Confessional Writing: What You Need to Know

Writing a memoir or personal essay is complicated, especially when that writing shines a light on our poor choices. We’ve all made mistakes. But not all of us choose to open ourselves up (and risk potential backlash) by publishing a confessional essay. Since...

On Fabricating Truth

What a rough start to the year, eh?! With clueless leaders becoming more adept at fabricating truth (widespread COVID19 testing, anyone?), I figured I should turn off the news and focus on where I fall short in my writing. Right now, it appears to be my memory. The...

Rethinking Pennebaker

In grief, trauma, and loss, remember to home in on the good stuff. If you’ve taken my classes or followed my blog posts about essay writing, you’ve probably heard me talk about James Pennebaker. His writing exercises make an appearance in almost every...

Do You Believe in Magic?

  Ever since my children were little, I have had an aversion to the whole Santa tradition. It’s not that I want to rob my children of the magic that is Santa. I just have a hard time lying to them. Several years ago, one of my students wrote a humor piece...

With Gratitude to Writers

  Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. There’s no pressure to buy the perfect gift. No kids wondering if they’ll get the most coveted item on their Christmas list (probably not!). Instead, the focus of the holiday is connecting with our...