Writing

Writer’s Block Begins in the Body

This month I revisited a book I first read years ago when I was a student, a book by John Lee titled Writing from the Body.

The introduction of the book makes a bold declaration: Writer’s block begins in the body.

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How to Write a Good Personal Essay

Humans are nosy. We love to be all up in other people’s business. And while this is annoying at family gatherings when your aunt wants to know why you’re still not married, the nosy nature of humans is actually good news for you as a writer. People want to read your story! People want to read your personal essays.

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Self-Care Tips for Writers

Today is International Self-Care Day. This special day is held on 7/24 to remind us that self-care is something we should prioritize 24/7.

Lord knows I need this reminder and chances are you do, too.

We writers and bloggers are ambitious people. We have to be. To turn your thoughts and ideas to words and share those words with the world takes gumption and grit. It takes commitment and consistency. It takes sacrifice. And sometimes the first thing we sacrifice is self-care.

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Writing My Way Back to God

I was a freshman in college when I first started keeping a prayer journal. Merging my love for writing with my love for God was exactly what I needed to take my faith to another level. My prayer journal became a collection of love letters to God. My prayers became poetry and suddenly God was everything and everywhere. God was a post-workout smoothie. God was the sun kissing my brown skin when I would lie on the quad reading. Once on New Year’s Eve, I felt God with me on the dance floor of a night club.

Prayer has not made me immune to crises of faith. These crises usually happen when so-called Christians are being racist, sexist, homophobic, or xenophobic in Jesus’ name. I stop going to church and I start questioning everything – until I remember the God I fell in love with so many years ago.

But this time things are different.

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