by Amy Paturel | Jan 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
So much of our lives, and our writing, focuses on fear, grief, and loss. The essay examples I most frequently share center around pain of some sort, and most of my students show up to class intending to write about past trauma. And for good reason. Growth often...
by Amy Paturel | Jan 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
Trigger Warning: This Q&A contains content about cancer in children. The first time I read a piece by Amy McHugh, her writing hit me like a truck. She was willing to go deep into a topic that no one wants to discuss: kids and cancer. Every parent’s worst...
by Amy Paturel | Sep 10, 2022 | Uncategorized
Essay is a popular genre. Unfortunately, the number of essayists lobbying for space on the page far exceeds the available slots. For example, The New York Times’ Modern Love column sees thousands of submissions each year—of which only 52 run. Despite this...
by Amy Paturel | Aug 5, 2022 | Uncategorized
My husband frequently says, “my favorite thing about Amy is she never gives up and my least favorite thing about Amy is she never gives up.” The truth is, without that dogged perseverance I wouldn’t be writing this newsletter. Nearly two decades after my...
by Amy Paturel | Jun 24, 2022 | Uncategorized
Writing can be intimidating. After all, you’re staring at a blank page attempting to fill it with something profound, something that will move your reader, something that will drop them into a transformative experience right alongside you. That’s a lot of pressure!...
by Amy Paturel | May 24, 2022 | Uncategorized
If you’ve taken my classes, you know that I’m a big fan of approaching essays on a physical page first, not in the computer. There’s plenty of research about the power of the pen. Studies show that the physical movements required for writing tap into areas of the...
by Amy Paturel | Apr 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
Since the start of 2022, I’ve had a sort of awakening about dreaming. Let’s just say, I’m firmly planted in the idea that we can use our dreams to inform, enhance, and even shape our lives. A bonus: We can use them with our writing, too. It’s...
by Amy Paturel | Feb 2, 2022 | Uncategorized
From the time I was a little girl, writing was my go-to form of therapy — cheap, easy, and always accessible. I write when I’m happy, when I’m sad, and when I’m angry and seeing red. The goal is always to record my thoughts, feelings, and...
by Amy Paturel | Jan 2, 2022 | Uncategorized
One question people frequently ask me is how I land stories in big-name publications while teaching, maintaining my corporate clients, and you know, raising three small humans. I wish I could say I have mastered the art of time management and tackle everything on my...
by Amy Paturel | Dec 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
I’ll be honest. I wrestled with whether I should even send a newsletter this month. Like anyone who has lived 40-something years, I’ve navigated at least a few Turkey Days where it’s difficult to cultivate gratitude. In 1998, Thanksgiving fell two...
