Tone and Mood, the Powerhouses of Writing

Most authors will say the best way to write a strong story is to show, don’t tell. But if the tone or mood of all that showing doesn’t match the intensity of the plot, the story still seems weak. Having all three is the trifecta of great storytelling. The difference between Tone and Mood Tone defines the character’s attitude. Is … Read More

Fighting Imposter Syndrome

According to dictionary.com, imposter syndrome is defined as “anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing one’s competence and active role in achieving success, while falsely attributing one’s accomplishments to luck or other external forces.” I define it as one giant mind fuck. I’ve struggled with it for years. First in music, then teaching, and now as a writer. My … Read More

The Little Things

Last Saturday, I stood at the Cincinnati International Airport, confounded as to how I missed a flight that hadn’t even taken off yet. I mean, I got up a 3:45 a.m., was out the door by 4:10, and I made it to Cincy two hours before like a good little rule-follower. The first hurdle was the fact that CVG, the … Read More

The Art of Communication

This past weekend, a drama bomb went off in Social Media land, the likes of which I’ve never seen.  Usually calm, intelligent, rational human beings turned into raving lunatics, spewing toxic sludge like word vomit across my feed. Everyone had something to say–the problem was no one seemed to be listening. Is it okay to be passionate about a subject? Absolutely. … Read More

How to Stop Facebook’s Shenanigans From Keeping You From Your Tribe.

I was talking to a friend today about Facebook’s crackdown on using personal pages for business. For those outside the writing community, I’m sure you may not think this is a big deal. But for every entrepreneur out there, it’s a game-changer. Last year, Facebook scaled back a business pages’ reach, meaning only a few people could see posts containing URLs … Read More

Understanding the Power of Intent

Cultures are born from the depths of belief. Some take root in the sacred, like the Native American belief that the Earth is the source of all life, a gift from the Maker. Others grow from the ideals that shape societies, such as justice and freedom being the heart of democratic nations. Each culture is a living testament to the … Read More