Member of the Month: Margaret Smith Marston

I can’t remember when or how I first met Margaret Smith Marston but I do remember that we reconnected after she attended an in-person journaling workshop I hosted a while back. Since then, she’s been one of the most active members of the See Jane Write Collective, showing up on Zoom for our weekly write-ins and monthly critique sessions not only to get help with her own projects but to be a source of encouragement for other members too.

We’re celebrating Margaret this month because this month she’s making one of her writing dreams come true. Margaret’s first children’s book Eureka, Paprika is set to be released on Tuesday, August 13, and is available for pre-order now.

Hand illustrated by Margaret’s cousin Susanne St. Clair Hebden, Eureka, Paprika is a touching tale that brings kitchen spices to life to teach children the importance of including others. Determined to bring this book baby into the world, Margaret signed up for my 1-on-1 coaching program for additional guidance and I’m so excited her book launch is finally here. Read on to learn more about Margaret and her labor of love.

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In My Poetry Era

Once upon a time, I was a poet.

As a teenager and in my 20s I wrote and read poetry nearly every single day. In graduate school, I taught poetry too. I performed spoken word at venues across the Bay Area.I saw poetry in everything from a sunset to the run in the pantyhose of a woman walking by.

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Why Busy Writers Should Journal

Writers should journal even if they feel like their schedule is too hectic to make the time. I know that if you’re a busy writer you may feel like journaling is a waste of time. After all, shouldn’t any time that you have to write be spent working on your book or blog or an article, essay, or poem? What’s the point in using that precious time to write words that no one else will see? 

If this is your mindset about journaling, my mission is to change it. 

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