? Myself included. I’m not the best at taking criticism. I’m terrible at ignoring messes. And I totally stink at things like change, baking, and good-byes. Ugh. I confess I’ve been putting off writing this post–or even thinking about it–for a few days…
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Rules of the Open Page
Did you ever notice how many rules–and exceptions to those rules–are involved in written English? I can’t speak for other languages since I haven’t written in them since my tenth grade French class where Je voudrais manger! was often my ending journal note before the final bell. The class, being the last before lunch, would…
Is Inspiration Overrated?
Inspiration. It’s that nebulous idea that there is some sort of awesomeness out there just waiting to bring our senses–and our writing–to life. When we think of it, we conjure images of trees in a profusion of pink blossoms–or the opposite–with their colors ablaze in autumn glory. Or we think of big events: weddings, funerals,…
Just Different: Writing versus Typing
I love my laptop. I really do. It’s smooth-looking, lightweight, and typing on it makes me feel like a pro. But the other day when technical issues forced me to write by hand, I remembered why, for years, I didn’t want a portable computer: writing things out by hand is just different. I tried to…
The Writers’ Creed
Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash We are the holders of pens and the lovers of pages. We are the bangers of keys who multi-save to the cloud—just in case. We are the tellers of tales, the authors of essays, and the source of those greatly-needed grants. We are the screamers of poems. We are writers and…
Chaos, Order, and Transformation
When I came into into work this morning, I gasped. I had forgotten that there was a new show put up at the Racine Arts Council, Blase Masini’s Chaos & Order. It’s striking. But more than just something to look at, this show has true transformative power. It’s a completely different space down here! And…
Are You Still Thinking About Easter?
Are you still thinking about Easter? I am. I can’t walk into a store to grab a pound of ground chuck or pick up a prescription without being tempted by all the half-price candy. In the last couple of weeks leading up to and following the holiday, I have eaten three entire bags of Starburst…
When Did You Know?
You’ve been on both ends of the question. You’ve asked and been asked about a lot of different things: “When did you know… “…you loved him? Loved her? “…you were ready to buy a house?” And maybe most famously, for the ladies at least: “When did you know you were pregnant?” I was talking with a…
Blogs on Blogs: Good Representation
Representation matters. I believe one of the most important reasons to tell stories is to connect to people, and everyone deserves to have well rounded, well written characters they can relate to. Our stories can be tragically lacking in good representations of certain groups, though. People of color, people with disabilities, and various members of…
Eat, Drink, and Be Writing
We all have our favorite foods. Food is an important part of life and few places is that more evident than the holidays. Maybe it’s your aunt’s prize winning pumpkin pie, or the cookies you decorate with your kids. You could be drinking sparkling bubbly, warm hot chocolate, or a special tea that help you…
ArtRoot Writer-In-Residence 