Writing is, to me, a friend with extraordinary benefits. This Thanksgiving, I offer a link to an interview for which I am grateful. Mark Matousek chose to interview me on writing as a healing activity. He asked me the kind of questions that allowed me to dig deep and talk about why writing matters. I hope listening … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: November 2014
Last week, I wrote about doing a scene-writing exercise short story writer and teacher, Ron Carlson, invented. This week, I am posting 20 ideas I’ve put together for practice writing scenes that will help you develop dexterity in presenting your story, fiction or nonfiction, with the kinds of phrasing and details that absorb readers. Try … Continue reading
As writers, we are aware of the dictum “Show, don’t tell,” but sometimes what we think of as showing turns out to be only another way of telling and avoiding showing. On this subject, I often quote fiction writer Ron Carlson’s words in his book, Ron Carlson Writes a Story: Outer story, the physical world, is … Continue reading
Years ago, Jennifer Wagley entered a vivid, funny account of her perceptions of her grandmother’s attitudes toward food — buying, keeping, and serving it. It turns out she did this in 12 paragraphs, and as you know, we are celebrating our 12 year Writing It Real anniversary asking for essays that use the number 12. Check our contest guidelines … Continue reading
Mark Matousek interviews Sheila about her teaching and the writing of her memoir. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with Adrienne Harun about her award winning novel, A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain, and her career as a fiction writer and instructor in the Rainier Writer’s Workshop. … Continue reading
In Conversation with Patty Cogen Sheila talks with Patty Cogen, author of nonfiction for parents of internationally adopted children, as well as poet and essayist. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with Massachusetts author and playwright Dennis Must about his recent novel, Hush Now, Don’t Explain, from Coffee House Press, Seattle. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with agent and novelist Andrea Hurst about the new aspects of agenting, publishing and writing. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with John Pierce, technical editor for companies such as Microsoft as well as editor of poetry for Copper Canyon and Floating Bridge Press. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with Susan Bono about her career as a writer, editor, publisher and teacher. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with poet Holly J. Hughes about her poetry and her teaching career as a writer. … Continue reading
Sheila talks with playwright Mara Lathrop about her writing and her career. … Continue reading