Columnists

Locking In, Letting Go

I’ve thought of myself as a writer who loves revision. I rewrote large chunks of my two poetry collections between the ‘final’ version submitted to my publisher, and the version that ended up being ...

The Joys of Rereading

Like any other avid reader, my TBR pile can feel out of control most of the time. For me, it’s partly because I’m a mood reader with an aversion to to-do lists of any kind, but it’s also because ...

How to Avoid Blank Page Syndrome: The Jar Method

When I’m editing, there are specific problems to tackle, and I find I have a clear to-do list. Even if there’s a lot to do, I have a road map, but at the beginning of a project, I get so easily daunted ...

10 Self-Care Tips for Writers

Self-care is more than a long candlelit bath and chocolate—it’s prioritizing your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. As someone with anxiety and chronic depression, I’ve learned the hard ...

Finding a Press for Your Poetry Manuscript

In one of my first columns as an Open Book columnist, I shared my process of realizing I had a full-length poetry manuscript. Since then, I’ve written a number of columns about how to go about preparing ...

Grant Writing 101: Timelines

You’ve got an idea, you’ve got working title, maybe you’ve even got a beta reader, or a mentor lined up. You’ve got your budget planned out (and know how many days/weeks or hours your project ...

Writing Lessons Learned From Zines

In my early twenties, my friend Teri Vlassopoulos introduced me to zines and it changed my life. If you’re not familiar with the term, ZineWiki defines a zine as “an independently- or self-published ...

Audiobook Magic

Poetry books rarely come in audio format, and perhaps this is the reason it’s taken me until 2025 to discover the magic of audiobooks. In 2024, I began writing more fiction after several years of focusing ...

Grant Writing 101: Support Material

When I’m not writing books, I write grants for artists and non-profits and if my inbox is any indication, nothing says the new year like applying for grants! Let’s start 2025 with some grant funding!!!For ...

Why Does Your Story Matter?

It’s the start of a new year, and many of us are taking stock. We’re thinking about what we’ve been through and maybe looking forward with hope and interesting ideas. Whether you have a to-do list ...